5 Video Ideas

Last month we talked about Why You Can’t Be Afraid of the Camera Anymore, as video is becoming more of a necessity in today’s marketing campaigns. It’s time more of us in the credit union industry used video to deliver our messages. The advent and ease of video technology, a younger generation that has literally grown up in front of the camera (Can you say selfie?), and the incredible “shareability” and retention of video make incorporating this medium a no brainer for your credit union’s messaging.

So what do I do in front of the camera, you ask?

Good question. It depends on what kind of messenger you want to be – and I have five ideas for you. They all have something in common: They build trust among your viewers. That trust, subsequently, leads to sales because of the personal connection video fosters.

1. Be a Reporter

Like I said in last month’s column: With cameras shoe-horned into our phones now, we are all reporters. So report what’s going on at your credit union and/or within the financial industry in a kind of video newsletter format, or dedicate a section of your website where these video reports will reside (preferably your homepage). You can obviously talk about your products and services, new technology, and trendy finance issues. Or comment on global headlines that relate to finance and ultimately your members, cool things your credit union and/or your staff are doing, community events, etc.

Being a reporter is fun, but don’t give your audience fluff. Give them helpful, educational information they can use that will impact their lives immediately. Being helpful and educational is key in building the trust you need to become your members’ primary financial institution. If you can’t do it in person, video is the next best thing.

2. Be a Teacher

Speaking of being helpful and educational, you can be a teacher in your videos. Most of us remember specific teachers during our academic years who were instrumental in shaping our future careers, helping us get past that confounding quadratic formula (thank you, Mrs. Barron), or just giving us some simple advice that stuck with us throughout our lives.

Don’t you want to be that to your members? Don’t you want to help shape your members’ financial lives? Don’t you want to help them with those lengthy mortgage applications? Don’t you want to provide them with some simple budgeting advice that will help them achieve their dreams?

Being a teacher positions you as a leader, a trusted authority, and somebody with which people want to do business. So think of some teachable/instructional videos you can produce and consistently deliver your helpful message. But think of these short video productions as “infotainment.” You don’t want to bore anybody, causing them to veer off into a YouTube wormhole of crazy cat videos. Make them fun and engaging.

So focus on providing value. Share information, host Q&A sessions on live streaming sites like Periscope or Meerkat, or create an online course to generate increased interest in your products and services.

3. Be a Student

Be a student? Wait, what? Yes, it’s your turn to learn from your members. Creating inquiry-type videos is the perfect way to get valuable feedback from your members on specific products and services you’re thinking of launching. These are validators – and many, many of marketers use them everyday very effectively.

So ask questions to get opinions and immediate feedback with your videos. Again, you can use live streaming apps like Periscope and Meerkat –  for these.

These inquiries also make your members feel like a part of the process – like they have a say in the decision that will drive better products and services for them. Nothing builds loyalty like that. It’s called member engagement and video is a great tool to spark that conversation.

4. Be a Host

When you invite people over to your house for a get-together, you are the host. You clean up the place, serve some tasty food and drink, plan some entertaining activities, engage in lively conversation, etc. Oh, and you usually send them on their way with a nice parting gift to remember the occasion.

Well, when you think of your members engaging with your credit union, you want them to be as familiar and proud of the place as you are. You want them to feel at home. You want to be comfortable. All this fosters a closer connection which, again, builds that trust you need to sell.

So in these videos, you can take surveys, ask questions, provide giveaways for guests/participants, etc. As simple as they are, they enhance your connection with members. Who doesn’t want that?

5. Be a Tour Guide

Being a tour guide is one of my favorites. It’s almost like being a host, only you don’t really have to entertain (you should, though); you just have to show. Being engaging certainly goes a long, long way in being a tour guide, as we’ve all been on tours that have been humdrum and those that have been stellar – mostly because the guide was entertaining and engaging.

So here’s what you can do as a tour guide in a video. Give a quick, behind-the-scenes tour of your credit union. Like a host, you want your members to be as familiar and proud of your credit union as you are. Familiarity promotes comfort. So show them around. And, as you go from department to department, throw in a little casual cross sell comment to spark a member or two to act.

Or you could even feature a particular department of the month, introducing your members to mortgage loan officers for example (even interviewing them!), along with new home loan products, lending trends, your credit union’s recent performance, advice, etc.

You can be all these messengers and more. These are the things you can do in front of the camera to engage, empower, and connect with your members. Video is powerful – and we’ll get a little technical next month as I’ll show you how to set up a good shot without breaking the bank – um, I mean, credit union.

And lastly, videos are so much fun to make. Be informative, helpful, authentic, and entertaining—and they will be successful.

For those of you who are already incorporating video in your marketing plans, and there are a lot of you, let us know what you’re doing and what’s working. Your peers want to know.

Mike Lawson, principal and founder of the PR/marketing firm DML Communications and the online CUbroadcast show, has two decades of journalism, public relations and marketing experience. His unique and robust knowledge allows him to meet the varied needs of editors, end-users and clients. Lawson's expertise enables him to enhance his clients' market exposure through media relations, social media tools, advertising efforts, target marketing strategies and more. He also speaks on PR, marketing and media issues to audiences nationwide.

Credit Union Management’s “Inside Marketing” column runs the third Thursday of the month.