One Major Reason Why Your Business Might Be Failing

Today I want to talk with you about one major reason why your business might be failing. I’m being authentic with you today as I am dressed down. It's basically me and the computer doing some editing today and I wanted to talk about this video that I came across.

One of my favorite YouTube vloggers is a guy by the name of Casey Neistat. He does a great job telling stories and communicating about every day things. It just so happens that in yesterday's video he proves a point your business might need to pay attention, so I'm gonna have you come along and watch this video with me as I call out a couple of parts. (see above)

Casey is a big Boosted Board electric skateboard user. The guy is always on it and he goes all over New York City from meeting to meeting, somehow videotaping himself while he's on the board. Yesterday he gets a brand-new carbon fiber board from a different supplier. It’s super small, super compact and Casey is super excited to use it.

Casey spends at least an hour trying to figure out how to ride his new carbon fiber skateboard and he's not having any luck. For about a minute or two you see Casey with the manual trying to figure out how to ride the new skateboard. Marlon, his UPS guy, has better luck than Casey but they still can't figure it out.

Marlon takes off, goes back to work, and there's Casey again. What’s he doing in the video? He’s reading the manual which is what any person would do, right? Next comes my favorite part so pay attention below. 

CASEY: “So I do think there is a place for this little guy in the market. It’s incredible and feels well-built and all that stuff. With that though I am a man of moderate to average to medium intelligence and I read this manual twice. I’m also a lifelong skateboarder and a fairly competent guy when it comes to all things electronic. (Shows manual to the camera) I don't know what this means.”

How many times have you picked up a product yourself and you take it home and you're so excited to use it? Then you get home and you read the manual and... nothing. 

I recorded the video episode of this blog on the Sony X 70 which came as a standard video camera with a license to upgrade to 4K, which I purchased.  It took me two hours to figure out how to get the camera to go into 4K mode -  and like my good friend Casey,  I'm a fairly savvy guy when it comes to technology.

I could not figure out how to get this camera to go to 4K and I literally wanted to throw it through the window.  Next, here’s what Casey does and I want you to pay special attention to what the individual with the skateboard company has to say. Casey calls the skateboard company and here's the phone exchange:

CASEY: “Are you the guy who sent me the Spectra skateboard?"

SKATEBOARD REP: “Yes sir, that’s me.”

CASEY: “I have some questions for you; I spent an hour and a half playing with your board and I never figured out how to use it.”

SKATEBOARD REP: “Oh wait, so you didn’t ride it at all?”

CASEY: “I couldn't make sense of your manual.”

SKATEBOARD REP: “So the thing is, we’re gonna have a tutorial video…”  

Wait, what did you just say? (This is me talking rhetorically.)

VIDEO TUTORIAL?

Casey Neistat, an individual who is no stranger to technology, couldn't figure it out because of the manual. And one of the first things the individual representing the skateboard company says is, “…oh, we're going to come out with a tutorial video…” 

Here’s the Big Idea Why Your Business Might Be Failing

How in tune are you with your customers, and how in tune are you with how your customers perceive your product or your service?

Do they know how to use it to the extent you want them to?

Or is it maybe going to improve if you would simply create a tutorial video that demonstrates how to use your product?

How did I figure out how to get my camera to go to 4K? I went to YouTube and I watched a video that somebody else made, not from the company, but an independent individual. 

Don’t Let Your Business Fail - Next Big Point

As a business, if you want somebody else representing your company and representing your brand and telling people how to use your product, that's really up to you. For me, I wouldn't be too happy about that and I would want to be the one that would say, “Hey I'm customer-centric enough that I'm going to create a video. I’m going to tell people how to use my product.

If you're a small business and you need help visit, www.mediabyjp.com where you can learn more about my business and how it can help yours. We connect brands to its customers through story telling, video productions and creative consulting. We pride ourselves with helping small businesses grow. We can help you produce ads, testimonials, and yes, tutorial videos as well.

Why You Need Video to Grow Your Brand

As an earlier adopter of Twitter, writing 140 character messages was both fun and challenging. It was new, it was cool, and it was infectious. Was, was was. Back then there was no video to grow your brand, just text. For small businesses, Twitter was a great platform. But yes, there is that magic word again - was.

Unfortunately Twitter could only do so much so fast and then the next big player came to town. Say it with me - Facebook.

The central reason why Facebook has survived is simple. They evolved. I'm not going to step on the Zuckerberg Express, mind you, but hats off to Facebook for being the modern day Terminator - evolving and bettering itself with each new version. They're not perfect, but you have to admit their monstrous growth attracts us all.

But the next time you're on Facebook, ask yourself one simple question:

"What Facebook posts attract me the most?"

A friend of mine, Kim VanderPoel, owner of social media company Fresh Impact, recently shared with me her opinion, which fortunately matched my own. It's one of the reasons why Twitter is slowly dying and why Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, and others are still in the fray. And although the stat I'm about to share comes from a few year's back, it's as true today as it was back then.

Three Reasons Why You Need Video to Grow Your Brand

If your brand wants to engage with your customers, video is the primary force to do so. According to Sproutsocial, videos average 62% more engagement than photos. In other words, if you're still posting text or photo only posts, you're leaving money on the table.

Why is video that much more engaging?  

The first reason why you need video for your brand is its diversity. Video comes in all shapes and sizes. Videos can be long or short. They can be in black and white or colored. They can contain words, images, music and leave you wondering how it will end. Just like a movie.

Speaking of movies, the second reason why you need video for your brand is the emotional connection you can create with your customers. Like various genres of movies, videos can make you sad or glad, mad or empowered. When marketers talk about connecting brands to consumers, emotional branding is a strong frontrunner. To make the viewer feel a certain way is more readily done via video versus words alone. 

And the third reason, but certainly not the last, why you need video to grow your brand is as simple as looking at your competition. Here's a hint: if your competition is doing video and you're not, they're going to leave you in the dust on the competition floor. And if your competition is not doing video for social media, etc. - then it's a great time to start so you can leave them in the dust and stay ahead of the game.

Consumers are smart cookies. They no longer want you to tell them what you do. They want you to show them. As the quote goes, "Words are nothing. Actions are everything. Don't tell me. Show me." 

Since I'm from Missouri, the Show-Me state, there's no one better to remind us all that if you want to grow your brand in today's consumer-driven world, improve your chances and engagement and use video to do it. For more reminders, updates, etc. - sign up below.