Don’t judge a book by it’s cover…

Except, everyone does, it’s impossible not to.

First impressions are everything.

There are varying statistics about the first impressions we have of people and the accuracy of the assumptions that we make. But, the general consensus is that we make those assumptions incredibly fast and they aren’t usually accurate to someone’s actual character.

But what does any of this have to do with you, your company, and your marketing assets?

Well, if there’s one place that people are more judgmental than anywhere else, it’s the internet. The way your brand is perceived within the first few seconds of someone coming across it online could make or break some of your best potential opportunities and relationships.

You could be the best in your industry at what you do, but if your website looks like it hasn’t been updated since 2005, people will assume that the carelessness behind your branding will translate to carelessness in your work.

You could be awful at what you do, but be great at marketing it, and you’ll attract a ton of positive attention.

So when it comes to video, how can you use that powerful first impression to your advantage?

Let’s get the obvious topic of “quality” out of the way. Clear image quality, sound, and a generally modern looking video content are a prerequisite to any of the things I’m about to cover.

Keep It Real

Personality & Authenticity

Every 4th Instagram post you scroll through is an ad, go check if you don’t believe me. People are more ad-averse than ever and can instantly sniff out inauthenticity. Nobody wants to be sold to, let alone by some big corporation. So let your personality come through and showcase the people behind your company. Be open about the problems you’re truly trying to solve and be transparent about how you help people solve them. People connect with people, not companies.

Trim The Fat

Stay Engaging

One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to reach a cold audience, is thinking they care… at all. If your video either needs to be superbowl-level entertaining or teaching them a valuable insight on a topic they care about. Cut out everything that doesn’t serve the viewer and keep them engaged.

Don’t Leave Them Hanging

Provide the Right Next Step

A call to action is always necessary, but choosing the right call to action for the right video and the right product can be tricky. Assuming that you’re trying to generate interest in a higher-ticket purchase or perhaps attract investors or donors, you can’t make such a big ask right off the bat. Each piece of content someone comes across should lead them to the next, and then to eventually contact you, and then to a sale. You should never try to sell the house based on that first interaction, but rather, just try to sell them on the idea of touring it.

By keeping these three things front of mind with any content you or your team creates, you’ll already be ahead of half of the BS that I see online on a daily basis.

You can click here see this topic covered in-depth in my most recent video.

Or, feel free to book a free strategy call here, have a great weekend!