Video marketing that embraces the Christmas spirit; both of them.

Q4 already? How did that happen? As we start figuring work out in this new normal many of us are working on holiday marketing campaign planning. What does that even look like in 2020? The hard sell is definitely out, replaced by compassion and an understanding of what consumers are struggling with.

So if you’re back in the office and suddenly realising that your latest launch needs a totally new strategy or you’re cracking into your festive marketing, here are 5 tips for a budget friendly video marketing campaign with empathy.

Why video? Well because 87% of video marketers say that video has increased traffic to their website. (Wyzowl, 2020), definitely not just because we bloody love video here!

1) Read the room.

Spend some of your planning time checking in with your customers; where are they at right now? What’s weighing them down? What do they need?

It doesn’t matter how incredible your family focused marketing materials are if your audience are preparing for a lonely festive season due to lockdowns or wanting to protect their loved ones. Your campaign needs to meet people where they’re at and understand what they’re dealing with.

2) Get creative.

We’re all sick of hearing that these are unprecedented times but it’s worth remembering when you’re planning your marketing. All that generic, festive marketing advice and what you’ve learned yourself from years of testing is somewhat out the window now. We’re starting from scratch and it’s time to get creative about every aspect of your business.

We love to find inspiration in the most unlikely places and keep an eye on what’s working for brands and businesses in all industries. If you’re only watching your competitors it’s worth broadening your social media stalking to include innovative brands in different areas, you never know what’s going to spark your next idea or the next big trend.

3) Sell the solution, park the problem.

Do you know what makes us feel more positive during global pandemics? Solutions! Opting for solution focused marketing is a simple switch that keeps your messaging positive and offers a light at the end of the tunnel.

If you’ve read the room you already know what problems your customers are having so build your campaign around how your product or service solves their problem. No need to remind them that everything is awful before offering that solution, most of us are pretty clear on all the things that are tough right now!

Don’t fall into the trap of making huge promises; honesty combined with demonstrating the lifestyle of someone who solved that problem is a gentler way to make the sale.

4) Sexy stock.

There’s a reason that 92% of marketers make videos with assets they already have (Animoto, 2017); it saves time and money! Having a catalogue of your own content to dip into and re-use in future videos is a gold star way to  shorten turnaround time on video projects.

No need to worry about it getting old either, give it a totally new look with some stonking stock footage and nifty editing skills and you’ll be laughing all the way through the long weekend you’ll be able to take off. You’d be surprised at the difference a festive backing track makes to your videos too! 

Make the most of having more staff available now more of us are back to work by having someone create a folder of all your marketing materials so you can just add to it in future. Organisation for the win!

5) Don’t be Scrooge in the wrong places.

Reducing costs is hugely important at the moment but don’t scrimp where it matters; delivering what you promise and customer service needs to be top priority.

When it comes to your video marketing, opting for nimble shoots rather than big productions is a great way to keep costs down but keep in mind Thomas Jefferson’s words; “The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time.”

The Father Christmas of marketing.

Sorry to drop the C-word in October but we’re determined to help businesses bounce back from covid. We believe you can take control of how this quarter, and next year, goes and nailing your marketing will make all the difference.

Whether you’re looking to outsource or just want some advice, our sack is full of festive marketing ideas and time and cost saving tips that we’ve picked up from working with the likes of Nike, Puma, Sky and Adidas.

Give us a call to chat through your next marketing campaign with our award winning team or get a quote.