Use Your Video Camera at Trade Shows to Gain Business - Free!

I am a big fan of video marketing. You can see its usefulness in a lot of different situations. Ways that will keep your company name or product in front of your customers while giving them something in return. With the use of the internet, this can be done for no cost, just some of your time. The most important thing right now is getting started with video marketing.

Let's say for example, you are scheduled to be at a trade show or some similar event where you will be presenting your company or product. Bring your video camera and look for these opportunities.

1. Have a friend or co-worker walk around the show and just record everything as they walk. Show the smiling people, the vendors at the tables, the games, the giveaways, the food, as much as possible. You can use this later. Get a lot of footage of the show that can be edited for the final draft. It may take 60 minutes of raw footage to create the 2 minute video that you will share later.

2. Get testimonials from your past customers. If they are at the show, ask to record them for a minute talking about your product or service. Nothing fancy or staged here. There's nothing worse than someone practically reading what they are trying to say. Encourage them to just speak the truth, nothing flows better than an honest appraisal. In the worse case, record a second attempt.

3. Interview fellow vendors during the show. Are their vendors at the show that you have dealt with in the past with the same customer? A real estate agent and an property inspector may have been a part of the same real estate transaction. This past experience is a opportunity to talk about each other and what they thought of the others professionalism. They can plug themselves and you. This video can be marketed to a viewer who may need the services of both vendors involved.

Now get that video edited, and market yourself. Where? Here are some examples

Social Media - Is your business on Facebook? Give your followers an opportunity to see you.

Web Page - Testimonials on your web page can add to your credibility.

Blogs - Video of that trade show that you were blogging about can come alive here.

Show Director - Send a copy of the show video to the show director, this can bring incredible returns.

Vendors - A link to your vendor in front of the camera could easily be included in their marketing efforts.

Customer E-mails - Send a quick note: "Thought you'd be interested in seeing what ____ had to say about us."

Networking sites - With a little creativity, you can get some video marketing into those networking sites and get noticed.

Need more? - What are others doing with video? If video has captured your eye, it probably has captured others too.

You know that video marketing can be a valuable tool in your own marketing efforts. The marketing will be different for each product, service, and person. The secret is to get started, learn what works for you, and build on what works.

I have included here an example of a Trade Show Video that Tromler Construction attended in the Sacramento area. The video was recorded in about 30 minutes of walking the trade show.

Here is a video of an apartment community that was shot in about 20 minutes then edited for final release. It has been viewed hundreds of times. See why Cameron Oaks Apartments is viewed so often. The video was produced at no cost to the property or management.

Thanks for reading! Good luck in your marketing endeavors.
-- Tom Arstingstall