One of the most important things a startup team can do is to put together a video marketing strategy. After all, no matter how great your product or services are, how will your customers buy in if they don’t understand the value? Still, when every single penny counts and time is at a premium, it might seem like the easiest thing to do is to put this on the back-burner.

In this post, we explain how to plan and execute an affordable, engaging video strategy that will get people talking about your exciting new venture.

Use (and Build on) Your Employees’ Skills

Not so long ago, startups had no choice but to commission video companies to make short marketing videos on their behalf. However, thanks to the abundance of cost effective (or even free) resources available to assist amateur videographers, any fledgling business can get involved. No scriptwriter on your team? No worries! The team member responsible for content creation can turn their hand to writing a script.

When it comes to the more technical aspects of video making, it’s still possible to use the skills of your employees. It’s an opportunity for them to build on what they already know or enjoy and apply it to another area. No experience with video editing software? Identify a willing employee who’s technically-minded and who has an eye for detail. Sign them up to an online course and they’ll soon have the skills.

The following online video editing courses might meet your startup’s needs:

  • Ripple Training (one of the leading training providers for Apple’s Final Cut Pro X)
  • Lynda (clear, easy to follow tutorials from one of the best known online training providers)
  • The Beat (free tips, tricks and tutorials for Final Cut Pro and Avid users)
  • PluralSight (courses for beginners to expert video editors)

Have a Rock Solid Video Strategy in Place

You’ve probably spent months planning every aspect of your startup. Clear objectives, challenging targets, actions you’ll take at each stage of the process – it’s all down on paper. Your video marketing strategy should be the same. Here are the main things you need to consider when drawing up your video strategy:

  • Where will you use video? Hint: not just on social media. It is helpful to use it throughout your website and in emails.
  • How much time can you realistically devote to video?
  • How well do you know your target demographic?
  • What types of videos would you like to make?
  • What is your objective and how will you measure success?

Spend time deciding what your videos should say about your startup. What tone would work best? We love the confident, humorous tone in the Dollar Shave Club’s video:

Remember to spend time promoting your videos (new and old). You should regularly include links to your videos on your social media channels.

Our post Follow These 5 Basic Steps to Build a Killer Video Marketing Strategy has some invaluable advice for startup teams who are putting together a video plan.

Expensive Hardware isn’t Necessary

In those early days of any new business, it’s vital to keep an eye on cash flow. It might be that you’ve recently received a large sum of money from your investors, but this probably won’t stretch as far as you might imagine. While it’s important to be adequately equipped, is it really necessary to have top spec hardware and software? When it comes to video marketing, the answer is a resounding no!

Use sites like eBay to avoid buying new. Keep an eye out for new product releases – the recently outdated products will suddenly become much cheaper. You could even rent equipment if you’re uncertain whether you’ll need it regularly. Our popular post 6 Hacks for Making Great Video on a Tiny Budget has saved money for lots of new videographers – check it out!

Video production requires a lot of kit. Knowing what you need and what’s nice to have but not absolutely necessary needs a little research. We know there probably aren’t enough hours in the day for all the work you need to do right now, so we’ve done it for you! The 10 Most Useful Pieces of Video Equipment tells you everything you need to know.

Drones are one of the big new things on the video scene. They’re not just a fun gadget to have, they can be the only way to get certain types of shot. Is your organization likely to regularly need the following types of shot?

  • Moving low to the ground
  • Cityscapes
  • Crowds at events
  • Property

If your startup is in the real estate sector, this video will be inspiring:

If shots like these would be an invaluable part of your video marketing strategy, then we recommend researching drones. They’re becoming increasingly inexpensive, and might just make the difference between a video enjoyed by a few and one that goes viral!

If you’d like to read more, check out our post on drones: Amazingly Useful Footage You Can Only Capture with a Drone.

Learn How to Use Stock Footage

Sometimes you don’t have the time, experience, or resources to get the shot you want. This doesn’t mean that you have to change your plans. Just use stock footage!

We recommend using an HD video camera, meaning all of your own footage will be in HD. This means you must be sure to use HD stock footage. This used to be expensive, but now many reputable sites offer it cheaply or even for free. Our post How to Use Stock Footage and Find it for Free has a list of sites you should familiarize yourself with.

Conclusion

It’s important for all startups to develop a workable, effective video strategy as soon as possible. It’s an easy, fun way to start telling customers about your organization and build a brand identity. Developing a successful video strategy takes time – what works for one business might not work for you. If something isn’t working, change it up!

Have you recently used video to market your startup? Share your tips with members of the SproutVideo community on Facebook or Twitter!