Published in Marketing The Law Firm

Eighty percent of people would prefer watching a video than reading text on a website. Let that fact sink in for a moment.

During the 30 years, I've advised law firms on business development, video has emerged as a real game-changer. Chief Marketing Officers need to lean in to video now with the decline in face-to-face meetings, mano-a-mano networking at events and speeches before in-person audiences, thanks to the pandemic.

Consider that:

• YouTube is the world's second-largest search engine. (Search Engine Journal)
• Half of YouTube users visit the site daily. (Pew Research Center)
• This year, online video will account for 79% of internet traffic. (Cisco)

The vast majority of marketers have adopted online content marketing to promote their firms online, and video is the essential element of this approach. Videos are how people get to know, trust, and like you. After seeing a video, ideal clients feel they've met you.

Reaching An Audience of Thousands

My YouTube channel was launched seven years ago, and it has 190 videos online. One of my videos, “4 Critical Steps to Become a Rainmaker,” has gotten 2,100 views. For perspective, imagine speaking to an audience of 2,100 people.

Other successful videos are “3 Magic Ways to Give Business Clients Added Value” and “Getting in Front of Decision Makers.”

I deliberately chose the 90-second format for the length because the analytics on my YouTube channel revealed that people will watch a video for 90 seconds up to three minutes.

The choice to use a studio was based on a desire to present a highly polished presentation. But nowadays, ideal clients like less slick, less produced videos. They find it more meaningful and authentic.

This is why Zoom has become nearly universal — 89% of people are using Zoom for work, while 63% are using it with friends and family, according to FYI (https://bit.ly/2RSHbQw). A CMO should become an expert at Zoom because it is a content generation machine. It's a great way to be #1 on Google.

In my practice, I've recorded several interviews with business development executives and authors. See, “Business Development Tips with the VP & GM of LexisNexis” and “Business Development Tips with The Intake Phone Sales Doctor.”

Options include:

• Attorneys can record a speech by using a solo Zoom session.
• Marketing Directors can record an interview with a referral source or partner in your firm.
• A small group of attorneys can record a panel discussion.

Alternatives to Zoom include Microsoft Teams, GoTo Meeting, Google Meet, Skype, Facebook Live, Zoho Meeting, to name a few.

Campaigning = Business Development

Especially now that I've become active in political campaigning, I've returned to Zoom just because it's easy, and voters are familiar with it. Campaigning skills are identical to business development skills.

For example, I'm president of a political club seeking to bring change, which meets every Monday at Noon. We used to meet in-person, but when the pandemic hit in March, we switched to Zoom meetings, and our attendance has actually increased. Further, we now have more than 25 video recordings of our speakers.

On top of that, my local legislative district asked me to conduct Zoom interviews of volunteers who are actively campaigning. The interviews, designed for voters and potential volunteers, are very popular, and are shared widely on Facebook, Twitter, texts, and emails. My colleagues have pitched in to create custom graphics and editing help to make our work more efficient.

A CMO can simply substitute ideal clients for volunteers and voters.

Tips for Marketing with Videos

• Upload your videos everywhere — on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, emails, anywhere your ideal clients will look — and embed them on your website. Create once and upload repeatedly.
• Write a compelling title, like a newspaper headline. This is your “hook,” so use words that evoke an emotion.
• Pick a compelling thumbnail graphic, because images are the first thing ideal clients notice, and will remember over time.
• In the first five seconds of the video, grab an ideal client's curiosity Tell them the point of the video at the start (not at the end or middle), so they'll continue watching. For example, say, “In this video, I'll tell you the five things you need to know about the Tik Tok/Oracle merger.”
• For a topic, answer questions that clients ask you in your office. Create a “frequently asked question” script based on a recent client matter. Be the expert ideal clients want to see.
• Hook viewers with storytelling. Storytelling makes people feel emotions, and people remember stories and respond to them. Rather than post a long roster of case outcomes, it's more powerful to tell a story. See, https://bit.ly/3hsgv3L
• At the end of the video, thank the viewer for watching and give clear instructions on what to do next — like subscribe to your newsletter or visit a page on your website. This is known as a “call to action.”
• When recording, relax, and be yourself. If you stumble, just take a pause and start your sentence again. Any missteps or filler words (“um” or “you know”) can be edited out.
• Look at the computer camera, not at the image in your Zoom call. Use a teleprompter or hold your notes directly next to the computer camera.
• Lighting is crucial. Look into a bright light or window so the speaker's face is lit up — don't have a glaring light behind you.
• On YouTube, read the analytics. This will tell you how many people viewed the video and how much time they spent watching it. Surprise, people won't watch the video all the way through.
• Combine a topical quiz with a giveaway. No matter what business you're in, piggybacking your YouTube content with a giveaway is useful for collecting leads. Using video captions (or “lower-thirds”), Marketing Officers can lead people to a web page to get an eBook, white paper, or tip sheet by entering their name and contact information. For example, at the end of the video, the speaker can say, “Want to learn more? Sign up for our upcoming webinar.”

By choosing the right topics and including a call-to-action, Marketing Directors can be part of the 300 hours of video uploaded every minute to share their expertise and grow their law firm.

*****

Larry Bodine is the Sr. Legal Marketing Strategist for LawLytics.com. A member of Marketing the Law Firm's Board of Editors, he can be reached at [email protected] and 520-577-9759.