As we push back the tide of Covid-19 in Ireland and we take our first tentative steps out of lockdown, there are a lot questions around how to begin building a “new normal” that will help us not just survive, but thrive in a work-place where social isolation will remain a priority for months or even years to come.
Here at One Productions, working through the pandemic has been difficult, frustrating and even scary. But it has also been heartwarming, invigorating, and at times, inspiring. As the economy comes out of hibernation, the need for video is going to be larger than it has ever been, both for internal and external communications. If you want to kick start your journey into this brave new world, there are 7 types of videos you should be considering.
The Promise AKA “Yes, we’re open”
One of the most corrosive effects of a global pandemic is uncertainty. Uncertainty over jobs, over money, over our very lives. Many businesses have shuttered over the last three months and some of them will not be reopening. That means now is not a bad time to reaffirm that you’re still here and you’re ready to do what you do best. A video, directed at your clients, your fans, your audience, or whoever it is that you need to tell, that simply says, “we’re not going anywhere” is sometimes the best way to combat uncertainty.
The Improved Promise
Not only are you not going anywhere, you’re actually getting better. Many of the companies in critical industries that have stayed open in the past couple of weeks have introduced new processes, technologies and innovations to accommodate their customers. Some of these, like social distancing or special opening hours for healthcare workers, require knowledge campaigns to educate people about their existence. If you find yourself innovating in order to help beat Covid-19, a video is the best way to get the message out.
Repositioning
By now you are probably building an idea of what your company is going to look like on the other end of the pandemic but that may be slightly or very different from what it looked like way back (er, several months ago) before we left the old normal. If you need to reposition yourself in the market, in a big or small way, you’ll need a video to explain the change to your customers and put yourself on the radar of potential new customers. If there is one thing that the Pandemic has driven home for us it’s that change is constant. The last thing you want for your business is to survive the pandemic but then get lost in the scrum as the post-Covid world re-energises.
How-to
We’re all in uncharted territory when it comes to returning to “normal” work in a safe and fulfilling way. It will be extremely important to manage this transition within your company by outlining how interactions and processes that we once took for granted are going to work now that we are either more spread out, or having to observe strict regulations when in the physical presence of our co-workers. The most successful companies are already educating their employees with how-to and process videos, helping them establish new workplace rules that will assure they are functioning at full capacity as soon as they can.
Internal Comms
How do you communicate with your co-workers if you aren’t sharing a physical space, or only sharing it intermittently? How can you maintain a sense of purpose, identity and cohesiveness without the board room, the social events, and even the coffee machine? These are some of the key questions for all businesses over the next year and they will be partially answered with video. Many of our clients have too many employees to simply get them all onto Zoom everyday for a quick catch-up. Instead of letting entire teams and departments drift apart and fall out of sync, start producing weekly videos to keep everyone up to date on what’s going on in the company. In this way, numerous people who never share a physical space create something that forms part of the connective tissue that helps to bind together an entire company.
Thought Leadership
As the direct health threat of the virus drops a new uncertainty emerges: where are our professional lives heading? With unprecedented uncertainty in both labour and capital markets, now is the time in which you can distinguish your company with some (informed) predictions. Real estate companies long ago realised the power that their data could command when presented to the public, which is why the biggest ones now double-task as thought leaders in their industry. Do you have some interesting ideas for where your industry is headed post-Covid and what others can do to prepare themselves? A video is the best way to present those to the world and grow your brand along with it.
Bite-Size Sales Videos to use in Web Meetings
Web meetings whether Zoom, Google, Skype, Teams, Bluejeans or any of the rest – have become ubiquitous. Why not stand out on your now mandatory video sales calls by having a set of short bite-sized sales videos to hand to illustrate, educate or entertain your captive audience. It beats powerpoint. Whereas many things, like charisma, personal rapport, and comfort levels, can suffer when people don’t get to share a space with each other, sharing videos is one of the few elements of a meeting that is just as good whether you are in a room together, or sitting hundred of kilometres apart.
If you are interested in making any of the styles of video here, give us a call or shoot us an email. We’re already making them for our other clients in a range of different styles and approaches and we will be able to talk you through your options to figure the best solutions for you.
Many things are uncertain as we head into new uncharted territory of emergence from lockdown – but one thing is certain. Video will be about the strongest tool in your communications arsenal to communicate effectively but remotely with peers, staff, clients and prospects for the foreseeable future. Any or all of the above directions will give you an edge in the post-emergence scramble that is just now beginning to kick off.
Get ready to create your branded video after lockdown
If you are interested in making any of the styles of branded video here, give us a call or shoot us an email. We’re already making them for our other clients in a range of different styles and approaches and we will be able to talk you through your options to figure the best solutions for you.
Many things are uncertain as we head into new uncharted territory of emergence from lockdown – but one thing is certain. Video will be about the strongest tool in your communications arsenal to communicate effectively but remotely with peers, staff, clients and prospects for the foreseeable future. Any or all of the above directions will give you an edge in the post-emergence scramble that is just now beginning to kick off.
What next?
- Check out our video planning services,
- Take a look at some of our previous work,
- or simply talk to us today to get started on your project!