Guest Post: How to Make a Company Culture Video That Wins Your Customers’ Hearts

This week we feature an article from Victor Blasco, CEO of Yum Yum Videos. He writes about how creating a company culture video helps your business to build stronger relationships with your customers.

When we think about the advantages that small businesses hold against big companies, the first thing that comes to mind is the close relationship with their customers. Clients prefer buying from someone they are familiar with, especially when it’s run by people they know and whose values they empathize with. 

Larger companies tend to lack such a close connection with their customers. People see them as a mere building with a sign on the door or a colorful website.  

If that’s how your audience perceives your business, you might have a big problem – as this may prevent you from closing more sales. But don’t despair: there’s a light at the end of the tunnel; a film light, to be more precise, and a video production team right with it! 

Yes. A culture video may be the solution you are looking for – helping you bridge the emotional distance between you and your audience and allowing you to introduce your team and the values they share.  

And today, we’ll tell you how to use them to win your customers’ hearts! Ready to begin? 

Clearly Define Your Company’s Values

To produce any company story video worth watching, you first need to define your company values.

Yes, I know: you probably took care of that on day one. However, it’s vital you take a moment to analyze if those concepts have come to life in your business’s daily routine.

You see, everything that appears in your video should correspond to reality. And if, in reality, your company’s philosophy isn’t the same as on paper, then it may be time to get back on track or redefine what your business is really about.

Pick a Topic that Speaks to Your Values

Many companies stay away from culture videos because they don’t feel they have something worth showing. Sure, it’s easy to portray your appealing working environment when you are such a cool company as Apple or Google. But, what about those that are more like Dunder Mifflin?

Well, even in that case, there’s always something worth sharing.

It could be anything – literally, anything. The right video production team can make a heartwarming story of your veteran-but-tireless secretary or a beautiful animation of the office’s goldfish.

For example, you can cover the company’s policies that stand out from the rest, like a special program for working mothers or young interns. Or you could film a particular event, like a team-building activity.

As long as the topic reflects your company’s real values, anything is possible.

Focus on One or Two Core Values

Your video shouldn’t go on and on forever – I hate to break it to you, but people are not that interested in your company’s culture. So, it’s better if you keep your video under the 3-minute mark.

This time limit doesn’t give you enough room to ramble on about every little thing that goes on inside your company. And even if it did, it wouldn’t be advisable for you to do so.

If you touch more than one topic, you can end up with an intricate piece that the viewer finds hard to follow. Equally important, you wouldn’t be able to dig into each subject enough! You’d rather address one single value in-depth than several topics shallowly.

Choose Honesty

Culture videos are meant to generate empathy and trust to bring you closer to your audience. But if there’s one thing that can defeat this purpose, that is lying. That’s one sure way of being locked out of your audiences’ hearts.

Your audience can perfectly distinguish a real interview from an actor reading scripted answers. Dirty tricks like that one are bound to backfire, not to mention they are not easy to pull out.

It may sound simpler to hire professional actors than to make some of your employees beat their camera fright, but it isn’t. The hiring process involves casting the right actors, rehearsing the script, and paying for their services. Presenting your actual staff is faster, cheaper, and gives the video an authentic feel that viewers love.

Plan Your Questions

After reading so many praises about honesty, it may surprise you that I’m about to talk about your video’s script.

Don’t get me wrong: this is about making a sincere script. One that respects your employees’ own words, but that also results in the culture video you envision.

The idea here is to write the interview questions beforehand and send them to the interviewees – your staff – before the filming day. Give them a day or two to prepare their answers and even rehearse them, if that makes them feel more comfortable. Do advise them, though, not to learn their answers by heart since that may affect the interview’s authentic feel.

Make Your Interviewees Feel at Ease

Let’s face it: only a few privileged people were born with the natural charisma to be in front of a camera. The rest of us mortals can’t help to get a shaky voice during a culture video interview. As an interviewer, you should create a kind and calm environment and get your staff to relax.

You can start by making the interview as conversational as possible. In fact, start a conversation even before the camera is on. Ask the staff about their lives, interests, or how pleasant the weather is. Only when they are comfortable enough, turn on the camera and start filming.

Avoid making discouraging gestures behind the camera or interrupting them because you dislike what they are saying. Let them finish and, if necessary, ask them to answer the question again.

The Takeaway

It’s not easy to connect emotionally with your customers from behind a screen or across the phone. But company story videos can help you bridge this distance and give your audience solid reasons to empathize with your business and its values.

Presenting the people that make your products and services possible can go a long way in the customers’ eyes. They can start seeing your company from a more human perspective instead of perceiving it as a greedy institution.

At the end of the day, you can offer more economical or better-quality products or services than your competition. Still, if your audience empathizes better with their values instead of yours, the game is over.

Victor Blasco is an audiovisual designer, video marketing expert, and founder/CEO of the explainer video production company Yum Yum Videos. Besides running the business, he’s a lifelong student of Chinese philosophy and a passionate geek for all things sci-fi. 

For more articles from Shep Hyken and his guest contributors go to customerserviceblog.com.

Read Shep’s latest Forbes article: Online Access is Key to Inclusion – Make Your Website More Welcoming