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One size does not fit all.



  • Customers want the owner to narrate in an auto repair video, but not in a hotel video (64% versus 14%).
  • Customers want retail store videos to be less than 60 seconds, but 119 seconds for fitness facilities.
  • Testimonials are important for contractor videos, but not necessary for specialty shop videos.
  • The types of customers inside your business matters for fitness centers, hair salons and entertainment facilities.
  • Real estate agent videos are about personality and qualifications while restaurants are about food and atmosphere.


68% of consumers find value in small business videos.


In a marketing research project conducted by Biveo (from 2/8/18 to 4/26/18), 32% of the 1,307 surveyed consumers said they would not watch a small business video online. The 4 most popular reasons the 32% gave were that videos are…

  • Biased, exaggerated, overproduced, flashy, only showing the business in the best light, not a true representation
  • Cheesy, dated, gimmicky and annoying
  • Too long, too slow, failing to get to the point, not concise, clear, rambling
  • Fail to provide the needed information, waste of time, adds no value, only necessary for visual products/services


On the flip side, 68% of consumers surveyed say they would watch a video before choosing a small business. Some of the top things consumers are hoping to see in a video are…

  • Real footage, true representation, authentic, honest, not overproduced
  • Message is concise, clear, short and to the point
  • Full footage and information provided, nothing is left out
  • Message is calm and sincere, not pushy or aggressive
  • Does not try to entertain


Furthermore, there seems to be a large disconnect between what consumers want in a video and what small business owners think they should produce. Small business owners want a videographer who…



  • Shows creative camera angles, and lighting
  • Is unique, artistic, shows creativity in their approach to each video
  • Delivers high production quality


Small business owners tend to want to show their business in the best light while customers want a more realistic view. Many consumers said they would rather watch a video review from an unbiased third party than to watch a video from the business itself. Spending top dollar on a high-end video may not only be a waste of money, it could cost you customers.

TV commercials need to entertain because they are being broadcast to people not seeking information. Small business videos are the opposite. Consumers are looking for information when they find them so small business profile videos need to concisely inform. The vast majority of customers don't want skits, stunts, humor, or to hear a story in this situation. They want to know concisely what your business can do for them.

Biveo's free marketing research reports, script, interview questions, storyboards, 6-step produce it yourself guide and directory of specialized pros are ever-evolving to help you more effciently and inexpensively create a video that attracts customers.


Biveo Features...


  1. Marketing research reports for videos in 18 small business industries
  2. 20-30 things to include in your video that attract customers for each industry
  3. 20-30 things to exclude from a video that scare customers away for each industry
  4. Concise, 6-step production guide for businesses that can produce it themselves
  5. Directory of 1,100+ participating US business video producers for hire
  6. Directory of 500+ participating US business video editors for remote hire
  7. Diverse, categorized directory of over 2,700+ priced-out business video examples to inspire your video
  8. Scripts and storyboards to reduce the hours billed by a pro for 18 industries
  9. Various articles to help you with small business video production


Where Biveo's 6-Step Process Saves You Time

If this is your first time producing an A-roll/B-roll video, these 6-steps will save you several hours.

Preproduction

Step 1: Script & Questions

Common Method
3 Hours
Using Biveo’s 6 Steps
5 Minutes
Hire a Listed Pro
0 Minutes

Step 2: Storyboard

Common Method
1 Hour
Using Biveo’s 6 Steps
10 Minutes
Hire a Listed Pro
0 Minutes

Step 3: Equipment

Common Method
30 Minutes
Using Biveo’s 6 Steps
30 Minutes
Hire a Listed Pro
0 Minutes

Production

Step 4: Shooting

Narration Shoot
Common Method
45 Minutes
Using Biveo’s 6 Steps
30 Minutes
Hire a Listed Pro
15 Minutes
Business Action Shots
Common Method
45 Minutes
Using Biveo’s 6 Steps
30 Minutes
Hire a Listed Pro
0 Minutes

Postproduction

Step 5: Editing

Common Method
4 Hours
Using Biveo’s 6 Steps
3.25 Hours
Hire a Listed Pro
0 Minutes

Placement

Step 6: Placement

Common Method
It Depends/Varies
Using Biveo’s 6 Steps
It Depends/Varies
Hire a Listed Pro
It Depends/Varies

Total Production Time

Common Method
10 Hours
Using Biveo’s 6 Steps
5 Hours
Hire a Listed Pro
15 Minutes

Shoot it Yourself

What equipment, editing software and skills will I need?

Equipment

  • A professional camera or high-end smartphone/tablet.
  • A professional microphone for narrated videos such as a quality lapel mic, shotgun mic or external recorder. You can typically rent a lapel mic, XLR conversion jack and transponder for about $15/day, but test the equipment before renting.
  • Additional lighting if necessary. You can often get around this, by having a large bright window at your back during the narration shoot.
  • A fluid-head tripod, or at least a stable stool to set the camera and manually pan.

Software

  • Apple computers come with iMovie.
  • For PC users, in our experience, we had sound splicing flaws using Movie Maker, Therefore, we recommend buying Adobe Premier Elements for under $100.
  • Or hire a videographer to do the editing portion for you.

Skill

  • You'll need to know how to operate your equipment (camera, microphone).
  • You may need to watch a 1-2 hour editing software tutorial on YouTube.
  • You'll need to have a good marketing eye for pulling out the best footage.
Shoot It Yourself

Choosing a Listed Pro

Why Biveo's Directory of Videographers?

  • They specialize in producing business videos.
  • They have a portfolio of business videos they have produced.
  • Biveo provides them with ongoing industry-specific research findings to help them shoot more effective videos.
  • Biveo provides them with customer service guidelines.
  • Biveo provides them with sales and marketing guidance.
Become a Listed Pro for Hire

Small Business Video Production - What to Expect

  1. Your videographer will ask if you prefer interview or script for narration, and set on a shoot date.
  2. Clean your business location if necessary.
  3. The videographer spends about an hour on location shooting.
  4. Review the edited video usually next day and request any changes if necessary.
  5. Post your video to your website and social media.
Find Videographers

Where Biveo Adds Value

  1. I don't have the time to produce a video.
    Biveo's tools and guidelines cut production time in half if you are shooting it yourself, or hire a pro.
  2. I don't have the money to produce a video.
    Biveo enables you to avoid the cost of hiring someone, or you can hire someone for less. And an effective video will increase your sales.
  3. I don't know what content I would put in my video or where to start.
    Biveo provides industry-specific survey results, research-based interview questions and script templates, as well as storyboard templates to best help and inform customers of your service.
  4. I'm not sure having a video will increase sales.
    Biveo provides industry-specific lists of survey responses for what percentage of customers would find a video helpful, what increases customer interest, and what causes people to shy away. Reference these results in the Step 2 Storyboard page for your industry within the create it yourself section.
  5. I'm worried my business's weaknesses will be exposed on video.
    What you think is a weakness may actually be a strength. Older equipment, working out of your home, smaller company size, are common perceived weaknesses that are actually strengths. These "weaknesses" allow for lower rates and more control over quality. Proactively speaking about your company's limitations builds trust and respect with customers and increases sales as demonstrated in the classic marketing book, Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins.
  6. I am nervous about appearing on camera.
    Reference these 2 articles: 7 Reasons You Shouldn't Fear Being on Camera for Your Small Business Video and 10 Techniques for Getting Your Subject Comfortable in Front of the Camera.
    If you do not think you will make a good representative, or still don't want to appear on camera, you can:
    • Just record the sound with the camera or voice recorder.
    • Have a manager or employee take your place.
    • Have the videographer use their pro narrator.
    • Produce your video without narration.
    ­

FAQ

  1. Can I shoot my own overview video with my smart phone?
    Yes, but you should use a professional XLR-grade audio recorder if people will be speaking in the video. You will also be giving up the steadiness of a tripod for stills and pans. Smart phones produce professional resolution so long as you have enough memory and there are no programs running in the background slowing down the processor. Reboot your device before shooting to reduce the possibility of processor lag. ­
  2. How does Biveo work?
    Biveo is a marketing research content publisher, free create-it-yourself guide, and directory of business videographers for hire with rates.
  3. What if the production requires multiple visits and edits?
    Videographers typically bill by the hour. We recommend capturing some great moments of your business with your high-quality smartphone to limit videographer visits to one. Customers want to see real customers not actors at your business.
  4. What if I want to take my video in a more creative direction?
    That's fine, but keep in mind that customers want short, concise, authentic, clear and to the point.
  5. How much does it cost to view Biveo’s 6-step produce-it-yourself guide?
    It's free.
  6. If I hire a video producer, who and when do I pay?
    You pay the videographer directly as there is no middleman markup with Biveo. When you pay depends on the video producer you choose.
  7. Can I hire a videographer to do only editing or only the shoot?
    Yes, just choose someone who has "Editing Only" checked on their listing.
  8. How long will it take to have a completed overview video if I hire a videographer?
    Typically one day to one week depending on the videographer and scope.
  9. What level of quality will my video be shot in?
    It varies depending on who you choose to hire, but we recommend at least 720 HD.
  10. What format will the video be delivered in?
    It caries, but the format will be supported by popular video hosts such as Youtube, Vimeo, Wistia, etc.
  11. Will my shoot disturb the customers at my business?
    During the A-roll narration shoot, usually not. During the B-roll shoot of the business, it's more practical to ask for forgiveness than permission. You can have cusstomers and employees sign a video release, but can make for a very complicated and time-consuming process. Without a release, someone who is unhappy about being in the video can ask that they be edited out. Not a problem.
  12. How do videographers choose the background music for my video?
    For many industries, more customers prefer no background music. If your industry warrants music, most videographers use a database of royalty-free commercial music, or there are other low-cost options.
  13. What can I do about a business owner is nervous and changes his or her mind about speaking on camera?
    You can record just the audio of the narration. The owner could simply read a script instead of answer questions. You could have a company representative take the owner's place. Ask the videographer to use their go-to pro narrator. Or you could exclude narration completely and just have background music.
  14. What does it mean when videographers talk about the" A-roll" and" B-roll"?
    The "A-roll" is the narration footage. The "A-roll" usually requires professional sound and lighting. The "B-roll" is footage of your business in action that will get edited over top of most of your background narration "A-roll".

Choose Your Industry

Restaurants & Bars
Home & Office Services

(Contractors, Cleaning Services, Tech Installations, Landscapers)

Auto Repair

(Mechanics, Body Repair, Oil Changes, Towing)

Beauty

(Hair Salons, Barber Shops, Nail Salons, Spas, Tanning Salons)

Service Stores

(Dry Cleaners, Car Washers, Tech Repair, Banks)

Bus Charters & Tours
Fitness

(Health Clubs, Gyms, Trainers, Yoga Centers)

Professional Services

(Lawyers, Accountants, Consultants, Programmers, Writers)

Moving & Delivery
Hotels
Retail Stores

(Retail Shops, Convenience Stores, Dealerships)

Photo & Video Producers
Real Estate

(Agents, Rental Services)

Healthcare

(Dentists, Doctors, Therapists, Optical Shops, Pharmacies)

Testimonials

Entertainers

(Musicians, Dancers, Magicians, Performers)

Entertainment

(Amusement Parks, Theaters, Haunted Houses, Museums)

Product Demos

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