The 6-Step Process

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Step 1: Narration
Retail-stores

Narration

Step 1. The content of your business video can be greatly improved when it is based on marketing research. Biveo has conduced marketing research surveys for each industry. Your industry's survey results link can be found under the industry headline below. Also below is a list of interview questions and script template. Modify as needed. Scripts are more concise. Interviews are more natural and require less preparation.

Interview Approach

What to Do: Choose the questions that best suit your small business.

How it Works: The videographer asks the narrator the questions as if in an interview. The spoken questions, as well as "um"s and pauses are edited out later.

Retail Stores

Retail Stores, Shops, Dealerships, Grocery Stores, Convenience Stores

Retail Store Video Survey Results: 23% of customers want owner narration in the video; 43% are indifferent; 34% do not want narration in the video.
Retail Store Video Length Limit Average: 60 seconds (1:00)

Interview Questions

  • What does your retail business sell?
  • William’s Shoppe is a retail store carrying women’s clothing and home decor from around the globe.
  • What type of customer is it intended for?
  • Our store will likely most appeal to the middle-aged woman or family member interested in worldly home decor.
  • What is your store’s theme, or how is your store different from comparable stores?
  • William’s Shoppe is different from most stores in that all of the items are very unique. We do not carry any lines from a national name brand.
  • How do you choose the items your sell in your store?
  • I hand pick everything we have in this store. I travel year around throughout the world to find the best items.
  • What did you do before running this store, and what inspired you to open it?
  • I started very small selling jewelry to other stores as a rep. I began adding accessories, then clothing. We grew and grew until it made sense to open this retail location. We’ve been in this building for over 5 years.
  • What is the origination of some of the products you sell?
  • We have many items from Budapest, Shanghai, Ethiopia, Italy and many other countries around the world.
  • What are some of your most popular items that you sell?
  • We have so many popular things. We have our layering pieces, our basics, our jackets, our beachwear. Our product line changes all the time - weekly, and every season.
  • Do you host any regular events?
  • We host a fashion show every season. We host a lot of in store events and open houses.
  • What is a philosophy or key to success your business operates under?
  • The key to providing great merchandise is really knowing personally, all our customers and understanding what they want.
  • Give customers your name, position, and invite customers to do business with you.
  • My name is Mary Williams, I am the owner of William’s Shoppe, and I invite you to come and see us.

Optional Questions

  • Go more into depth on a few of your featured products and why you carry them.
  • How large of a staff do you employ and what do they specialize in?
  • How does your buying process work, do you provide financing?
  • What are some ways you go the extra mile to accommodate your customers?
  • What do you try to achieve for your customers?
  • How is the business involved in the industry?
  • What is one of your proudest achievements of your business?
  • What do you love about your job?
  • How long has your business been open, and what is its history?
  • What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned while providing your service that helps you better service your customers?
  • How would you describe your customer service? (Knowledgeable, responsive, flexible, accommodating)
  • Share some helpful advice.


Copyright 2018. Permission to repost with crediting link to Biveo.com.

Things the Videographer Says to the Narrator Before the Shoot

Getting your business owner comfortable in front of the camera is one of the most important aspects of your video. Studies show that how you say it is more important than what you say. You want your subject to come across as relaxed, happy, confident, approachable, enthusiastic and eloquent. Move the camera back. Try to make the process fun for them. Shots of the subject smiling and laughing will be among your best shots. Show interest in what they are doing. Stay positive with yout feedback. Have them do an over the top take to help boost their enthusiasm if needed. Reference 10 Techniques for Getting Your Subject Comfortable in Front of the Camera.

  1. Speaking on camera is easy. If you have experience speaking face to face at work, it will a breeze to look good on camera. And for any reason you don’t like the way you look, we can just use the audio.
  2. There is no reason to be nervous. Most of what we are shooting will only be used for the audio as shots of your business will be shown while you speak in the background.
  3. This should only take about 20 minutes, but there's no hurry. We can redo it until we get you looking your best.
  4. Look at the camera person, not the camera lens. Imagine you’re having a conversation. Or if your marketing calls for a script that is geared toward speaking directly to your customer, and warrants looking directly into the camera, look past the lens. Visualize your audience.
  5. Answer interview questions off the top of your head. (If you are reciting a prewritten answer, or using the modified script approach, try to recite the lines to sound as if you are answering the questions off the top of your head.)
  6. Your first take is often your best take because it is the most natural. So if you make a mistake, or "um" or pause, just keep going as these can be edited out.
  7. While answering, if you think of a side point, talk about it even though it wasn't asked. It is good to go off on a tangent.
  8. Include the question in the answer. For example, if asked, "How long have you been in business?", instead of answering "6 years”, answer "Smith Roofing has been in business for 6 years."

After the interview is complete, watch parts of it back, and show the client how they are coming across. This will help them do it again with more confidence and enthusiasm.

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Step 1: Narration
Retail-stores

Modified Script Approach

For tighter control, and more thorough analysis of your business's strengths while still sounding conversational, use this modified script approach.

What to do: Use the following script as a starting point to develop a custom Insert your company's information and philosophy into the following script template. Keep what works, remove what doesn't. There is about 2 minutes of script below, most videos only need to be about 1:15.

How it works: The narrator recites the script one sentence at a time as if speaking to an interviewer, repeating each sentence until it sounds natural.

Script Template

Retail Store Video Survey Results: 23% of customers want owner narration in the video; 43% are indifferent; 34% do not want narration in the video.
Retail Stores Video Length Limit Average: 60 seconds (1:00)


[Who You Are/Your Expertise]
Smith Clothing Store has been offering casual beachwear in Wicker Park since 2002. We carry some well known brands like Roxy and Tilly as well as some unique artists lines such as Kelly Jones. Some of our best selling items include sun dresses, and sailing attire. Clothing changes every season, and its our product buying choices that define us. We are always asking our customers what their favorite clothing pieces are to develop our fashion eye and build a desirable line.

Prior to opening Smith Clothing, I worked for 7 years as a fashion designer. I have a degree in fashion design from Kendall. Some of my key strengths and favorite things to design are in women’s beachwear, though who better than to ask fashion advice from if you’re a man? [a key philosophy you live by:] The key to having a great eye for fashion is to remove yourself from the designer’s point of view and visualize yourself in the customers shoes. For the past [three years] we have been learning:

  • What are the most desired pieces that people want
  • What are the most economical ways to deliver popular pieces
  • What are some ways of bringing affordable custom clothing to people from experimenting designers

Many of the items we sell are imported from Spain, Italy, and Northern Africa, but the majority is made here in the US. This really gives the customer a chance to buy something truly unique.

[Share Some Expert Advice] Don’t pay attention to the size on the tag, pay attention to the way it fits as there is little consistency across all brands. Buy what you love, not what you think you need.

May name is [First Lastname] and I invite you to come in to Smith Clothing and try us on!

Top 6 Script Content Tips

  1. Focus on the honest facts. Instead of saying "We are the best", try to give specifics such as, "We were recognized for providing great customer service by...", or "We performed serviced over 400 customers in 2015", or "Our staff is trained and certified by...".
  2. Good customer service is the most important thing to most customers. Demonstrate your level of customer service in your video. (Responsive, Accommodating, Knowledgeable, Flexible)
  3. Focus on the facts that show how you are different from other services. What is your niche?
  4. Demonstrate Candor. Do not try to portray your company any differently than how it truly is, and don't hide what your company truly offers. Use negatives to your advantage. For example, older equipment has the advantage of showing lower overhead and lower cost to the customer. What you think may be a negative can actually be a positive. Just be honest.
  5. Understand your niche and target your market accordingly. A portion of customers shop for the lowest price, a portion shop for the highest quality service. Charge fairly for the level of service you offer. Do not try to charge large corporation rates if you are a small local business. Do not drop your price to bargain hunters. Accept that you cannot win every customer that contacts you.
  6. If you are set on presenting your business by telling a story, be careful not to be self-congratulatory. Instead, focus on how your story benefits the customer.


Copyright 2018. Permission to repost with crediting link to Biveo.com

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Step 1: Narration
Retail-stores

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