Over the past several years, Adrian Halter has worked with OSY Rentals and Rival Hydrovac in western Canada to create a unique web series. (See this previous article on how the web series came about.)

Seeing the success of the series, Halter says he’s surprised that more contractors aren’t embracing the increasingly accessible medium of video to bolster their marketing efforts.

“I think everyone should be doing some sort of video, however simple, just to increase their brand awareness and increase their audience. Ultimately, the larger your audience, the more chance you’re going to have new potential clients,” says Halter, owner of HalterMedia. “It doesn’t seem like a lot of companies are doing it. That’s one of the reasons OSY has gotten a lot of traction with these videos, is just because there’s not that many out there.”

The web series has three seasons, each with four to seven episodes between five and 10 minutes long. But you don’t necessarily need such an intensive concept in order to invest in video.

Build a Strategy

Approaching any marketing plan with a blank slate can be intimidating, but as Halter says, it doesn’t take a complex idea to begin considering video.

Today’s digital world provides limitless possibilities for digital and video marketing. It can entail anything from a few seconds of video on a social media post, to several minutes of video introducing the company on the homepage of your website, to even a full-fledged web series as OSY Rentals did.

The best place to start is checking out what others in the industry and beyond are doing, Halter says. Once you have a notion of what you want to accomplish, talk to videographers and marketers in your area. Compare services and costs, and see what ideas they bring to the table.

Consulting with a professional is always helpful, but every video doesn’t require a full production crew. Depending on your goals, one employee with a camera phone may be enough.

“It doesn’t have to be that elaborate, but you definitely have to have some sort of plan in place,” Halter says. “I work with a handful of clients that don’t have any idea, and they’re like, ‘We know we need video content, but we don’t know where to start.’ Knowing ‘We want a video that’s eye-catching, and tells people what we do.’ That’s simple enough, that’s a good enough starting point.”

Get the Team On Board

OSY’s web series has been successful in part because it includes the entire team, both to be in the videos and to come up with ideas, Halter says. Opening up the floor to employees can cultivate great ideas, and makes the video seem less like a boring marketing ploy. Content with employee input tends to capture the company’s spirit, which makes customers more inclined to trust the company. 

But you also don’t have to include employees to achieve success with video. OSY’s web series features unfiltered video of day-to-day shenanigans, and that worker-forward approach isn’t for everyone.

“Not every company would be comfortable with the image that OSY and Rival put out there,” Halter says. “Not every company would feel comfortable with their corporate image like that, but because it’s such a small company, they can kind of do what they want.”

If you do choose to have many of your employees involved, though, it’s crucial that they support the project.

“That’s probably the biggest thing, is the buy-in from the employees, because lots of times the guy who is working on the line or working in the field doesn’t want to be bothered,” Halter says.

If employees are indeed on board with the project, be sure to have a clear plan.

“Someone needs to know the vision of the project, and as long as everyone knows that plan, or knows that there is a plan, then they can just dive in fully without having to worry,” Halter says.

Customers Connect With Video

Video is an increasingly accessible medium and is fast becoming the easiest way to reach customers. It’s a way to give an inside glimpse of your company to potential and existing clients, and showcase the best parts of your business in easily digestible nuggets. And best of all, anyone can do it.

“It’s not about trying to get a million views,” Halter says. “It’s just good that the people working with you — clients, suppliers, and even employees — get to see it and they all feel a part of it. I think that’s helping to drive business.”