It’s no secret that in today’s debt collection agency business environment, face-to-face interaction has become a unique, if not rare form of communication. Think about it: Aren’t most of your daily interactions, whether it’s with a client or a consumer, done over the phone or via email? But how do you ever really get to know someone without ever actually seeing them?
The reality is that we want to do business with people we know, trust and like. So how can your clients and consumers get to know you, like you and trust you if they never get to see or hear you?
Seeing is Believing
Next to a face-to-face interaction, no marketing tactic comes closer to bridging that gap and closing a sale than debt collection agency video marketing!
Think about everything video does:
- It humanizes your agency for clients, prospects and consumers.
- It allows people to see the type of agency you’ve created, including your company culture, personality, etc.
- It can showcase your agency’s facilities, location and front office if that’s an asset you want to feature.
- It can evoke emotion in viewers (excitement, humor, etc.), which is KEY in moving someone from curious prospect to passionate buyer!
- It can demonstrate your expertise on a particular subject manner and increase your credibility and perceived value as a result.
- It helps with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), especially if you post your videos to YouTube. Google owns YouTube, and now integrates relevant YouTube videos into its search results online.
- It sets your agency apart from the competition and makes you more memorable.
Video also lets you get out in front of negative industry stereotypes by giving prospects, clients, consumers, reporters and regulators a clear picture of your organization’s culture, reputation, and mission.
The best part is, the cost to create great online video has never been lower, and the technology to make it happen has never been easier or more available. So what are you waiting for?
Here’s just one example of a video we’ve created for a debt collection agency client:
Now, if you don’t have the budget or desire to hire a video professional to help you, here’s some tips on how to do things yourself:
On Camera
The beauty of technology today is that you don’t need to buy an expensive, Hollywood-style video camera in order to create quality videos.
Instead, you can just use your iPad or iPhone! If you have one of the newer models, you’ll already have a built-in video camera that shoots in 1080p HD, which is the highest possible video quality you can get. You can then edit your videos right on your iPad or iPhone using Apple’s iMovie App, which even lets you upload your finished movies directly to YouTube once you’re ready.
There are also tons of affordable accessories available to add to your iPad or iPhone – from custom lenses to tripods and more.
Perhaps you’re biggest and most important investment will be a great microphone. After all, what’s the point of shooting a beautiful video if nobody can understand what you’re saying? I’d suggest getting a high-end lavalier mic (the type that clips on to your shirt) that you can then plug into the headphone area of your iPhone or iPad.
Finally, spending some money on a decent lighting setup is also a great investment, though you can also take advantage of Mother Nature and find outdoor locations with great natural lighting to shoot in as well!
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Camera Shy? That’s Okay!
If you don’t want to be on camera, you can still leverage video online by doing screencasts or screen recordings. Some examples would be walking viewers through a presentation (PowerPoint slides, an online Prezi, etc.) while you do a voiceover explaining the benefits and features they’re looking at on the screen.
You can use software such as EasyVideoSuite or Camtasia or another type of screen capture tool to make these types of videos. If you go this route, you’ll also want to invest in a high-quality USB microphone that you can plug into your computer for the voiceovers you do. (My favorite is the Blue Yeti.)
Stock Video is Huge!
One great way to break up the monotony of someone watching a static shot of you talking on camera or speaking over PowerPoint slides is to mix in stock video or photo images that help illustrate a point or story you’re telling.
Sites like Video Blocks have tons of stock video footage that you can download for free during a trial membership period and then for a monthly fee after that. There are others, like Shutterstock, that also offer a great selection of clips. Fair warning: Stock video can be very expensive and costs add up in a hurry.
But stock video is a great way to spice up your online video without needing a ton of technical know-how or editing expertise.
YOUR TURN: I’d love to know – Has your debt collection agency used video to humanize and market your organization to prospects and consumers? Why or why not? If you have your own examples of videos you can link to, please share them in the comments!
