The truth is, you probably already understand the concept I’m covering with this email.
You experience it every day of your life. It’s everywhere around you: your kitchen, your bathroom, your phone and TV…even on your walk to the supermarket.
I’m talking about content. Whether that’s ads or creative programming, you’re surrounded by content.
“Yes, Brendan, that’s obvious,” you might be thinking. But what’s not obvious is what all goes into developing effective content…and how powerful it can be when done right. Almost all revenue starts with content, whether that’s a banner ad or a sales pitch…so if you can get that right, the upsides are endless.
If you’re not making your content a top priority already, chances are you need to start doing so right away. It’s almost impossible to run a business at full potential when the part of it that’s facing the consumer isn’t getting enough attention.
Here are 4 basic steps…they’re an easy way to jump into the game.
Step 1: Research. Select a Reference.
Do research. Find a piece of content that has the same goals that you have, and is hitting the mark. Success indicators can include content performance (e.g. views, shares, engagement, style), effective communication, or successfully building a community…as a few examples.
This is your reference, and it will be the inspiration for the piece of content that you’re going to make. I would recommend aiming to get your finished product as close as possible to your reference, for the sake of this exercise.
Step 2: Create a Hook Point
Write down a short sentence that would explain to me the effect that your content will have on your viewers.
Example: “I’ll double your monthly income with no additional investment” or “I will get you looking and feeling great in no time,” or “I will teach you how to get your kids into law school.”
It doesn’t have to be perfect for this exercise. You can always adjust it later.
Step 3: Shoot It
Use your iphone. Use your webcam. It doesn’t matter. Some of the best performing content on the web was shot with a cell phone. No need to worry about production value now!
Find a place with nice, even light. A big window with the sun not directly on you will work perfectly.
Phone horizontal. Hit record. Start by reading back the hook point you came up with, then elaborate on it. Share a success story from a client, tell a story about something you recently experienced, or explain the science behind your product. You don’t have to sell, just say what you find interesting about it. Again, this doesn’t have to be perfect. Talk to the camera like you’d talk to a friend that you’d want to help out.
Step 4: Assemble the Finished Product
You may not need to edit your video. Maybe you nailed it without it. But, editing can improve your content, make it more engaging, and give you more creative options. It can be very easy to do, and there is a lot of software out there to help.
I recommend Adobe Premiere Pro. They have a free trial.
Put the footage you shot into the editing software. Make adjustments, take out what you don’t like in your video, whatever you feel will help make it better.
Try adding a meme card. It’s a very easy way to polish off your project. Here’s a video I found explaining how to do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajdnZ1srgME
And. you’re done. That wasn’t so difficult, was it?
No matter what your goals are, it likely involves content. Learning to master it, or finding someone who can do it for you, will put you at an advantage.
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