Our last blog talked about the value of using actors in a corporate video. On this blog, we want to talk about the flip side of the coin. There are times when using non-actors in a corporate video is the best choice. Audiences respond well to authenticity and there are definitely instances when using the company founder, employees, or customers serves to connect with viewers.
Welcome Videos
We produce a lot of training videos. Businesses know video is an efficient way to train new employees by providing important information without taking time out of another person’s schedule. Many of these videos start with a welcome message to make the new hire feel like a part of the team. Even though we feel a training video can be hosted by an actor, the welcome should definitely come from someone inside the company. Ideally, this would either be the head of the company or someone the employee watching the video recognizes. This small personal touch can make workers feel valued and starts the boss-employee relationship off on the right foot.
Company Culture Videos
Clients who come to us for a company culture video are looking to attract new hires and show off what makes their companies great. If the goal is to talk about company culture, it’s a good idea to use non-actors in the video. The audience watching this kind of video is looking for authentic, accurate information about what it’s like to work for a company. Using stock footage or actors comes off as not only transparent, but also inauthentic. Instead, have b-roll of the office, outings, or whatever else speaks to the work experience of your employees. Let us interview your workers and ask them about their job and the vibe around the office. Have managers talk about their expectations for the team and how they all work together toward a common goal. This is the kind of content that rings true and makes a potential employee comfortable with and excited about working for you.
Holiday Greetings
We love recording holiday messages for our clients! December tends to be a time of year when everyone is in a pretty good mood and they want to share those positive feelings. And of course, express their thanks to customers for a year of patronage. Using non-actors for these videos is definitely the right call. Especially for small businesses, people will recognize the person wishing them well and appreciate the gesture. It’s also fun to include the staff for these videos. Again, customers know the staff and may have connections with them. It can also be fun for employees to show their pride in the company by identifying as part of the team and sending out holiday greetings. Show off the personality of your company with a casual holiday message that’s all sugar and spice.
Origin Stories
We’re all curious by nature and talking about a company’s origin story is a good way to connect with customers. While doing so could involve some reenactments, people really want to hear the story from the horses’ mouth. Let us sit down with your founder or talk to employees about the legend behind the business. We can help you tell your story in a way that’s entertaining, informative, and engaging. A great addition to these videos is archived footage or photos. If you have old pictures of when the business was first started, video of your first transaction, or any other piece of media that helps illustrate an origin story, we can use it in a video. The result is a piece a tribute to your business that’s fueled by the people who created it.
Subject Matter Experts
Subject matter experts (SME) are kind of like non-actors with actor credibility. Having someone who is an expert on the product or service you provide speak about the benefits of your company can give a customer confidence. But it’s better if this person is NOT an actor. We’ve all seen ads that say “nine out of ten dentists recommend” and while those statistics may be true, the people on-camera are obviously actors and not dental professionals. An SME could be someone from within your company or an outsider. We will do our best to make that person comfortable on-camera so they can share their knowledge with the audience. This authority figure can help convince the audience that your company is reliable and trustworthy.
Employee Communications
Across big companies, many employees often don’t have any contact with the owner or high-level executives. If company-wide information needs to be dispersed, it’s best to have it come from a non-actor. Workers who are part of a large workforce may already feel insignificant, so it’s important to try and make everyone feel included. When the message comes directly from an important figure, it carries weight. Once again, we do our best to make the person feel comfortable on-camera so they can focus on a genuine delivery that makes employees feel important.
Get Real
Using employees, owners, and other non-actors to speak directly to an audience is an effective use of video. It gives communications a feeling of authenticity and also makes your business more relatable. Video is already great at making emotional connections, so take advantage of that strength with a personal appearance.
