INTERVIEW AND TESTIMONIAL VIDEOS:

Employee or management interviews, and customer testimonials are an inexpensive way to produce web videos, yet they are also a powerful way to put a positive light on a business and impact the bottom line.   More and more small companies are realizing this and adding video to their marketing plans, using CEOs to deliver the company brand to the masses via video, and then reinforcing its succes with raving fan customers testifying and acknowledging the benefits of using these products and services.

Shooting interviews and testimonials is pretty straight forward, but here's some things to remember and do, so that your videos can be their best and meet the goals and objectives of your video marketing:

3 Things to Remember and Do...

1: Determine the Comfort Level of the Interviewee

Working infront of the camera is not easy and can even be painful for some.   You should quickly determine if the person is comfortable talking directly to the camera, since this is a powerful way of delivering the key message and calling the audience to action.   If the person is not comfortable, but you don't have an alternate talent, then the best approach is to have the person talk directly to the person asking the questions just off camera.  Keep asking questions until the person forgets about the camera and just talks to interviewer, and the camera just eaves drops on the conversation.

2: Make Your Talent Look and Sound Good on Camera

Environmental interviews work great, meaning, you shoot the interviewee in a place they are comfortable, usually the work place or outside the work place.   If you have a video lighting kit, use it to make the picture and colors bright, and to fill in shadows.    Lighting is an art all in itself, but if you can learn basic 3 point lighting, you will really enhance your videos.   If you are looking to buy video lights, LED lights are the latest rage in video lighting.

Good quality sound is just as, if not more important than the video your audience watches.   You don't want people straining to hear or understand what your interviewees are saying.   Use a microphone(s), either a clip on lavalier mic, or a hanging boom mic to capture good clear sound, so the message you want is delivered loud and clear.

Lastly, frame the interviewee in a pleasing and/or compelling way.   My biggest pet peeve with not-so professional videos is too much blank head room above the interviewee.   The most common error is to put the person's face in the center of the frame with endless head room taking up the majority of the picture.   Fill the frame with your interviewee, and have them off-center, with the lead space in front of them leading to the interviewer or the audience.    Shoot multiple angles and takes, ie, wide shots to establish where you are, medium shots for a relaxing conversation, and close-ups for emphasis and urgency.     Don't be afraid to use b-roll to compliment or reinforce what the person is saying.  

3:  Prepare Questions to Get the Answers You Need

Planning is a vital component in producing a great interview video.  You should first identify, define and analyze your audienc, so you no what resonates with them.   Then set an objective and call to action for your video... what do you want your audience to do after watching?  It could be as simple as call or optin to an email or newsletter campaign, or you could take them to a landing page where you offer some free content and begin the inbound marketing process, hopefully leading to them becoming your customer at some point down the road.  

In order to get your prospects or customers to take positive action, you need to ask your interviewee open-ended questions, (not yes or no questions) that will draw out the responses needed to deliver your company message and branding, leading to the all-important call to action.  Use phrases like, "Tell us about the process to..." What can you say to our customers about...", "Why is our product or service the best..."; "What should the viewer do next...";  You get the idea.   Ask questions specific to the topic at hand, but designed to let the interviewee address and elaborate more on what, when, where, why, and how.   Finally, be sure you get the interviewee to deliver the call to action in a compelling and urgent way, so that the audience takes the desired next step.

When shooting customer testimonials, be sure to make the video is beneficial to both the customer and your business.   Ask the customer to tell the audience how your product or service helped them improve themselves or their business,  why are they compelled to share this information, how it will help other people or businesses, and lead it all to the important call to action.

That's it .  3 key aspects of planning and shooting great interviews and testimonials.  Remember, determine the comfort level of your on-camera talent, make them look and sound good, with great lighting, quality microphones, and proper framing.    If you need any assistance, be sure to contact us here at HBSU.   We are always ready to help.  michael@kcvisualsunlimted.com

Here's some links to more interview videos....

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If you'd like to start making your own great interview and customer testimonial videos, download our Free Video Tips report and learn how you can make great videos on your own.