MBA2306 Q&A Wednesday: What gear do I need to create a great sales video for my site?

Summary

The $100 MBA Show: MBA2306 Q&A Wednesday Episode Title: What Gear Do I Need to Create a Great Sales Video for My Site? Host: Omar Zenhom Release Date: May 10, 2023

---

Introduction

In this episode of The $100 MBA Show, host Omar Zenhom addresses a listener's question about creating an effective sales video for an online course website. Brenda, the listener, seeks guidance on the essential equipment and strategies required to produce a high-converting sales video without breaking the bank.

---

Understanding the Importance of Concept Over Equipment

Omar emphasizes that the success of a sales video hinges more on the concept, script, and storytelling rather than the quality of the equipment used.

• Key Insight: "It's all about what the video is about, the idea, the script, the story you're telling." — 01:57.

He shares his experience of creating a highly successful sales video using just a laptop and a minimal budget of $50. This example underscores that compelling content can thrive without expensive gear.

• Notable Quote: "If your concept is solid, it's really what matters." — 02:50.

---

Starting with a Strong Concept

Omar advises beginning the video creation process with a clear and singular goal. Instead of vaguely aiming for "more sales," pinpoint what you want the audience to feel or think after watching the video.

• Strategy: Start with a blank document and define one primary objective for the video. For instance, Omar wanted viewers to feel "excited" about his software, Webinar Ninja.

• Notable Quote: "Once you start with that word, it makes your life a whole lot easier because then you start asking yourself, what makes you excited?" — 04:05.

---

Equipment Essentials on a Budget

Addressing Brenda's concerns about gear investment, Omar breaks down the necessary tools versus those that are non-essential.

• Must-Have Gear:

  • Camera: A good quality webcam or smartphone camera is sufficient. Omar mentions creating impactful videos without professional cameras.

    • Quote: "You probably could shoot a gray video with your iPhone, with your smartphone." — 05:51.

  • Audio: While high-quality audio enhances professionalism, Omar suggests that a voiceover can be added later, reducing the need for expensive microphones initially.

    • Quote: "Can you do a voiceover later on? Can you use music over the images?" — 06:02.

• Non-Essential Gear:

  • Teleprompters: Omar advises against relying heavily on teleprompters unless one is a professional, as it can hinder natural delivery.
    • Quote: "I'm not a big fan of teleprompters because it's very hard to make it look natural." — 06:27.

---

Crafting the Script and Storyboard

A compelling script and storyboard are pivotal in conveying the intended message and evoking the desired emotions in the audience.

• Script Development: Focus on powerful words and clear messaging that align with the video's goal. Omar highlights the importance of memorizing lines and using deliberate edits to maintain authenticity.

  • Quote: "I like to make eye contact with the lens because it makes it a very compelling video when somebody feels like you're looking right at them." — 06:54.

• Storyboard Creation: Visual planning helps in organizing scenes, transitions, and the overall flow of the video, ensuring that each element serves the core concept.

---

Utilizing Music and Visuals

Music and visuals play a significant role in setting the tone and enhancing the video's appeal.

• Music Selection: Choose upbeat and engaging music that aligns with the video's message. Omar mentions purchasing rights to a song that complements his typography-based sales video.

  • Quote: "I bought the rights to a song that I thought would go great and would be punchy with this typography video." — 05:35.

• Visual Elements: Incorporate dynamic visuals such as typography, images of the software, or relevant footage that illustrates the product's benefits.

  • Quote: "Showing different images of our software and what it does and explaining why they should get excited about it." — 05:04.

---

Editing and Post-Production

Effective editing transforms raw footage into a polished and engaging sales video.

• Editing Techniques: Omar recommends making strategic cuts to maintain viewer interest and emphasize key points. Even without professional editing skills, platforms like After Effects or hiring freelancers from Upwork can enhance the video's quality.

  • Quote: "The real magic happens in the script or the storyboard and in the edit because that's really where the story is told." — 09:03.

• Hiring Help: If scripting or editing isn't your forte, consider outsourcing these tasks to professionals to elevate the video's impact.

  • Quote: "Maybe you can hire some help on Upwork or on freelancer.com to help you with these tasks." — 09:15.

---

Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Omar concludes by encouraging creators to embrace the creative process of making sales videos. He highlights that expressing pride in one's work and conveying genuine enthusiasm can significantly boost viewer engagement and conversions.

• Encouragement: "Don't be bashful, okay? Be proud of what you've created and show your pride in that video." — 10:00.

---

Conclusion

Creating a successful sales video doesn't necessitate a hefty investment in equipment. By focusing on a strong concept, clear scripting, and effective editing, entrepreneurs like Brenda can produce compelling videos that resonate with their audience and drive sales. Omar Zenhom's insights underscore the importance of creativity, strategic planning, and judicious use of resources in building impactful business content.

---

Timestamps:

• 01:57 – Importance of Concept Over Equipment
• 02:50 – Solid Concept Matters
• 04:05 – Starting with a Strong Concept
• 05:51 – Essential Gear on a Budget
• 06:02 – Audio Considerations
• 06:27 – Teleprompter Usage
• 06:54 – Authentic Delivery and Eye Contact
• 05:35 – Music Selection
• 05:04 – Visual Elements and Excitement
• 09:03 – Importance of Script and Edit
• 09:15 – Hiring Editing Help
• 10:00 – Encouragement to Showcase Pride

---

For more actionable business lessons and insights from Omar Zenhom, visit The $100 MBA Show.

Transcript

[Jim]

Got a 7am meeting on a Monday expensing breakfast because it's in policy wasting all afternoon submitting an expense report for that breakfast. If your company used Ramp, you could submit expenses with just a text.

[Colleague]

Yay.

[Ramp Ad Voice]

Free your team from expense reports today. Switch your business to ramp.com foreign.

[Omar Zenhom]

Welcome to the $100 MBA show. Because a better business begins with you. That's why we deliver daily 10 minute business lessons for the real world. I'm your host, your coach, your teacher Omar Zenholm. I'm also the co founder of Webinar Ninja, an independent software company I started with my co founder back in 2014 and today's episode is Q and A Wednesday. On Q and A Wednesdays, we answer a question from one of you, one of our listeners. If you got a question you want to ask, go ahead and email me over at Omar MBA Net. Today's question is from Brenda and Brenda asks. I want to create a killer sales video for my website. I sell online courses and I want to know what gear I need to pull off a great sales video.

[Brenda]

Do I need to invest in a.

[Omar Zenhom]

Great camera or just a very good webcam, mic, teleprompter? What do I need to make this happen and have a sales video that helps me get more conversions? Thanks for your help Brenda. Love this question, Brenda, because I've created a lot of sales videos in my 20 years of business experience and I'm going to give you all the options. I'm going to tell you what you.

[Brenda]

Need, what you don't need, how to.

[Omar Zenhom]

Decide what to buy, roughly how much these things cost and how to get started can make a huge difference in the conversions you make, how many sales you get for your products or services.

[Brenda]

People love compelling video.

[Omar Zenhom]

And when I say invest, I'm not.

[Brenda]

Just talking about money.

[Omar Zenhom]

I'm talking about time, effort, creativity. That's really what's going to make your video pop. So let's get into it. Let's get down to business. Like I mentioned, I've created all kinds of different sales videos. Funny enough, one of the most successful sales videos I created didn't use a camera, a mic, a a teleprompter lighting. All I use is my laptop and I spent $50. Now you might be saying, how is this possible? You spent $50, didn't even use a camera or mic or any fancy equipment. Well, it's all about what the video is about, the idea, the script, the story you're telling.

[Brenda]

If that's strong, your video is going to be strong.

[Omar Zenhom]

I have Also shot sales videos that.

[Brenda]

Were shot on location, fancy cameras, great.

[Omar Zenhom]

Music, highly edited, use a teleprompter, used all the technology and it flopped. And again it bo down to what.

[Brenda]

Are the words that are being conveyed? What is the message we're sending out? And there's a ton of examples I.

[Omar Zenhom]

Can give of really simple videos, videos that don't cost a lot of money to create that went viral. Whether it's the Dollar shave club sales video or old spices videos where the guy is in the shower and telling women that your man can smell like me. If your concept is solid, it's really what matters. And let me explain where to get started. So you know what you actually need to pull off your vision. To pull off sales video, you need to start with a blank page, a blank piece of paper, a blank word Doc, Google Doc. That's where it starts. And you start with one goal. If there's one goal for this video, what is it?

[Brenda]

And don't say more sales, because obviously.

[Omar Zenhom]

We want more sales. But what do you want your audience member to walk away feeling, thinking.

[Brenda]

For example, in that $50 video that.

[Omar Zenhom]

I created, that was one of my best sales videos. It was a video to promote my software, Webinar Ninja. This is a video I created about five or six years ago. And the word I had on the top of my document was exc. I want people to get excited about my software, excited enough for them to.

[Brenda]

Try it, because there's a free trial.

[Omar Zenhom]

I knew if they were excited to check it out. I've done my job now, once I.

[Brenda]

Nailed that word, the word, the thing.

[Omar Zenhom]

I want them to actually feel, think, walk away with, you're going to decide that for yourself.

[Brenda]

But once you start with that word, it makes your life a whole lot.

[Omar Zenhom]

Easier because then you start asking yourself.

[Brenda]

Well, what makes you excited? In my case, you know, my word was excited. I said, music pumps me up.

[Omar Zenhom]

So it's gotta have great music action. Pumps me up, personally. Powerful words pump me up.

[Brenda]

When you hear a powerful quote or.

[Omar Zenhom]

You hear a powerful sentence or a great speech, it really excites you.

[Brenda]

So I would write down a brainstorm.

[Omar Zenhom]

And said, okay, great music, great words, great message. And that's how I came up with the concept where I said, I'm going to create a video that's all about typography and very fast paced, upbeat music, showing different images of our software and what it does and explaining why they should get excited about it. So that kind of is the way you can come up with a great concept. It's just starting with the word and then asking yourself, how do I get people to feel that way, to think that way?

[Brenda]

What would help me do that?

[Omar Zenhom]

Maybe your word is inspiring or feeling inspired. Well, maybe you need to show some inspiring images, maybe clips from your own life, maybe inspiring quotes or inspiring figures from history. And from there you start to realize, okay, in order for me to put this together, maybe I need to be on camera. Maybe I don't need to be on camera. In my case, with my $50 video, I wasn't on camera at all. There was no voiceover. It was just music and typography and images. I bought an after effects project and.

[Brenda]

Customized it for our needs.

[Omar Zenhom]

I bought the rights to a song that I thought would go great and.

[Brenda]

Would be punchy with this typography video.

[Omar Zenhom]

And that's all I bought because that's.

[Brenda]

All the project needed.

[Omar Zenhom]

I didn't want to just bloat it for no reason.

[Brenda]

Now, your needs might require you to be on camera. Does it need to be a $5,000.

[Omar Zenhom]

Camera, a studio camera?

[Brenda]

No, probably doesn't. You probably could shoot a gray video.

[Omar Zenhom]

With your iPhone, with your smartphone. Do you actually need great audio on.

[Brenda]

The go, or can you do a voiceover later on? Can you use music over the images.

[Omar Zenhom]

And use words at the end of.

[Brenda]

The day, once you understand what you're trying to do, what you're trying to.

[Omar Zenhom]

Invoke in the customer when they watch this video, you'll know what you'll need. Now, I'm not a big fan of teleprompters because I know, I know a lot of people, they're going to deliver lines in a sales video. They're going to do some teaching. Like, say, for example, in Brenda's example where she is selling online courses, maybe.

[Brenda]

She wants to do a bit of teaching.

[Omar Zenhom]

Maybe it's better to share some clips.

[Brenda]

Of you coaching on a live video.

[Omar Zenhom]

I did this with a sales video for our automated webinar challenge course, and it came out brilliant. And you should check it out if.

[Brenda]

You want to see a good example.

[Omar Zenhom]

Of this [e-mail] AWC now, the reason why I'm not a big fan of a teleprompter is because it's very hard.

[Brenda]

Unless you're a professional.

[Omar Zenhom]

And you do this every day to make it look natural, to make it.

[Brenda]

Look like natural speech, to look into.

[Omar Zenhom]

The lens perfectly, like you're talking to.

[Brenda]

Somebody directly in their eyes.

[Omar Zenhom]

I like to make eye contact with the lens because it makes it A very compelling video when somebody feels like you're looking right at them. And I rather have three or four cuts me delivering lines that I've memorized. And I usually can memorize two to three lines at a time and cutting to a different angle or maybe a close up.

[Brenda]

And you can do this in post.

[Omar Zenhom]

And edit every time I deliver a line. So it looks like a deliberate edit, a deliberate shot, and it comes off more authentic in my opinion. So it starts with a concept.

[Brenda]

Then you start understanding, what do I need?

[Omar Zenhom]

Do I need music I need to buy? Do I need to get some graphic work done? Do I need to just get a bunch of footage and and spend some time shooting some video? Maybe I want to shoot some footage of New York City or the city I live in. Maybe I got to do some interviews.

[Brenda]

Over video or in person.

[Omar Zenhom]

Whatever your concept is, understand, okay, what do I need to pull this together and then you'll know what equipment you need.

[Brenda]

If you're on a budget, ask yourself before you buy any pieces of equipment.

[Omar Zenhom]

Will this make or break the actual sales video? Will it actually be a deal breaker in most cases? In my experience, it's not usually the concept, the message, the feeling you're trying.

[Brenda]

To evoke is really what matters.

[Omar Zenhom]

People will tolerate less than perfect, you know, delivery or equipment. Of course, if you can afford it.

[Brenda]

And you can go all in.

[Omar Zenhom]

Amazing.

[Jim]

Got a 7am meeting on a Monday expensing breakfast because it's in policy.

[Colleague]

Yay.

[Jim]

Wasting all afternoon submitting an expense report for that breakfast. If your company used Ramp, you could submit expenses with just a text.

[Colleague]

Yay.

[Ramp Ad Voice]

Free your team from expense reports today. Switch your business to ramp.com.

[Omar Zenhom]

So as you can see, your sales video really starts with the concept.

[Brenda]

Then you ask yourself, what do I need?

[Omar Zenhom]

Because often if you start the other.

[Brenda]

Way around, you're going to buy and invest in things you just don't need to pull off your idea to pull off your sales video.

[Omar Zenhom]

I will say that the real magic happens in the script or the storyboard and in the edit because that's really where the story is told. That's where the video is really turned into magic.

[Brenda]

And if you're not strong with either.

[Omar Zenhom]

One of them, maybe you can hire some help on upwork or on freelancer.com to help you with these tasks.

[Brenda]

This is where I would invest some.

[Omar Zenhom]

Money because this is really where you.

[Brenda]

Can differentiate your video from a good.

[Omar Zenhom]

One to a great one. Brenda, I hope that helps answer your question. Today on Q and A Wednesday, if you have a question you want to ask, go ahead and ask me over at Omar at 100 MBA and I'll make sure to answer right here on Q and A Wednesday. If you love this podcast, hit subscribe, hit follow. On your favorite podcast app, Just hit those triple dots on Spotify, on Apple Podcasts, on Stitcher Radio, on whatever app, and hit follow. That way you get our episodes automatically and you get access to over 2,300 business lessons in our archives. Before I go, I want to leave you with this. Creating a sales video is so much.

[Brenda]

Fun, in my opinion.

[Omar Zenhom]

It's such creative work. It's a great exercise of expression and a chance for you to show how.

[Brenda]

Proud you are of your work.

[Omar Zenhom]

When you do this, the viewer, the customer, they see it, it gets conveyed, and they get excited about your product or service. So don't be bashful, okay? Be proud of what you've created and.

[Brenda]

Show your pride in that video.

[Omar Zenhom]

Thanks so much for listening, and I'll check you in tomorrow's episode. I'll see you then. Take care.

[Narrator]

And we're back, folks. It looks like Jim from sales just got in from his client lunch, and he's got receipts.

His next meeting is in two minutes. The team is asking, can he get through his expenses in that time?

He's going for it.

Is that his phone?

He's snapping a pick. He's texting.

Ramp Jim is fast, but this is unheard of.

That's it. He's done it.

It's unbelievable.

[Ramp Ad Voice]

On ramp, expenses are faster than ever. Just submit them with a text. Switch your business to ramp.

Com.