Last Sunday, we started our discussion of the ways of getting your message to its audience. We wrote about flyers, one of the more conservative methods of communication. They work with most audiences, and the technology behind them is relatively easy to conquer. However, because of their simplicity, flyers are exceedingly common, and sometimes this tool does not easily catch an audience’s attention. In those cases, a more complicated method of communication, like a video presentation, can do the trick better.
A video presentation? If that sounds complicated, you should reconsider your view of modern technology. Most computers today come with built-in video creating programs, Windows Movie Maker and iMovie being the more popular free video editing programs. Not only do they come free of additional charge, these programs were especially created for the beginning user: simple and easy to use. In this article, we’ll go through the basic steps of creating a simple video presentation that consists of images, text and a voice-over so that you are not all alone on this journey towards the ears of your audience.
PLAN YOUR MESSAGE
Just like with flyers, you have to do some planning before you move on to the actual creation of the video. This planning starts with the basic questions about your audience, which we will repeat: Who is your audience? What needs are you addressing? What do you want them to do? Think about these and write down your answers if you have the time for it.
Next comes planning the technical side of your video. Since we are going to use images in the presentation, you have to decide where you are going to get them. Google Images is a good place for a quick find, but one must always be aware of copyright laws when using images from the Internet. Clip art databases, such as the database by Microsoft, free you from the copyright worry, although they do have their own limitations too. Finally, you can make your own pictures with a camera and some imagination. Obviously, this is the more difficult route, but it brings forward some great rewards, such as uniqueness and precise expression of your thought.
WRITE YOUR SCRIPT
The next step is writing the script of the voice-over. Just like with writing a flyer’s text, you need to include your call to action. If you experience difficulty at this stage in the creative process, remember that writing your script can be understandably difficult. Nobody, including professional writers, is immune from writer’s block. So, if you feel like you are having trouble coming up with the next sentence, go back to any other materials that you have already written about your professional message, such as a flyer, an article or an “About Us” section of your website. While we do not recommend repeating yourself exactly across these media, previous writings can be a good resource for ideas, phrasing and text structure.
It is possible, however, that you do not have anything written about your message. This is your first piece of writing. While starting out is little harder than picking up a work in progress, we still believe that you can formulate your message effectively. Remember that all you need for great communication is already in your head. All that is left is pouring ideas on paper, so write whatever comes to your head. Then, don’t forget to edit it. Editing a text multiple times is not a bad idea, especially if we are talking about formulating an idea for the first time. We believe in you! Please comment and let us know how you are doing.
CHOOSE PICTURES
During planning, you decided where to get the pictures for the video, so now comes the easier part: finding (or creating!) them. Have fun with it, but remember to always to keep it appropriate. Align your pictures with your view of the audience, and then your message will reach their ears in no time.
RECORD YOUR NARRATIONS
Choose a good microphone and start reading your text into it. Read a section out loud… and stop to listen to your accomplishment. Satisfied? If yes, accept our congratulations. However, if something is making you feel uneasy about your job at narrating, you have to figure out exactly what is making you unhappy. Are you speaking too slowly? Rehearse. Does the volume of your voice gradually go down with time? Record yourself reading each sentence separately, then compile your entire script together. There are no problems with no solutions, and if you feel like you are stuck, do write to us. We will be happy to help with your individual questions.
COMPILE YOUR VIDEO
Congratulations! You have finished the harder parts of video creation. Now, all that's left before publishing is compilation, which is where you can use Windows Movie Maker or iMovie. You can mix and match images, text, and maybe even add some music to water down the voice-over somewhat? Be creative with your clip.
PUBLISH IT!
Publishing is the obvious final stage. There are several ways of doing it. It is quite common to upload your presentations onto YouTube, which allows you to then put the video on your website or share the direct link to your video with your audience. Another idea is to burn your creation onto a disk and then hand it out in person, the same you would hand out a flyer or your business card.
Here is NVS Business Solution's video introduction placed on YouTube.
You’ve done it! We would be happy to know if our advice has helped anybody, so please leave your success stories and questions in the comments. Otherwise, we are looking forward to answering any private questions in our e-mail. Check our blog later this week for the next article about professional communication techniquest.
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