Recently one of our clients sent us a video one of their competitors created. They wanted to emulate the style of the video, but didn’t quite have the budget. That poses an interesting challenge; Can we create content that can get better results, but on a smaller budget?
It’s only human. We tend to look for a form of safety by doing something that’s tried and true. So when decide on how to position our brand, we tend to use how our competition communicated, because it’s a proven concept. Unless it isn’t. 
In this case, when we looked at this particular competitor’s video we found that although they spent about $ 15.000 on the video, their view count was less than 150. That’s a spend of more than $ 100 per click. There were a number of reasons for this underwhelming performance, but production quality was’t one of them. The video looked great, it just didn’t deliver. The problem was the thinking behind the content.
Here are three most common thinking patterns that make business video and general content fail. 1. Trying to control the message and the medium. You’re the expert on what your brand stands for; the message. That expertise doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to hire an order taker. You’ll get the best results partnering with someone who can see the blind spots and identify the challenges and opportunities. Someone who can translate your message to the medium in an effective way. 2. Focussing on the competition too much. 
‘Me Too’ does not constitute a strategy; it makes your brand a follower. Your business needs to lead. It’s useful to check out what the competition is doing, but use that information to find your own niche so that you differentiate. Success in video marketing is the result of a bold idea that’s well executed and promoted, which brings us to: 3. Scoping based on cost instead of outcome Good content costs the minimum amount required to get the desired outcome. (You did define the outcome, right?) 
Picking the lowest quote isn’t necessarily going to translate in the best ROI: scope the project in a way that ensures you get it right first time. In todays media saturated world, there are no second chances.
So If you really want to your content to make a difference, make sure you: – Pick the right content partner. Take your time to find someone who really fits the bill and is willing to ask uncomfortable questions about your brand. – Don’t emulate. Apple didn’t become huge by trying to be a better Dell. – Be invested in the project. Business video has become a crowded space, so go in hard and fast. If you’re not going to invest the time and resources to make a real impact, it’s a project not worth pursuing. But most of all: dare to be different. 
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