Eight Tips To Jumpstart Your Advisory Firm’s Online Videos And 20 Suggested Video Topics, Plus A Discount Code For $30 Off Camtasia Studio 8 Video Editing Software Hot
1. Just Do It. Using Pierce’s session as a primer on video editing basics, you should now be able to create a brief video about a financial idea, or about one fact that makes you different from your competition. Each one-minute or two-minute segment should cover one of the following 20 topics about you or your firm. Below is a list of suggested topics for marketing videos for advisors.
2. PowerPoint Before Camera. Camtastia Studio can be used to edit videos of you speaking before a camera and I posted a shopping list for advisors who want to create a good video studio. But Camtasia is really best at creating screen shares. That is, videos without a camcorder, that just capture your screen showing a spreadsheet, PowerPoint presentation, or other content on your computer and record your narratoin. Before getting into video cameras, try screen recording. Advisors should start off video marketing by producing a video based on a PowerPoint presentation.
3. Camtasia Studio 8. This software costs $299, and A4A members can get $30 off through July 31, 2013. Before buying the software, you may want to download it for a 30-day trial and make sure video editing is for you. It’s a full version of Camtasia Studio but it’s only good for 30 days. You can put that on two computers. Camtasia Studio offers excellent training videos. Remember to use the discount code when you actually purchase the software. If you own a previous versioj, upgrade to the latest, which is a huge improvement in useability over previous versions.
4. Hardware. If possible, load Camtasia Studio on a computer with anything less than a third-generation Intel i7 processor. Preferably, you’ll use a quad-core process or better. Dual core is acceptable but not ideal.
5. First Cut Is The Deepest. Try one of the techniques mentioned by Matt in the webinar, like zooming, adding a callout, inserting bullets. If it’s your first time using Camtasia Studio, even after watching Matt’s webinar, expect the editing to be a pain in the neck. It took me six or eight hours of experience before I understood Camtasia’s features for video production. Your two-minute first video production might take you three hours or four. But you’ll get it down to an hour or two after doing it a few times.
6. Keep It Short. Only spend a minute or two on each topic. People have no time or patience to hear you drone on about the fiduciary standard. Respecting other people’s time is crucial to success. Most advisor marketing stinks at this.
7. Produce At 720p. When you click the button to produce your video, render it as a “MP4 (up to 720p).” That will be one of the choices in the pull-down menu. That’s good for HD viewing on YouTube. Vimeo other video sharing sites. Just mentioning this because the first time you do it, you may get stumped.
8. Share. Please share your thoughts. If you are giving Camtasia a try to produce a video for your firm, please post a comment about your experience here, good or bad, so other advisors can benefit from your knowledge.
20 Suggested Topics For Videos For Financial Advisors
1. Your compensation scheme
2. Role as a fiduciary
3. Investment strategy
4. A service level your firm provides
5. Why you became an advisor
6. Your community
7. A niche you service
8. The financial crisis
9. Your favorite client of all time
10. Corporate earnings
11. The 3.8% surtax
12. Asset allocation
13. Last quarter’s investment and economic data
14. Why you hold a professional credential(s)
15. Helping people with retirement problems
16. Retirement income planning
17. Data security at your firm
18. Your client portal
19. Reports clients receive
20. Your Form ADV
