Becky Hinshelwood
Look at me! You’re only going to develop business if you can keep your clients’ attention. When there are so many ways to delight the eyes, this list tries to identify the key elements to catching, and holding, the eye of a potential client. Whether online, on screen, in the flesh or in print, the principles of engagement are constant and rely on a strong and clear concept. These are simply ways to tease that concept out.
Images are processed by the human brain 60,000 times quicker than text. This is why so many websites feature video and moving image. Whether you produce a product and need to demonstrate it, or have a service or entertainment and need to display it, showing it in action is the best way of inspiring trust in your client. Video production companies are a good first port of call.
Reinforce your written message with the correct image. Attractive colours and framing with a relevant subject matter. OK, so not everyone can afford a professional photographer, a studio or even the royalty bills that can build up. If this describes your small business, you can search for royalty free images here.
From the explainer video to commercial advertising the medium of animation, stop motion or whiteboard video offers a very clear visual aid. If you don't employ a video production company, try drawing for yourself. Can’t draw for toffee? Try a tracing app on your tablet as a starting point.
We all want to be entertained and, especially when targeting consumers or the public, most successful brands manage this with humour. Humour is such a subjective concept that what you use must be in line with your corporate voice. Having said that, it does allow you to be a bit more out there. However you approach it, make ‘em laugh!
It can be hard to know where to start so is always useful to see what others have done. It doesn’t have to be the same industry, ideas are universal and rarely unique. Watching other people’s work can give you that moment of inspiration, or similarly inform you of a production company that you think would work for you.
This could be as simple as a teasing headline - She opens the door and you won’t believe what happens next… - type titles abound these days. The reason being is we love to hear the next part of a story. The same goes for visuals and video - your client is emotionally invested in continuing their attention. Step back in time and remember the Nescafe Gold Blend couple…
You have a message to get across or an argument to form. In this case you can’t beat good old fashioned statistics, and the best way to present stats is in visual form. Create your own infographics here.
For B2B firms especially, in the flesh visuals are key. Live events such as conferences, product launches, award ceremonies and networking crop up often. Your potential clients are all under one roof, so any disorganisation that are apparent can be catastrophic. Learn more about live events here.
The right music will add depth to your online presentation, explainer video or simply the ambience of your website. We don’t all have a composer in residence (!) so source and apply for rights or licences for a huge range of uses.
There are countless tools and apps to create your own videos, if you feel up to the creative challenge.
