1. It’s too expensive
2. It takes too much time
3. You have nothing new to say
4. Nobody wants to watch you online
5. You don’t know how to create video
1. It’s too expensive:
This can be true. Why is it expensive? Because of the time and effort involved to edit, color correct, and graphics, and music, add an intro, and add an exit, compress, render, upload it to multiple video sharing sites, blog about it and read about it. The physical act of actually pressing “record” on your camera is simple. It’s the hours that are spent in “post-production” that are time-consuming and costly.
You have two options: (1) Learn how to create and produce video yourself or (2) Hire an experienced video production company to create video for you where all you have to do is show up and start talking. They do the rest.
2. It takes too much time
If you choose to create the video yourself, then the answer is “yes” it does take too much time. Unless you have the desire, inclination and eagerness to learn everything about video production, cameras, lighting, audio and post-production, and I strongly urge you to forgo learning to do it yourself. Instead, you’re better option is to hire someone to do it all for you.
3. You have nothing new to say
I don’t believe that. If you practice law today, there are always new cases coming down from the highest court in your state and set precedent that your potential clients need to know about. If you are the one to provide them with his updated information, an online viewer is much more likely to view you as a legal expert compared to attorneys who fail to provide this useful information.
In addition, there is so much information you have to talk about that you don’t even realize it. Your video producer should be able to coax from you all the information that you need to create engaging and useful video for your online viewers. When looking for a video production company to create your videos, you should ask whether they know we were ideal client is without even having to ask you. While most video companies can create technically good video and go online, the majority of video producers have no idea what type of content you need to put on line to get the viewer to pick up the phone and call you. Asked whether a producer is also a trial attorney who can guide you and who understands exactly what content and online viewers looking for when searching for an attorney.
4. Nobody wants to watch you online
Did you know that YouTube is the second most popular search engine, right behind Google? It’s true. You think nobody wants to watch you? Guess what? They don’t care about you. That’s right. I’ll say it again. Nobody cares about you online. So why would someone want to watch your video? Simple. You offer information that they need and want. If you offer that information and they need more information, who do you think they are more likely to call, the person who has the answers, or your competitor who fails to provide any information unless they walk into their office?
5. You don’t know how to create video
This is a valid concern. Many attorneys have no idea how to make a video; what to say in their video; how to get it onto their computer; how to edit it; how to compress it for the web; how to upload it; how to distribute it; and how to properly use social media to tell the world about their new video.
What do you do if you’re like most attorneys in that situation? The answer is simpler than you think.
You hire an experienced video production company to do it all for you (except appear in your video, of course). Importantly, when looking for a video company to produce your videos, make sure they have experience making attorney video. Don’t look for the wedding videographer and don’t look for the videographer that creates commercials.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure they can produce technically great videos. However, you need a video producer who knows who your ideal client is. You need a producer who knows something about attorney ethics and what you generally can and cannot do in a video. You need a producer who knows what your ideal client is looking for online. Finally, you need an all-in-one, turn-key solution, so the only thing you have to do is show up and start talking.
CONCLUSION
If you want your potential online clients to go to your competitors, then by all means, don’t create new video each month.