Lights, Camera, Action

Get Creative with Your Video Content

By Paul Albee, ATS Design Group

One of the reasons video is so emotionally compelling is that it tells a story in which viewers can become emotionally involved. Stories evoke emotions and create connections that people remember.

Business is about relationships. And attracting and retaining customers, and by extension, customer referrals is, at the end of the day, about trust and authenticity. Video has been shown over and over again to be one of the best ways to build trust in you, your studio and your passion for helping others. Video provides a simple way to access information quickly and easily, which is why it has grown in popularity in such a short period, especially on social media. From a business owner's perspective, the numbers are impressive: Video has been shown to increase brand awareness by up to 54% and lead generation by up to 66% per year. And creating quick, informative videos has become so easy that there is no reason not to take advantage of the medium to help boost trust in your studio and increase your brand recognition and authority in the eyes of clients and prospects alike. Video's Effectiveness in Brand Building

Video is extremely effective in building brand awareness and brand recall. Images, testimonials, success stories, product demonstrations, and explanations demonstrate your knowledge and expertise and work together to capture the attention of prospective clients and help them to get to know and trust you. Video also works to generate brand recall, fostering not only trust but brand loyalty. This can be especially helpful for independent studio owners who are competing with well-known national brands in their marketplace. What Types of Videos Should I Make?

The most effective brand-building videos are not outright sales pitches, but rather are focused on increasing awareness and trust. One video might be 90 seconds on the difference between human hair

and synthetic hair. Another might focus on explaining what a topper is. Yet another might be a testimonial of a teenage trichotillomania sufferer or how to achieve the latest men's hairstyle. Perhaps a 1-minute video on how a men's hair system is attached. Each allows the viewer to get to know you and trust you and remember you rather than some faceless corporate name. Intro Videos

Intro videos help make a quick yet lasting impression. Used on your website, they can quickly engage and involve visitors on specific topics. A good intro video on your women's hair replacement page, for example, can help keep visitors on your site and help make a positive first impression. One type of video that resonates with new website visitors is a short video of no more than 90 seconds explaining what happens during an initial consultation since these consultations are fraught with emotion, uncertainty and nervousness.

With a well-thought-out intro video, you can instantly start to build connections with your prospective client, putting them at ease and helping them to trust that they are in good hands when they call you. Explainer Videos

Another type of video is the explainer video, which is a quick, highly effective way to again build trust with prospective clients early on in their journey of discovery.

The best explainer videos are short — no more than a minute or two — that quickly define a problem and explain the solution. You can use this opportunity to empathize and show how you help people overcome specific challenges.

One example of an explainer video is how, over the past several months, some studio owners have taken the time to sit down and talk on camera about the effects of telogen effluvium as it relates to long-term COVID 19 survivors and the available options they offer to help clients overcome temporary or more permanent hair loss.

Other explainer videos might demonstrate how and why we take a mold, or how to touch up a front hairline between visits to your studio. Educational Videos

Educational videos help build trust. Sometimes it’s easier to explain how specific solutions work to help your audience understand what it is that you do.

Educational videos can target specific customer demographics such as chemotherapy patients and why they need to see you before they start treatment. These types of videos show in a visual and compelling way that you understand what your clients are going through and that you have the knowledge and skill to help them. Testimonial Videos

It is impossible to overstate the importance of social proof in generating trust. And there is no better way to do this than to gather testimonials from your existing clients. Testimonials are tried and true tools for building trust. In terms of length, testimonials are best when they don't go beyond about 3 minutes.

Testimonial videos are powerful because they are someone else's opinion, not yours. Testimonials and reviews are compelling for new customers and allow them to connect and identify with another person who had the same problem they are experiencing and see what you have been able to do for them, giving them confidence and trust in you and your studio.

General Video Tips

Creating a strong video library for your studio is an ongoing process. Regardless of the specific type of video you create, here are a few tips to ensure long-term success: • Identify your audience and their needs.

Create a list of the most often asked questions from your initial consultations and answer those questions directly. • Define your goal for each video. Never cover more than one topic per video.

Keep it simple, concise, clear, and to the point. • Make your content shine. Be genuine and sincere. • Forget the "marketing lingo." You are "selling" two things in each video you produce: honesty and sincerity. • Share your videos. Social media is your friend, and that includes creating your own YouTube or Vimeo channel, embedding videos on your website, and sharing them on Facebook and Instagram. • Watch your video's performance over time.

Keep track of how many views they get. • Always include some form of a call to action with each video you publish. Boost Brand Loyalty with Video

Brand building is something that never ends. Loyal customers are the lifeblood of small businesses. Not only will clients return again and again, but they will provide you with an ongoing source of new client referrals and new business. Focus on creating videos that generate positive experiences for your viewers. By creating (and continuing to create) videos that build trust and increase the value of your brand, you can continue to grow a loyal client following.

Trichologists now able to offer cutting edge follicular testing

Have you seen an increase in hair loss clients? 2020 and 2021 have seen the largest increase in hair loss in recent history. Stress, food, diet, and other contributing factors have broadened the demographic for hair loss, making cases younger and younger. How many times do you hear your clients say their labs are 'within range'? Blood work will typically give us 72 hours of information. With Follicular Analysis, because we are plucking out of scalp and gathering epithelial cells, a more comprehensive report is generated based on the last 90 days of exposures.

What makes this analysis stand out? Popular subscription services use packaging and clipping methods that limit and skew their results...However, this crucial tool uses plucking methods and state of the art packaging to deliver three months of your clients immune information with only a few pulled hairs. The comprehensive data report lands in their own email and identifies hormones, immune system, environmental exposures, nutritional deficiencies, over 400 foods/intolerances and more! With this new technology, help your clients get to their health goals much quicker.

OMICRON VIRUS HAIR LOSS

In some cases, reports of shockshedding have occurred after injections of the Covid-19 vaccine or boosters, of which fever is a possible side effect. Luckily, this hair loss, while distressing, is temporary. In severe cases, hair shedding can last 6-9 months before it finally stops. If the hair that re-grows comes in thinner and finer, this is an indication of underlying genetic hair loss. VACCINE & BOOSTER HAIR LOSS

With the most recent variant of Covid-19, Omicron, many infected with the illness experience temporary hair loss, or hair shedding, which is a normal side effect after an illness or a high fever. The cause? A fever or illness can force more hairs into the shedding phase of the hair growth life cycle than usual - resulting in temporary hair loss.

National Hair Loss Med Aesthetics talks about what is trending with patient hair loss

To receive your own customized report, email code AHLC to education@nhlma.com and receive exclusive member pricing. In addition, if you have questions regarding your clients growth, email inquiries or photos for more information education@nhlma.com.

UPCOMING SEASONAL SHEDDING

As seasons shift, an uptick in client cases reporting unruly amounts of shedding also occurs. We shed an average of 80 to 100 hairs every day during normal periods, however, certain times of the year, such as seasonal changes, bring about more loss as a result. These hairs that are shed are not lost, but rather they are going through a cycle of growth.