Marketing that entertains your audience is no longer an option — it’s a requirement, especially if you’re selling physical products.
So how can we as business owners be more entertaining with our selling?
With over 300 million views on YouTube, Billy Gene is a big influencer when it comes to YouTube advertising, and he has some advice for ecommerce businesses…
Use video to sell your physical products!
He believes too many ecommerce stores are settling for images and less-than-entertaining videos in their marketing, and he wants to help before it’s too late.
Watch this short video with Billy Gene to see how video is changing ecommerce, and why YouTube is still a hidden gem for physical retailers.
Entertain with Video
Unless your brand is exclusively on Amazon, odds are you rely heavily on social media to find new customers, build your brand and engage your community.
My Shopify store exploded in 2016 when we doubled-down on advertising videos in our Facebook ads strategy. But entertainment can mean different things for different products.
For my pro-age cosmetics brand, entertainment means producing content that’s emotionally charged, story driven and hooks new audiences with a unique point of view.
Dollar Shave Club is an example of how video can elevate a physical product brand (in their case using humor), and they’re not the only one…
Purple Mattress, Allbirds, quip, Tushy, Everlane — they’re all pushing video marketing that develops a uniquely entertaining brand.
Go watch any of Billy Gene’s videos on YouTube and see for yourself how he’s built one of the most memorable personas in the industry.
YouTube is a Hidden Gem
If you’ve followed my blog for the last few months, you know YouTube has been a major focus.
(Here’s a recent post I did with YouTube and Google Display expert Brett Curry called A Big Easy WIN with YouTube Ads.)
So why are ecommerce owners — including me — trying to get more YouTube ads into our marketing cycles?
“None of you [ecom owners] are using YouTube to sell your products, and it’s a hidden gem,” says Billy Gene. “It’s way cheaper than Facebook, and it’s less competitive.”
And he’s right. According to expert Brett Curry, who’s analysed 1,000s of Google accounts, YouTube is a severely underutilized channel in our industry… for now.
But as more brands adopt video as their #1 communication tool — not just for advertising, but for website videos, product demos and blogs — the advantage you have today will shrink.
Is Amazon the Next QVC?
Do you remember those old Billy Mays infomercials? Oxiclean, the Ultimate Ladder, the Samurai Shark…
Or how about that guy who cuts his shoes in half with a knife?
Okay, maybe the tech has changed a bit since the 90s, but the marketing principles haven’t.
QVC made an empire by broadcasting entertaining video pitches to sell physical products, and Billy Gene thinks Amazon is moving in the same direction:
“You’re going to see Amazon turn into a mini QVC. If you watch QVC all the pitches are done via video, and you see [videos on Amazon] now, but you’re going to see an emphasis. And the products that will be the best sellers, will be the ones with the best videos.”
Is he’s right?
Am I going to see you on Amazon one day, live-streaming your product pitch in front of a paid studio audience?
At least one thing’s for certain:
Video changed ecommerce forever, and you can bet that as long as it continues to get the highest engagement online, it’s going to continue to shape our industry.
I recently interviewed Billy Gene for the blog, and he shared some major lessons on how to improve video ads, including:
- How to overcome limiting beliefs
- What sells in video advertising
- And why entertainment comes first
You can watch that interview here: The Rise of Billy Gene: Why Boring Doesn’t Sell.
Highlights:
0:05 Entertaining is not an option
0:28 If you truly entertain someone from the jump, all the rules go out the window
0:36 If you can make someone laugh, you can close immediately
0:45 Use video to sell physical products
0:51 YouTube is a hidden gem
1:07 Amazon will turn in to a miniature QVC
1:16 Products that will be the best sellers, will have the best videos
Click Here For Video Transcript
You’ll hear some experts tell you, “Oh my God, you have to create, like, three layers of content before you pitch someone something.” Shut up. If you truly entertain someone from the jump, all the rules go out the window. You can make a sale immediately. And remember this, if you can make someone laugh, you can close immediately.
E-comm owners, do yourself and me a favor, use videos to sell your physical products. Stop trying to get away with just images. None of you guys are using YouTube to sell your product, it is a hidden gem, it’s way cheaper than Facebook, and it’s less competitive. There is a smart marketer tip, matter of fact, that one’s genius. With the advancement in videos and everyone finally starting to get on board and the increased conversion rates, you will see Amazon turn into a miniature QVC. If you watch QVC, all the pitches are done via video. And you already see them there now, but you’re going to see an emphasis in the products that will be the best-sellers will the ones with the best videos. So get on board, because with or without you, this is happening.
