Document your business with video

Customers are watching more videos online than ever. And propane retailers probably are, too. In a 2022 survey, people reported watching more than 2.5 hours of video per day – up more than an hour since 2018, according to Wyzowl.

So how can propane retailers capture the attention of current and future customers? Create engaging marketing videos.

Photo: B4LLS/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

If you are intimidated, first develop a strategy. Enlist your staff, determine topics, decide where it will be promoted and set some goals.

When your customers watch online videos, they want to laugh, engage and learn, according to Jeffrey Lee, senior director of content development at Zonda, who spoke earlier this year during the Propane Education & Research Council’s Energy for Everyone Marketing Conference in Minneapolis.

Your customers are two times as likely to share video content compared to any other type of content, according to Wyzowl’s State of Video Marketing 2022 report.

Create an idea list of video topics that your company could create. Make it fun, get creative and include your team for better brainstorming. Think about what your propane customers care about: They want authenticity, to hear from experts (you) and learn about interesting viewpoints.

Here are some ideas to get started:

Company history – Give an overview of your company by explaining how it was founded and sharing about core values.

Service overview – Demonstrate the services you offer and what a typical service call looks like.

Team highlights – Capture what happens at company events; talk to your team about why they like working at the company; and feature any community service initiatives.

Testimonials – Establish stronger relationships with your best customers by asking them to explain why they choose propane and your company.

Industry updates – Give an overview of any current topics in the propane industry and educate customers on the benefits of propane and partnering with your company.

Top tips for video creation

Rocky Conly, an independent cinematographer and producer based in Austin, Texas, shared these quick tips for creating top-notch marketing videos during the Propane Education & Research Council’s Energy for Everyone Marketing Conference earlier this year:

• Do some legwork ahead of time to make the process go more smoothly.
• Remember location is important. Create the right setting for good sound and light.
• Use two cameras to capture a variety of angles.
• Sound is more important than visuals. If the sound isn’t good, viewers won’t watch.
• B-roll, the secondary footage, needs variety to bring interest and context. Be sure to allot enough time because it can take a while to collect.
• Figure out who can carry themselves well in conversation.
• Get as much content as you can while you are there. You can always cut out the extra.