Blog - Market With Mario

Raw vs Edited Video

May 13, 2023

Raw video vs. edited video. Which is right for your business?

Based on my experience … It depends! I know, I know, but hear me out.

I have worked with clients doing edited and heavily produced videos, and with clients using raw (unedited) footage.

Where Will You Post The Video?

In order to determine which type of video will work best for you, ask yourself: Where will I be using this video? What is its purpose?

A professional, slick, edited video can be great for a branding video for your website. These videos are great whenever you need an ad or a polished marketing piece.

But that’s the problem with edited video—it often sounds and looks like an ad or marketing piece. Over time, I have found that raw, unedited video is more successful if you want to build trust.

Why is this?

Videos For Social Media

We post most of our videos to Facebook and YouTube, and most clients are in the trades (home services, roofers, plumbers, AC guys, etc.). If you think about it, an overly-polished video doesn’t fit this setting. It’s like wearing a tuxedo to a job interview. It looks nice, but it doesn’t fit what you are trying to achieve. Authentic, down-to-earth video works much better for social media platforms for home services contractors.

The Most Important Part of Your Videos

Don’t overthink this. You can shoot raw video with a camera, or with your cell phone. The most important aspect of this type of video is to make sure the audio quality is good. Nothing will ruin a good video like bad audio!

Which One Performs Better?

We have done some high-level production for our clients, but we found that it just doesn’t convert that much better. The gain in conversion doesn’t outweigh the increased cost of a highly-polished and produced video. Raw video converts better and builds trust better.

Your Next Step

Let me know what you think! I’d love to hear your feedback. What works for you?

If you need help with video, whether raw or polished, give us a call! We’d love to help you.

Remember, when you Market With Mario, you profit with Mario!

Is SEO Enough For Your Business?

April 19, 2023

SEO alone is not enough.

A Few Years Ago

Not long ago, when a homeowner wanted to hire a service provider they would call whoever came up on the first page of their Google search. If your company came up first, you would get the call for an estimate.

What Homeowners Now Expect

Today’s homeowners want more. They aren’t simply calling you because you come up first in Google. They look through your website. They look at your pictures, and they look at your reviews.

In other words, your branding is as important as your SEO. This is why I recommend loading your Google Business Profile with pictures. Ask your clients for reviews. Keep up with all the Google Business Profile updates.

How We Help You

When we go out to shoot videos for our roofing clients, I get not only videos but still pictures. We post these on their Google Business Profile, website, and social media. This will help with their SEO and their branding.

If you are only doing SEO, it’s not enough!

Your Next Step

We would love to come out and shoot videos and pictures for you. We will sit down with you to learn about your business and discuss how we can help you with SEO, branding, and lead generation.

When you Market With Mario, you profit with Mario!

Why You Need a Referral Program

March 7, 2023

One of the best things you can do for your business is to have a referral program. Why? I’ll give you 3 reasons:

1. You Will Attract Better Customers

What I mean by “better customers” is customers who are not looking for the cheapest bid. They don’t question your process or your prices, because they know your quality and reputation are worth it. They are easy to work with. This is all because they have been referred by someone who has already done business with you, or who knows you, your company, and your brand.

2. You Will Attract Higher-Paying Customers

Now, I want to be very clear about what I mean by this: I am not suggesting that you price gouge. Not at all! You should never price gouge, but you should also never be in a position where you need to discount or lowball your prices.

If you are watching this channel you are probably on the higher end of home service contractors. You put a lot of effort into the quality of your work. It is okay to charge a premium price for a premium product. You don’t want to provide the cheapest pool or pergola, and that’s not what your customers want. A better customer for you is not one whose only question is “How much is it?” They want a better quality product.

When you sell this way, you are dealing with high-end customers. As social people, we typically hang out with people like us. If you are getting referrals from high-end customers, typically they will refer their high-end friends to you. You will have not only one better customer but a string of better customers.

Another benefit to having a referral program is that you incentivize the people who have already done business with you. You can offer them a cash reward for a referral, or a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant, or—there are practically endless creative ways you can reward your customers. You benefit from the referral, and so do they!

3. Your Sales Process Will Be Easier

When customers are referred to you, it makes the whole sales process easier. These potential customers are not kicking tires. They are serious. They are usually not getting multiple bids, and if they are they are not looking for the cheapest one. In fact, the person who referred you to them has probably done most of the selling for you! They have said:

“Look at my new door—it looks amazing!”
“They did such a great job on my roof that you’re crazy if you don’t go with them!”
“Look at my pool and all the gorgeous landscaping they did with it!”

These customers have already seen the quality of your work! All you have to do now is explain how it all works and ask for the sale. You will not have to go to great lengths to impress them or build trust.

So, get a referral program together and start attracting better customers!

3 Types of Pictures For Your Website

February 15, 2023

You know you need pictures on your website. But what kind of pictures? Pictures of what? Does it matter?

Yes, it matters! There are three types of pictures you should always include on your website:

1. Team photo.

How often have you gone to the “About Us” section of a website and seen something like this: “We’re a family company, and we have an incredible team!” But there’s no picture of the family and no picture of the team.

We love to capture team photos for our clients. If you are a family-owned business and you have the family here locally, we will get great family shots as well.

I especially love it when we can include key people who will be working with you for a long time. You want the people on your website to be the people who are currently there at your company. This also means that you might choose not to include brand-new hires. You know your team best, so use your judgment about who to include.

2. Individual headshots.

Besides a team photo, you should include individual headshots of your team members. These will be pictures of your office assistant, project manager, sales manager, directors, owners, etc. As a bonus, include a little bio with each photo about that team member’s background and interests. Customers will get to know, like, and trust your company just by browsing your “Meet The Team” section.

3. Project gallery.

This is where you post pictures of your work! Show off your projects. People want to see photos of what you’ve done. That’s how they get inspiration for the work that they want you to do for them.

We like to bring our photography team into your office to get headshots and team photos, and then have you send us to completed job locations to get pictures of your finished projects.

Your Next Step

Why have all these photos? Seeing all these pictures helps people in the decision-making process decide to choose you over another contractor. If you need help with any of this, just let us know. It’s what we do!

Remember, when you Market With Mario, you profit with Mario!