FIRST THOUGHT: Video is the Future
Have you ever told a joke, only to realize halfway through that you missed a key phrase? Or maybe you’ve retold a funny story and when you were done, one person gave you a pitiful smirk, while the others just looked away awkwardly. Even though I basically only communicate via emojis, I can still listen to a great storyteller share a tale, even if it’s something I’ve heard before. The allure of a story captures the imagination of even the youngest of kids; there’s even a national storytelling festival in Tennessee. If your palms sweat even thinking about sharing a personal story, prop up your iPhone, press record and tell yourself a story, anyway.
WOMEN IN NUMBERS: 87 Percent
While sitting in a circle by a campfire and listening to tall tales sounds idyllic, a hot toddy with my laptop indoors sounds even better. We hear stories every dang day through videos. We no longer have to struggle with dial-up and buffering. If a company wants to get its message across, they’ve got to ditch the old school billboards and dated mailers and embrace cinematography. According to some data collected in 2017, 87 percent of digital marketers use videos to market their businesses. Has an online video ever sealed the deal, leading you straight to the company’s site to make a purchase?
WOMEN TO WATCH: Pavi Dinamani and Nammy Sirur, Co-founders of Misfit Communications
When besties and today’s Women to Watch Pavi Dinamani and Nammy Sirur found themselves unemployed, they did what they always do and used a little tongue-in-cheek humor about hard-to-talk-about topics. This time, though, they did it with a camera and YouTube. Pavi and Nammy started The 9to5 MisFits as a way to not only share their ups and downs, but also to represent their South Asian heritage.
A recent move to a new city left Nammy unemployed, while Pavi was let go from her chemical engineering job. Both explain that unemployment can make some Desis feel ashamed and stigmatized by their community and families.
The duo’s storytelling touches on topics like if your accent’s holding you back, bridging the generational gap between relatives and how to survive a layoff. One of my favorite videos of theirs is the “Makeup Tutorial Parody for Indian Engineers” hosted by Pavi, who explains how to use highlighter: “Highlight your face like you highlight the skills on your resume.” This is just one video that showcases Pavi and Nammy’s skills for making bingeworthy content, something that’s helped them move out of the unemployment office and into their own company, Misfit Communications.
Pavi and Nammy help people figure out how they can portray themselves through a personal brand. It’s not that artificial Insta-celeb stuff. Instead, they have inquisitive conversations with people to get at the nuts and bolts of who they are, what they do and, more importantly, why others will want to use their service or buy their products.
If you’re looking to tell your story, whether you’re a big brand or it’s just little old you, Pavi and Nammy offer four serious no-no’s that will keep you from achieving success in brand marketing. The first is you don’t have a message (kind of like that uncle who goes on and on and on and it’s suddenly 2019 already.) Next, stir in a little conflict for a protagonist—like you or a customer—can overcome. Be sure to avoid tangents; keep it simple, girl. Lastly, don’t list off all the bullet points from your CV; take your viewers on a succinct journey.
Follow Pavi and Nammy on Instagram @misfitpavi and @misfitnammy.
Video marketing is the future, and it’ll help your brand’s success in numerous ways. Check out our six tips on how to jumpstart your video marketing strategy by clicking here or, if you’re listening via podcast, head over to OnTheDotWoman.com!
QUITE THE QUOTE
Acclaimed author Arundhati Roy wrote:
“…the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again…That is their mystery and their magic.”