We’ve all seen amazing promotional marketing videos before. Whether they’re funny, inspiring, shocking, or heart felt, some companies do video exceptionally well. They tell great stories and as a result they connect us with their brands in ways others cannot.

Traditionally only mega-brands and companies with insane ad budgets could do video and reach a reasonably sized audience over TV. However, with companies like YouTube and Vimeo completely dominating the online video scene over the last few years, the playing field has been leveled. Now anyone can produce a relatively inexpensive video and instantly reach their audience in a new and engaging way.

So, the question remains, with video being one of the best types of marketing pieces you can have in your arsenal, is your business getting in on the action? If not, you should be.

Here are three reasons why you need to start doing video yesterday.

1. Your competitors aren’t.

Cool brands do video because their competition doesn’t. Have a look right now. Go to your competitors’ websites and see what they’re doing. Chances are their sites are 1-dimensional. Text, text, and more text. Sure they have photos, (and perhaps they’re even professionally shot photos); however, they probably don’t have video. This means their website still isn’t a priority, which also means they’re likely still committed to killing forests to reach their dying audience.

Check out this video Edmonton-based law firm, Bishop & McKenzie developed for their website. While other law firms are still trying to figure web out, B&M is already moving ahead with a series of great, inspirational videos that tell the story of the firm and why articling students or clients should choose them over the rest. Brilliant.

Consider this your intervention.

Today is another day you could have had the opportunity to stand out and show all of your customers why you are different and better than your competitors. Which leads me to my next point. Positioning.

2. Position your company in 30 seconds or less.

Cool brands do video to stand out. Quickly. They know the quickest and easiest method to position their brand and get their marketing message out there is through video. Let’s face it. People don’t have time to dig. You have less than 10 seconds to impress your audience or they’ve left to find someone who can. Once you have a clearly defined image that embodies your brand; things like personality, promise, and identity; and once you know how you want people to experience your brand, video is one of the best ways to communicate your key messages and stand out among the masses.

The following is a video developed by Amplomedia for an Edmonton organization, Live Local describing its local food delivering services.

3. Diversify your content.

Cool brands do video because they understand their audience. They know their customers are tired of reading type and they’re begging for something more. Video is much more dynamic than text; so, rather than just read about your business, your audience can hear and see what you are all about. Video helps you appeal to more people, because many people prefer to watch than read. Making videos to diversify your content shows your customers that you’re well-rounded, you’re fun, and you care. Simply put, video is better marketing.

Here’s a beautiful video promoting the RunWild Marathon, Alberta’s fastest growing, family-focused road race. RunWild believes in the power of video, and so do RunWilders. In only 2 years RunWild has ranked as a Top 10 Event by Canadian Running Magazine and it’s already the fourth largest race in Alberta.

What’s the biggest reason not to do video?

To “go viral.”

Sure, when a company’s video goes viral, their exposure increases dramatically. Just ask anyone who’s had their video promoted by Ellen or Jimmy Kimmel. The statistics are staggering. Viral videos launch nobodies into the stratosphere.

Unfortunately your odds of going viral are much worse than winning at the craps tables at the Bellagio. Odds are your video’s not going to hit 1,000,000 viewers on YouTube. It probably won’t even hit 10,000. So the point of doing video shouldn’t be to attain Bieber status. It should be to convert qualified viewers into superfans. Would you rather have millions of views and be a celebrity or would you rather have 100 views with 10% becoming solid marketing leads and potential promoters of your company?

How to make video work for you.

We all know why the cool brands do video, but how do they do it?

Careful planning and expert execution are key. A marketing video shouldn’t just be something you do on your own or throw together in a hurry. Instead, get resourceful and work with a local production company to create a stunning high-quality, professionally made video.

If you’re in Edmonton, look to award winning video rockstars, Lindisfarne Productions. Lindisfarne was the company responsible for creating the RunWild video above, as well as this beautiful video for the Warner Hockey School, which shows how hockey literally saved the town of Warner.

If you’re out on the west coast, give RF Productions a call. RF is known as being one of the very few companies that create and deliver insanely cool and HD quality video on the same day. Yes, that’s right. Same day. It’s called a “Same Day Edit” or SDE, and RF completely kills it when it comes to SDE’s. Check out this video below they produced for Pinkberry Canada showcasing the grand opening of Canada’s first Pinkberry location.

The bottom line.

Get creative, and use video to your advantage. Whether it’s to entertain, demonstrate a product, answer FAQs, introduce employees, or show footage of a special event, make sure your vids are of something people will want to see

All the cool brands are doing it. What are you waiting for?