In any sector, the most successful brands are those that identify and fill a gap in the market before anyone else does. To gain and maintain competitive advantage, it’s crucial to keep one eye on new developments where you can beat other brands to the punch.
As a video production agency specialising in high-quality, fast-turnaround footage, we encourage our clients to be first movers in their sector. But what does that mean, and how can professional video pull it off?
Establish yourself before anyone else
Pretty much all of the world’s biggest companies are first movers, to some degree. Microsoft built package software. Five Guys concentrated on a luxury fast food burger. Netflix ushered in the age of film and TV streaming. The definition of moving first is taking a chance on a service or product that hasn’t yet been introduced successfully to the sector you’re hoping to influence.
It isn’t just the quality of the offer, though. First movers are usually the ones to forge supply chains, retail agreements and consumer relationships that’ve been overlooked by the competition. They capitalise on what other people haven’t thought of. They spend more time analysing what works, and what doesn’t. Those who trail in the wake of a first mover become their imitators. Meanwhile, the original brand increases their market share, using their head start to full advantage.
We’ve had our own, modest first mover moment: HSQ Production’s ‘done in a day’ promise gives our clients their video investment within 24 hours. Very few – if any – British videographers can do this.
But your own eureka concept may have arrived. If so, it’s time to think about how to show the world what you’re doing. First movers can’t capitalise on their idea unless people recognise its value.
Video’s role in your promotional push
Some markets don’t use video regularly. Others do, but stick to a formula that their audience have seen a thousand times over. Once your game-changing product or service is ready, it needs a distinctive marketing campaign. You need to introduce your target audience to a problem or need they have, the solution that you provide, and your beliefs as an organisation.
Professional video is a brilliant resource, because it focuses on the image – the most dynamic medium for expressing ideas. You can explain a revolutionary service in just over a minute, packing the material with context and demonstrations. Voiceovers provide the background, whilst the footage itself does the heavy lifting, showing your business in action.
Snippets can be teased on social media. You can also film people enjoying what you’ve managed to produce, to build the momentum of your brand through social proof. A first mover video series delivers the perfect knockout punch to your intended audience. Copycats may, eventually, launch a similar business, but they won’t have your metrics on what videos yield the widest engagement. That knowledge will fortify any future marketing.
Contact HSQ to find out more about how to lead the charge in your industry. Not only do we specialise in fast-turnaround video production – we are also able to deploy our experts anywhere in the world at a click of a finger.
So make sure a camera captures you rolling the dice and winning – get in touch to explore how you can gain a competitive edge.