Video brochures, what are they and how they could help your marketing

Welcome back to the latest episode of behind the madness, where we discuss the next leap in marketing tactics - a physical video brochure that you can hold in your hands.

Scott walks us through his strategic approach to building his business, and the huge value that video brochures are creating in the world of account-based marketing.

Show Notes

Is print media as effective as it used to be? We spoke to Scott, owner and founder of Vue Media, to discuss the exciting new possibilities in video brochures. As a marketing tool, it could do more to engage your key customers than you realise. Dive into the ground-breaking brochures that are revolutionising video marketing.

What is Behind The Madness?

A podcast helping companies grow with marketing strategies, automation and time-saving tips and creative solutions.

Welcome back to Behind the Madness where we talk about business growth, ways to work smarter, and the fundamentals of business, all geared to unlocking your brand's peak performance. I'm your host, James Roberts, owner and founder of Method, and today I'm joined by Scott Rendall from Vue Media, where we're going to talk about video brochures, what they are, and the ways you could be using them in your marketing strategy.

Before I jump in, I wanted to let you know about ways you can contact the show. We have some great contact, uh, content and helpful tips going out on Instagram where you can find us at hello_method, we also have our new dedicated email address [e-mail], where you can give us any feedback or give us any questions and we'll try and answer them on future episodes.

So with no more delays, let's jump in to today's episode video brochures, what they are and how they could help your marketing.

Welcome to Behind the Madness Scott, how are you?

Very well, thank you, James, how are you?

Yeah, very well very well, thank you, nice that somebody asks nice, that somebody asks. We all say good though, don't we? it's kind of thing, everybody's okay nobody's, nobody has any problems. Um, right.

Too or too cold.

No exactly. Everything's just right, little Goldilocks. So, um, let's start off with a bit about you, Scott and also Vue Media, so let us know who you are and what you do.

Okay, uh, my name's Scott as you've introduced me. Uh, I'm the owner Vue Media. Um, Vue Media was evolved out of a previous agency that I was with for 20 years. When I was 18 years old, I, I, uh, joined a business that a friend of the family had started, um, basically print brokering back in 2001, you know, listing paper and business cards and letterheads concrelade and the exciting paper and things like that, so,

GSMs

Yes, so, um, that's sort of where it started. Um, in the, in, we were in a shed in the back of his parents' house, um, just me and him. He was sort of 14, 15 years older than I um, and yeah, 20 years later I left there and the business was 15 million pound turnover, 55 staff and during the final couple of years that I was there, I, um, or we created the Vue TV brand, which is the video brochure product or video in print product.

Um, yeah, we sort of extracted that out of the main agency previously, I went and set up my own agency um, Vue TV and Covid hit and pretty much wrecked it before we got off the ground pretty much, so, um, I left the previous agency February 2020 to launch March 2020, Covid lockdown mid-March 2020.

So yeah, the product, um, it wasn't from a standing start because worked on it for a couple of years so we had a client base and we had a good prospect list and a good whip and yeah, it was, uh, pulled beneath us basically because of the Covid, which a lot of businesses obviously face the same. Uh, we were in the unlucky part of it not being helpful.

But your're back we're stronger, we're building it up again.

Yeah, absolutely, I mean, it was always the previous agency in the end we'd, we'd kind of created an end to end agency with creative team in the front, the print management merchandise and sourcing in the middle. Um, and then the fulfillment and the logistics distribution at the end so people could join us on any part of that journey and generally it would be the cliche of one stop shop where we could look after strategy creative, as I say, the print merchandise products. Storage, fulfillment, et cetera. So um, I started, it was Vue TV originally, um, the idea was in time to evolve back into that space, um, and actually Covid accelerated that because the product is fantastic for exhibitions, retail environments, and prospecting and no one was doing it. So, um, we had to rethink pretty quick our strategy and it was, um, yeah, we got through year one with some ups and downs because of and the unknown. But yeah, the two's been successful for us and we've opened sort of the Vue TV offering out to sort of my previous 20 years experience with the team. So we, we were a, full stop, shall we say end to a agency with a pure focus on the Vue TV products as our sort of hero brand?

So obviously you and I met, I think just before, it was just before Covid kind of hit. I didn't know anything about these video brochures. I think I'd, I'd seen them, they were starting to kind of trickle in a few places, very, very quiet though, um, and obviously when we met, um, I learned more about them, but lets let's start there. What are, for anybody who's never heard of them, never seen them, what is a video brochure?

So a video um, has the HD screen integrated into a piece of printed matter so a, a printed book, um, with a memory built in it, that autoplay video content generally when it, the book is opened. Um, no need for wifi, no need for connections, no need for software upgrades. It's, layman's terms it's a USB stick with a screen. Um, but hugely impactful in many ways, um, you, you are right, we were, we did marketing to Marketing Week Live 2018, 2019, and had a stand at both events. Great event, I dunno if you've ever been, but super event. Uh, We had a successful event both times, but based on the seniority of people that go there within marketing, the first year, 90, early 90%, had never seen the product completely wowed by it, second year was similar. Um, and we were really taken aback by that and we thought there was, you know, they came to market I think early 2011, 2012, originally, broken from the far east. Generally lifestyle businesses, very expensive, cross your fingers, hope they turn up in four to six weeks.

Um, so, and there were big brands that, you know, we know there were early adopters, but it just didn't quite take on, which again was a massive shock because the products, as you've seen them now, they, they're engaging and, and our clients get great results from it. So, Going back to the Covid situation with us launching it as a standalone business, although it put a hold on it per se, it accelerated video marketing as well because that was the communication point worldwide, which you can now see obviously through social, that you need video, people expect video, and now this is a, the video brochures, the video boxes, the video POS that we do is just excellent way to create, engagement via video communication.

I think from my point of view, we, we have, we've had years and years of being bombarded through email marketing. Um, it started to go back to print because of, uh, being able to go back and actually pick something up and handle something up. So it was always print, It was all we had, then everybody jumped onto uh, emails because it was a much cheaper way of mass, uh, marketing, if you like. Um, but a lot of companies are going back to this, this print mentality and kind of getting things with in front of people on their desks, and there's loads of other strategies, you know, sending books, sending other, other material. But I think this fits in beautifully because as you said, it is something that um, I, I'm still not seeing them mainstream at all. Um, so it's still got that one novelty factor, um, it's something that is so, um, so touchy-feely when it comes in through your, through your, through your door, you are definitely gonna kind of keep it on your desk. You're gonna show other people around the office.

Um, but on top of all of that, it's got this message inside it, which you can record anything on, I guess. So you can record anything you like in terms of that message, in sort of that key product push, whatever it might be, and have that on, uh, straight into somebody's face and get it across, get your message across and as we know, video is so impactful because it, it gets across that message so, so clearly. So within the product itself, you can any video can just be uploaded onto this I guess, you know, we're not, we're not talking uh uh, the whole film here, we're talking mainly short form video is it what what do they tend to be used in terms of the video that goes on?

Well, I'll come back to the usability in just a second cause I'm just writing down. There was about 19 questions in that sentence you so I just

A lot sorry

say No, that's fine. But so going

A lot

To talk about tangibility, we talk about email online, digital. Now, late nineties, early two thousands, you know, we were evolving as a print management agency and all new mo, new marketeers.

Gotta be digital, gotta be digital, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Now, 10 years ago, know, I still believe scenario is now when sort of iTunes came along, came along and you know, people weren't gonna buy CDs, not gonna buy records. There is always gonna be an audience that buys a record well look at records now at the minute I mean, they've a massive surge we just go around in cycles, as you well know, James, as a, as a marketeer, that you know, you need these various touchpoints because everybody has their own opinion and need. So if somebody wants to download something from iTunes, great. But if somebody wants to buy a CD read the book and they're entitled to do that. So to have that sort of tied up marketing message, you do need these touch points it will always evolve and it will always change. And you know, you will have those spikes of, as you said, email marketing tangibility at the moment has been huge and I think again, with lockdown been locked away and not that interaction that you would used to, people expect something more now. People expect personalisation you know, have the mass marketing, social now, and email's a little bit more tricky now with the operating systems that are opening the emails before somebody's opened them it gives you open rate, a bit of a skew, but that there's a place for that, that's mass marketing, you know, you put the net out and you put it wide, but you are talking about tangible products, when you're talking about personalization. I think video brochures can be rivalled in that manner because number one is the way to deliver video communication directly into the hands of your target audience.

Uh, number two, you can personalize the products so each product can be printed hi James. I have this special message for you. Talk about content. Look how good cameras are now, so you can do a talking head video yourself at home, at work, wherever a 60 second look, I really want to talk to you because our business will benefit your job, your responsibilities, and your business. So, put a QR code on the, uh, on the video brochure, scan it and in the form I'll give you a call a time to meet you. Uh, the tangibility part of the video brochures that you mentioned, they don't get thrown away and also, which is bit a bummer for us, they never get sent back. Many campaigns we have printed the video brochures for, you know, businesses that have the environment in in mind and they want to kind of be sustainable. Once you're finished with this product, please return to, now I'm talking tens of thousands over the years that we've done, not one, have we received back. When we get requested and inundated with samples and then chase them back up after a couple of weeks, you know, have you finished with it? We'd like to send it back, oh can we keep it, can we keep it? So when people are receiving these products, personalized or not, there is such an engagement and a wow factor, they don't get put in the bin like you would do as a normal printed matter or, or mass DM as you did in late nineties. And the there is that tangibility you know, can be put on their shelf, you know, sort of in sight and be returned to and reviewed as and when they want to.

More importantly, they get passed around. So even if you do send them out without being personalized to a target audience, and it gets to the wrong person because there is that, perception of high value, that somebody's gone to this extent to create a video and put it into a screen, to put it into a book, to pack it up, send it out nicely, then you know John's gonna go and give it to Steve because Steve, you need to see this. So our sort of engagement rate is really high for our clients. Unfortunately, we can't guarantee conversions, but engagement rate is really, really high. So it, as you said, it ticks a lot of the boxes in terms of content, tangibility, personalization, um, and the video communication for marketing purposes.

And I think that's, that's, it's got so many wins. The, do you think there's a, obviously now where we're talking about it now and we touched on it with these, these peaks and troughs of everything kind of going round, um, do you think that at the moment, because it's something that's so new, that it's got more of that impact? How long, how long's a piece of string, but how long do you think that that would last for? Um, and yeah, I guess, I guess that's the kind of the question really is, is how, how long do you see it being this, this wow factor.

I think a great question, but with a great answer it's a piece of technology, so it's only going to evolve and that's the great thing about it. It it's, it's not a new invention because it's been around for 10, 11 years, but because it hasn't caught on, it hasn't progressed. So at the minute we can supply 360 walkaround screens, great for um, developers gaming, walkarounds, teasers et cetera. Um, touch screens available, we can put operating systems, androids into them so they can be wifi connected. This really should have been done two years after it was launched, but because whether it wasn't marketed properly by the businesses originally or whether it just wasn't cost effective, we're not sure, but it's just going to evolve.

I mean, we've created so many sort of intricate, amazing and crazy pieces of, of products with video screens in so, the video brochures is just an entry point for us or for our clients. We go into the boxes, but then we get really intricate, like blow up acrylic cubes when they get lifted out boxes. Um, you know, dye cut shelves and uh, baby bottles with screens in it, it's just like, it's crazy because, but the more crazy the better for us cos we are a group of creative thinkers and we want that opportunity to be able to go, have a brochure and they're amazing, but once you've done that and your clients expect more, then we've got this our sleeve we have plenty of options, and the great thing about it or our products is we're not restricted to what we can do the only restriction at the moment is the screen sizes, but that ranges from three inch to 21 inch now for points of sale. So if you wanted a butterfly video box brochure with, uh, we were just talking to, uh, a modular, uh, building company recently, and, uh, they wanted something wowy. I won't mention them because it might get sent out, but it, it's a cube that when you open it up, it has acrylic window on one side and it's got like a interior design of how it would look and then you've got the screen on the other side and there's a brochure that sits in integrated at the top it's such a wow piece. Um, and a lot more affordable than people think as well. Um, so

I'm gonna come onto cost I think that's the one thing that, that is probably on everybody's lips. But I wanna, I want to think about all of those touchpoints that we had you can in terms of marketing, in terms of getting this, this point across to somebody, it is pretty much, you can think of a use case for that whole user journey, that whole life cycle stage from a, a new prospect, whether you're doing you know, uh, account based marketing and you know that person, you wanna do something super targeted, uh, you can send that out all the way through to a customer that's bought from you and just received a product that you can then send that product out with a, you know, a welcome. It could be a guide, it could be a thanks for buying, it could be anything, and then even past that to kind of keep them happy. So there are so many touch points. What are the, where do you find the best results? Or is it literally across that whole spectrum that you can see that you can see some great things?

Yeah, originally where we got with view, uh, well video brochures. There's a, there's a company in the UK that was selling them and shifting in from the far east that we knew of, and they knew about us and they approached us and said, look, we are getting enquiries from people that want five books for next week for a pitch general London agencies normally I don't do less than a hundred, do you want to get involved in this with your print background? We were like, ok, you know, we were creative, we like technology. Well this could be a nice little string to bow. So we looked into it and we could create them in the UK very simply, especially with added personalization, we've got the whole infrastructure to help design it and fulfill it and send it out, et cetera.

So we said, Yeah, we'll support you on that no problem at all. Which was great, volume, quick turnaround, fine, nice feedback, but then we thought, is this just a marketing product per se, prospect in pitching? Uh, no, because it, it's just a way to deliver content now that got our brains thinking. So we had kind of a few internal of what we could do with it uh, and training was one of the main ones that came out of, you know, the opposite end of the scale of prospecting. So bringing on staff members, especially for big companies with of different depots across the, across the uk. Internal training staff, mainly blue collar workers that haven't got access to PCs and laptops, but still need to be trained for health and safety. small they would have videos to watch, do a questionnaire or a small test before they could go into the warehouse, for example. So you've got that end of the, it's like we literally flipped it from one side to the other and then you tracked back as you've already mentioned, upselling what to existing so, um, of our clients said, Dojo, So the payment card, you'll see them everywhere. when, when they launch a new upgraded version, they send a video brochure out, in fact, I've got one here, they send of these out to their clients to say, we've got a new product and we'd like you to buy it, basically, beautifully presented beautifully designed.

Yeah, right.

And then you've got the video con just explains it all. I mean, it, it's such a, it's such an engaging and smart way to

It's simple as well. That's the, that's the, it's kind of to get across something within a brochure, within a leaflet, within anything that you might be doing in a, in, let's say, print. We all know that video has a better engagement rate because people, they don't hardly have to turn on their brains so much to, to have to, read or, or, or kind of take that information in, but with something

There's, there's a, there's a stat about that, which is why, where know, we backed video communication to begin with um, the human brain will of absorb 20% of what it hears, 30% of what it sees alone, but almost 50% of what it sees and hears together.

Wow. Yeah.

When we kind of started our early days of going, we, we need to expand this product because we, we see this an opportunity across very forms of communication that is science. And I'm not scientist, but you know it. not

yeah. And I think we've all seen it now with the rise of short form video that, that, you know, Jamie's constantly popping out on our, on our socials and the, the difference in just those that grabbing people's attention for a certain subject matter quick and getting the message across. We see much better engagement rates and, um, over video than anything we've ever done before.

Um, as you said, it is easy, easily digestible, and I think with the product as well, it's not something that's complicated we're not talking that you've gotta go down, download an app, and you know, there's, there's so many blockers and then, oh, you've gotta make sure you've got a wifi connection oh, you haven't got wifi there's none of that. You open it. Something that we've been doing for, you know, years and years. You open it, it automatically plays the video. It, it's, it know, going back to those old cards that used to open up and it laughed or it cheered it it's kind of taking that, but it's that it but beautifully done and the video kind of sits within it, it's not thick either. So, you know, as you showed that product earlier, you know, it, it is, it's, it's small

18 mil thick.

So it's, it's, it is ideal. It, it works so well with, with post, it kind of goes through when it hits. It's got that nice feel about it. You know, I, I absolutely love them. I think they are brilliant and they fit in so many different ways. So let's, let's hit the hard stuff first turnaround, so we come to you, Scott, we've got this great idea we've got, we've got the video produced, let's say, um, how long to get something printed and turned around for our next marketing campaign.

Okay, so, um, one of the USPs for our business and Vue TV video brochures is there's no minimum order quantity. So if you are new to the product and you're thinking, oh, let's trial 10 to our top prospects or however many you want to, short run up to, sort of 50 units we can turn around in one week.

Wow.

Um, anything, uh, intricate, obviously there's so many variables with that and it depends on the quantity and, and the substrates required, et cetera, et cetera but, and then the higher volumes you're looking at maybe two and a half weeks.

And then the question on everybody's lips, is this something that is affordable for marketing campaigns?

Okay, so of course, yes, the reason being I'm going to say yes is this, is that prospecting let's just take 10 of your top 10 prospects, whether it's part of your account based marketing or you just like, I wanna deal with those guys and you've tried calling them, you sent a few emails, stalked them on LinkedIn, whatever, 10 of them. So what are you prepared to invest in that prospect? Because you're not going after them because you're gonna make a hundred quid a year out of them, so this would be my explanation, but obviously it needs to be sensible because social media advertising is cheap, but obviously it's not effective. Well, it is effective, but it's not personalized it's not tangible, it's not long lasting doesn't doesn't make big as impact. So you It are looking at out those 10, you're looking at parting with 50 quid each for a personalized individual that's based on the, um, that's based on the a five video brochure that has a seven inch screen. Um,

which, we've spoken about, you know, 50 pounds for a targeted prospect isn't much.

Well, I'd be prepared to spend 50 pound on a prospective client to, you know, trying to convert them that I'm going to get my money back with my first, you know, order stroke,

And as we've mentioned, it's a higher percentage of, um, uh, engagement as well. Whether you're gonna convert that is obviously slightly different, but that engagement of the product is much higher than anything else, now, yes, we kind of mentioned, they are relatively cheaper. Um, but you are much more likely to convert that person or even get them to contact you just with the, that was brilliant.

I was to say a hundred percent. So, you know, we always ask for sort of, um, reports back for our clients, for their campaigns, so we can, know, try to monitor it and try to share that, that data with, uh, prospects. But we very rarely get back some, you know, hard reports or figures. But it's basically, this is the best media we've ever used and on average, they're getting sort of 70 ish percent engagement rate. And as you've already said, some of that engagement is I will take his call I know he is been bothering me, but he's made an effort or he or she has made this effort, so I'm gonna at least accept their call. Yes, love it. But at this moment in time, we're under a contract but you know that book's still gonna sit in his office so you can then, you know, continue your follow ups in, in the correct way. But engagement is there, you don't get that engagement with any other form of media.

And sometimes that's the hardest thing is just getting the person on the phone, Um, cos obviously this is, this forms part of the whole strategy. You know, this isn't, this isn't gonna, uh, solve everything. It, it, it's going to fit in as part of that strategy and phoning up a prospect on the back of sending something, something like that, you know, is going to, they're gonna, they're gonna speak to you, even if it's just as you, exactly as you said, just to say, look, that was great. You know, we haven't seen those before even if it's just to talk about the brochure itself, that video brochure, but you've had that chance then to talk to them on the phone and get that human contact with them. They know, they know who you are. Um, and yeah, and it is that, that's the way to marketing really is, is being able to do that human interaction.

Definitely, and that's the prospecting part, so we go to sort of cross selling existing customers and then in that gap between, you know, you've got that 80/ 20 rule where 80% of existing clients don't know what you can do. So we were, we were with a client a couple of weeks ago and you know, they're massive national business and they were saying it's cost them, you know, per head 125 pound to put an account manager onto an account to then say, oh, we do this, that, and the other. Well, the volumes that these guys are looking to buy the video books at, you know, they're looking at 20 quid, 22 pounds, it's gonna be sent with an overview of the business, Hi James, did you realize we do this, that and the other please scan here and we'll give you a call to explain more and generally you're gonna get, I had no idea you did that.

Yeah yeah yeah.

Let's have a conversation. Um, there, there, there's, there's so many ways to, to communicate from the sort of initial prospecting through to cross selling products and services, through to training, through to, you know, internal communications, events, exhibitions. So exhibitions are now up and running obviously at last, which is great, they're really popular for people a lot of our clients are buying two sizes, the smaller size for warmish leads, actually, yet you want one of these, and it's an of our business and here's a, scan the QR code for more info, then getting the bigger books for, know, hotter leads and they're working really well for them.

In terms of training, um, one thing that I know about the product, uh, but I want you to kind of expand on is if you are using it within a business, it's even more cost effective because. It's not just a one use system, obviously getting it back as you've kind of mentioned, but if they are staff, you can kind of put a bit more pressure on it. But can you reuse them? Can you rerecord content over them? So if you, in terms of, in terms of training, for example, could you take them back in and go again with something else?

Okay, so, um, we have a client that has sort of 6- 700 depots across the uk and they use them for training purposes they shoot all of their own content for the, for the training, and they use their own staff, which is really great because John in Manchester sees Jane in Brighton and goes, oh, she's on the video and it's all relative. So it's all even more engaging. So it's a really smart way to do it, um, the health and safety officers got involved and say this is just brilliant. They really enjoyed it and I think they got some funding from their insurers because were getting track better, their staff would be better trained, which means less accidents.

So it is a win-win for everybody. Um, and we put an SD slot in all of the books and sent them multiple depots, had multiple quantities then when they wanted to, um, re-record an update of legislation, they sent out cards, all the depots, they just put it into the book. It overrides existing content and they've got an up to date book. So again, no downloads, no connection required, no popups, none of this. It's literally you can put an SD card in it and up and upload new content. Um, there's other ways where you can plug it into a PC OR laptop and do the same. But because this was more at warehouse workers, it was just a lot simpler just to post an SD card yeah, great, here's the new one, bang in it goes, you're up to date. The, they have a factory warranty of about six years as well. So, and they're fully reusable, fully rechargeable. One of the reasons this particular client used video brochures, because, you know, someone's gonna say, Why don't use iPads? Well, cos people like iPads and why would you want your own company branded video book with training videos on you just, wouldn't want it. so, know, far as we all know, no one's borrowed it for.

Perfect. So let's, let's finish off quickly I'm gonna put you on the spot um, Why, and we've covered over these so you can come back to any of the points that we've used. But in a nice quick summary to finish off, why should somebody use video brochures in terms of their marketing?

Because they, um, are the best media tool to get you engaged in results. And they're cost effective and we would out force that you have to buy big numbers initially. Now, excuse me, you can trial those, the 10 units if you want to. And we are so confident in the product that when you use them, you're gonna think, these are awesome, we need to use them more. Um, and people expect tangible, personable video content.

That's a good point, is about the expectation now is where we're at we want this personal touch. Scott, it has been a pleasure having you on, uh, great to learn about the video brochures, uh, and to kind of get that up. So thanks for very much for coming on the pod. I think this is your first podcast. how have you, how have you enjoyed it?

Broke my virginity this morning on the podcast, so, uh, no, it's, it's been great. I do ramble sometimes because I, I love the product and when someone gives the opportunity to talk about it, generally go into my own little world. But, um, yeah, it's, think everybody should be using them as part of a tied up campaign, a communication campaign.

It doesn't have to be marketing, doesn't have to be sales, it can be internal. And uh, as I said, there's no minimum order quantity from us and, um, we are here to help as well. You know, we've got the opportunity to create content, one of our stumbling blocks that we have people don't have the content so we can help create the content, whether that's animation or video um, but yeah, just shooting your own content on a phone, you'll be amazed at what sort of engagement rate you're going to get on the product but I'm rambling again sorry.

It's fine, it's fine, good if you, want to go and learn more about video brochures, which I urge you to go and do, the product is brilliant uh, get there before everybody's using them as well and see those even boost in your, in your marketing. Head over to Vue TV and go to their website, vuemedia.co.uk Scott will be there on hand to help you of any questions and obviously you can then as he says there's no minimum order. So get trial 'em out. Just get some orders in, uh, and see kind of those returns that, that everybody else is kind of, uh, getting from them. If you've enjoyed this pod, make sure you subscribe, um, and leave a review where you listen to the pod.

Remember, you can always drop any comments directly to us on our email [e-mail] so that's it for this episode. Thanks for listening, and we'll catch you next time.