In our continued “how-to” series on creating product videos in retail and e-commerce, I interviewed Jon Schroeder, Video Director and Editor for Crutchfield Electronics. Jon shared with us about Crutchfield’s own formula for effective ROI and customer relationships with how-to videos, as well as some tips for what other retail and e-commerce businesses can be doing with instructional videos today. (To read more about why I think how-to videos are effective for retailers and brands, and for some tips on creating them, you can read my previous article, “How-To” Product Videos Tips for Every E-Commerce Business.)

How-To product videos are one of the most under-utilized features that every e-commerce site should have.  Many brands and retailers should be doing a lot more of them for real financial gain as well as social value with their customers. Learn in this post what are the many benefits of doing how-to videos for your own brand, and some helpful times for getting started.

This past week I got the chance to check out the baseball flick, Money Ball. Brad Pitt stars as the Oakland A’s General Manager, Billy Beane, whom creates a winning team out of an “island of misfit toys.” The movie begins with the A’s losing their biggest stars, Jason Giambi and Johnny Damon, to free agency.  Beane is forced to fill their vacancies with a budget that is a fraction of their worth. The scouts begin discussing the possibilities, analyzing everything from batting average to looks.  But Beane is hesitant about their old school ways.  Frustrated he addresses the team’s situation, “What’s the problem?”…

Grant Crowell interviews Crutchfield’s Multimedia Producer Jon Schroeder about how their consumer electronics business’ own video marketing strategy makes the most of their in-house production and experts – utilizing video to build conversations with their customers towards better customer service.