If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must be worth a thousand pictures. Or thereabouts, depending on who is doing the math. Actually, Dr. James McQuivey of Forrester Research ran some numbers and determined that a one minute video is worth 1.8 million words. That’s a pretty sweet deal.

For contractors, video can be an incredibly useful tool for your marketing strategies. To get started…

Do a little behind-the-scenes market research. See what’s out there, what’s been done. Study friends and foes alike, including your competitors and industry brethren who aren’t your competitors. How is video used for home improvements? What can you learn from how they promote improvements and sell products? What kind of information is popular with your target market? Once you know what your market is seeking…

Customize your messages. Will your videos be geared to homeowners with young families? Retirees who want a trouble-free lifestyle? Or others who see their home as an investment opportunity? Will your videos focus on customer testimonials, how-to’s or scripted ads? Decide what you want to say and who you want to receive this message.

Determine campaign details. A video “campaign” usually means “more than one video.” The videos are thematically related, and they’re distributed over a certain timeframe. Customer testimonials, say, could be distributed weekly for six weeks. Also, you’ll need to choose your video production company, budget and distribution strategy (which includes YouTube and social media).