• Survey of Rural Challenges
  • Small Town Speaker Becky McCray
  • Shop Local video
  • SaveYour.Town

Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource

A row of small town shops
  • Front Page
  • Latest stories
  • About
  • Guided Tour
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • RSS

Where’s your video?

By Becky McCray

Stop searching for the right words and just show them. Any business could do this. Photo by Becky McCray

Stop searching for the right words and just show them. Any business could do this. Photo by Becky McCray

Small town businesses sometimes struggle for the right words to describe themselves.

At a conference lunch table, the yoga instructor was trying to explain to the middle-aged guy from the economic development group what a yoga class is like. At first it made sense, but when she got to the part about breathing into the muscles from the inside, I realized I had no idea what she was talking about. We weren’t getting any closer to understanding what goes on in yoga class.

“Where’s your video?” I asked.

If she just had a one minute video, showing real people in her class, then we could understand, at least well enough for that day.

She asked if it should be video of her. I said no. She’s too expert in her abilities. I want to see video of someone like my mom, someone I can relate to.

We all (well, almost all) carry phones that play video now.

Then I turned to the economic development guy and asked, “where’s your video? Why don’t you have a video of your town on your phone?”

Turns out this is his second week on the job, so I cut him some slack.

But how about you? What’s on your video?

It doesn’t matter if you have a small business, you work in tourism, economic development, the chamber of commerce, a church, or are looking for work. Get a 1 minute video onto your phone. I’ll even give you credit for making a 30 second slideshow out of photos of your work. Need more suggestions? Here’s how to use video to promote your small business.

Wait, what about me? Well, I have a speaking clip on my phone and on my iPad now. I’ll show you next time we meet. And be ready, because I’m going to ask to see yours, too.

New to SmallBizSurvival.com? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Get our updates.

  • About the Author
  • Latest by this Author
Becky McCray

Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.

www.beckymccray.com
  • Start smaller: Any local business can be your incubator
  • Should I ask competitors before I start a business in a small town?
  • Will trendy axe throwing and escape room businesses last? More experience-based retail: the Hat Bar

May 13, 2013 Filed Under: entrepreneurship, marketing Tagged With: service businesses, video

Wondering what is and is not allowed in the comments?
Or how to get a nifty photo beside your name?
Check our commenting policy.
Use your real name, not a business name.


Don't see the comment form?
Comments are automatically closed on older posts, but you can send me your comment via this contact form and I'll add it manually for you. Thanks!

Trackbacks

  1. Sell more by giving samples of your services says:
    May 20, 2013 at 4:25 am

    […] the yoga instructor who is going to do a video for her business? She told me that once people come to one class, they usually come back. So how […]

    Loading...

Howdy!

Glad you dropped in to the rural and small town business blog, established in 2006.

We want you to feel at home, so please take our guided tour.

Meet our authors on the About page.

Have something to say? You can give us a holler on the contact form.

If you would like permission to re-use an article you've read here, please make a Reprint Request.

Want to search our past articles? Catch up with the latest stories? Browse through the categories? All the good stuff is on the Front Page.

Partners

We partner with campaigns and organizations that we think best benefit rural small businesses. Logo with "Shop Indie Local"Move Your Money, bank local, invest localMulticolor logo with text that says "Global Entrepreneurship Week"Save Your Town logotype

Best of Small Biz Survival

A few people shopping in an attractive retail store in refurbished downtown building.

TREND 2025: Retail’s Big Split: what small town retailers can do now

99% of the best things you can do for your town don’t require anyone’s permission

Three kids in a canoe

Get started as an outdoor outfitter without breaking the bank

A shopkeeper and a customer share a laugh in a small store packed full of interesting home wares.

How to get customers in the door of small town and rural retail stores

Rural Tourism Trend: electric vehicle chargers can drive visitors

Wide view of a prairie landscape with a walk-through gate in a fence

Tourism: Make the most of scant remains and “not much to see” sites with a look-through sign

More of the best of Small Biz Survival

Copyright © 2025 Becky McCray
Front Page · Log in
%d