Employer brand

Talent Brand Slam Dunk: The Holiday Card Video

It’s been said that if a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a million.

In that case, a holiday video e-card presents an opportunity not to be missed.

As you read this, many companies have been sprinkling customers’ inboxes with these year-end well wishes. Some come across as a bit cheesy or overly staged, yes, but it’s still a great way to get in front of the people who buy your products or services all year, and remind them why they do business with you.

It’s also a smart way to get in front of potential candidates. A holiday video shows your company at its best – decorated, celebratory, fun. Not a bad idea, since 56% of people say whether or not a company is considered a great place to work most influences their decision to accept or decline a job there.

Consider this video we came across from travel organizer app TripIt:

Festively dressed employees in the company’s Bellevue office romp through the hallways, then toss a package that appears to be caught by the San Francisco team, equally festive in a variety of getups, from makeshift reindeer, Christmas trees, toy soldiers and snowmen to the iconic Christmas sweater, a rapper Santa, and even pajama-clad elves.

Face to face with your team, your space, and your culture, viewers can’t help but wonder what it’s like to work at your company.

TripIt posted the video on YouTube with a self-effacing tagline: “Happy holidays from our crazy family to yours!” So far it’s earned a few thousand views, and the 20+ comments trend overwhelmingly positive. Many people ended up complimenting the product, or commented that TripIt looks like a fun place to work. Mission accomplished.

Here’s why we love this idea:

1. It can be both easy and inexpensive.

Holiday video cards don’t have to be elaborately produced. In fact, they’re more appealing if they look natural. You can even shoot the video with a smartphone, using nothing but your office space and your team. Even if you don’t have the time or creativity to pull off something like TripIt’s dual-city production, you can use your video to give candidates a peek at what it’s like to work with you. Spotlight cube-decorating contests, funny holiday gift exchanges, tree decorating, or other office traditions you’re already doing. And shorter is better – video production company BaseTwo Media recommends about 90 seconds, although an engaging story could merit a little more time.

2. It humanizes the company.

We all want to work with people we like and can identify with. A good video card doesn’t hit the inbox loaded down with other offers. It’s not a sales pitch. Instead, the video should tell a story about your brand and show off your team’s personalities: outrageous, silly, serious, friendly, or a little of everything.

Or, you can show off your creativity, like integrated marketing firm Aristotle Interactive does in this great video. The scene opens with employees waiting for the elevator in the lobby of their building. When they exit the elevator, they’ve all become kids.

The little ones pour into the office and set about their workday, walking (or toddling) the halls, talking on mobile phones, grabbing coffee (with two cups of sugar, naturally) and giving insight into what they’ll be doing for the day. Meanwhile, viewers get a look at the office and the type of work the company does. A great holiday video brings the environment to life like this for potential candidates and helps them envision themselves as part of the team.

3. It gives you and your contacts great content to post, share, like and comment on, increasing your reach.

Send your holiday video to customers, sure, but don’t stop there. Upload it to YouTube, tweet it out, post it on your other social channels and your career site. Encourage your employees to do the same. Chances are you have some team members with a strong social presence, so enlist their help in pushing it out. Then, monitor comments and join the conversation. You’ll find that you increase your social media equity and build your follower base in the process.

Has your company created a share-worthy holiday video card? Tweet us the link @HireOnLinkedIn.

content marketing for talent acquisition

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