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Even if you don’t use YouTube every day, you probably have a general sense of how it works. Put simply, it’s a website that lets people upload self-produced videos and display them either on YouTube or embedded on their own websites and blogs. But beyond being just a place to store videos, YouTube also has a variety of tools that let people get social with their videos and use them for all sorts of purposes. And for business owners, it can be a great resource.

Making introductions

In many fields of business, clients want to feel a personal connection with the people they work with. When you’re working with people long-distance, phone and email can go a long way toward forging that connection, but what about potential clients who arrive at your website and have not reached out to you yet?

By creating a short video introducing yourself and discussing what you do and embedding it on your website, you can make these potential clients feel as if they have met you. Your video lets them know you’re not some faceless entity somewhere on the other side of the world, but an actual person. This makes them feel secure in reaching out to you for your services.

Offsite promotional videos

Not too many people are going to be interested in videos that are simply about promoting your business. But one thing that web users love is a well-made how-to video that enlightens them on a subject or teaches them a tool they didn’t know about. In your area of expertise, you no doubt have much wisdom to share with the world. YouTube gives you a chance to use it.

Of course, many of my clients are initially uncomfortable giving out for free what they usually charge for. For instance, if you’re a web-design consultant and your job involves sharing your expertise with paying clients, you might be reluctant to put this expertise out there for all to see.

But there’s an easy solution to this: Don’t share everything. Just teach people enough to raise their interest and establish yourself as an authority. It’s similar to writing informative articles or blog posts. Give a quick summary of the topic, and encourage people to get in touch with you for more information and one-on-one help.

If you include a good title and description with your videos and make them searchable, then you should get at least few hits from people searching Google and YouTube with their questions. And if you get lucky, one of your videos might even go viral.

Production values

Keep in mind that, just as a poorly designed website causes people to instantly click the back button in their browsers, a poorly produced video causes people to click stop and move on. So for your videos to be effective in promoting your site, make sure the lighting is good and the sound is clear. If you can afford to hire a professional videographer, consider doing so. Otherwise, make some practice videos before uploading anything. Show them to a few trusted friends or colleagues for their feedback, and upload them only when you feel the product is worthy of your business.

Jennifer Davey is a Business Coach and Marketing Strategist whose book, “14-Step Formula for Getting Clients, Building Business and Making More Income,” has helped thousands of professionals and small-business owners find greater success. For more information about how to use YouTube and other media resources to support your business, visit her website and download her free report, “What You Need to Know to Be Successful at Getting Clients,” at http://jjscoaching.com/free-report/.

This Business article was written by Jennifer Davey on 3/9/2012

Jennifer Davey, Founder of JJS Coaching and Author of the Getting Clients Home Study Program, is a Business Coach, Marketing Strategist, and Speaker. She helps small businesses and self-employed professionals grow their businesses and develop strategies for getting clients, building business, and making more income.