As part of a year-long celebration of our fifteenth year in business as a magazine and web directory that supports small business in Canada, CanadaOne will be giving away up to 30 professionally shot HD videos, valued at $45,000, at the Office* Canada show.

Available on a first-come, first-serve basis, the videos will be produced on site and will include:

• Pre-shoot coaching from a public relations professional on how to approach the shoot and what to say;
• Interviews with up to three representatives for the business;
• A three to five minute video recording with two high definition (HD) cameras and high quality microphones;
• Addition of the company logo (these should be brought to the show on a USB memory stick in .eps, .ai, or .png formats);
• Inclusion of up to 5 photos in the video, which should also be brought on a memory stick (please bring photos in the highest resolution possible); and
• On-site production of a final video, which will be made available to businesses as they are rendered.
• The videos will be uploaded to a new YouTube channel we are launching, Canadian Business Stories, and businesses will also be free to use the videos as they see fit in their own marketing activities.

CanadaOne is also giving away free passes to the tradeshow and morning keynotes at http://www.canadaone.com/officecanada.

Why has CanadaOne chosen to give away up to $45,000 in free videos to Canadian businesses?

Our own success has been driven by our ability to adapt to new technologies, but we understand that it can be difficult for businesses to make the leap.

We have chosen to produce videos because we believe they are an important marketing tool and would like to see more Canadian companies take advantage of this important medium.

Videos provide a unique opportunity for businesses to share their stories and connect to customers. They also provide another channel to reach out to potential customers.

YouTube is the largest video sharing platform in the world. It is also now the world's second largest search engine. Canadian businesses that do not have a presence on YouTube risk losing out on important marketing opportunities.

While we will not be taking pre-bookings, we invite you to share your feedback and let us know if you would like to participate.

You can also watch our ‘video give-away video’, which provides tips on what you can expect and what you can do to prepare for the shoot.

CanadaOne also has a variety of options that can help businesses understand how to prepare for and shoot professional videos:

Buying Video Gear for Your Small Business: Part 1

How to Shoot a Business Video (Video)

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