The relevance of video for business continues to increase as the digital world we live in constantly evolves.

“Putting video on websites has been a huge success …” according to MarketingSherpa. “Marketers gave us hundreds of great examples touching on dozens of ways in which using video has had a positive impact on sales, lead generation, and improved customer relations.”

There are many ways businesses can use video: company profiles, testimonials, product profiles, how-to’s. One main area I focus on, coming from a journalism background, is to feature business owners in 99 per cent of video productions. Having done many business “features” in TV news, it just made sense that people would want to hear from the people driving the rather than a random spokesperson or actor.

My thought process? “Where’s the authenticity in that?” As a budding entrepreneur, I also knew what would and wouldn’t work on the flip side, as a consumer.

So, should the boss step into the spotlight when a company is considering a video presence? A recent report released by Ace Metrix concluded ads that feature CEOs outperform those that don’t. “The aim is to introduce the CEO as a real human being who provides a face, a real life story and a personality that viewers can associate with the brand.”

From the report, a few other things to keep in mind:

Presence: A CEO that is perceived as “genuine” is critical to an effective on-camera success. Personal charisma and the ability to communicate authentically are signs your boss may be camera ready.

Commitment is key: Most brands use the CEO concept sparingly, dedicating most of their advertising to non-CEO content. Those who commit see better results. Papa John’s and Samuel Adams are examples of brands who have fully committed to the “CEO as the frontman” strategy.

As you can see if you click through the hyperlinks, the final result can be a lot of fun, and pack a lot of emotional punch.

Don’t think you or your boss are ready to roll and record? A little coaching, thoughtful pre-production and a relaxed atmosphere works wonders. A lot of what comes across on camera has a lot to do with who’s behind the camera, and who’s in the edit suite, making sure your final video product accurately portrays your brand messaging and energy.

The importance of telling your business story cannot be underestimated. Every business has one to tell, and it’s those stories that connect and resonate with people. Stories make us human and offer a tremendous opportunity to establish trust and rapport, which in the business world means more business. At the very least, it’s worth a shot.

Lisa Ostrikoff: Special to The Globe and Mail
First Published Thursday, Oct. 11 2012