Thanks to the lowering cost of technology, it's now possible for any small business owner to create and share videos with current and potential customers online, for less than $200.  This also gives small business owners several exciting new options for growing their businesses.

If you're wanting to add video to your online marketing mix, the Flip Camera is your new best friend.  This camera, which can be had for well less than $200, gives small businesses the ability to quickly and easily create and then upload videos to the internet.  And here's five ways you can use videos that you create to promote and grow your business.

1 - Product demonstrations.  Let's say you own a lawn care business.  Often when dealing with insecticides and weed-control products, how you use the product greatly determines its effectiveness.  If you could create a video showing your customers exactly how to apply the products so that they could have a beautiful lawn, that would likely make them MUCH more likely to buy the product from you.  Because you are helping them understand how to use it properly.  As time goes by, you could create a library just for your product demonstration videos, and organize them by brand/function.

2 - Profile your workers.  One thing that many companies, especially those that blog, miss is putting the focus on their workers.  It makes customers feel more at ease if we know more about the people we are dealing with.  Creating a short video to introduce us to the people that work for your business is a great way to help establish trust with your customers.

3 - Put the spotlight on your evangelists.  Are you lucky enough to have special customers that sing your praises to everyone they see?  Then stick them in front of the camera!  Ask them if they wouldn't mind recording a short video testimonial for your business (Hint: They will probably ask you what took so long!).

4 - Record special events that you're involved in.  Does your business participate in fundraisers?  Do you have a bookstore that has a 'Mystery Night' every Thursday?  If you have any event that is geared toward interacting with your community, share those experiences with others through video.  This is also a great way to show your personality, and that you enjoy creating events that bring you closer to your customers.

5 - Creating posts for your blog.  Let's be honest, for some people, it's simply easier for them to create a 5-min video talking about a topic, than it is to spend an hour trying to write the perfect blog post.  If this sounds like you, then don't fight it!  Instead of writing your next blog post, record a short video and post that instead!  You may find out that your readers prefer this format.  And you might as well!

These are just a few of many ways that your small business can leverage video as a way to promote your business, help customers get the information they are looking for, and to just have fun!