Video Networking for Service Businesses vs Product Businesses

“If you’re an accountant, video networking makes sense. But I sell software. Does this work for me?”

Great question.

The answer: Yes, but your video strategy looks different.

Service businesses (lawyers, accountants, consultants, coaches) use video to build trust. “Do I like and trust this person enough to hire them?”

Product businesses (SaaS, manufacturing, e-commerce) use video to demonstrate value. “Does this product solve my problem better than alternatives?”

Both strategies work in video networking. You just need to know which approach matches your business model.

Let me show you how service and product businesses approach video networking differently - and how to customize your strategy.

Service Businesses: The Perfect Fit for Video Networking

Why Video Networking Works for Service Businesses

Trust is Everything:

When you hire an accountant, you’re not buying “accounting services.” You’re buying a relationship with a person you trust to handle your money.

The buying decision is 80% “Do I trust this person?” and 20% “Do they have the right credentials?”

Video networking accelerates trust-building. You see their face, hear their voice, learn their values. 12 weeks of video creates trust that would take 2 years of occasional coffee meetings.

Tom Marino

Accountant (CPA)

Marino & Associates Accounting

Coquitlam, BC

Tom posted 16 weeks of videos. No sales pitches. Just authenticity: tax tips for contractors, stories about clients he'd helped, lessons from running his own business, his philosophy on proactive tax planning.

Week 18: Emma (realtor) needed an accountant for her own business. She DM'd Tom: "I feel like I know you already. Can we talk?"

16 weeks of video built trust faster than 10 coffee meetings. Emma didn't need to "interview" Tom. She'd already watched him for 4 months. Trust was established before the first conversation.

Fictional character for illustrative purposes

Differentiation is Hard:

All accountants do similar work. Tax filings. Bookkeeping. Financial advice.

So what makes one accountant different from another? Personality. Values. Communication style.

Video shows those intangibles. Tom’s calm, methodical approach appeals to detail-oriented entrepreneurs. Linda’s proactive, high-energy style appeals to fast-moving startups. Same credentials. Different personalities. Video reveals the fit.

Long Sales Cycle Matches Relationship-Building:

Nobody hires a lawyer after one meeting. Or a consultant after one pitch. Or an accountant after one email.

Trust-critical services require relationship-building time. And video networking gives you 52 weeks of “meetings” without scheduling 52 coffee appointments.

Referrals Drive Growth:

80% of service business revenue comes from referrals. Video networking is referral-generation infrastructure.

Video Strategy for Service Businesses

Focus: Build trust through authenticity and expertise.

Weekly Video Content Mix:

• 60% Client Success Stories: “This week’s win - client saved $40K with our tax strategy”
• 20% Challenges and Lessons: “3 mistakes I see growing businesses make with contracts”
• 20% Personal Stories: “What I learned from 15 years in accounting that no textbook taught me”

Goal: “I like and trust this person enough to hire them.”

Examples: Lawyers, accountants, consultants, coaches, therapists, designers, contractors, real estate agents, mortgage brokers, financial planners.

“Service businesses don’t sell products. They sell trust. And weekly video is the fastest way to build trust at scale.”

Product Businesses: Different Approach, Still Effective

Why Video Networking Works for Product Businesses (Differently)

Show the Product:

You’re not selling yourself. You’re selling a thing. Software. Manufactured goods. Physical products. E-commerce inventory.

People need to see it work. Video is perfect for demonstration.

Solve Specific Problems:

Service businesses sell relationships. Product businesses solve problems.

Your video strategy focuses on: “Here’s the problem. Here’s how our product fixes it. Here’s proof.”

Miguel Rodriguez

General Contractor

Heritage Home Builders

Surrey, BC

Miguel is a hybrid: He sells a SERVICE (contracting) but also demonstrates RESULTS (the product is the finished work).

His video strategy: 60% before/after transformations (showing the work), 40% personal stories (building trust in his process).

Week 8 video: 90-second walkthrough of a 1920s heritage kitchen restoration. Before: water-damaged plaster. After: period-accurate wainscoting and vintage tile work. No narration. Just the craftsmanship.

Week 10: Emma (realtor) referred a client who needed heritage restoration. She didn't say "Miguel is a nice guy." She said "Watch his videos - his work speaks for itself."

Fictional character for illustrative purposes

Customer Testimonials Matter More:

For service businesses, personal trust matters most. For product businesses, social proof matters most.

“100 manufacturers use our software and saved an average of $80K last year” is more compelling than “I’m a trustworthy person.”

Video Strategy for Product Businesses

Focus: Demonstrate value and results.

Weekly Video Content Mix:

• 50% Product Demonstrations: “Watch how our software cut invoice processing time by 70%”
• 30% Customer Wins: “Manufacturer saved $100K using our tool - here’s how”
• 20% Behind-the-Scenes: “How we built this feature based on customer feedback”

Goal: “This product solves my problem better than alternatives.”

Examples: SaaS companies, manufacturing, e-commerce brands, technology products, physical goods distributors.

Hybrid Businesses: Service + Product

Some businesses straddle both categories.

Examples:

• Marketing agencies (service) that use proprietary tools (product)
• Consultants who sell implementation services + online courses
• Software companies that include white-glove onboarding (service)

Strategy: Alternate Your Video Themes

• Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7: Trust-building (personal stories, client relationships, lessons learned)
• Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8: Product demonstration (tool features, case study results, ROI proof)

Sarah Martinez

Marketing Consultant

Martinez Marketing Solutions

Vancouver, BC

Sarah sells consulting services but also uses proprietary campaign templates and tracking dashboards (tools).

Week 1 video: Personal story about why she specializes in small manufacturers (relationship-building). Week 2 video: 2-minute demo of her campaign tracking dashboard showing ROI by channel (product demonstration).

Week 3: Client success story (trust-building). Week 4: New template walkthrough (product value).

Result: Her network trusts HER (service) and sees the value of her TOOLS (product). Both components working together.

Fictional character for illustrative purposes

Benefit: You build trust AND showcase product capabilities. Complete sales cycle in one platform.

“Service businesses sell ‘you.’ Product businesses sell ‘it.’ Hybrid businesses sell both. Video networking works for all three - just adjust your content mix.”

Content Strategy Comparison: Service vs Product

Service Business Weekly Videos (4-Week Example)

Week 1: “Client called panicking about tax audit - here’s how we helped them through it”
Week 2: “3 mistakes I see growing businesses make with contracts”
Week 3: “This week’s win - client saved $40K with our proactive tax strategy”
Week 4: “What I learned from 15 years in accounting that no textbook ever taught me”

Theme: Trust-building through authenticity, expertise, and values.

Product Business Weekly Videos (4-Week Example)

Week 1: “Watch how our software cut invoice processing time by 70% for this manufacturer”
Week 2: “Customer success story - $100K saved in 6 months using our tool”
Week 3: “New feature demo - automated reconciliation in 3 clicks”
Week 4: “Behind-the-scenes - how we built this feature based on customer feedback”

Theme: Value demonstration through proof, features, and results.

When Video Networking Might NOT Be Your Primary Channel

B2C Retail:

If you sell directly to consumers through stores or online marketplaces, referrals aren’t your primary growth channel.

(But B2B wholesale works great - retailers referring you to other retailers.)

Commodity Products:

If you’re competing purely on price (lowest-cost provider), networking won’t overcome cost differences.

People don’t refer the “cheapest” option. They refer the “best value” or “most trustworthy.”

Highly Technical Products:

If buyers need deep technical specifications and months of evaluation, video supplements your process (but doesn’t replace white papers and technical demos).

However: Even these businesses benefit from SOME video networking presence for brand visibility and relationship-building with distribution partners or industry peers.

The Hybrid Strategy: Best of Both Worlds

Linda Morales

Mortgage Broker

Morales Home Loans

Richmond, BC

Linda runs a hybrid strategy:

Primary: Video networking in Rhythm of Business (builds relationships with realtors, financial planners, insurance advisors who refer clients).

Secondary: LinkedIn posts with mortgage rate updates and first-time buyer guides (product-focused for broader audience).

Result: Relationship trust from video networking brings referrals. Product demonstrations on LinkedIn educate cold audiences who discover her through search.

Complete sales funnel: Trust + product awareness = conversions.

Fictional character for illustrative purposes

The Strategy:

• Video Networking (Rhythm of Business): Relationship-building for referral generation
• Product Platforms (LinkedIn, YouTube): Demonstration and education for cold audiences
• Result: Warm referrals from network + cold leads from content = complete pipeline

Don’t choose one or the other. Use both strategically based on your business model.

Ready to Customize Your Video Networking Strategy?

We built Rhythm of Business because we know service businesses thrive in trust-building environments and product businesses need demonstration opportunities.

So we designed a platform flexible enough for both:

• Service businesses: Weekly stories build deep trust with local referral partners
• Product businesses: Demonstrate value through results and customer wins
• Hybrid businesses: Alternate themes to build trust AND showcase capabilities

Your business model is unique. Your video strategy should match.

Related Reading

• The Storytelling Power of Weekly Videos - Narrative techniques for service businesses building trust
• Building Your Personal Brand Through 52 Weekly Videos - Especially critical for service businesses where YOU are the product
• What Makes a Great Weekly Story? - How to structure weekly stories differently for service vs product referrals