A step-by-step video strategy recipe

(Like the most intriguing videos, this story doesn't start quite as you'd expect).

My wife and I recently decided we should entertain some dinner guests; a mix of old friends and a few new acquaintances who we wanted to get to know better.

• Step one. Find a date that everyone can make.

With a large group this was impossible but we settled on a date when most of our potential guests would be available.

• Step two. How to make it truly memorable?

For me this always centres around the food. I am passionate about researching, cooking and serving fantastic food. That applies equally to my children and guests alike. Food is something we all need as part of our day and it makes sense that the more delicious we can make it the greater the enjoyment that will be
derived from it and the more memorable it will be.

• Step three. What to serve?

I have a couple of friends with specific dietary requirements so I know what I definitely have to avoid. I also wanted to try something new as I love the idea of people talking about the food I cook long after they leave my house.
I researched some of the current food trends and settled on a menu that would be allow me to get creative in the kitchen and challenge me but would also be a
crowd pleaser.

• Step four. Allowing enough time

I planned so as not to completely ignore all the other things I need to do at a weekend but allowing me sufficient time to prep and cook.

• Step five. Sourcing the ingredients

I love shopping for the best in ingredients when I cook and while I buy plenty at the supermarket I do like to source locally where possible and also go to specialist butchers, fishmongers etc for any ‘centrepiece’ dishes. On this occasion it was going to be venison. Pricey, yes, but it’s always a winner.

• Step 6. Starting the creative magic

I spent several hours throughout the week creating side dishes, sauces and accompaniments as these are the bits that make my menus stand out from meals you might have at other people’s houses.

Now, we don’t have a freezer in our house. We also only have one cupboard in the kitchen as, when we designed it, we decided to use as much wall space as possible to hang pictures and photos because our guests don’t get any pleasure from looking at cupboards but always comment on our wall decorations!
If I need to freeze something I know we can always pop something round to our neighbours who normally have some room. We’ve managed to make do so far! Cupboard ingredients get shoved wherever there is space, in the house or garage.

• Step 7. Time to serve it up

So, Saturday night rolled around and our guests all turned up at the allotted time as my wife is always focussed on people being punctual so they don’t miss out on any part of the evening. “Its all about the whole event - not just the food” she frequently reminds me. She’s right of course but the food is my bit and I get plenty of kudos for it, which I love.
The evening went fantastically well in my opinion and the dishes all came out exactly as I had planned. I was, as ever, the life and soul of the party!

• Step 8. The washing up

After everyone left we were exhausted so I selflessly volunteered to do the clear up in the morning (I thought I might even be able to get the kids to help if I bribed/forced them!)

The next day came around and with a sore head from the evening’s
over-indulgence I grudgingly sped through the clean-up. Much to my annoyance there was still plenty left of the sauces and sides that I had loving crafted. A couple were unusable but I shoved the remainder in whatever pot I could find and put some in the little remaining fridge space. The rest I was pretty sure would keep well enough on the side in bowls if I covered them up (fingers crossed!).

I had also left a whole piece of venison out. I had a hazy memory of wanting to put that away the night before but it had slipped my mind in the excitement of the occasion (I also didn't have time to go next door and ask the neighbours to freeze it for me!).
So, the venison went in the bin. Not to worry, the evening was such a success that I was happy to sacrifice a bit of meat at the altar of culinary genius.

• Step 9. So, what did everyone think?

The general consensus among our guests was that the night was pretty damn good. Up to my our usual high standards. All of our close friends were, as always, impressed with my cooking skills, although two did remind me that I had cooked the same dish for them last time and jokingly (I think!) warned me not to
serve it again.
We didn’t hear back from two of our ‘new friends’. Not sure if that’s a good
or bad thing.
It’s always a bit difficult to get honest opinions on the night itself. After all no-one, when asked how the food is, will say ‘Terrible!’ to your face! I guess we’ll just see if they accept another invitation, or we might hear second-hand through
someone else.

• Step 10. We must do it again!

So, we are busy planning our next culinary evening but we have a couple of minor issues to sort out first.
My wife insists that we stick to our food budget and I spent more than usual on my venison extravaganza, which she didn't appreciate. I might have got away with it if I had managed to keep the left-over meat or re-used some of the sauces. I’ve suggested that we invest in a freezer so we can make the most of my brilliant creations and the often expensive ingredients.
We are currently ‘discussing’ whether we build more cupboards in the kitchen as I can never find the basic ingredients I want to re-use. The problem is that cupboards and freezers are also expensive (and we do like our cool artwork
on display).

For now I think we’ll end up just sticking to the status quo and make do with
what we have.

(So, if you haven’t already swallowed the metaphor, let me give
you a few pointers).

If you are in charge of your company’s video content then you are the Head Chef in not just a home but a restaurant business. You’re not creating video just for fun, you are doing it to make money but you can still be passionate about it.
(In fact,you need to be).

Simple things you should be doing:

1. Identifying your target audience and what you want to serve them in order to elicit the desired response.
2. Planning the best way to create that content, sourcing appropriate suppliers for the component parts and all at the right price.
3. Delivering that content in a place that can accommodate all your 'guests' at the same time.
4. Remembering that the 'washing up' may be dull but it's necessary.
5. Getting meaningful feedback. How else do you know if what you served tasted like prime venison or turkey twizzlers?
6. Remembering that ‘Likes’ at the dinner table are exactly the same as ‘Likes’ on your social media channels - meaningless unless people come back for more.
7. Ensuring that, if you want to host more events, you have you got sufficient budget to do it well enough again. Did you make the most of all your ‘ingredients’?
8. Understanding that you wouldn’t dream of having a kitchen without investing in a freezer or enough cupboard space (would you?). So, ask yourself whether you have an appropriate storage/archiving system.
9. Ensuring that, even if you do have somewhere to put your content, you know which ‘shelf’ everything is on, what the ‘Use By’ dates are and that you have sufficient quantities of the basic 'ingredients'.
10. That way you can plan some mouth watering feasts to delight your guests and even raid your cupboards in a spontaneous, cost-efficient ‘Ready, Steady, Cook’ moment if the mood takes you!

Are you doing all 10?

Important credits:

The Food=Video content
My Wife=Your MD/CEO
The Kids=Your Staff
My Guests=Your Audience/Potential Customers
My House=Your Brand

Max would like to clarify that he is, in fact, an excellent host and chef and more than happy to discuss great video - preferably while enjoying some great food!