Think of some commercials you’ve recently seen that promote destinations, like hotels, casinos, theme parks and vacation sites. They look great, don’t they? High production value and multiple camera angles. Paid models and spokespeople saying carefully crafted marketing messages. They’re all blue skies and green grass, with smiling, active people full of excitement and energy. Their messages scream, “You have to come here.”

The corporations buying and placing these commercials strive to promote their destinations and all of the services, amenities and activities available by visually enticing viewers in hopes of landing their business. It takes thousands – sometimes hundreds of thousands – of dollars to create some of these commercials. But in a world that’s watching less and less TV but craves more online video content than ever, are these commercials necessary or the most effective way to showcase these destinations?

The answer is, maybe – for them. Corporations with deep pockets can afford to do it all – advertise across a wide spectrum of media, market to every section of consumers, push for earned media through public relations activities and stage a multitude of special events and promotions to build excitement and exposure. So a six-figure expense for a commercial is nothing to them.

But for salon owners looking to advertise as a local destination to look good and feel great, placing a commercial that costs even a couple thousand dollars isn’t practical. It’s a good thing the top social networking sites are free.

Small businesses are capitalizing more and more on consumer appetite for video content and free social networking sites by posting video clips online, including testimonials, product highlights, consumer news and more. A very effective way to introduce your salon and its services, amenities and staff is to create a video tour of your salon.

With a simple mouse click, people in your area can listen to what you have to say about your salon while seeing what you have to offer. They can experience your salon without even setting foot in your door. They can make a decision based on your video tour about whether to select your salon as their tanning destination. And they can spread the word about your salon with their comments, sharing links and more.

Creating a video tour is easy – even for people who’ve never been in front of a camera talking or who’ve never filmed such a project. Video tours do take some thought and planning so here are some basing things to keep in mind before filming a video tour of your salon:

Clean and organize your salon. Make things look great. Straighten rugs on the floor, pictures on the walls and lotions on the shelves. Tidy up your front counter. Make sure magazines are picked up and organized on table tops and racks and take down any dated posters or promotional items.

Light things up. Turn on all of your salon’s lighting – and a few colorful tanning beds in the background – to give your salon a vibrant look.

Film when closed. A good video tour will probably have to be filmed when your salon is closed so interruptions are avoided.

Practice. You shouldn’t “script” your video tour but you should practice it. Know what you’re going to say, how you’re going to say it and where you’ll be saying it.

Perform to a crowd. When practicing, let your salon staff hear what you have to say and watch how and where you’re saying things. Let them have input as well.

Find a steady hand. Identify someone on staff or a friend who can adequately operate a video recorder and make sure they also practice what they’ll be filming beforehand.

Be entertaining on film. No one will watch your video tour if it’s not entertaining. Be vibrant and energetic when speaking. Use gestures and expressions. Act and talk just like you would if you had a potential customer walk in and want a tour. Don’t be dry during your video tour.

Show angles. People want to watch video that shows multiple angles, different angles and scenes shot in ways they’re not generally seen. Shoot your video tour from multiple angles – from atop a step ladder or from floor level; from behind the front counter; from inside a tanning bed looking out. Anything you can do to spice up angles in your video tour will definitely catch more eyes.

Think, “No editing.” By practicing and making sure you have a good person on the other side of the video camera, you should be able to film your salon video tour from beginning to end, thus eliminating the need for any type of editing. The key to creating a successful social video is to be real; editing puts a polish on social video that people don’t want. From “record” to “stop,” highlight your salon and talk to your potential customers. That’s what they want.

Be short and sweet. A video tour of your salon shouldn’t take more than two minutes tops. If you have more than that to say and show, create more video clips and post them.

Cater to what your consumers want to see. Face it, you’re in the tanning business and people who will watch your video tour want to see youth, energy – and skin. Consider having someone on staff or a loyal customer apply lotions and tan during your video tour. Your videographer can capture images of this while you’re talking.

Most of all, have fun creating a video tour of your salon. If you’re into it and excited about meeting new people and gaining new customers, that will come across in your video.