So @Nike just made a 100,000 videos. Say what??

How in the world does a huge company like Nike take little bits of data here and there and make 100,000 people feel pretty darn special from it? Well, they just did it and here’s how and why.

Wearable technology – you know, Fitbits, Jawbones, Google Glasses are right there alongside the Nike Fuelband. Nike decided to pick their most loyal athletes, tap into their activities, and make a video for each one capturing their unique story and challenge them to do better in 2015. Why pick them? After all, they are going to purchase Nike stuff again and again, right?

In Mike Shields’ Wall Street Journal article ( Nike and AKQA Turn People’s Running Data Into 100,000 Unique Videos ) , I think the most importantpoint Shields makes in the article is, “…the video recipients won’t keep the clips to themselves.” Boom – that’s it right there!

Think about it, you want to coddle your best clients, right? But what if you could coddle them AND incentivize them to do better the next year with something shareable? That’s the magic!

In financial services, we should already be taking good care of our clients, but it has to go beyond anniversary cards, movie tickets and Starbucks gift cards. Try being innovative:

Have you tried sending a video to our client and wishing them a great anniversary? Once in a while, it’s OK to scrap the hand-written card.

What about movie tickets with a link to a video you created telling them to send you a movie review?

How about an electronic Starbucks gift card with a video message saying you want to meet for a cup of coffee and catch-up on the family and stuff?

It doesn’t really matter what you do, but the great part about video is how shareable it is. What if your clients put the video on their Facebook page to share it with their friends with a note saying, “This is how my advisor takes care of me! Check this out!” That’s what you want to happen, right? That’s what going to happen with the Nike videos, so why don’t you be innovative too and follow their lead?

Think of how you can incentivize your clients to do bigger, better and more BIONIC planning this year! Try adding video to your communication plans this year.