Episode XI Studios was recently contracted to produce the 25^th anniversary video for Habitat for Humanity, and during the production, something extremely profound was noticed-Hugh McColl. It was no surprise to see Hugh McColl on site, because Bank of America has been an instrumental sponsor of Habitat for Humanity since its inception, 25 years ago. The surprise came when Hugh McColl drives up in his 1980-something pickup, sporting decals of the United States Marine Corp and Habitat for Humanity, on the sides and back of the truck. Why would someone so successful, with so much money and power (even as a retired Bank executive) drive such a weathered truck and help build a home for someone he doesn’t know? Because, Hugh McColl understands the meaning of “the dash”.

A close business associate and still closer friend once told me that “life if about the dash”. He goes on to explain that on your grave will bare a birth date and a death date, and the dash that separates the two represents your life. No one ever says on his/her deathbed, “I wish I would have be more successful, with more money and power”. As a Hospice volunteer, I have heard many times, “I wish I would have spent more time…”.

I wanted to share this story, because I feel that there is a lesson here that each of us should learn from. Live life with no regrets. Helps others when you can. Reach out to your neighbor and to your neighbor’s neighbor. Mr. McColl is carrying out the duties of every man and woman…to help those in need.

How to reach prospective customers with video marketing

Video communication is an efficient means of reaching prospective customers, of promoting the presentation of your products or services. The use of videos on the Internet brings numerous advantages. It is a great solution with great impact on the visitor. It combines the advantages of “classic” TV advertising with the Internet’s most important characteristic, interactivity.

The ad becomes thus more attractive to the Web surfer, who becomes more receptive to what you have to offer. Online marketing is therefore more cost effective than regular TV ads, simply because, on the one hand, it’s less expensive to produce and disseminate, and on the other hand, it makes customer targeting a lot easier too.

A Definition

If we were to define the online video marketing concept, it would be as a marketing strategy used by companies in order to promote products and services, by making use of short, catchy, informative videos, with the purpose of inducing awareness to the prospective customers about the promoted products/services and enticing them into purchasing the above-mentioned products/services.

Characteristics of Online Video Marketing

It is common knowledge that nowadays people enjoy more to watch a screen (be it a TV’s or a PC’s) than reading. Information is delivered at a higher rate via images than through text.

The main advantage that Internet marketing videos have over the traditional, text format approach is that videos can get to the point much faster and waste less of the precious time of prospective customers. Instead of having the Web users go over some pages of text, trying to figure out the message that you’re actually trying to convey, you can deliver the same message in a small percentage of that time in a more attractive and inciting manner.

When to Use Video

Marketing videos can be used when a company decides to promote, a bit more aggressively (in the good way), one or more of its products/services. They can help reach the prospects better, on a well-trodden path, that of visual advertising, laid before them by television. Given that more and more people nowadays turn to Internet in search of information, served hot and fast, Internet marketing videos come naturally to supplement the Web user’s need for new, for useful, for sensational.

Advantages of Video Advertising

If you decide to use video in your marketing campaigns, it’s a very good option. It is catchier than other types of advertising. It captures the Web user’s attention easier and transports your message to prospects much faster than simple text.

A video ad can contain a demonstration of a product’s use and usability. Add to that a human face and a very pleasant voice (or even a well harmonized combination of a woman’s voice with a man’s), and you can have your prospects wrapper around your finger. By using these techniques, the prospective customer can relate more to your company and to what you’re promoting.

A Few Tips

It is important not just to take the video you made and put it in a video directory and just sit back and wait for it to bring you loads of prospects. The road to a nice result is similar to the regular Search Engine Optimization way. Bear in mind that videos are a gourmet dish for search engines, so it’s best that you take some time and prepare it accordingly. Use the right ingredients, so to speak.

Today’s technology offers you many opportunities to track traffic and analyze results. Take your time and make an effort (which will be rewarded in the end) to measure the impact that your videos have had on the prospects and to measure their performance. Search for tools that can tell you how much of your video was played before the visitor closed it, how many prospects actually decided to pay your site a visit after watching your video add on a different website, how many of these visits converted into sales, and so on.

Just because you have invested some time and effort in one or several videos, it doesn’t mean that you should leave out content. It’s still an important part of your business. Offer your visitors enough information on the site. Remember that marketing videos are meant to promote your business, to inspire Web surfers to visit your site and, luckily, convert into sales.

Many experts advise to use the videos on the first page. It’s like handing out your business card. The first page recommends you, and we all know that first impression counts. Don’t tuck your marketing video away, on some page that a visitor might not even get to. Make it visible. Anyway, give your site visitors the opportunity to skip your video. Maybe they’re not in the mood for watching it, and the last thing you want is an annoyed visitor.

Optimizing Videos for Search Engines
Optimize not only for video search engines, but also for content search engines. A good approach would be to use meta tags for the content (text) of the page where your video is placed.

Give relevant names to your videos. It’s highly improbable that your video will show up in the SERPs if it is called “12032002.mov” rather than “XYZ- antivirus-demo.mov”.

Use keywords in the video titles and their descriptions. Video search engines will find it much easier to index your video files and link it to your web pages.

Use anchor text if you link to the video from other pages of your Web site.

Make sure the video files you submit have the proper extension.

Make it short. Say in 2 minutes what would take a normal person 10 minutes to read on paper (or on a Web page).

SEO professionals recommend creating separate video site maps, which can be submitted to video and content search engines alike. Both kinds of SEs will index these site maps.

Remember to include RSS feeds. Metadata can be inserted here.

Research, measure, test, report and optimize.

Promoting a Video
The keyword for the success of any online marketing video is “submitting”. The best choices are video hosting sites like YouTube , Yahoo! Videos , or Google Videos . The main advantages are that your videos will be hosted for free and they will not take up any of your site’s bandwidth.

Share your videos. If you really want to make yourself known, allow users to be able to link to your videos. Viral marketing videos are the best way to make companies (and, subsequently, their products/services) known across quite vast Internet user communities. They carry a company’s name across the Web at far greater speeds than any other marketing tool in existence.

Don’t forget to add such phrases as “Tell a friend” or “Visit our Web site” at the end of your video.

Conclusions

Use online marketing video to supplement the “traditional” TV ad campaign. Online and broadcast go hand in hand, they don’t exclude one another. Online marketing videos give you the opportunity to communicate important messages to people more accurately and efficiently than ever. Use videos to differentiate your business from your competitors’, to make yourself known and stand out of the crowd.

The Internet marketing videos must be short enough no to get Web users bored and drive them away from your site. Video ads on the Web must be significantly shorter than those usually seen on TV. Web users don’t like to waste time, and they are fed up with never-ending ads.

Published on: July 23, 2007
http://www.avangate.com/articles/video-marketing_87.htm

Let’s take a look at 5 steps that can help you achieve the expert level that you desire and get the recognition that you’ve been working so hard for.

1. Prove your point
   Don’t just say you are an expert; prove it. Have you written articles? Do you have success stories to share? What about quotes on your abilities by current clients and associates? Your expertise is only as strong as your online exposure.

 

2. Put yourself out there
   Frequent forums within your industry and answer questions that others may have. Publish articles on industry wide sites. Sure it takes some work and you might have an article that gets rejected here and there - but don’t stop. Hire a copywriter if you lack writing skills. Pen your thoughts and hand them over, it’s ok to let them do the composition and grammatical work.Also if you don’t own a website-preferably one with your own name as the domain-try to figure out a way to get it. If that’s impossible you may want to consider changing your name, ok just kidding. Truth is you do want to have an online domain whether it be your company domains or a creative marketing domain it’s important to have one that people will remember.

 

3. Network Online
   We all know that social networks are popular online, but they aren’t just for kids anymore. Many people are creating profiles that showcase their expertise and their knowledge as well as their network of contacts. If you aren’t using social networks you my friend are missing out on opportunities that your competitors are gaining.

 

4. Google Yourself
   Are you there? If not, it’s time to hire a search engine optimization expert or teach yourself. If you can’t find yourself others seeking out your expertise can’t either. You also want to make sure that when you do google yourself that the results don’t contain inappropriate material. Always remember that the Internet is an open book and what you post online stays online. There are many people that have ruined there careers by thinking that their “hidden” lives will never be found out. Fact is - it’s untrue. If you do find that your past is haunting you in the Google resuts you may want to consider trying to clean it up yourself or invest in hiring a reputation/identity company.

 

Stay Above the Trends
Now that you’ve put yourself out there as an expert you have to walk the talk. Do what you write about. Stay on top of your industry. Be the first to write about what’s going on. Don’t be afraid to put your voice out there including your opinion. To stay an expert you must stay ahead of the game; nap time is over.

Make Yourself an Expert!

By Laura Lake, About.com

 

It amazes me how little we (business owners) know about effective and efficient networking. I would like to offer my opinion on the subject and invite your feedback. I consider myself fairly well connected, with affiliations in numerous chambers, Masonic organizations, and The Good Fellows Club. I believe that networking is one of the very best ways of building relationships. Did you hear what I said? I said building relationships, not building business. If you go into networking thinking that you are building your business through those actions, you’re wrong.

No one has an exclusive on good ideas, so I welcome yours:

rdavis@episodexistudios.com

Event planning is much more than making a few phone calls for reservations. Most small to mid-sized companies just do not realize the savings that can take place through a CMP (Certified Meeting Planner) planner. 

Here are some suggestions when hiring an event planner (taken from the ISES.com website):

► Know the kind of event you want to host before you speak with a special event professional. You should know the reason for your event (fundraising, celebration, informational), date of event, approximate number of guests and estimated budget.

► Research event options. Contact several special event professionals to compare experience, pricing and work ethic. Ask friends and colleagues for references, and consult online resources.

Recommendation:  Find potential special event professionals on the ISES Finder Service; the database is searchable by products/services provided and location.

► Interview potential candidates or send out an RFP. Ask about their experience with similar events, how many events they have produced, what kind, for what size group, and what made these events special. Always ask for and call references.

Recommendation:  View industry accepted RFP templates on the Convention Industry Council website.

► Negotiate fees beforehand. Discuss whether the special event professional bills by the hour, service, staff time, by the event, as a percentage of the total budget, etc.. Inquire what deposits, if any, are required and ask if package prices are available. Get a quote in writing and make sure that costs won’t run over without your prior agreement.

► Read and sign a contract The final contract should outline what the service/product entails, previous discussions on the special event professional’s responsibilities, negotiated fee and other agreed-upon factors. 
Recommendation:  View accepted contract practices at the Convention Industry Council website.

As proud member of the James K Polk Masonic lodge, I offer this short video, briefly explaining Freemasonry, to our customers, vendors, and friends. I was given the honor and total creative freedom to create this video, thats gives website viewers a glimpse into the world’s oldest fraternity-Freemasonry.

There are few days in my life that I will cherish and remember until death. One of those days is the day that I got married, another is the birth of my wonderful children, and lastly is the day that I was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason.

My job as a video marketing company is to find organizations where image is important, and showcase products and services through video, so that revenue has a better chance of increasing.

Cinematography styles are as varied as clothing styles, and results from video production companies are just as varied. What do marketing customers want from a video production/marketing company? I am never happier than when behind a camera shooting, but sometimes I can get caught up in production and forget the end result.

What style is most requested?
What is the ideal length?
How important is High Definition (HD)?
Is on-screen talent the preferred, or would companies rather use employees?

Randy Davis
http://www.episodexistudios.com

As time approaches the beginning of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, media reports quickly escalate, boasting of China’s preparation. How true are those reports?

During my 32 trips to China over the last several years, I have firsthand knowledge of just what the Chinese government Olympic preparation actually involves. In Beijing’s historic Qianmen, where Olympic marathon runners will pass, stand old grey-brick storefronts, however Olympic participants will not see the current Qianmen district, but a modern updated one. The old storefronts are being replaced by two and three-story commercial buildings,housing brands such as Prada, Rolex, and Starbucks. The surrounding property is prepared to build pricier residences, hotels, and high-end restaurants.The problem is, before now the property was home to 10,000 Chinese families.The government is now in the process of moving those families to make wayfor this highly visible Olympic background.

Sun Yunyu, 55 told reporters that she was forced out of her home and watched as police and security officials took furniture. Her home now stands half demolished, and her stone decorated door destroyed (Decorating in stone, theChinese  people  display  the year in which they acquired their home).Receiving $100 per square foot for their homes, Sun and most of the othershave moved to cheaper properties.

Another method that the Chinese government uses to beautify the Olympic background is building “privacy” walls along some of the highways, blockingmost of the view to nearby neighborhoods. I say most because visible justover the wall are perfectly constructed and maintained rooftops. One mightsay that, based on this view, the Chinese people live in very comfortablemodern homes. However, the rooftops are only a façade. A look over the wallshows that the rooftops are just that-rooftops. Built on a wooden structure,the rooftops are meant to hide how the Chinese people really live.

Now, don’t misunderstand me, some of the Chinese people do live in nicehomes, apartments, and bungalows. Factually, some of the wealthiest peoplein the world live in Hong Kong, now Chinese owned. Most, however, livewithin four concrete walls, without air-conditioning or heat.

It amazes me how little we (business owners) know about effective and efficient networking. I would like to offer my opinion on the subject and invite your feedback. I consider myself fairly well connected, with affiliations in numerous chambers, Masonic organizations, and The Good Fellows Club. I believe that networking is one of the very best ways of building relationships. Did you hear what I said? I said building relationships, not building business. If you go into networking thinking that you are building your business through those actions, you’re wrong.

Ask anyone who has been in a successful business for many years, and most will agree that relationships are what build empires. Chances are that the person whom you met at last night’s function will probably not do business with you; but if you take the time to get to know that person, do your best to help them with their needs, it will come back to you exponentially.

The old saying is do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I have a better solution and it says: do unto others as they would have you do unto them. The manner in which you like to be talked to, dealt with, and behaved toward is probably very different than those that you may be working with. Get to know each person in your network and genuinely build that relationship.

Five tips that I have learned:

1) Try very hard to remember those in your network. If someone introduces himself or herself to me more than twice, I take them out of my database, and because I do not exist to them, they don’t exist to me!

2) Never look beyond the person that you are speaking with to greet someone else. You may as well have told that person that they weren’t as important to you as the person behind them.

3) Never interrupt a conversation that someone is having. Remain just outside the circle and wait for an invitation.

4) Never, never, never give your business card to anyone that doesn’t ask for it. Nobody cares about you, your product, or service until they ask.

5) Networking is the purpose of getting to know someone that you don’t already know. If you know the person next to you fairly well, move on to someone you don’t. If you stay in your click you aren’t helping yourself or anyone else.

6) Offer to be the expert networker. If someone new comes to the group and you know someone else who may be a good contact for them, make the introduction.

Whatever your spiritual or religious preference, they all say the same thing-Help your fellow man/women. There is a reason that we should help each other, and helping each other is part of our purpose. The more you help other people get what they want, the more people will help you get what you want. It is one of the Universal truths. On the other hand, by believing in, and only working for the Me syndrome, your network will quickly see through your facade and within four years, you will be out of business and looking to that same network to help, but no help will be there.

In closing, build your network with the understanding that you are making life-long connections. Understand the need to keep in touch with those in your network and offer your help when needed. Be grateful that you are helping someone else obtain their goals, and they in turn will be grateful to help you obtain yours.

A professionally shot video for $600?

The Big-Box Store mentality comes to video. I don’t have to tell you the importance of video for business. If you don’t already know, you may soon be out of business. So, with that being said, what if a video company could look to the big-box store chains and copy their business model-Video production would be much more affordable.

Welcome to the wholesale of video production. One day per month, Episode 11 Studios will setup at a central, convenient location and video your company talking head or interview-style 2-minute video for only $600. This is $2000 less than market price if we were required to come to you.

We only set up one day per month and only accept the first 8 clients. Call today to setup your appointment. We can be reached at 704.998.3711 or by email at info@episodexistudios.com.

Episode XI Studios recently completed a video project for the Bed & Bike Inn in Gold Hill, North Carolina. We learned that there was yet another place in North Carolina that we had overlooked, and it is now our mission to educate Charlotteans about what is right here in our own backyards. If you have been looking for a weekend getaway that’s not really far away, this is a perfect spot.

The Inn has accommodations to suit every taste, from those who want to enjoy the rustic atmosphere of the log house, to the more modern and updated Grove House, or rough it in the cabin.

Only an hour from Charlotte, the Bed & Bike Inn is close to more entertainment options than we ever knew about. We highly recommend visiting Historic Gold Hill and enjoying a meal at Miss Ruby’s Restaurant (yummm).

Uwharrie Tours, owned and operated by the Inn’s owners, offers winery tours, moonlight kayaking, antique shopping tours, pottery tours, and much more.

We thought that the best part of the Inn was the quiet surroundings and the opportunity to just relax on the hammock and take a nap (when we weren’t shooting the video, of course).

Have a look: http://episodexistudios.com/images/Web_Media/BedBikeInn.html