Episode XI Studios

As the economy slows, there is a natural tendency to stop marketing efforts. Company leaders often believe by cutting the marketing budget the company will “save” money on the bottom line. I have seen small, medium, and even Fortune 500 companies make this huge mistake. The end results are slow sales and a difficult time bouncing back long after the economy does.

Keeping your name in front of your client base should ALWAYS be a top priority for every business owner or marketing director. Many of us don’t get thirsty until we see someone else with a beverage, or we see a magazine ad, or TV commercial. Marketing is an ongoing process through good times and bad. As marketing efforts increase, sales are sure to follow.

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.

ending links to video e-mails has several advantages over attaching videos directly to e-mails. Social networks are changing the face of marketing and video e-mails.

Video e-mail marketing provides the ability to embed videos in e-mails or provide a link to a video file. Providing a link to a video file is the best option. This avoids the problem of sending video messages as attachments, which sometimes have difficulty getting through.

Social networks are changing the face of marketing and how businesses contact their customers. E-newsletters are still good for providing information; however video e-mails using social networks is becoming the newest venue for providing quick short information to potential and current customers.

Disadvantages of Video E-mail Attachments

There are more disadvantages to attaching videos to e-mails than there are advantages, such as:

• Video attachments are typically too large for most people to receive.
• Most people will not open attachments to avoid the possibility of infecting their computer with a virus.
• Many businesses block their employees’ ability to receive e-mail video attachments.

Video E-mail Links

Sending links to video e-mails means more people are more likely to see the intended message, especially if the video is 3 minutes long or less. Some people may watch a video up to 5 minutes; however videos longer than 5 minutes are not generally watched.

This length of time was determined by researching some of the most viewed videos on social networks and averaging the length of these videos. This corresponds to the known factor of the short attention span of typical Internet users today. Short easy to view videos are generally receiving the most hits on the Internet. If the topics are really interesting, then viewers may stay a little longer.

Social Networks and Videos

The most popular social networks which allow people to post videos include:

• YouTube
• MySpace
• Facebook
• Bebo
• Flickr

These social networks have advantages for using a link for video e-mails:

• Controlled Groups – the person posting the video for their e-mail can control group members
• Privacy Controls – again the person posting the video can limit access

Marketing Applications of Video E-mails

Using videos for marketing products and services has several advantages. This is because busy people multitask and it gets difficult if they need to read articles or new information. With a video e-mail they can be scanning their papers and watching the video at the same time. Of course this means the video must be catchy to grab their full attention.

Business uses of video e-mail software include:

• Announcements of new products
• Announcements of special promotions and limited offers
• Announcements of newly acquired business ventures to potential and current customers
• Human Relations position announcements
• Announcements of employee promotions that are in direct contact with customers
• Personal congratulation messages to customers
• And many more options

Video e-mails are becoming a popular method of sending direct marketing information to potential and current customers over the Internet. Using social networks allows any business to send links to marketing videos.

As with any e-mail marketing campaign, the business needs to comply with the Can Spam Act of 2003 and only send video e-mails to current customers and others who have opted-in to receive e-mails from the business.

Full service video production company, Episode XI Studios, LLC is chosen to produce a video of the Bed & Bike (www.bedandbikeinn.com). The video will highlight the many accommodations on the property, and will also highlight the areas pottery makers, wineries, hiking, and bike trails.

The finished production will be used as part of online marketing, as well as trade show viewing, and DVD distribution.

Online video is big and getting bigger. So much so that it’s rapidly changing the communications landscape. And we have some great models to work from.

Online Video is Getting Bigger – Fast

Here’s the proof, drawn from a recent ComScore study:

• Over 133 million Americans watched online video in July 2007 – or 74% of US internet users.
• They watched more than 9 billion videos, 27% of them on Google sites including YouTube.

There’s so much nonprofit video out there on YouTube, DoGooderTV and organizational Web sites. Here’s how distribution breaks out:

• YouTube captures 40% of the current market – This most popular video hosting site receives 50,000 video uploads and streams some 50 million videos to about 6 million viewers daily.
• MySpace, a social networking site, accounts for another 25%.
• The remainder consists of major Internet players like Google, MSN, Yahoo and AOL, and niche venues like the nonprofit-focused DoGooderTV, each of which capture a fraction of the overall market. My guess is that audiences for these niche players will grow fast and furious.

So online video is big. But what’s the best way to put online video to work to strengthen your nonprofit marketing?

Pros Share Online Video Guidelines for Nonprofit Marketers

Here are some critical guidelines for jumping into online video:

1. Online video is an expectation, not an option, for online audiences 25 and youngerHigher ed marketing guru Bob Johnson suggests that online video is an expectation for most 30-and-under nonprofit audiences (definitely for prospective college students).
2. Keep videos short and sweet – 30 seconds to two minutes max Video length is a classic case of less is more, advises Alia McKee of Sea Change Strategies Direct. Obviously, a good edit is crucial.

   She also recommends that online video should complement – not replace – other communications channels.

3. Know your audiencesThis is definitely one of the ten commandments of online video production. You craft your messages and graphics to your audiences. Don’t forget to do the same with your video. 

   The imagery, soundtrack and text you select must appeal to your target demographic. Video is more “in your face” than text or graphics so if you strike out, you strike out big.

4. Make sure your video is more than moving, talking delivery of traditional content. Bob Johnson warns against oh-so-deadly talking heads and other staged approaches. Use video to show, not to tell – that’s the beauty of the medium.
5. Tap that funny boneMost online videos that succeed in high pass-along rates (and viral distribution is a key strategy to increase views), usually include some humor or satire, say the experts at Online Video Services.

   Remember how Hillary Clinton grabbed attention when she spoofed the widely-viewed “Sopranos” finale on to motivate participation in her campaign song contest. Not only was she covered everywyere, she was credited with a seldom-seen-before sense of humor. 

   But be careful in being funny. Humor is delicate. and the right timing and broad appeal have to be spot on. Testing humor is a good idea; a bomb can be fatal.

6. Don’t forget the call to actionIt’s great to build awareness and support but you’re stopping short if you don’t include a clickable call to action at the close of your video. This Greenpeace video offers engaged viewers the opportunity to act with a simple click at the very moment they’re processing this very powerful video. Grab ‘em when they’re hot. 
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY7875_rv1s
7. Work it: Put your online video to work in multiple versions and venuesForget the stand-alone gala dinner video that never again sees the light of day. Your organization should milk your video productions for all they’re worth.

   Your videos, in some form or another, can be projected in your org’s waiting room, at a gala and during programs, as well as distributed online via video sites, your own site,and your blog and e-news. The possibilities are nearly endless, suggests See3’s Michael Hoffman.

8. Budget $1,000 per minute of finished content for a professionally-shot and edited videoThe OVS experts feel strongly that quality counts, cautioning that you get what you pay for. OVS estimates the cost for a professional video shoot, including editing, at $1K for each minute of on-demand finished content. Live Webcasts are much more costly.

   Another firm – Charity Docs – produces online on-demand (e.g. not live) videos for a flat fee of $2,500.

© 2002-2008 Nancy E. Schwartz. All rights reserved.

Batteries Plus Chooses Episode XI Studios For Television Campaign

Full service video production company, Episode XI Studios, LLC is chosen to produce a television campaign for Batteries Plus. The 30-second spots will air on a regional level through the month of December.

We were chosen to produce a television campaign for Patterson Heating and Air. The 30-second spots will air on a regional level through the month of December.

Amanda Bynes, a Perfect Fit as a Steve & Barry’s Fashion Designer

Full service video production company, Episode XI Studios, LLC is chosen to produce an autograph signing session with Amanda Bynes to promote her new clothing line for Steve & Barry’s-Dear. “Endear yourself. Clothes that let your personality breath without hiding or covering it up”, said Amanda (http://www.dearbyamanda.com/). Due to launch August 16th in S&B stores nationwide, the new clothing line centers on affordable yet comfortable clothing for the teen market. Expect a more “funkier” style than Sara Jessica Parker’s Bitten collection, also offered at S&B’s. Amanda’s line is reported to include camouflage shorts, skirts, cargo pants, polo shirts, t-shirts and zip up sweaters. She said that her dad was the greatest influence in her decision to create the collection.

The autograph signing session is scheduled to be held at the Sardis Rd. S&B’s on December 8th, between 10am – 11am.

End of Life Videos Cause Two Volunteers to Change Careers

Through volunteering for Hospice (website), two volunteers discover what life is really all about-helping other people. Beth Sowell, co-owner of Episode XI Studios, LLC, stated: “Someone once told me that people always remember how you make them feel, and that is why we are here.” Beth and co-owner Randy Davis leave their office once a month and visit a patient that is near the end of life, and through family photos and a video interview of the patient, create a legacy video for the surviving family. Typically the video is played at the funeral or wake as well.

The experience of volunteering caused Beth and Randy to start a video production and event planning company in Charlotte. Though the business model focuses on the needs of small to mid-sized companies, Episode XI Studios, LLC allocates time to create one legacy video per month. “It is my duty to maintain and support the community where I live,” Davis said.

Episode XI Studios, LLC is a marketing company located in Charlotte, NC that specializes in video production, event planning and corporate photography. The company believes in going well beyond a camera and a tripod, by using camera cranes and dollies. The end result isn’t a video production, but a Hollywood-style production…and all for the small to mid-sized companies

WAL-MART’S SAMS CLUB IS WASHING THEIR HANDS
Rock Hill Manufacturer Gets Product Placement in Sam’s Club Canada

Full service video production company, Episode XI Studios, LLC is chosen to produce an in-store product demonstration video for E-Z Cleaners Hand Cleaner. The video will be placed along side product placement to demonstrate the various uses of the revolutionary merchandise. The video will also be placed on the E-Z Cleaner website (http://www.e-zcleaners.com/).

E-Z Cleaners is a privately held chemical company with over 30 years experience in chemical formulation, manufacturing, contract packaging/ fulfillment, warehousing, private labeling and distribution. E-Z Cleaners is a proud sponsor of the United States Hot Rod Association (USHRA)/ Clear Channel Monster Trucks and several NASCAR racing teams.