Small Business & Video Marketing » Small Business - Small Business & Video Marketing

Who Has a Longer Memory - an Elephant or the Internet?

Apr 262011

Did You Know that Elephants are More Intelligent than Humans?

Yup, that is what the scientists tell us.

The elephant brain is denser than the human’s, and the temporal lobes, associated with memory, are more developed than in humans. Elephant’s lobes also have more foldings, so that they can store more information. That’s why elephants have excellent memory.” (source). So here is the question, what has a better memory, the elephant or the Internet?

This post is actually following up on a comment by Rick Lelchuk about personal responsibility and how the onus of this responsibility falls on the individual. He used the memory of the Internet as an example, meaning if someone uses bad judgment once and blurts out something online without thinking of the long and far-reaching consequences of this action, it will haunt them for a very long time – because the Internet remembers.

I have heard of many specific examples where people are suffering from these unwanted consequences of “bad” Internet behavior – some not even by choice. One woman in particular was mentioned in an article about a scandalous case when she actually had nothing to do with the case; she came on the scene after the incident. This is actually not an example of personal responsibility, as she had nothing to do with it, but it is a good example of the very long memory of the Internet. Her name still appears on the first page in Google, and although it doesn’t say anything negative about her, we all know about “guilt by association”. Couple that with the fact that many people don’t read beyond the first paragraph or so and tend to make judgments based on perhaps only half of the facts. How many times have you heard someone say, “I read a review about such-and-such and it proves the product (or service) is crappy’, yet if you check out the same review, you might often find the second, third, fourth, etc. reviews are actually positive?

Take another example of someone losing their cool online and acting unprofessionally – as we have all seen. This person’s comment will be showing up in Google for a lot longer than he or she will appreciate – no doubt. There are reputation management companies out there specifically for the purposes of managing and/or helping re-build business’ reputation. Have you seen examples of people saying something online that has left its mark on their reputation? No names please

Charlie Sheen & Lindsay Lohan or Bust?

17 Responses »

Apr 132011

Give the People What They Want?

I just finished reading Elegant Gurus Beating Straw Men by Greg Satell where he discusses, with wit, how many notable business Guru’s backed by impressive credentials have chosen hyperbole over substantiated facts in some of their writings. His sentence: ““However, in seeking to sensationalize business trends by citing and then continually reiterating false premises, they do us all a disservice” brought to mind two words – “Charlie Sheen” and that conjured up the image of Lindsay Lohan and what I have been saying for a while about both of them: They both need to have the silver spoons ripped out of their mouths and get a real good spanking for being “bad”. Why are we constantly hearing about these lost souls and why are they getting so much media attention? Because sensationalism sells – period (which is exactly what I wrote on Greg’s blog post). Why prominent business experts are falling prey to similar tactics is something I will leave to Greg to continue writing about as this is his area of expertise and he does it so well. But what does this mean for small business owners?

Well, it doesn’t mean that we should all go out, get drunk, party all night, and get arrested that’s for sure. I think it means that we need to be more creative in our marketing efforts and lean towards Guerrilla Marketing tactics. We are always hearing about how we have to be different and stand out from all our competitors. That is not so easy when most markets are already over-saturated, competition is incredibly fierce, and everyone is faced with information overload every single day. Think about those companies who have utilized unconventional marketing strategies. Remember the old Calvin Klein commercials? They had nothing to do with jeans but were very suggestive – sex sells and do did Calvin Klein. How about the Herbal Essence commercials? Who doesn’t remember those? Same topic – totally different product. If one’s goal is brand awareness and brand recognition, even being obnoxious like Crazy Eddie will get your brand remembered – whether or not it will increase your sales is another story altogether.

So maybe the next time you are considering doing something a little unconventional in your marketing initiatives but stop yourself before carrying it out – maybe you should give it a try. You never know! It might work. What do you think? Here’s mine:

Promote Your Brand With Video Emails and Increase Your Sex Drive!

Triple Threat

15 Responses »

Jan 092011

Today You Have to be the Jack of ALL Trades AND the Master of ALL

I recently posted a link on Facebook to an article and photo from the local newspaper about a show that my daughter was in. A gal I went to high school with made the following comment: "I told you she was a triple threat". This comment started me thinking about how much times have changed not only in the entertainment industry but everywhere else – including the business world.

The entertainment industry of yesteryear was completely different than it is today. MGM Studios dominated the industry in the 1930s. MGM was known for having many big names in showbiz under contract such as: Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, William Powell, Judy Garland, Deborah Kerr, Ava Gardner, and Spencer Tracey.

MGM cast Deborah Kerr as the lead role in the motion picture The King and I but rather than using her own singing voice, they opted to dub her voice with Marni Nixon. Marni was also used to dub Audrey Hepburn's voice in My Fair Lady. Ava Gardner's voice was dubbed by Annette Warren's in Showboat. Ava Gardner had a lovely voice but obviously not what MGM was looking for. (Ava Gardner sings "Bill").

In recent times, stars like Nicole Kidman in Moulan Rouge and Catherine Zeta Jones in Chicago surprised many by their vocal talents. I, for one, never knew Nicole Kidman could sing. But these stars and other contemporary performers become well-trained in singing, acting, and dancing; in other words, they know they need to be "Triple Threats".

Business owners today need to be at least Triple Threats. It is no longer good enough to have just a great product or service. Having the right message delivered to the right audience at the right time is still not enough. In order to be effective, the relevant message to the correct target needs to be compelling enough to be heard above the "noise" caused by information overload.

Below is an example of how to make your message a triple threat. Powerful messaging with clear examples, great products and services, AND a message medium that compels the viewer to watch and hear the message – the power of video!

If a Picture Speaks a Thousand Words, How Many Words Do You Think a Video Speaks?

14 Responses »

Dec 172010

Who Cares About Video Anyway?

Anyone who has anything to promote!

We all know the internet is changing how we live, and even how we earn income. Using video in your small business will help you stay on top of the trends by utilizing the power of video as part of your communications and messaging channels.

There's no denying that online video has become a new way for people to communicate, be voiced, and to show off their strut… so to speak.

If you spend a few minutes over on Youtube, or any of the other countless online video portals that are available online today, you can find just about anything and everything you could ever imagine, all online in video format.

From instructions on cooking, cleaning, driving, speaking, marketing, you name it… to comedy, expression, musical talents… and the list just goes on and on.

The online video movement exists because there is an aspect of it that appeals to virtually anyone.

Facts About Online Video

Businesses everywhere are adopting online video and need a channel where their target audiences are guaranteed to see it.

Online video is the future: Key indicators point to corporations embracing online video as an essential marketing tool. In a 2008 Interactive Marketing study, Forrester Research predicted a compound annual growth rate of 72% through the year 2012 – the most robust of all interactive investments. Online video is expected to grow significantly more than search engine marketing, display ads, and email marketing.
Millions more expected to watch: A recent study by eMarketer indicated that 152 million people are watching online video in 2008. By 2012 that number, per the study, is expected to soar to 190 million.

Videos come in many shapes and sizes

There are many options available for creating your own videos. You can simply speak your message into a web cam. This is probably the simplest method of utilizing videos but it doesn't necessarily mean it is the least powerful. There is tremendous value in connecting with your target in the most personal way. How much more personal can you get than actually speaking to them? Many people are reluctant to get started with using video as part of their arsenal of marketing tools because they think they don't have the skills/time/production expertise to do it correctly. Everyone has the ability to speak, and most people either have a web cam or at least have access to one. Don't let your concerns about not being "ready" hold you back from realizing the benefits of video marketing.

There are also some people (like myself LOL) who don't relish the idea of being in front of a camera. For us, there are many other options available ranging from many do-it-yourself projects to paying a professional to create your video.

You can create videos using Microsoft PowerPoint and then convert them to video format. This method is very powerful and easy to do via the tremendous functionality within the PowerPoint platform using custom animations. There are other free video making tools on the market today – some better than others. I used one a while back (I won't mention the name here to protect the innocent – or not) but didn't like it because of the robotic sound of the voices that narrated the video. I just recently learned about another video making tools called Xtranormal. The voices are most definitely robotic but within the framework of the intention of the videos, that being satirical and humorous, the robotic sound seems to be a good fit – at least I think it is. This type of video is definitely not a fit for everyone. If your brand image is more conservative, Xtranormal is not for you. I tend to use humor in my marketing and video production so for me, it is congruent.

Please watch the short video below and let me know what you think. This is my first project using Xtranormal and I would appreciate your comments/feedback before I decide whether or not to move forward creating more videos using Xtranormal.

Make that Personal Connection - it Really does Help!

19 Responses »

Oct 012010

I am always stressing the importance of relating to the human aspect and how it relates to business as well as the importance of relationships. Today I experienced, once again, why this is so important.

We are all in the same boat when it comes to doing a zillion things at the same time and rushing around in the hopes of getting to even half of our daily to-do list. Not too long ago, I wrote an article called "Think you are in a Slump? Think again! What Really Matters in Life? that touched many hearts in the same way it came from mine.

Not unlike all of you, I juggle many balls at the same time. One in particular, is submitting my articles to the many available submission sites. However, because of time contraints, I have been somewhat lax in my submissions. So last night, I decided I needed to play a little catch-up and start submitting. Which site did I choose? The one that had a name associated with the "editor" title in the generic emails we receive when our articles are accepted. Many months ago, Dr. Jay Stockman, Editor in Chief of Aricle Niche Directory, sent me an email that said "Great articles". I was a little surprised and of course pleased that he appreciated what I wrote. That is all it took to create a connection – one email with a name attached and a personal message. So Article Niche Directory is the site I chose. I submitted a whole slew of them – I said I had been lax and I wasn't kidding!

Today, to my pleasant surprise, I received an email from Dr. Stockman notifying me that my article was chosen as the "editor's choice". Of all the articles I submitted, the one he chose was the one that is closest to my heart because it came directly from my heart. In this crazy world we live in, when something we do touches another person's heart, it might not bring us any money – but it sure does bring us a strong sense of personal accomplishment and for that, there is no price tag.

If you would like to share my day in the spotlight, go to: Editor's Choice, Julie Weishaar.

Promote Your Business with Video Email Marketing and Increase Your Sex Drive!

15 Responses »

Sep 212010

If you are a small business owner, you might be totally overwhelmed with running your business, with a major concern being how to best promote your brand. Many factors need to be taken into consideration when deciding on the most effective approach for your industry niche and your company's specific situation.

However, all small business owners have one thing in common and that is the need to determine what makes them different, better, or stand out from the competition. If you have been in business for a while and have a good reputation and good customer service, you will benefit from the perception others have of your company by way of repeat customers and referrals. Even in this high-tech world and increasing use of social media marketing, word-of-mouth advertising is still the most efficient and cost-effective form of advertising.

What are some ways to make your brand stand out? In order for your potential customers/clients to notice you, you will need to have something in your marketing arsenal that makes you "different".

If pictures speak a thousand words, how many words do you think a video speaks?

People Remember:

10% of what they Read
20% of what they Hear
30% of what they See

But 50% of Read, Hear, AND See

Introducing Video Emails

People no longer just have to read; they can watch and listen too – engaging all the senses at the same time
Video emails are great for companies who either don’t have a website or have an out-dated one that is not optimized for search. Include a link to your website in your video email and drive traffic to your site. Sending powerful video emails is a great way to increase your online presence
Harness the global reach of the Internet with the power of video
Use video email to announce special offers or deals
Search engines LOVE video – increase your organic traffic
Describe your product or service and the benefits of using it clearly and concisely
Increase word-of-mouth advertising by the impression your video emails leave on those on your mailing list
Convert your written marketing materials into video for a much more impressive and lasting impression

WAIT! What does this have to do with sex drive?

Small business owner BEFORE using video emails!

Small business Owner AFTER using video emails!

Small business owner at the end of the work day!

Try video emails – you might like them!

Total Transparency or TMI?

7 Responses »

Sep 152010

We live in a world of total transparency thanks to the Internet and social media networking sites. As small business owners, if we are disingenuous and don't follow-through on our brand promises, we will eventually be found out.

Let's look at this transparency concept from a different perspective. It is one thing to be honest and another to enter the zone of "over-share" or "TMI". On many social networking sites, especially Facebook, we are all privy to information about our "friends" that we might not really want to know. Some business people are holding back getting heavily involved with Facebook not because they are concerned about others seeing what they are doing, but because they don't want their FB “friends” to see what their children are doing!

How about those people who when asked "How are you?" – really tell you? We have all worked in an office where there are those certain people that we try to avoid because if they get us alone, we will never get away. They go on and on and on about everything under the sun and much of it is really personal information that we would rather not know. Isn't the phrase "How are you?" oftentimes really a rhetorical question?

Here's something to try when you are fed up with pushy sales calls. When the sales person asks "How are you"? Tell them the truth – especially if you are having a bad day – the look on their face that you can almost see through the phone will make your day a brighter one.

The point here is that transparent doesn't mean get too personal or share too much. It means be obvious, frank and/or candid. Timing also plays a role here. I try to ingratiate myself to those I need assistance from. The most recent example I can give is from today. My dad has been having health issues and we have been back and forth to doctors, hospitals, ER's etc. Today was a bad day. I needed to take my dad to the ER to get IV fluids because he was seriously dehydrated. His gastroenterologist's secretary likes to complain about how overworked she is and normally I listen, commiserate, understand, etc. However, today when I called her to tell her I was bringing my dad to the ER and she started complaining about how busy she was – THAT was the wrong timing on her part. I really don't care how busy she is normally but today? I REALLY didn't care and there was no sympathy on my part for her being overworked.

Another example of what some consider over-share is commenting on Facebook pictures, however those "some" are usually the young and those young are usually our children. We ‘ole folk like to have conversations that are relevant to a particular photo and sometimes those conversations veer off the original topic. That is ok – it doesn't bother us. However, many of our children don't like this especially if they are in the photo or somehow included in the trail of messages. Apparently photos are "not the place to have conversations". I didn't read those rules anywhere – maybe I missed them? Apparently the email notices that flood these young folk/our children's inboxes are annoying. My suggestion is to either turn off the email notifications or better still, I – G – N – O – R – E them.

Disclaimer: Blogs are written in one’s own voice and are therefore, exempt from the Over-share/TMI category. JMO

Great Business Opportunity or Hype?

5 Responses »

Sep 082010

For those of you who don't know me personally, you don't know that I am a born skeptic. Maybe it is because I live in NY, maybe it is because I am an Aries and as such, stubborn and hard to convince, or maybe it is because I am what I like to refer to as a realist. In any event, no offense to those marketers who are "into" MLM business ventures, but my usual reaction to any email I receive about one of these opportunities is to DELETE as quickly as my hands can move across the keyboard. And those "WAIT – DON'T GO…" messages that pop up after I hit the "delete" button really annoy me.

With that said, when an old friend of mine approached me with MyVideoTalk MLM, I was my usual skeptic self and gave her a hard time with all my typical complaints about MLM's. However, I have known this friend since HS and I know that she is telling me the absolute truth. She earned $1600 in her second week with MyVideoTalk, I have no doubt that this is not an exaggeration or misleading because of the source of the information.

My original complaint was “Agnes (no her name is NOT Agnes LOL), I don’t have $399 dollars and can’t afford $50/month for this product”. Agnes’ response was “Julie, if you are making thousands, what is $50/month”? I saw a photo of her check for $1600. It is real. How can one argue with that logic?

So I did something I never do, and that is bought into the system (because of the timing of the pre-launch phase) FIRST and then investigated and tried it out second. Well, that is not exactly true, I did do a Google search before laying down any money – sorry to my friend about having doubts even from a personally reputable source. I also watched the LONG video (you can sign in as a guest and watch it) in its entirety – I am probably the only one who did. See, I told you I was a skeptic.

Now that I have done my research and started using the product suite, I am in a position to share with you what I have found out. Consider this:

People Remember:

10% of what they Read
20% of what they Hear

30% of what they See

But 50% of Read, Hear, AND See

Here is the promotional stuff, however, without the “hype” that many of us find irritating:

With MyVideoTalk you are positioned in Front of 6 of the FASTEST GROWING Trends in the WORLD:

The Internet
Online Video
Web Conferencing
e-Learning (Distance Learning)
LIVE Video
Global Network Marketing

Of particular interest to me is the E-learning / Distance Learning in the product suite. I know of many who are either already offering online courses or are considering it. MyVideoTalk’s E-Learning product offers a powerful platform for this type of offering. Keep in mind that MyVideoTalk is a SUITE of products that combined offer a fully-integrated video marketing platform.

“Web Education is the next great GROWTH opportunity…Online continuing education is creating a new, distinct educational realm, and it is the future of education….. There is a GLOBAL market here that is potentially worth HUNDREDS of BILLIONS of dollars.”

Peter Drucker – Forbes Magazine

Here is a summary of the MyVideoTalk Studio:

The Ultimate, HIGH-IMPACT Global Video Communications & Marketing Platform
In a Globally Connected Economy – Build TRUST and RAPPORT with FACE to FACE communications
Fully Customizable & Personalized
YOUR colors, logos, banners, images…..Promoting YOU / not a competitor
State of the Art, Custom-Developed, Proprietary Technologies
Few Clicks is all it takes to Brand YOURSELF & look like a Professional
To Help You Communicate, Present, & Market BETTER !
Technology Division of TEI
A Pioneer in Streaming Video Technologies
6 Years – Founded April 30, 2004
Serviced tens of thousands of customers worldwide
Slogan : “Bringing the World Closer Together”
Many First-to-Market Technologies
Industry First Windows Media, Self-Service & Self-Branded Video Email
Industry First global, multi-party live video conferencing application
Money is Always Made Getting in FRONT of Trends

Here is The MyVideoTalk Products/Services:

MyVideoTalk Studio – Global Video Communication & Marketing Suite
MyLiveLearning – Live Personal Development Broadcasts
MyWebShow – Your Own LIVE Internet TV Shows / The PC Meets TV

Ok – the above resembles “hype” in its promotional nature, however, in reality, it is my excitement showing through because I really believe in the value of the product and the huge earnings potential!

This is a great chance for anyone who is interested in getting involved in a high-tech, state-of-the-art business opportunity at the ground level. It is a well-known fact that timing is everything from purchasing a pre-construction home to getting in with a business on the ground floor that is ready to explode.

When considering a business opportunity there are two questions you need to ask yourself.

1) What is the business selling? Is it valuable?

2) How sustainable is the business?

MyVideoTalk is in the pre-launch phase having only been in the US for 4 weeks BUT has proven success overseas for 6+ years with over 65K independent reps.

Don't miss the boat on this one! Get on board NOW!

Don’t take my word for it. Visit New Horizons 123 MyVideoTalk and see for yourself. Take the 5 minutes to watch at least the first video. I liked it best of all the available marketing videos precisely because it is not one of the videos where the speaker is talking like an annoying used car sales person (no offense to used car sales people intended) or any other pushy sales people who have the latest and greatest “whatever”.

Thanks for your time and your comments are welcome

New Horizons 123 MyVideoTalk

Don't Underestimate the Value of a Relationship

8 Responses »

Aug 272010

As consumers we are continually bombarded by ads, emails, mailers, and phone calls about the latest and greatest. How do we decide which ones to pay attention to and which ones to ignore?

In the same vein, how can the small business owner expect his/her marketing message and value proposition to stand out amongst the masses? The answer lies in using effective marketing techniques and differentiators in order to be as unique as possible. The higher the competition of a particular industry, the more difficult this becomes. One would be hard pressed to find many industries that are not saturated these days, unless it is a very unique and highly targeted business.

In addition to using creative and innovative messaging, small business owners should keep in mind the value of the relationships they build. The Internet and the use of social media have created a totally transparent society in that what one does and says is more often than not, broadcasted across the World Wide Web – especially if it is something negative. As the old adage states: “Bad news travels fast”. Reputation management has become an increasingly important area of concern for business owners – as it should be.

It is pretty much accepted by all that people like to do business with people they know. Think about it. How often do you ask people you know to refer you to a doctor, hair dresser, painter, or landscaper? How often do you hire someone to perform a service you need because you either know that person or know someone else who knows that person?

So, in the end, who gets the business? The person you know – either directly or through someone else. If you ask many self-employed folk how they found their first customers, you will find that most of them are from people they know.

Even in a world where technology is advancing at a rate close to the speed of light, basic principles of human nature and business prevail. Reputation and relationships matter.

The Many Hats of a Copywriter

6 Responses »

Aug 242010

A copywriter uses words to promote a person, business, opinion or idea and these words come in all different shapes and sizes. The style of writing totally depends upon the medium in which it is used. For example, many of you have your own blogs, whether they are personal or professional in nature. One of the suggestions on how to write a successful blog is to write in what has been called "your own voice". There is a large variety of styles seen in blog posts. The styles range from a little on the dry side but highly professional to downright rude and sarcastic. The point here is that we all have developed our own style of writing that is consistent throughout our blog (or at least it should be).

When writing articles for sites like Technorati and Factoidz, if your style is humorous or cute, you will need to be a little more professional in order to get your articles approved. Factoidz, in particular, literally has in its rules, "no cute titles".

Website copy is a totally different animal. As a copywriter for website content, the rules are quite different than for blogs or articles. The writer needs to keep many different things in mind when writing the copy. Writing effective website content needs to be:

Unique, precise, organized, timely and relevant
Interesting enough to capture the reader’s attention in a few seconds and compel them to read further
Easy to navigate and fast loading
Efficiently worded in order to get your message across without being too long that your reader loses interest
Keyword rich
Broken into short paragraphs and short pages to make it easier to read

Copywriters also need to wear the writing hat of their customers if writing blog posts, articles, or website content for them. Industries and companies vary in the complexities of their businesses and the demographics of their target market. Writing for a boat dealership is going to be totally different than writing for a pharmaceutical company. To be successful as a copywriter, you will need to be able to wear different hats and produce appropriate, venue and industry-specific content.

Are you able to wear different writing hats? What have been some of your challenges?

Older Entries

Charlie Sheen & Lindsay Lohan or Bust?

Give the People What They Want?

Promote Your Brand With Video Emails and Increase Your Sex Drive!

Triple Threat

Today You Have to be the Jack of ALL Trades AND the Master of ALL

If a Picture Speaks a Thousand Words, How Many Words Do You Think a Video Speaks?

Who Cares About Video Anyway?

Facts About Online Video

Videos come in many shapes and sizes

Make that Personal Connection - it Really does Help!

Great Business Opportunity or Hype?

The Many Hats of a Copywriter

Free Video Marketing Strategy Guide

Video Marketing Strategy

Convert Leads Into Sales

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