Shoot Content Once Then Use It Every Where.

One of the best things about shooting loads of content in one day is that you can re-edit and re-purpose it many times for many target audiences and delivery platforms!  Websites, Youtube, Show Room Display, and now, Video Podcast.

Alistair Marshall, a business consultant I worked with last year, asked me to film a series of videos where he sets out his "12 Immediate Actions to Generate Sales and Cash."  He has successfully used them on his website, along with a home page and landing page video, to help grow his contact list and get more clients.

Recently we talked about republishing the content as the first twelve episodes of a video podcast.  Now that all episodes are live and on iTunes, I suggest you go watch them.  I definitely learnt a lot from them and his advice has directly led to making Nathan Rae Production a lot more profitable.

Alistair Marshall Consulting Podcast on iTunesSo head over to iTunes and subscribe or add the following feed to your non-Apple podcasting softwear of choice: http://www.alistairmarshallconsulting.com/podcast/rss.xml

If you need some help to publish an audio or video podcast, or want talk about any other up coming project, email me or dm me on twitter.

Nathan

3 Tips for Effective Video Testimonials

Yesterday I spent the day with Ed Rivis (from www.edrivis.com) sorting out his office studio, teaching him green screen techniques and discussing the future of web video in relation to SMEs.

At the end of the day I shot this quick testimonial video with him and today made it much more effective.

Take a look:

The more memorable the customer testimonial video is the more effective it will be.  With this in mind…

Tip 1.  Keep it Interesting!

 

All videos should be more interesting or entertaining above and beyond what the person is actually saying.  Show someone something new and they'll remember it.  For example, tomorrow I'm going to be filming some testimonials underneath a Concord at a networking event.

Obviously you may not have the skills for video effects or have an iconic plane to hand but think about what is going on in the background.  Can you ask your client to stand in front of your production line?  Or is there a local landmark that you want to associate your business with?  Get creative!

Tip 2.  Keep it Short!

You only need your client to get across one or two points about your product or service.  60 to 90 seconds should be enough time and never go over two minutes.  If the video ends with the viewer feeling bored they'll come to associate that feeling with your product.

Tip 3.  Keep it Real!

Don't give your client a script to read from.  Don't even ask them to write one for themselves.  Viewers will be skeptical about whose words they are saying and you may lose their trust.  

In the video above Ed stumbles for a second or two as he casts around for the right words to say.  I could have asked for a retake but this makes his words more genuine to you.  Then when he gets to the part where he recommends me, you think that is more genuine as well.  (BTW he was being genuine, I'm just looking at the phycology of the process.)

So remember with all web video and testimonials in particular:

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou

I recommend you check out www.edrivis.com where you'll find loads of advice about web marketing.  The great thing about Ed's advice it that it is all backed up by evidence, not just anecdotes.

Sex Sells? Testing! Testing!

This post is a test of the Squarespace app on my iPod. I've been able to post blogs from the app for a while but until now I was restricted to posting images. As I had no way of embedding videos it wasn't so handy for a me.

So to test the app here is a great advert which really caught my imagination. May not be safe for work unless you sell bras for a living.

Has this advert crossed a line for you? Would it be shown on TV in your country?
More importantly, would you be more likely to buy from this store in the future? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Oh, and let me know if this blog post didn't work...

Perpetual Motion By Bees?

If you know anything about perpetual motion machines, free energy devices or have even a basic grasp of the laws of physics, you'll love this video:

It had me for the first few minutes, what about you?

Upload, rip and recompress 1000 times...

Patrick, an experimental video artist from Chicago, has uploaded a video to Youtube, recaptured the video again and uploaded it again one thousand times.  The result is spooky and definitly worth watching:

Lesson for businesses and filmmakers:  Always uses the best Codec and recompress as few times a possible!

I have also seen this experiment done with photocopiers, vhs tapes and the original idea; sound recording.  For more information check out the info on the ONTOLOGIST Youtube Channel.

And here's the first youtube version of the video above (though not the original as that is on Patrick's computer):

Tip of the hat to Xeni Jardin over at Boing Boing for this one.