New Vistas in Online Video

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

Every time I come up with a new marketing strategy, I like to share it with my More Clients subscribers.

I'm kind of excited about this one because I vowed to get into video this year but have faced barrier after barrier every time I tried. If you've done video, you know that...

It's hard to actually look good on video!

Getting the lighting and technical stuff right is tricky

If you hire someone to do video for you, it can be expensive

Just getting the script right can take forever

But this past week, my friend and new "marketing and online technical coach and wizard," Rob Goyette, showed me how I could do a completely different kind of video online.

You might call it an "online video report"

Instead of a long report explaining your concepts and services, you turn that report into an online video which you narrate.

So when a visitor comes to your web page they see the words of the presentation, along with your voice. Let me give you a step-by-step guide on how to do this:

1. Create a PowerPoint (PC) or Keynote Presentation (Mac) that takes you one step at a time through your informational report. It will actually be many fewer words, as it needs to be focused and succinct.

But It won't be like most PowerPoints. Not a lot of graphics and bullet points. It will actually read more like a script. Just a few words on every screen.

It took me five or six hours to do my first one. 150 slides that move very fast.

This is definitely the biggest part of the work to do an online video. But guess what? I've spent as much as 100 hours on a report! No kidding. Who has that kind of time?

And these days, people want to read less, not more.

3. Once you have the presentation all done, you can convert it to a pdf and then use screen capture software as you go through the presentation.

The best software for this is Camtasia. Now available for Mac at long last; it's been out on PC for years.

You turn on Camtastia and you go through the presentation as if it's a tele-prompter. You'll also need a microphone - I just used the built-in one on my Mac laptop.

So you don't have to memorize a script, which is a real relief.

I recommend practicing it through two or three times (fine tuning the presentation as you go) and then, lights, action, camera, you're good to go.

Once you've recorded it, you can go into Camtasia and edit it with very simple tools. The editing didn't take long at all.

4. Once the video is completed, you export it (either Quick Time or Flash) and put the files onto your web page and web server. You may need a little help from your web developer here, but it's very simple and only took me a few minutes to get it up and running.

You can see the results on my web page with my brand new presentation: "The 7 Secrets to Attracting More Clients."

Click here for the online presentation

You'll also see that this is not only a valuable report but a very low key way to introduce a service instead of using a traditional sales letter.

Give it a shot. I believe it's the new wave of marketing and perfect for InfoGurus who want to provide valuable information in a dynamic and fun way.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: To add variety and interest to your web site, try video presentations. They are relatively easy to do, and with a little technical help from your web developer, you can have an attention-getting video up on your web site in less than a day.

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What kind of results have you had with online video or video presentations? Please share your answer on the More Clients Blog by clicking on the Comments link below.

Comments

[Kenn]

Thanks for posting that Robert. Helpful resources.

As you know I help coaches create client-attracting websites and I recent worked with a client who did a Video Bio (videobio.com) to get his message out ... it's pretty neat.

http://www.strategicboomer.com

Thanks for your marketing tips, always clear and well written.

[Jim]

Hi,
I don't get it - first thoughts were "does he think I can't read"! Your way makes it longer for me to get through the "report".
I think the video need you in there and bullet points - I don't mind if you read it from a prompter but either you read it or I read it, not both.
Also, I would prefer if it sounded more conversational with variation in voice tone - less obvious that you are reading it.
I can see benefits of video but this is not what I expect for video content.

[Ian Brodie]

I've done a combination of these and live videos (ie with you on them).

Live videos (in my view) work better to build a person to person connection. But it's difficult to do a long presentation with one - especially if you don't have an autocue!

I'd advise doing a video of you introducing the presentation and saying thanks at the end - maybe also doing the transitions between sections.

Then use your presentation video for the meat.

Ian

By the way - on a Mac you don't need to use either Camtasia or Screenflow to record a presentation - Keynote does it for you. Just use the Play->Record Slideshow option and it will record your voice doing the presentation as you advance the slides.

[Rod]

Hi,
I've done a lot of these kinds of videos - from lectures my students missed to professional training at http://www.OSTraining.com.

on the Mac - use Screenflow - nothing better.
on either - get a good microphone. Nothing ruins one of these more than lousy audio. I use a $50 Logitech headset (highly recommend the headset approach...)

Online video has incredible potential... its growing more each day - highly recommend as a way of training and marketing.

Rod

[Charles Dominick, SPSM]

Robert,
On your video page, I hear the audio, but there is just a black box with no visual material. Also, your headline says "gowing" instead of "growing."

[Doug]

Love the idea and can't wait to see it. I attempted to look at it on my iPhone ~ got a "can't open file" there... so, I ran over to my PC and got a "Download Quicktime" message. Unfortunately it is my work PC and I can't download any software on it...

Maybe it would be worth embedding it as YouTube video. I think that would guarantee viewability AND get you some more viral exposure as well...