Until very recently if you wanted to video small business, whether to distribute on DVD or CD-ROM, your only choice was to approach an Ad Agency and invite them to make a 'Corporate Movie' for you.
These movies would typically start at around $5,000 and increase dramatically as you added 'extras' such as a script, a voiceover guy or background music.
So for the average business owner, a small business video was simply too expensive to consider.
Well my friend, I've an announcement to make - the boring, stuffy old Corporate Video is dead! In its place, thanks to websites such as Youtube, we have short direct response marketing movies that are quick, easy and incredibly cheap to produce and distribute. Let's take a closer look...
These movies would typically start at around $5,000 and increase dramatically as you added 'extras' such as a script, a voiceover guy or background music.
So for the average business owner, a small business video was simply too expensive to consider.
Well my friend, I've an announcement to make - the boring, stuffy old Corporate Video is dead! In its place, thanks to websites such as Youtube, we have short direct response marketing movies that are quick, easy and incredibly cheap to produce and distribute. Let's take a closer look...
Why Video Small Business?
In the mid nineties, the birth of the Internet really leveled the playing field when it came to business. For the first time, small businesses had a chance to go head-to-head with the 'Big Boys', the high street brands and truly compete.
Well, the relatively new surge in web video has taken us right back to those early days again. While the Multi-National corporations are still throwing their millions at useless 'brand marketing' on TV you can slip under their radar and create your own highly effective web videos for nothing more than the loose change you have in your pocket right now.
So if you run a small business and have the desire to take on the corporate giants again then now is the time to do it and your weapon of choice should be web video.
Watch this short video to see why you need to video your small business now.
Well, the relatively new surge in web video has taken us right back to those early days again. While the Multi-National corporations are still throwing their millions at useless 'brand marketing' on TV you can slip under their radar and create your own highly effective web videos for nothing more than the loose change you have in your pocket right now.
So if you run a small business and have the desire to take on the corporate giants again then now is the time to do it and your weapon of choice should be web video.
Watch this short video to see why you need to video your small business now.
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Creating A Marketing Movie
Creating a marketing video for your small business has never been easier. I've been using video in my Bolton Marketing business for several years now.
If you have a fairly recent computer, say 5 years old or less, then you most likely already have all the software you need.
On a Windows machine there's the excellent Windows Movie Maker preinstalled (see screenshot above). Simply click on the Start button, go to All Programs, then Accessories and down to Windows Movie Maker.
For Mac users there's the equally impressive iLife.
But it's not really about the software, or your camcorder...or even whether you hire a well known actor to do the voiceover.
It's all about what your movie actually says to your viewer. Make it about them. Address their problems and you'll have a successful movie on your hands.
Whereas if, like the old Corporate movies, you use the time to talk all about YOU, your viewer will simply click away to something more interesting.
If you want step by step instructions on how to create an effective web video, grab a copy of the Video Marketing Manual for just $7. You could be viewing your handiwork just minutes from now!
Using Youtube
Youtube has taken the Internet by storm in just a couple of years. And with good reason.
See, it may not offer the best video quality of all the video sharing sites but it has 2 MAJOR advantages over most of them...It's free and it's so simple that even a total novice can do it!
Youtube currently has around 70% of all video traffic, so if you want your video to be seen, you need to host it on Youtube. There's nothing to stop you from hosting elsewhere too, just make sure that you don't miss out on all the free traffic that youtube provides.
However, there's a HUGE reason why I host movies on Youtube...they make it so darned easy to embed my movies just about anywhere! This means that anyone else can embed my movie on their website too, opening up a whole new source of viewers. Here's a short list of places where you can embed your movies for free and reach a wider audience:
See, it may not offer the best video quality of all the video sharing sites but it has 2 MAJOR advantages over most of them...It's free and it's so simple that even a total novice can do it!
Youtube currently has around 70% of all video traffic, so if you want your video to be seen, you need to host it on Youtube. There's nothing to stop you from hosting elsewhere too, just make sure that you don't miss out on all the free traffic that youtube provides.
However, there's a HUGE reason why I host movies on Youtube...they make it so darned easy to embed my movies just about anywhere! This means that anyone else can embed my movie on their website too, opening up a whole new source of viewers. Here's a short list of places where you can embed your movies for free and reach a wider audience:
- Your Own Websites
By embedding the movie on your website instead of hosting it directly, you save on bandwidth costs. Embedding a youtube movie onto your web page is as simple as pasting in a few lines of code. - Squidoo
Squidoo is a very popular web 2.0 site that makes it easy for anyone to put up a single web page without any technical knowledge. You are looking at a Squidoo page (or lens) right now! Adding a video is as easy as typing in the video URL and letting the Squidoo system do the rest. - Hub Pages
Hub Pages are similar to Squidoo in that it's easy to build up a free page using simple, easy to edit 'building blocks' which include Youtube video. If you have a business, you should have a hub page! - eBay
That's right, the GIANT auction website now lets you paste youtube videos into your auction description. Imagine how much easier it is to sell your goods if the bidder can see a movie of you demonstrating the goods. - Google Local Business
Here's the big one! Google has made a huge change to its search engine results by listing local companies first, taken from its Google Maps feature. So now you can enhance your map listing with up to 10 images and up to 5 videos. Don't miss out on this one.
What To Do Right NOW!
You need to take action...NOW! See, you could actually have your very first movie in front of you, ready to upload to youtube in less than an hour.
You don't need expensive equipment in order to make a high quality movie. In fact, you probably have everything you need to make your first movie right here, right now!
You don't need to be a computer wizard in order to pump out great looking movies that will promote your business or help you to sell your products.
You don't even need expensive, hard to understand software in order to churn out movies fast...
...and you certainly don't need a whole lot of money. In fact, my very first movie I put on Youtube only cost me $20 to make. This was the cost of traveling to the venue plus the entrance fee! The actual movie cost me nothing but my time.
Don't let procrastination put you off. Every day that you waste is a day that you miss out on all the benefits of having your own marketing movies doing the selling for you.
Download a copy of the Video Marketing Manual for just $7 and start putting your business on Youtube in the next few minutes. It will be the best time you ever spend on your business, and that's a promise! Do It NOW...
You don't need expensive equipment in order to make a high quality movie. In fact, you probably have everything you need to make your first movie right here, right now!
You don't need to be a computer wizard in order to pump out great looking movies that will promote your business or help you to sell your products.
You don't even need expensive, hard to understand software in order to churn out movies fast...
...and you certainly don't need a whole lot of money. In fact, my very first movie I put on Youtube only cost me $20 to make. This was the cost of traveling to the venue plus the entrance fee! The actual movie cost me nothing but my time.
Don't let procrastination put you off. Every day that you waste is a day that you miss out on all the benefits of having your own marketing movies doing the selling for you.
Download a copy of the Video Marketing Manual for just $7 and start putting your business on Youtube in the next few minutes. It will be the best time you ever spend on your business, and that's a promise! Do It NOW...
by MarkHeywood
Being able to video small business and create short marketing movies is now an essential skill. (more)
