If you own a small business or run a nonprofit, you already know about the importance of authenticity and creativity when it comes to communicating with your customers, clients, and supporters. But for most people, regardless of their business size or goals, the attraction to...
Authenticity is over-rated. Yes, it's the magic marketing buzzword, but when you watch a McDonald's commercial, do you think, "Wow, they're so authentic!” More likely you're thinking, “One more Big Mac probably won’t kill me.” If the truth is their product is going to harden...
Many service-based companies think of testimonial videos as “product reviews for services.” It’s great shorthand for describing their worth; the problem is… they’re not. There are significant differences between a testimonial and a product review (or service review), and understanding them can help you...
Creating a video is a pretty unfamiliar task for many small businesses. You may like the product the company produces, but you still need to know the cost. Unlike other products, there’s no standard proposal structure for video, and proposal pitches can take different...
Answering the #1 Question I Get: How much? A friend says to you—“I’ve saved a little money and I'd like to buy a car. What should I get?” It's impossible, of course, to answer. You can as easily pay $500 for a car as $50,000-- and...
Getting people from “Click” to “Buy.” In commercial videography that’s often the goal-- our video is supposed to “convert” viewers into loyal customers. Buying isn’t necessarily a capitalistic endeavor-- sometimes we want people to buy an idea (or an ideal) or a healthier choice. In a world...
Statistically the power of video has proven to be startling—90% of people say video is helpful in decision-making; 75% of executives watch videos at work; 60% of site visitors will watch the video before reading the text; video improves email click-thru rates by 65% and...
"A diversified portfolio is key to having the flexibility to meeting the unique goals of your business" The most common advice new video professionals hear is to pick your niche. Super niche if possible—don’t just focus on non-profits, pick non-profit universities. Product videography isn’t refined enough—specialize...
Everyone wants to look good on camera. One of the most common questions I’m asked by clients is “what should I wear?” In the old days of video, the clothes you wore could have a major impact on the image quality—fine patterns and lots of...
Location, location, location. That’s the motto of any new business. You want foot traffic, accessibility, and complementary businesses. Nowadays, though, your most important location is in the virtual world. Lack of foot traffic isn’t hurting Amazon.com. So how do you position...
