Video rocks – so why aren’t you using it yet?

People love to watch other people. That is why YouTube is so popular.

If you don’t nt know how to use a video camera, or edit video, or have the dollars to buy expensive software, let alone take the time to learn how to use it.

What if you could start recording videos and you didn’t have to go through all that other stuff?

qik is the answer

The video you see here was taken in less than 5 minutes using my iPad. If you have a smartphone or tablet with a video camera, you can use this app.

qik is fast, easy and free!

You can upload your video directly from your device to YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter. It is so easy.

How to Get Started with qik

1. Go to the qik website, http://qik.com/
2. Download the app and install it on your smart device
3. Write out a short outline for your video.
4. Cover your main talking points.
5. Comb your hair
6. Check the lighting
7. Go somewhere where you have good acoustics
8. Turn off any devices that could buzz or ring during your recording session
9. Put on some lip balm
10. Open the qik app
11. Record
12. Watch your video before you upload it.
13. Add a title
14. Upload to your choice or sites: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter (you can link your qik account to your accounts at any of these social media sites.)
15. You can even send a link to your video via email

That’s it. Simple, fast, and free.

What more could a marketer ask for?

 

Want your next workshop to sell out?

Act like a rock star.

If you have ever tried to get tickets to your favorite band, you may have been astonished to find that all the seats were sold in just a few minutes. When well-known performers, like the Rolling Stones announce a new show, they are able to sell out scheduled performances in just a few minutes.

What’s their secret?

They have a huge fan base. When the word goes out, their fans already know them, like them, and are tuned in to consume their music and their life events.

How To Get Similar Results

You can stimulate the same kind of response for your products and services when you take these steps:

Build Your Fan base

If you have a blog you may have subscribers. But it is a common mistake that people can’t find out how to subscribe to your blog. You need to make it easy for people to subscribe to your blog. Where you place your subscribe button or form can make a huge difference in how many people take action and sign up.

If you have a Facebook page for yourself or your business, do you have have satisfied customers and supporters who like you on Facebook? Are you inviting people to “like” your page? What content are you providing to keep them engaged?

Perhaps you belong to online forums or groups. You might be posting questions or answering questions on LinkedIn.

You could upload videos, share slides, create podcasts or video casts, create a customized channel on YouTube, well, these are just a few of the social media opportunities out there. All of these channels have one thing in common, they are great places to engage in a conversation. Conversations are an exchange of ideas and through them, people connect. Connecting is just 1st step.

Grow your fan base

How can you have an ongoing relationship with your fans? You need to interact regularly. A small group of active fans is far more valuable than a big list where there is little loyalty, commitment or engagement. You need to nurture your relationships in cyberspace as well as those off line. Consistency, such as publishing new content on a regular, predictable basis can help people invest in you and build their trust in you as an expert and resource.

Capture Contact Information

Interruptive marketing (like paid commercials on radio or broadcast television, telemarketing calls) are perceived as annoying because they take you out of the experience of enjoying the story or music you were experiencing. Permission-based marketing is the new model for growing your business. It means that people who like what you have to offer, knowledge, services, or products, have given you permission to be in contact with them. On Facebook, we like people or their pages, on Twitter, we follow them, on YouTube, it is possible to subscribe a channel or to become a friend. I think you’re getting the idea. In each of these cases, there is an easy way for people to indicate that they want more of what they just consumed. There is a convenient way for them to opt in (join) your list.

Give It Away and They Will Come

Your opt in box should be prominently featured on your website. To incentivize people to opt in, you may offer something for free that is of value in exchange for their contact information. We have all willingly given our business cards away for a chance to win something valuable. The same idea works on line when you offer a free report or sample of your services in exchange for your visitors’ contact information.

“The Tim Ferris Effect”

I read a great post today on the forbes.com blog. It was about how to have a successful book launch. The author is a friend of Tim Ferriss (The 4 Hour Work Week, The 4 Hour Body). His book launch as tracked on Amazon was hugely successful because he posted as a guest on Tim’s blog. He went from being listed as 1,295 to an Amazon Best Seller at #45 on the day he posted to Tim’s blog. If you know someone with a very focused and loyal set of followers, you might consider strategies for getting to be mentioned on their blog or offering to create a “guest” post. The big guys do this all the time. When someone in the “Guerilla Marketing” stable publishes, they cross promote themselves on each others web site and email lists.

Start now to build your list and get growing!

btw – If you would like to create an action plan for building your list, see my special offer.