Success Notes » video

Fast and Free Video App

Judy Baker — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:49:01 +0000

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

Go to the qik website, http://qik.com/
Download the app and install it on your smart device
Write out a short outline for your video.
Cover your main talking points.
Comb your hair
Check the lighting
Go somewhere where you have good acoustics
Turn off any devices that could buzz or ring during your recording session
Put on some lip balm
Open the qik app
Record
Watch your video before you upload it.
Add a title
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.)
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?

Testimonials are better than Ice Cream

Judy Baker — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:24:06 +0000

I posted my new business portrait on this site and other locations on the web. I was so pleased with my portrait, the photo session and my relationship with the photographer, Erin Hayes, Erin Hayes Photography, that I posted a recommendation for her on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. I got lots of positive comments on the portrait, which translates into lots of eyeballs who viewed my recommendation of Erin.

I shared my testimonial with the members of my business group, Sonoma Success Partners. My friends, family, and business contacts, read or heard my testimonial for Erin. In a few minutes, I had shared my positive experience with hundreds of people I know and through them, with thousands more. The people who commented on my portrait and recommendations, multiplied my message exponentially.

The power of social media

sharing what you know
sharing what you like
sharing what makes you mad
sharing what inspires you

It was easy to do. It took me a few minutes to compose my message and a few more to post it. Then the magic of sharing took over.

Want an easy way to promote your business?

Leverage testimonials from your clients by asking for them on social networking sites.

Ask for written testimonials that specify a service or challenge you helped to resolve.

Ask your clients to record a video or audio testimonial for you. You can upload videos to YouTube, embed them on your web site or blog posts. You can embed or link to audio files.

Give and Receive Testimonials

I got busy giving and and requesting testimonials. LinkedIn lets you review recommendations before they are posted. It also prompts you to give a recommendation when you received one. Reciprocity at its best.

Get them in writing. Then you can pepper your web site with endorsements from happy clients. The credibility of paid advertising has dropped to an all time low of 14% believability versus our faith in word-0f-mouth comments. Real people, real words, real solutions, translate into rapport and trust.

In a previous post, I commented on what is known as “The Oprah Effect” or the “Tim Ferris Effect.” Getting connected to someone who is famous, has a committed and engaged following, can turn your visibility super-nova bright. I worked for a graphic designer who was also an avid golfer. He invented “Loud-Mouth Golf,” fun and funny golf attire and accessories for golfers with a sense of humor and style. His strategy for promotion, give the pants to famous golfers who then endorsed them. He leveraged his way into a larger circle of buyers and fans. I visited his web site today and there is now world-wide distribution of his products. Not bad for a grass roots company with marketing smarts. This strategy works because humans take on the style, habits, attire and behavior of our heros, and people we like. It shows we belong.

What’s your next step?

See where you have a strong presence already and look at how you can increase your visibility through recommendations and testimonials. Here are some sites you might want to add to your list of cyber addresses. Most are free to join. Building your google juice depends on who knows you. Testimonials and recommendations are a proven way to expand your circle of influence and your profits.

Sites That Make It Easy to Capture Testimonials and Reviews

Testimonials are better than ice cream. Especially when they are shared.

Purrfect Video

Judy Baker — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:00:47 +0000

The first thing I learned about video is not to take myself too seriously. It is a great medium and I love it. I admit it. I am somewhat of a ham in front of the camera, on stage, well, anyplace I have an audience. Growing up, I was painfully shy. I learned to get over my shyness (fear of rejection) by acting. If I could be someone else, then it didn’t matter if people did or didn’t like me. It wasn’t me they were connecting with, it was my character.

Fear of Rejection isn’t Fatal and it doesn’t have to be a life sentence

But what about showing up as myself, not as someone else? I can still remember being in front of my speech class in junior high. I thought everyone could see me trembling, knees knocking together in fear. It was a revelation that no one but me knew I was nervous. I learned to take my fear and re-channel it into excitement about my message. Shifting my focus from myself to the people in the audience who chose to come and see me and doing my best to deliver an entertaining and educational experience.

I am not suggesting that this reframing was instantaneous. It was a gradual process for me. I come from a family of shy people. I didn’t have outgoing role models in my immediate family. I craved connection, so I had to get over my fear.

When I saw this video, it made me laugh.

It is a hoot and it also makes some good points about why people enjoy video.

Video is a great tool for marketing

Video content is growing at an exponential rate. YouTube, Vimeo, iTunes are probably the best know channels for online video. There is video email too. Face it, video is an important communication tool. Just yesterday I was introduced to a new product via a demonstration video. As access to tools like smart phones and tablets with video capture has expanded, so too has the number of new content creators. I use a variety of video capture tools, from the easy ones like iMovie to the big guns in the Adobe Production Premium Suite (Adobe Premiere, After Effects and Encore).

But what if you are self-conscious, shy or don’t like how you look, or are afraid to speak in public? What then? There are many ways to “skin a cat.” I had the help of a mentor. I sought out ways to challenge myself and as I got out into the work world, I met amazing people like Susan RoAne, author of several great books on networking, and my good friend, Joan Gale Frank. Joan created “Instant Guts” an audio program that gives step-by-step inspiration and practical exercises to help overcome fear and turn it into action. It is fun, funny and it works.

Become a Top Cat

Action Steps

Prepare some talking points to open a conversation
Rehearse what you intend to say in a relaxed setting
Join a networking group where you have an opportunity to speak on a regular basis
Join a group like Toastmasters where you learn to think on your feet
Don’t expect perfection
Be authentic, it is more valuable than being perfect
Focus on your audience

Storyboards

As you saw in the cat video, storyboards help you prepare and organize the information you intend to share. Here is link to a great free resource for storyboard forms. Did you know, Walt Disney is the father of storyboarding? Cinematographers have used storyboards to map out their films. You can use it for creating a visual map for your live presentations and for your next great video production.

What I learned from Cats

I still have days when I am more introvert than extrovert. Lucky for me, I have an in-house relaxation coach, my cat Simba. He has his priorities straight: eat, sleep, get hugs and love every day. And he is never camera-shy.

Tips for using LinkedIn

Judy Baker — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 21:14:10 +0000

I attended a presentation by Kurt Shaver’s at the Bay Area Consultants Network. His topic: ” Get LinkedIn to Sales”.

That’s Kurt to your left. Why is he smiling? He knows the secrets of making LinkedIn work to find customers. Below are a few things I learned from Kurt.

Improve Your Profile

He gave great tips on how to make it easier for people to find you on LinkedIn, the first step if they are going to hire you.

Use a great photo – a headshot that fills the space, is flattering, and that shows you as the professional you are
Use keywords to describe yourself and what you do (that’s what people are searching on)
You can reorder the sections of your profile by dragging and dropping
Make sure your summary is keyword rich and describes your accomplishments
Ask for recommendations

Making changes to Your Profile

I spent about a half an hour and made some significantI changes to my profile .

I moved sections around and I added a video clip to my profile.I have more updates planned.

See the results on my LinkedIn Profile

Want More Sales?

Kurt teaches how to get more clients using LinkedIn. Find out more here. He has a series of online workshops coming up in August. I give him two thumbs up.

Watch this short clip (49 sec) of Kurt to get a sample of his high energy and high impact training style.

Show Me – Why a Short Video Gets Results

Judy Baker — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 22:21:41 +0000

I made a short video (1 minute, 48 seconds) of a presentation made by Niki Camerin, an Interior Designer. In this brief movie, Niki explains why it pays to work with an interior designer. She makes her points clearly and is able to visually give us insights into what it would be like to work with her. She keeps the tone light and conversational while including metrics to back-up her statement that she can deliver quality results within the budget of her client.

Why Her Presentation Works

It is short
The tone is light and conversational
She uses words and pictures
She tell a story

Is there a conversation that captures what it is like to work with you? I recommend you find a way to turn that conversation into a video. Put it up on YouTube and on your web site. It will bring you one step closer to working with clients who are a good match for who you are and the value you provide.

The Tools I used to Make the Video

I captured the video with my iPhone 4. The movie was made using iMovie ’11 and iPhoto. The music came from istockphoto. I got a few tips on using iMovie the way I wanted it to perform from “iMovie ’11 & DVD, the missing manual” by David Pogue and Aaron Miller (available from O’Reilly).

Vibrant Visuals For Your Presentations

Judy Baker — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 19:00:06 +0000

Creating visuals for public presentations and as aids for training can be challenging. A good speaker can help their audience and keep them engaged with well thought out visuals that complement what they are saying. As a speaker and trainer, I appreciate the challenge of providing information that is clear, understandable, and concise. I am always looking for better ways to communicate with my audience when I come across tools that make this task easier I am compelled to share this with you.

Taking screenshots to show the steps of of process to someone who is unfamiliar with it, is useful for creating instructional content. There are numerous screen capture applications available on both Windows and Mac OS. Recently I started using TechSmith’s SnagIt. What distinguishes this product over others is the ability to add callouts, annotations, effects and everything from simple frames to a torn paper edge to your images.

Straight out of the box, SnagIt is intuitive and easy to use. The interface is clean and icons make sense. You can set the type of output you want, JPEG, PNG, and other common graphic formats. You also have the option of setting a slight delay in the timer when you capture the screen. It is also possible to capture a rolling screen in Firefox with the addition of Firefox plug-in.

Comparing SnagIt to Snapz Pro X for still screen capture, SnagIt is my new default choice because of its additional features. It is worthy addition to any instructional designers toolkit.

Best of all you can try it before you buy it. For this and other great software go to www.techsmith.com.

myBrainshark – another way to capture your content

Judy Baker — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:19:58 +0000

Valuable expertise on demand – rich business content and presentations | myBrainshark.

There are many ways to add video and share it on the web. My Brain Shark offers some unique and free options.

If you are a Powerpoint user you already know most of what you need to know to use My Brain Shark.

One feature that is different from other services I have found, you can use your telephone to record a audio track for your slides. No need to buy a microphone or worry about learning how to use it, just follow the dial in instructions and you are ready to record.

This could be a way for you to post a real “Audio Logo” on your web site.

See Me on YouTube

Judy Baker — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:01:19 +0000

Follow me on YouTube to learn marketing tips for entrepreneurs.
http://www.youtube.com/completelycreative. You can subscribe to my channel.

Camtasia is a Cool App

Judy Baker — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:12:21 +0000

Just created my first Camtasia Video. Lots to learn and I am determined to become a master of computer video capture. It is part of a presentation to the Bay Area Consultants Network.