Crowdfunding: How To Make It Work!

Crowdfunding: How To Make It Work!

Today, let’s talk about crowdfunding.

I’m sure most, if not all of you are familiar with what crowdfunding is. Over the past few years, several sites have appeared, giving variety and choice to anyone looking to raise funds through the generosity of the public at large.

Simply put, crowdfunding consists of an idea that is posted on a crowdfunding site with the intention of raising funds through connections, connections of connections, and the public at large. Sounds simple, right?

In theory, yes it is. However, just like every other form of marketing, planning and appropriate strategy around the delivery of your project is crucial to your success or your failure.

I actually had a different topic plan for today, but was asked to check out a crowdfunding venture for a friend of mine on Indigogo. At first glance, the project seemed to have followed a plan for execution. But, unfortunately, I believe the project has executed itself before it really got off the ground. Read more

The Top Five Reasons You Should Be Implementing Video In Your Marketing

video marketing

You’ve heard about demand generation, right?

Just in case you are unclear of what, exactly, this means, demand generation is the focus of targeted marketing programs to drive awareness and interest in a company’s products/services.

This article points out the top five reasons why video marketing has become a key component of content marketing and demand generation strategies.

1. Video has higher retention rates and initiates higher engagement.

It is no surprise to any of us that attention spans are becoming shorter and shorter as technology improves and advances. In fact, latest studies have defined our attention spans at a mere 8 seconds. So that’s it! That’s how long you have to capture the attention of your audience. This means that you should be strategic about the content you are providing for your audience. According to a report by Invodo, more than 65% of viewers watch more than three quarters of each video, which is considerably higher that text-based content.

2. Video as a marketing medium drives more conversions.

We all love to share information and help others. But at the core, we are in business to make money. And, without sales, there is no money. Using video to deliver content to your audience can be a key driver in building trust, awareness and interest in your company and its offerings. In fact, over 70% of marketers believe that video is the most effective way to drive conversions, with product videos increasing your prospects purchasing intent by up to 85%.

3. Video enhances the results of additional content and marketing efforts.

As stand-alone content, videos have proven themselves to be incredibly effective. Used to support other content assets, video can boost the engagement factor considerably. Consider the effectiveness of a video landing page. The integration of video into a sales page allows the prospect to engage more personally with the company and helps to build credibility and trust.

4. Video helps you gain insight into the behaviours of your visitors.

Let’s face it; we love to sell our products. Perhaps you have an eBook that a prospect has downloaded. But we have no way of tracking what the prospect did with the eBook once it was downloaded. Did they read it? Did they find it useful? There really is no way of knowing. But with video, you can track how many viewers it had, how much of the video is being watched, and if viewers are interacting with any clickable links within the video.

5. Video is more accessible than ever to companies of all sizes.

Prospects and clients are expecting more and more video content. In fact, according to Cisco, nearly 80% of all internet traffic is expected to be video based by 2018. But with the increase in demand for video, the tools have become less expensive, allowing any business to create video for their prospects and clients. Although high end video productions still have their place, newer technologies have brought the ability to shoot and edit video within the reach of any business. The biggest obstacle seems to be getting over the ‘camera-shy’ part of video production.

You don’t need any expensive or highly technical equipment or software to start creating video today. In fact, you can even use your smartphone to record a video. And online video tools such as Camtasia and GoAnimate help you to create a professional video right from your own desktop. As for hosting and distribution, you can easily share video across a number of networks such as YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, etc., as well as embedding them in emails and on your website. You may want to investigate video marketing platforms as well, to provide you with metrics for measurable ROI.

So there you have it – the top 5 reasons why you should be doing video marketing. What are you waiting for?

You can visit our YouTube Channel here.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

Top Ten Marketing Mistakes: No. 9

video series

Do you identify with your clients?

After our technical issues on Tuesday, we finally got our video uploaded and it looks like lots of you have already had the chance to view it.  We’ve been receiving some great feedback about what has been presented so far, and we are excited to continue to share more with you.

With that in mind, and considering it is Thursday, here is the link to our next video describing mistake number 9 of our series.  Enjoy!

Oh, and sorry for the abrupt ending to this video – looks like all of our technical glitches haven’t quite been ironed out.  🙂

 Watch our video now, or watch on YouTube.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

The “I Hate to be on Camera” Guide to Video Marketing

on camera

Hate being on camera?

There is no denying the simple fact that video marketing has become one of the most popular ways to tell your story, and is an important tool to use even if you hate to be on camera.

The old saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words” is now truer than ever, and to miss out on the opportunity to employ this method of communicating with your clients and prospects could become a real barrier to your company’s potential growth.

Based on research from comScore published earlier this year, mobile usage surpassed desktop usage in 2014 and is on the rise. It now accounts for approximately 60% of web surfing.

Along with this increased mobile usage come shorter attention spans. And the best way to capture and retain the interest of prospects and clients is with an interesting and concise video that will keep them engaged and interested in your message.

But, what if you’re camera-shy?

Well, there are a couple of ways around that.

The first is to utilize the power of slide presentation software such as PowerPoint, as well as using screen capture software such as Camtasia. This allows you to create presentations on your computer, narrate them, and upload them to YouTube or other video sites.

The other thing you can do is get over yourself.

Now, I’m not trying to be rude here. I say this because I believe that you have to practice what you preach.

I, like most of you I suspect, absolutely hate being in front of a camera. It doesn’t matter if it is a still shot or a video camera, I have been successfully dodging being captured since the days of film.

But I have recognized that in order to market yourself and your business online, you have to engage and entertain prospects and clients in ways that build that most important element – trust!

Through the creation of videos, you get to “meet” your prospects. Hopefully, if your videos are providing them with something interesting, entertaining, and/or useful, they will eventually become your clients.

Take small steps towards making your videos, if that’ll help you become more comfortable. I started by posting narrated slideshow videos. And although that is a very effective and useful way of communicating your message, I decided to take the leap and create a series capturing myself on video speaking to the topic.

Was I out of my comfort zone? Absolutely!

Was I self-conscious? You bet!

Did I struggle with remembering my notes and where to look? Yep!

But I persisted!  I did several takes of each session, chose the best of the lot, and had them produced. And with each topic, I became a bit more comfortable.

Am I now a movie pro? Not by a long shot.

But I did get over myself in order to bring some important advice and information to you – and help you get over it if you also hate to be on camera.

So get ready, because this Thursday, March 12th, the introductory video for my series, “The Top Ten Marketing Mistakes Small Businesses Make” will make its appearance.
Each video in the series will speak to one of the top 10 – in countdown fashion.

Be sure to tune in.  And, please, look past the self-conscious delivery and pay attention to the message in each of the videos. You won’t regret it. And you just might become motivated to start creating your own webcasts!

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

Marketing On YouTube – Part Five

youtube marketing faqs

The Top FAQ’s About YouTube Marketing

Hopefully, the previous 4 videos have shown you the clear advantages to using YouTube marketing to grow your business and increase your brand awareness. In this final video, we address the top FAQ’s regarding using YouTube for marketing.

Watch our video about YouTube Marketing FAQ’s now, or on YouTube.

This video will answer the most common questions that come up regarding YouTube video marketing. Read more

Marketing On YouTube – Part Four

youtube marketing success

Revealing The Top 7 Steps To YouTube Marketing Success

By now, you have debunked the YouTube marketing myths and have learned the top 5 reasons why you should be using this online tool to help grow your business. In this video, the fourth in our series, we reveal the top 7 steps to achieve YouTube marketing success.

Watch our video now, or on YouTube.

This video lays out, step by step, the top 7 things you can and should do to ensure marketing success using YouTube. Read more

Marketing On YouTube – Part Three

youtube marketing top reasons

The Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Be Using YouTube Marketing For Your Business

Our previous post pointed out the top 4 misconceptions about YouTube marketing and showed why those are simply myths. In this video, we will show you the top 5 reasons why you should be using YouTube to help market your business.

Watch our video now, or on YouTube:

In this video, you’ll discover why you should be taking advantage of this marketing platform and how your business can benefit. Read more

Marketing On YouTube – Part One

youtube marketing

So what is YouTube Marketing – and why should you be using it anyway?

Are you marketing your business on YouTube?  If not, you are missing a great opportunity to engage with your clients and prospects, build trust, and promote your products and services.

Over the next few months, we will be uploading a series of videos that will outline to you the reasons why you should be using this online tool to help build your business.  The videos were created from an online presentation that was developed and delivered in 2013; the statistics may have changed and the quality isn’t great, (video engagement has increased since then) but the concepts and principles remain relevant.

Watch our first video now, or watch on YouTube.

In this video, you will learn what YouTube marketing is, and why you should be using it. Read more

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