One of the amazing things about the online media revolution is that it gives us access to places we could never have gotten into before.
Well I stumbled on one example of this … that I want to share with you.
Its a cool tidbit (actually, quite a bit more than a tidbit) from mega-marketing superstar Seth Godin.
Seth is the multi-bestselling author of books like Purple Cow, Meatball Sundae, Permission Marketing. And of course one of his most recent books, Tribes.
In the past, if you wanted to see Seth*s presentation on Tribes, you would have to pay thousands of dollars to attend a conference (or even more to work with him!).
But right now you can catch Seth*s entire PowerPoint presentation on his best-selling tribes … right here on the blog!
I absolutely did not see this one coming. But it really opened my eyes.
When I tuned into the Winter Olympics opening ceremony last Friday, I was expecting a bit of a letdown.
It wasn’t that I don*t LOVE Canada and my Canadian friends. (I do!) And I know Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
However, after the $300 million dollar (isn’t that staggering!) opening ceremonies in Beijing, what could this one with its $40 million dollar budget offer?
Boy, was I wrong!
And at the core of my come-uppance were some huge a-ha*s on how instrumental video is going to be the future success of each and every one of us.
While folks are swept up with the excitement of online video, others plow countless hours into videos viewed by only a handful of prospects. The fact is, video is just like any other sales tool: Using it improperly delivers catastrophic results.
But it doesn’t have to be this way! Avoiding the painful slideshow mistakes can mean the difference between failure, and riding the crest of a video profit wave.
With the deluge of videos crossing your desk every day — and the limited time you have to view them — its hard to view them as anything more than wasted time or light amusement.
However, videos are a powerful tool to boost your business. You just need to know which ones hold the secrets to your own success.
So, with that idea in mind: Time to present my Top Video Discoveries of 2009!
This isn’t the usual parade of surfing elephants piano playing dogs
These videos aren’t all the most viewed or most popular
Many of them weren’t even created this year.
Its likely that most of them you have never heard about.
However, each passed the two critical tests for any video to boost your business:
They elicit an almost involuntary, powerful emotional reaction
They illustrate powerful, fundamental bedrock profit boosting principles.
I can almost guarantee you will enjoy all of them. And also discover ways you can use similar videos to catapult your own business in the coming year.
I am sure you have probably asked yourself the question: “Can a video that explodes viraly get more than views? Is it possible to leverage the visibility of a great video to take your business where you never thought it could go, more quickly than you imagined possible?”
The answer is a resounding “Yes!” On today’s video, Our Top Video Discovery of 2009 proves it.
Every now and then, you run into a video that has it all:
1. Creative (or even groundbreaking) technique
2. Hugely entertaining
3. Generates tremendous buzz for its creators.
4. Showcases what the creator does best, and positions that talent in a positive, highly attractive manner to a receptive worldwide audience.
This video featured all 4 factors in abundance, and did it so well, its my Top Video Discovery of 2009:
One of the best ways to garner attention for your videos is to ride the coat tails of current events.
Whether its something newsworthy, a pop culture phenomenon (American Idol), or anything else that has caught the public’s fancy, if its done well its almost guaranteed to draw a reaction. And when you can relate it to a program, product or campaign you have coming up, the result can be pure gold!
Here is an example I did late last year spoofing the balloon boy controversy:
“Oh, I could never do video! Its waaay too technical.”
Its amazing how much I hear this. And if this is the way you feel, you are missing a hugely lucrative boat.
Because simplicity is often the key to video success. (See Video Discovery #6 — Beachwalks with Rox). And one of the biggest online video success stories has alot more in common with Gumby and good old fashioned stop motion animation than digital computer effects.
Its Common Craft. And its “in plain english” videos, featuring paper cutouts moved by hand around a board have been seen by millions. In fact, if you signed up for Twitter recently, you may have seen this one:
Its one of the biggest roadblocks people face in enjoying true success from their online video: “I am getting alot of views”, they say. “People love my video. But I am not getting any traffic. This doesn’t work!”
Which is sad, because they may be giving up just moments from their ultimate success.
Video DOES work. If you are willing to do just a few simple, but crucial things to help it along.
And there is one action that can skyrocket the results from your videos more than just about any other.
One of the great things about video is you can make up for lack of technical skills with something much more powerful. In fact most of the folks who have created massive followings with their videos, rely on this one characteristic:
The power of personality.
And one of the folks who have leveraged this to create an online following is Justine Ezarik. Also known as iJustine.
Gogeous. 20-something. But also a confirmed nerd (like alot of us) who shoots and edits her own video (like alot of us would like to). Who would rather spend time at the Apple Store than a singles bar (like alot of us). Who’s idea of hot is Steve Jobs instead of the studs from the latest “Twilight” movie.
Here she does a 2009 Year in Review Video of her doing a dance in every Apple Store she visited during the year:
