Businesses are recognising the increased value of business videos given the lowering costs of production and the rise of broadband bandwidth and therefore ease of distribution provided by the Internet.
You Tube has created an explosion in video viewing online and created a medium for promotional message delivery that has, with its worldwide audiences in the 100’s of millions, surpassed television advertising. More-and-more businesses are now demanding video on their websites that ‘tell their story’, as they recognize the power of video. However, they lack the skills to create a cost-effective video production that looks professional.
Equipment and video editing software costs are now at a level that allows anyone with a basic computer and a $500 video camera to create broadcast quality productions. However, video production companies still have a place in the market as they promise a high-quality look to the video that amateurs cannot easily replicate. Unfortunately, now businesses are discovering that a traditional business video does not create the expected results and has little to no cut-through in the overcrowded market.
Missing in this explosion of video content is intelligent and well-defined marketing strategies. This is where professional video productions come in.
You can access a range of video production formats which businesses can use to build their brand, create cost-effective product promotion/advertising and educate their customers.
Each format should have its own set creative scripting process, pre-production planning system and shoot-day procedures to ensure quality and to make it quick and easy for producers to implement these formats.
There are a range of video ‘distribution’ strategies that can be employed to ensure your target market will view the video locally and globally.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Uber Urban - consumer trends for 2011
Have a read of the latest offering from TrendWatching [below], a fascinating insight into one of the largest consumer trends for 2011.
Urbanization remains one of the absolute mega trends for the coming decade. Here's just one telling stat: “Today, half the world’s population – 3 billion people – lives in urban areas. Close to 180,000 people move into cities daily, adding roughly 60 million new urban dwellers each year.” (Source: Intuit, October 2010)
How will this change the consumer arena? Firstly, urban consumers tend to be more daring, more liberal, more tolerant, more experienced, more prone to trying out new products and services. In emerging markets, these effects tend to be even more pronounced, with new arrivals finding themselves distanced from traditional social and familial structures, while constantly exposed to a wider range of alternatives.
Secondly, keep a close eye out for ‘URBAN ISLANDS’: just 100 cities currently account for 30% of the world's economy, and almost all its innovation. Many are world capitals that have evolved and adapted through centuries of dominance: London, New York, Paris, etc. New York City's economy alone is larger than 46 of sub-Saharan Africa's economies combined. Hong Kong receives more tourists annually than all of India (Source: Foreign Policy, August 2010). However, metropolises such as Shanghai, Sao Paulo and Istanbul are obviously keen to join the top ranks, too.
Catering to city-citizens in these vast urban entities requires a local, dedicated approach in products, services and campaigns that mirror if not surpass the usual country-specific approach.
To cut a long story short: In 2011, go for products, services, experiences or campaigns that tailor to the very specific (and often more refined, more experienced) needs of urbanites worldwide, if not city by city. And don't forget to infuse them with a heavy dose of ‘URBAN PRIDE’. From Smirnoff’s Absolut Cities to BMW's Megacity vehicle, urban is the way to go.
Urbanization remains one of the absolute mega trends for the coming decade. Here's just one telling stat: “Today, half the world’s population – 3 billion people – lives in urban areas. Close to 180,000 people move into cities daily, adding roughly 60 million new urban dwellers each year.” (Source: Intuit, October 2010)
How will this change the consumer arena? Firstly, urban consumers tend to be more daring, more liberal, more tolerant, more experienced, more prone to trying out new products and services. In emerging markets, these effects tend to be even more pronounced, with new arrivals finding themselves distanced from traditional social and familial structures, while constantly exposed to a wider range of alternatives.
Secondly, keep a close eye out for ‘URBAN ISLANDS’: just 100 cities currently account for 30% of the world's economy, and almost all its innovation. Many are world capitals that have evolved and adapted through centuries of dominance: London, New York, Paris, etc. New York City's economy alone is larger than 46 of sub-Saharan Africa's economies combined. Hong Kong receives more tourists annually than all of India (Source: Foreign Policy, August 2010). However, metropolises such as Shanghai, Sao Paulo and Istanbul are obviously keen to join the top ranks, too.
Catering to city-citizens in these vast urban entities requires a local, dedicated approach in products, services and campaigns that mirror if not surpass the usual country-specific approach.
To cut a long story short: In 2011, go for products, services, experiences or campaigns that tailor to the very specific (and often more refined, more experienced) needs of urbanites worldwide, if not city by city. And don't forget to infuse them with a heavy dose of ‘URBAN PRIDE’. From Smirnoff’s Absolut Cities to BMW's Megacity vehicle, urban is the way to go.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Price pandemonium
There is little doubt that consumer behaviour is changing at lightening speed! Smart businesses are studying these consumer trends to better position their products and services in the rapidly changing marketplace.
The increased availability of dynamic pricing options is enabled by technology advancements such as hand held device applications. The latest trend watching report [below] offers some fascinating insights ..
While consumers have always looked out for special offers and discounts, new technologies and services mean that 2011 will see total PRICE PANDEMONIUM:
More consumers are constantly connected, and when they hear about new deals online can quickly and easily spread them through their social networks.
Increasingly, consumers will be part of exclusive networks or groups to either receive special deals or demand them.
Mobile devices increasingly enable consumers to find or receive dynamic deals right at the point of sale, or to compare prices online. Case in point: Amazon.com just released an iPhone app that allows users to compare prices by scanning the product's barcode, photographing it or saying its name.
Always-on connectivity is changing consumer spending habits in myriad ways. For example, coupon clipping required planning and dedication, hence wasn't that popular with consumers more interested in the here and now (see NOWISM), but now is a near-effortless online activity. Furthermore, whipping out one’s smartphone at the counter, getting the latest deal via GPS, or barcode scanning is well, smart. And therefore a source of status rather than shame.
Source: Trend Watching Report - Dec 2010
The increased availability of dynamic pricing options is enabled by technology advancements such as hand held device applications. The latest trend watching report [below] offers some fascinating insights ..
While consumers have always looked out for special offers and discounts, new technologies and services mean that 2011 will see total PRICE PANDEMONIUM:
More consumers are constantly connected, and when they hear about new deals online can quickly and easily spread them through their social networks.
Increasingly, consumers will be part of exclusive networks or groups to either receive special deals or demand them.
Mobile devices increasingly enable consumers to find or receive dynamic deals right at the point of sale, or to compare prices online. Case in point: Amazon.com just released an iPhone app that allows users to compare prices by scanning the product's barcode, photographing it or saying its name.
Always-on connectivity is changing consumer spending habits in myriad ways. For example, coupon clipping required planning and dedication, hence wasn't that popular with consumers more interested in the here and now (see NOWISM), but now is a near-effortless online activity. Furthermore, whipping out one’s smartphone at the counter, getting the latest deal via GPS, or barcode scanning is well, smart. And therefore a source of status rather than shame.
Source: Trend Watching Report - Dec 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Social media marketing made easy
Part of the benefit of my membership of the NZ Institute of Management and the AMA (American Marketing Association) is a steady flow of excellent market research information. I thought you might be interested to read the following quick list of easy steps you can take to start your marketing journey into social media. These simple activities should help ease the uncertainty about how you can engage in this exciting growth media.
Happy reading!
Hamish
Social Media Made Easy
Posting Date: May 06, 2010
By: Brianne Murphy Miller
Nothing’s ever easy, right? Wrong. There are ways to ease into social media without it taking up your entire business life. If you just want to dip your toe into the social media pool, here are 10 easy tips:
1. If you’ve created a Facebook fan page, update it with something once a week at least. Use special offers, video, promotions, news. A fan page that just sits there isn’t working for you.
2. Create a corporate Twitter account and tweet daily. Make sure that your corporate name is part of your handle. For example, if you make widgets, your Twitter account should either be WidgetCo or a spokesperson, say WidgetBob. Tweet each day about something new/interesting in the industry.
3. Don’t blog for blog’s sake. If it’s pulling teeth for you to write an interesting post at least once a week…just don’t do it, or find someone else in your organization who has the talent/interest. Remember, the most interesting blogs aren’t necessarily from the CEO.
4. Just like brushing your teeth, check in twice a day. Tweet in the morning and update FB at night and maybe blog in between. But don’t be a slave to the output. If your social media activities take more than 15 minutes a day, you’re actively marketing—which is great, but maybe you should palm that off to the marketing department right about now.
5. Take 30 minutes to view the platforms and networks available to consolidate and build your social media activities (TweetDeck, Ning, Twitpic, etc.). A good place to start is Mashable, which has tons of great articles on getting started and how to pick tools. It’s a lot easier to update in one spot than hop around cyberspace.
6. Do not use a corporate social media tool to communicate about anything else except the corporation. You may be quite passionate about a political hot-button, but this is not the place to talk about it.
7. Don’t forget that it’s a transparent world. You know that political debate you’re having on your personal Facebook page? Unless you’ve set your personal privacy settings, anyone can see it. If you think that there could be repercussions to employers, colleagues or industry pundits knowing your stand—delete it.
8. Don’t let someone else post for you. Of course many CEO’s and spokespersons rely on agency or in-house talent to suggest topics or maybe even lay out a few bullet points…but no one should have access to any social media account that has your personal name on it. The term hacking comes to mind…
9. Fess up to connections. It’s not just the media who should adhere to full disclosure rules. If you have a vested interest in something you are blogging/tweeting/Facebooking about—state it upfront. Honesty is still the best policy.
10. Use links, photos and video. You know that saying, “a picture tells a thousand stories?” And links are great—they show connections between you and others and encourage outside entities to link back to you.
This article was originally published in Landis Communications Inc.’s (www.landispr.com) e-newsletter, Backtalk. It is republished here with permission.
Happy reading!
Hamish
Social Media Made Easy
Posting Date: May 06, 2010
By: Brianne Murphy Miller
Nothing’s ever easy, right? Wrong. There are ways to ease into social media without it taking up your entire business life. If you just want to dip your toe into the social media pool, here are 10 easy tips:
1. If you’ve created a Facebook fan page, update it with something once a week at least. Use special offers, video, promotions, news. A fan page that just sits there isn’t working for you.
2. Create a corporate Twitter account and tweet daily. Make sure that your corporate name is part of your handle. For example, if you make widgets, your Twitter account should either be WidgetCo or a spokesperson, say WidgetBob. Tweet each day about something new/interesting in the industry.
3. Don’t blog for blog’s sake. If it’s pulling teeth for you to write an interesting post at least once a week…just don’t do it, or find someone else in your organization who has the talent/interest. Remember, the most interesting blogs aren’t necessarily from the CEO.
4. Just like brushing your teeth, check in twice a day. Tweet in the morning and update FB at night and maybe blog in between. But don’t be a slave to the output. If your social media activities take more than 15 minutes a day, you’re actively marketing—which is great, but maybe you should palm that off to the marketing department right about now.
5. Take 30 minutes to view the platforms and networks available to consolidate and build your social media activities (TweetDeck, Ning, Twitpic, etc.). A good place to start is Mashable, which has tons of great articles on getting started and how to pick tools. It’s a lot easier to update in one spot than hop around cyberspace.
6. Do not use a corporate social media tool to communicate about anything else except the corporation. You may be quite passionate about a political hot-button, but this is not the place to talk about it.
7. Don’t forget that it’s a transparent world. You know that political debate you’re having on your personal Facebook page? Unless you’ve set your personal privacy settings, anyone can see it. If you think that there could be repercussions to employers, colleagues or industry pundits knowing your stand—delete it.
8. Don’t let someone else post for you. Of course many CEO’s and spokespersons rely on agency or in-house talent to suggest topics or maybe even lay out a few bullet points…but no one should have access to any social media account that has your personal name on it. The term hacking comes to mind…
9. Fess up to connections. It’s not just the media who should adhere to full disclosure rules. If you have a vested interest in something you are blogging/tweeting/Facebooking about—state it upfront. Honesty is still the best policy.
10. Use links, photos and video. You know that saying, “a picture tells a thousand stories?” And links are great—they show connections between you and others and encourage outside entities to link back to you.
This article was originally published in Landis Communications Inc.’s (www.landispr.com) e-newsletter, Backtalk. It is republished here with permission.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Quest Marketing
It’s easy to talk about building profitability. What is much more difficult is to turn that talk into action.
Quest Marketing assists businesses focus on the core strategies that have the biggest impact on growth and long term sustainability. We assist with providing answers to key business questions:
Who are your future customers?
What do they want?
How do you attract them?
Our service is targeted at organisations wishing to enter or expand into specific markets. Services can be purchased as a total outsourced package or as individual solutions tailored to client needs.
Quest Marketing assists businesses focus on the core strategies that have the biggest impact on growth and long term sustainability. We assist with providing answers to key business questions:
Who are your future customers?
What do they want?
How do you attract them?
Our service is targeted at organisations wishing to enter or expand into specific markets. Services can be purchased as a total outsourced package or as individual solutions tailored to client needs.
Get the most out of your marketing dollars!
Have you ever wondered how top performing businesses keep ahead of their competitors? One of the primary reasons is that they have a thorough understanding of future trends, market opportunities and how to benefit from them. They also know the strengths and weaknesses of their competitors and how to achieve superior performance. So .. how does your business rate? Quest Marketing helps businesses with in depth market research, contact us today for further information.
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