http://www.theinfofile.com/ Articles at The Info File.Com en-us http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/how-to-integrate-stock-footage-clips-into-your-video-production.html http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/how-to-integrate-stock-footage-clips-into-your-video-production.html Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:13:08 +0100
The biggest advantage of using stock footage with your video productions is the time and money it saves. You don't need a bunch of resources like cameras and actors or correspondents and spend hours or days trying to get the right shot. You can search the online repository until you find just the right shot to help you achieve your vision. Then you can combine it with your own footage to drive your point home.

One of the situations where I routinely integrate footage clips is if I'm doing a piece that is pertinent to a specific location. I can usually find video footage that is indicative of the culture or geographic location of the topic of my piece so that it becomes a tool that I can use to paint a picture for my audience.

Another way I use these clips is to reaffirm a point that I've just made. For example, say you've just given statistics on the air clarity of a specific city and why it's not very good due to a specific industry. You can deliver your statistics and then at the end of that particular segment you might show a picture of smoke stacks bellowing pollution into the air.
I also tend to use stock footage clips to help transition into a new segment. After you show your shot of the smoke stacks you can then show a stock clip of children playing on a playground and provide information about how pollution effects air quality and how bad it is for humans. This will help transition into another segment that will help convey your overall message.

Stock footage clips are a great resource for video producers. Instead of trying to catch exactly the right shot yourself you can quickly and easily go out to an online video repository and search for the clip that best fits what you are trying to display to your viewers. Integrating stock footage into your video is a great way to manage costs and resources and help turn out a professional, polished video production.

]]> http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/how-do-you-how-to.html http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/how-do-you-how-to.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:46:06 +0100
Ah, but that's not to say there's no money in how-tos. How-to celebs like Kimberly Clayton Blaine and Michelle Phan have made substantial headway in the world of how-to videos, with their once quiet video sites gaining major cooperation from organizations like Lancôme and Yahoo! as a result of their rapidly-growing popularity.

But what exactly makes a good, solid how-to video? What parts need to be included in a proper series in order to encourage people to keep coming back for view after view?

Part 1: Choose a Topic People Care About

It might seem like a given, but a lot of marketers seem to forget that people have emotions and minds of their own, and they can tell when someone isn't giving their all. Someone who is obviously "phoning in" a performance is likely to get dismissed out of hand compared to someone who obviously is knowledgeable and passionate about their chosen topic.

There are a lot of ways for a presenter to show they care about a topic. Great how-to artists — and when done well, it truly is an art — like to diverge from the main discussion to give a very short aside, such as a recipe specialist sharing an anecdote about mixing up salt and sugar in an icing recipe. Others might offer tips about how to circumvent official channels for acquiring supplies and share knowledge about secondary, less expensive sources. In short, the great ones don't just share the hard details, they also behind-the-scenes information to help spark their audience's interest.

Part 2: Ensure Purity of Purpose

That said, small asides that showcase personal interest in the topic are good, but the stress must be on "small" or short. The average attention span of most web users is not terrifically long — there's so much to see, do and learn, so a how-to video must capture interest and hold it without fail for the duration. Thus, make sure that every element included in the video is absolutely necessary to the message being conveyed and/or to capturing the audience's hearts and minds.

If a small aside illustrates a more personal interest and helps the viewer connect, great — keep that in. If, on the other hand, it's just kind of funny, nix it. Focus on the details and make sure that everything in the video is bent to the task of fulfilling the how-to process. Always remember that the viewer is present for a reason: to learn what information is available.

Part 3: Allow for Style

Each person has his or her own style, without question. Style is a complicated thing: It's composed of accent, pattern of speaking, physical mannerisms, personal attire and more. Does the presenter actually show up in the video, or does the video conceal his or her face? Is the video shot in real time, edited for sectional content or does it use a stop-motion process so that the presenter is never visible throughout?

No one style is appropriate to every venue, and styles can be stretched to odd degrees. One might find it odd to adopt an exceptionally formal tone when presenting a how-to on baked beans and cornbread. On the other hand, this kind of style might be exaggerated for comedic effect, and this human element of irony might keep the viewers coming back. In short, don't be afraid to experiment with a few different styles, possibly under alternative accounts, until finding one that works.

Step 4: Take the Time Needed; No More and No Less

YouTube is a popular venue for video how-tos, for obvious reasons. The default length for most videos is 10 minutes, which provides a reasonable benchmark for simpler how-to guides. It also has become a benchmark for video tolerance in general simply because of the sheer number of users growing accustomed to videos based around this length. That said, YouTube recently increased its maximum video length to 15 minutes, so be sure to keep an eye on viewers' habits.

Indeed, the issue of time can be a bit tricky for a how-to. Ideally, unless the procedure is a particularly long one, the how-to should be kept to a single video. This may mean taking multiple shoots to see how various treatment lengths work for the project. On the other hand, don't be afraid to let the video expand to several "episodes" if the how-to in question is large enough. Something as complicated and involved as building a backyard deck can reasonably be expected to require several videos to encompass.

Step 5: Cross Promote

The currency of the web is reputation. If people think poorly of a site, it gets poor views. Having a good attitude and a cooperative spirit is often the best way to get a good promotion off the ground, and this includes how-to videos.

For example, a site might consider promoting a fellow though unaffiliated how-to expert if their videos cover a gap in the site's own knowledge. A cooking site whose patrons ask about a type of cooking none of the site's staff specialize in could refer them to a colleague who just happens to know what he's talking about. Additionally, one might promote webzines and non-how-to sites that cover similar topics. ]]> http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/6-business-uses-for-a-blog.html http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/6-business-uses-for-a-blog.html Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:12:36 +0100 Blogging for your Business), I'm often asked, "what would I use a blog for?" Most of us have seen how individuals might use a blog as an online journal of their lives - a place to vent and talk about what's important to them - but how does a business use a blog to actually benefit the business?

Here, in no particular order, are a variety of ways that a business can make great use of a blog format.

1. Answer Questions

If you ever receive questions about your business or industry, either direct or implied, you can answer those questions in your blog. You simply start by posting the question, leaving out who asked it of course, and then answer it.

This is particularly effective since most people end up asking themselves the same questions, so it's likely that you will be providing valuable information to many people. In fact, you should fully expect that eventually people will be using a search engine like Google and will type in your exact question and your blog post, with the answer, will come up as a result.

If you have an FAQ system or page, you can discuss the same questions and topics - the format of the blog post is simply more casual and conversational, while an FAQ entry should generally be more formal and to the point.

2. Client Spotlight

If you just completed a large or interesting project, or simply have something nice or compelling to say regarding a specific client, use your blog to share. It's a great way to illustrate how you might handle a specific project or even a challenge. Be sure to get the client's permission before you post your entry.

3. Reviews

If you read an article in the newspaper or some other online source that you think your customers should read, post a link to it in a blog entry and explain why you think it's relevant to your clients. Conversely, you could also use this method to respond to negative press your business or industry may receive online.

You can also review a new product or service.

4. Teach

Regularly take a topic or issue from your industry and teach your clients all about it. This method involves a little more work on your part, but is eventually even more rewarding and compelling than others.

First, do your homework. Make sure that everything you state is correct and verifiable. Use statistics if you can and cite your source

Second, create your blog entry in a Word file and see how long it is. Break it up into smaller sections if its lengthy and label them Part I, Part II, and so on. You now have not only several blog posts, but a series that will entice readers to come back for the next part.

5. Lists

A particularly common technique is to make lists. You can list anything you want, anything that might be interesting to your clients, and talk about each list item for a moment before moving on to the next. An easy topic might be Do's and Dont's for your clients as I'm sure nearly every business has common pitfalls that their clients struggle with, as well as things every new client should be doing.

Do not feel forced to come up with a specific number, like "Top Ten", as that will simply frustrate you when you can only think of 8 items. It's your blog, so list 5 or 50 if you want to.

6. Events & Conferences

Use your blog to talk about and announce upcoming events and conferences, if it's something you think some of your clients may want to attend or be interested in. If it's a conference for vendors like yourself, then talk about it afterward and share some of the things you learned that might prove valuable to your customers.



Regardless of which method you use, always make sure that you re-read your entry for correct grammar, spelling, and factual information. Also, whenever possible, make sure that you're using your targeted keywords. If you can, refer to older blog entries or articles you may have written and link back to them (that's referred to as deep linking).

Of course, the beauty of a blog is that there are no rules or regulations. Your posts can be as long or as short as you want, and on any schedule you like (though the more regular you post, the better). Furthermore, there's no reason why you can't utilize each and every one of the techniques above, and anything else you might find or invent. Your blog doesn't have to be the same each and every week, as long as the overall topic remains the same - your business and your industry. Continue to write interesting and helpful information and your blog will become a great sales tool for you and your website. ]]> http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/brand-management-success-story-i-can-has-branding-success.html http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/brand-management-success-story-i-can-has-branding-success.html Tue, 17 Aug 2010 05:36:19 +0100
Yes, you heard that correctly! Pictures of cats in amusing poses with badly-mangled English captions in the vein of "I can has cheezburger?" or "Y dat fud on fyr?" proved so popular that the most central blog hosting them was purchased by an investing company for a cool $2 million. A young man in Hawaii, along with his girlfriend, started the blog as a part time, casual activity.

It's truly the kind of story you can't make up.

Today, the Cheezburger network is a very successful web-based brand. People can use the shorthand associated with the site, and "LoLCats" have been featured on several news networks and hardcover books. LoL-oriented clothing articles have been produced and sold, and the site continues to expand its influence by adopting new domains into its control. Not a bad start for something that began as a joke on the Internet. So what exactly are some of the things the Cheezburger Network is doing right?

Brand Vitality

The Cheezburger website has not remained stagnant in its efforts to bring the joys of feline laughter to the world. Almost immediately, a spinoff site — "I can has hotdog?" — was associated with the network. This followed the fairly obvious step of including humorous canines in the mix, but sometimes the obvious step is the most important one that companies end up neglecting.

The network has further diversified its assets, remaining vital. It recently included the FAILblog (a very popular site that showcases instances of ironic failure, like pictures of a posted "no seagulls" sign on which a seagull has landed) in its efforts. Other sites include Very Demotivational, Funny Engrish (a site focusing on foreign language to English mistranslations) and "happy chair is happy" (which looks for "faces" in everyday objects).

All of these efforts focus on the same central theme of an image and text juxtaposed for humorous effect, and each follows the doctrine of 100 percent user-submitted content. But they are all subtly different and cater to a related yet different market of audience. This both brings in wholly new audiences to the network and allows for cross-pollination between markets, as it's likely the fans of one site also will appreciate at least some of the others.

Furthermore, the site has published physical collections of some of its work for sale in bookstores, and clothing articles available in its own online store. This indicates a commitment to a diversity of assets, and shows that every brand can branch out in many directions.

User Focus

As mentioned above, the content on the Cheezburger Network is user-contributed. In the original iteration of the LoLCat phenomenon, users captioned their own photos in home editing programs and uploaded them to the site. Realizing that the more pictures they had, the more successful they would be, the site included a new measure intended to make the process easier for the users. They implemented a builder that would allow users to input the text, font style and location on the picture on which they wished it to appear.

This simple attempt to reduce the workload, coupled with the later feature of offering users the chance to caption random uncaptioned pictures, shows a commitment to embracing the user-centric ideology that defines the modern web. The audience has much more input, and some people will submit a dozen entries in one day in the hopes that theirs ends up on the front page. This, of course, increases traffic and creates an excess of product that the network can enjoy.

Parallel Products and Open Minds

The LoL phenomenon has spawned some unusual side products, as well. Given that certain words have constantly popped up in most of the pictures, and that a certain "grammar" seemed to be consistent, linguistic students came up and ran with the idea of creating an actual language out of this project. Thus was born the constructed language LoLSpeak. One might readily discount it, but it's been submitted as a class project in some cases, and there is a serious effort underway to translate the King James Bible into LoLSpeak.

There are other projects as well. For example, LoLCode, a programming language based on LoLSpeak, also has been developed.

Now, in an age when intellectual property is protected as zealously as national treasures, one might not fault the Cheezburger network for perhaps discouraging this kind of activity. After all, it brings them no profit, and it is a use of their IP. But instead, the network has embraced and encouraged these projects, bringing them directly on board with advice and sometimes even web space. The owners of the site recognize that, once again, their product is incredibly audience-based and user-generated. By encouraging these side projects, they increase their own visibility and gain a reputation for user friendliness as well, thus cementing their brand's powerful place in the hearts of pet lovers, idiocy watchers and linguistic students everywhere. ]]> http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/difference-between-wristbands.html http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/difference-between-wristbands.html Mon, 16 Aug 2010 05:30:30 +0100 wristbands. Many of the silicone wristbands are used represent the faith of an individual to a charitable organization. The wristbands have become extremely popular. Many companies now specialize in the customization of silicone, and rubber bracelets.

Having entered the marketplace, there have been the marketing of two types of wristbands. The silicone wristband, and the rubber wristband. There's no apparent difference between silicone and rubber wristbands other than the customization. However, scientifically there are unique differences in the organic, and chemical structure.

Silicone is an organic chemical compound that take the form of resin, grease, oil, and rubber. However, it should be noted that the difference in silicone rubber is explicit, although it may or may not contain the similar ingredients (noting the chemical differences). In the use of silicone to make the popular wristbands, the basis of silicone to be "organic" allows for the product to be less allergenic than rubber. The silicone wristbands also tend to last longer than the rubber counter-product. Silicone is a chemical compound that contains silicon, oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon.

Examining the rubber wristbands, these too are not different is appearance from the silicone wristbands. The rubber is a synthetic rubber, and not a natural rubber. Although most "rubber" made products do contain some trace amounts of natural rubber. Before the introduction of petroleum into the making of rubber, most products could have contained up to 42% of natural rubber. Most of this production has been replaced by petroleum, and accounting for up to 94% in the useful production of rubber.

More so, the difference between silicone and rubber wristbands is that silicone is well known through its application to last longer than rubber. While silicone is known to withstand high temperatures, rubber is not, and cannot. Another difference between silicone and rubber wristbands is that silicone allows the passing of air in between molecules, while rubber repels not only air, but also water.

In conclusion, most retailers will prefer silicone wristbands over rubber wristbands due to the natural, and chemical structure of each.
]]> http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/difference-between-silicone-and-rubber-wrist-bands.html http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/difference-between-silicone-and-rubber-wrist-bands.html Mon, 16 Aug 2010 05:25:16 +0100 wristbands. Many of the silicone wristbands are used represent the faith of an individual to a charitable organization. The wristbands have become extremely popular. Many companies now specialize in the customization of silicone, and rubber bracelets.

Having entered the marketplace, there have been the marketing of two types of wristbands. The silicone wristband, and the rubber wristband. There's no apparent difference between silicone and rubber wristbands other than the customization. However, scientifically there are unique differences in the organic, and chemical structure.

Silicone is an organic chemical compound that take the form of resin, grease, oil, and rubber. However, it should be noted that the difference in silicone rubber is explicit, although it may or may not contain the similar ingredients (noting the chemical differences). In the use of silicone to make the popular wristbands, the basis of silicone to be "organic" allows for the product to be less allergenic than rubber. The silicone wristbands also tend to last longer than the rubber counter-product. Silicone is a chemical compound that contains silicon, oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon.

Examining the rubber wristbands, these too are not different is appearance from the silicone wristbands. The rubber is a synthetic rubber, and not a natural rubber. Although most "rubber" made products do contain some trace amounts of natural rubber. Before the introduction of petroleum into the making of rubber, most products could have contained up to 42% of natural rubber. Most of this production has been replaced by petroleum, and accounting for up to 94% in the useful production of rubber.

More so, the difference between silicone and rubber wristbands is that silicone is well known through its application to last longer than rubber. While silicone is known to withstand high temperatures, rubber is not, and cannot. Another difference between silicone and rubber wristbands is that silicone allows the passing of air in between molecules, while rubber repels not only air, but also water.

In conclusion, most retailers will prefer silicone wristbands over rubber wristbands due to the natural, and chemical structure of each.
]]> http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/customized-computer-bags-give-good-merchandising-benefits.html http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/customized-computer-bags-give-good-merchandising-benefits.html Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:23:27 +0100
Custom gift bags come in bountiful groups and one of them is the computer bag. These bags are usable in different colors and sizes that are able to hold numerous portable computer types. They are all very painless to customize so you never have to be concerned about the matter of imprinting your business name and logo. You just have to authenticate to think of the right promotional theme that you can work with for your campaign.

If you've never used customizable computer bags before, you're probably wondering how many yields they can give you. Here are some examples of their advantages to your company:

Carries Supplementary Items - Aside from your portable personal computer, you can also place other items like mobile phone, office supplies, and even some personal stuff that you require daily. Competitive Designs - They are attainable in different styles that can be proper for your company's character. You can avail of a lot of current designs that your customers and clients will absolutely love.

Start procuring these custom printed gift bags and computer bags and jump start your next vending campaign. Here are a few pointers to pamper you prepare for the task up ahead:

Buy High Class Computer Printed Bags - Always opt for high quality and earn those which have the most immense possibility of lasting months and even years of optimal service. Imprint Imperative Information - Make sure to include critical company details like website and email addresses so your budding customers will know how to contact you for future inquiries. ]]> http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/personalized-paper-cups-furnish-brimming-benefits.html http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/personalized-paper-cups-furnish-brimming-benefits.html Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:11:42 +0100
Customized paper cups and company logo cups may be simple items but they can surely perform well in the advertising field. Most small and big scale companies have tried capitalizing them at some point in their yearly branding efforts. What a lot of them do is host a advertising event and use these cups as tools for holding refreshments that are given during the event.

If the statements above got you to ponder using personalized cups as promotional items, then you're off to a superb start. Here are more grounds why you should pursue that concept:

Covers Wide Audience Reach - Paper cups can be furnished to all people, no matter what their age, gender, routine or background is. That can grant you major promotional points. Can be Availed of in Lots of Varieties - They come in diverse styles and sizes that are guaranteed to cater to your needs. These cups are ensured not to dissatisfy you or your recipients.

Are you now decided in buying some custom imprinted cups for your next trade show or launching day? If you are, read the following tips first so you can prepare yourself for the task you're about to execute:

Select Vibrantly Colored Cups - You'll acquire a higher chance of getting your company name and logo out in the public if you custom print them on brightly colored paper cups. Lookout for Useful Features - Some paper cups have features like handles that make them even more convenient to use. Pick this so your target audience will have an easier time using them. ]]> http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/driving-qualified-website-traffic-and-basic-traffic-to-your-own-website.html http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/driving-qualified-website-traffic-and-basic-traffic-to-your-own-website.html Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:44:59 +0100
Without receiving website visitors it's similar to constructing a costly billboard and, instead of placing it alongside a lively freeway, you hide it in your basement where no person can see it.

Upon recognizing they need site visitors, many website owners go out and start blowing large amounts of time and cash looking for "hits" for their web pages, but they are not aware that most "hits" aren't of the same quality.

On their pursuit to acquire visitors for their Internet sites, almost all web business operators don't understand there's a massive difference between producing "general" site visitors to your website compared to producing "targeted" visitors.

Merely receiving any traffic is the similar method TV advertisers work with. They show advertisements on the TV screen before individuals who may or may not need the product. Even though they will receive sales and profits, they'll close more deals using targeted marketing.

Considering that general advertising are not able to hit specific targets, they will advertise to everybody and hope that someone inside their target audience is in fact viewing at that moment. Banner ads, "email safe-lists" and other alike traffic techniques belong in this particular "general" group. While every kind of marketing are effective, and you can acquire a lot of product sales with banner ads as well as safe-lists, you are going to obtain many more sales if the traffic is highly targeted.

"Targeted" visitors is actually comprised of those people who are really interested in just what you have got to convey or sell on the Internet. These folks possibly share exactly the same passions or maybe have an immediate need or issue they are trying to solve.

"Targeted" visitors are best considering that the people hitting your Internet site have got a higher likelihood of genuinely purchasing.

Targeted prospects originates from people following highly recommended links upon other sites, typing in related keywords and phrases straight into the various search engines, or maybe reading articles you have created on a distinct topic, and after that clicking on to your site to find out more.

If you don't know already how to locate the very best sources of targeted prospects for your site, you will need to experiment with a lot of varied sources to determine the ones that deliver visitors which provide you with the most "bang for your buck."

The fastest method to figure out which methods offer the most targeted visitors is to apply an "ad tracker". An "ad tracker" is a straightforward program, located in your web server, that monitors the amount of website visitors your website receives from a particular source in addition to what number of these individuals ordered.

While it appears simple, nearly all Internet businesses do not perform this! Many online businesses can't tell you their own visitor to purchaser conversion percentage and, for that reason, do not know exactly how much they are able to invest in getting the traffic and continue being lucrative.

Whether or not you pay out for your site traffic using cash, or perhaps you pay it off with all the sweat of your own brow (article submission), you must identify your best and also most profitable sources of targeted traffic which convert into customers, online subscribers, or even prospects.

The inability to identify and also track exactly where your purchasers originate from and then, determine simply how much these people genuinely cost you, in due course could result in failure regarding your online business. ]]> http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/custom-displays-fine-tuning-your-display-stands-to-your-products-and-the-environment.html http://www.theinfofile.com/business/marketing/custom-displays-fine-tuning-your-display-stands-to-your-products-and-the-environment.html Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:16:05 +0100
The conventional furniture sizes and shapes you find displayed in stores will usually not slide in comfortable in rooms with unusual proportions. Most counters will either be to wide for them or not quite long or short enough. The owner may also have difficulty looking for a sales counter that he can pick off the store and position in the store.

By availing of the services of custom display manufacturers, you can style your own counters and stands to be in just the right proportions for the store to be comfortable to walk about in. These companies will only need the floor area of the room, the height of the ceiling, a sketch of the shape of the room and your display preferences to be able to construct furnishings exactly as you stipulated them. On the other hand, they may drop a word of advice or two about how to achieve a better design.

Because products weigh differently and have different shapes and sizes, some businessmen find the shelves in ready-to-buy display stands either too low or too flimsy for their products. Their alternatives are to have the existing ones redone or to have new ones customized.

Rather than purchase ready-mades and have them repainted or the glass replaced, you should just visit a custom display outfit and submit to them your material and dimensional specifications. They will be answerable for all the details of construction that you relayed to them regarding your display stands and if they present a finished product that is less that perfect, you can always have it redone.

Before the custom display companies start out assembling your requested item, they will want to consult with you extensively in order to eliminate all chances for non-understanding in the matter of the designs and colors of the furnishing. They will require a sketch of the proposed furniture together with the dimensions and a sketch of the room. They will also need to know what product you intend to sell on those stands.

These people have the experience and know-how to lead you in the right direction regarding the construction of your store display equipment

Side by side with the furniture design and interior design experts employed by these companies, you can expect to have a set of display stands, tables, kiosks or any other accessory in your store that will encourage clients to patronize your business. This is because these companies know what buyers like to see when coming into a store. ]]>