Happy Holidays From Pardiman Productions

Always Be Prepared to Market

Originally printed in a condensed version for the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce VOICE.

“Be Prepared,” that's the motto of the Boy Scouts of America. "Be prepared for what?" someone once asked Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, "Why, for any old thing." said Baden-Powell. As a young man I took the motto of the Boy Scouts of America to heart. And I suggest that in sales and marketing you do the same.

Now I’m not advocating some high-pressured “Always be closing, always” type of philosophy. What I’m talking about is a thoughtful and prepared approach to any sales and marketing situation. “Being Prepared” in marketing is having the tools and strategy in place to not miss the opportunity or be caught off guard in a business situation.

The first step in preparedness is your business card. It’s not enough to just have a nicely designed card with all the important information, but you need to have a supply of cards available with you. That means having a small stack of cards in your jacket pocket, purse, wallet, briefcase, car, etc. You never want to be caught having “just given out your last card” and expecting a scrap of paper or the back of someone else’s card to suffice. The exchange of business cards is the most basic of business interactions and says a lot about your professionalism and interest in doing business with someone. You should also be prepared for what you are going to do with those cards when you get them, but that’s a different subject altogether.

The next thing to consider in your marketing preparedness kit is having a good understanding of what it is you are marketing and how someone might take advantage of your product or service. Many experts might advocate a polished “elevator” or “30 second” speech here, but I would suggest you get to the point where you are so comfortable talking about what you are marketing that you can tailor the message on the fly to any length or situation.

You should also have a selection of marketing support materials available to you should you need them. Flyers, brochures, and other print materials should at least be easily accessible from your car if not in your bag or briefcase. That also includes DVD’s and PowerPoint’s that should be kept handy incase your asked to give an impromptu presentation. Email and other “nurture marketing” techniques should also be planned for, but again that’s a different topic for another article.

Having a marketing plan and marketing budget in place will also help you to plan for those inevitable “advertising opportunities” and will help you to keep from overspending and being “sold” on the next new thing. Remember that your marketing plan encompasses more than just your advertising plans, but is the backbone to all of the interaction you have with potential customers.

Owner Attends Ribbon Cutting

Pardiman Productions owner Corey Lopardi is pictured here at the ribbon cutting for Mandelin's Consignment & Accessories as an ambassador of the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce.

You Can Shoot Video With Your Still Camera (if you know what you're doing)

Check out this article about the pros & cons of using a digital stills camera to shoot HD video.





Seismic Shift: Why DSLRs Are Changing the Game | Studio Monthly

Are You Maximizing Your Lobby Space?

Ever wonder why grocery stores place candy and tabloid magazines at their check out counters? These are called impulse items and most people are probably familiar with the term and tactic. These businesses know that you will be waiting in line for some time, and that crazy headline will probably catch your attention.

Well, just because you don't own a grocery store doesn't mean you can't use the same tactics to entice your own customers. If you have a showroom or client waiting area this is prime area for using promotional video to entertain, inform, and up sell your current and potential customers.

What is the return on investment for all those magazines sitting in waiting rooms? Wouldn't a video explaining new sales, products, procedures, or simply thanking customers for spending their money with you have a better return? Why not make them comfortable with testimonial videos form happy clients or profile videos of your friendly and talented staff?

If you'd like to take advantage of your captive audience and produce a promotional video give Pardiman Productions a call.

360-259-6672
www.pardimanproductions.com

Owner Named Ambassador of the Month

Owner Attends Ribbon Cutting

Pardiman Productions owner Corey Lopardi is pictured here at the ribbon cutting for Summit Language School as an ambassador of the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce.

Using Everyday Email as a Marketing Tool

How many emails do you send you a day?

Ever wonder if those emails could be used to help promote your business, products, and services?

An often overlooked source of email promotions is your email signature. You can add a link in your signature to a video about you, your company, a new product, or a customer testimonial.

This free promotional opportunity is there every time you send out an email. If you would like to learn more, give me a call.

Corey Lopardi
Owner
Pardiman Productions

To contact me or learn more:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FEk2JuoWGI
P 360.259.6672
www.pardimanproductions.com

EDC Awards Video for Olympia Orthopeadics Association

This video was produced as part of the Thurston County Economic Development Council's award's ceremony. Olympia Orthopeadics Association received the award for best corporate business.

Owner Featured on Magazine Cover

Pardiman Productions owner Corey Lopardi is pictured here on the cover of the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce Voice magazine.

Owner Participates in Chamber Marketing Clinic

Pardiman Productions owner Corey Lopardi is pictured here at the Marketing Clinic for theThurston County Chamber of Commerce.

Owner Attends Ribbon Cutting

Pardiman Productions owner Corey Lopardi is pictured here at the ribbon cutting for 4th & Brooklyn Studio as an ambassador of the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce.

Owner Attends Ribbon Cutting

Pardiman Productions owner Corey Lopardi is pictured here at the ribbon cutting for Fear Nought Productions as an ambassador of the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce.

Owner Attends Ribbon Cutting

Pardiman Productions owner Corey Lopardi is pictured here at the ribbon cutting for Express Employment Professionals as an ambassador of the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce.

EDC Award Video for Great Wolf Lodge

This video was produced as part of the Thurston County Economic Development Council's award's ceremony. The Great Wolf Lodge received the award for best new business.

What Would I Do With A Video?

Last week a potential customer I met at a networking event mentioned to me that she wasn’t sure if her business could benefit from our Promotional and Marketing videos. She runs a small service business, and she had no idea what she would do with a video if we produced one.

Here are some of the ideas that I came up with for her.

WEBSITE –
Microsoft did a survey and found that 91% of people check out a companies website before they buy. Your video should be placed prominently on your homepage. On average visitors spend less than 10 seconds to decide if they are interested in a site or not. The key is to keep people on your website as long as you can. Video does this. People will stay on a site for 2-3 minutes on average if there is video.

VIDEO SHARING SITES-
If someone has never heard of you how do they find your website? Place your videos on other video sharing websites like youtube, vimeo, google video and more. You can take one video and place it on a number of video sharing websites. I do not care how they find you, just that they do.

SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES-
Videos should be put on your social networking sites (facebook, myspace etc) – show your friends. This way your video gets spread around, and you’d be surprised where your next warm lead will come from because they saw your video.

ASSOCIATION PRESENTATIONS-
Are you a member of groups or associations? See if you can sponsor an event or give a presentation about your business. Then make sure to let your video do the talking. They a say a picture tells a thousand words. Well, what about 5,400,000 words? That’s what you get with a 3-minute video. (For the math inquisitive it’s 3x60x30x1000=5.4 million)

DVD’s-
These are ideal for trade show booths, lobby screens, handing out to prospects, and direct mailing to potential customers. The cost of duplicating the DVD’s is comparable to a full color tri-fold brochure.

MOBILE DEVICES-
Laptops, iPhones, iPods, and PDA’s all have the ability to show video in a compact device. Why not use it at your next sales presentation or client meeting.

So as you can see, one video, so many uses. Lets not forget that on-line you have a 24/7 sales presence. Contact me today 360-259-6672. Your business needs video.

New Tool For Networking

I attend lots of networking events every week as I spread the word about the promotional and marketing services that Pardiman Productions has to offer. If you've ever attended a leads group or chamber of commerce event then you know that at each event I have to give a :30 synopsis of what we do.

I usually feel okay about my pitch, but sometimes I wonder if I could be doing a better job getting my message across to people.

Today I came across an online tool that was built just for that purpose. The Harvard Business School Elevator Pitch Builder. It's an online form that offers hints and advice on your pitch created by The Harvard Business School.

If you have to give a pitch at the next event you attend, you might want to check this out.

10 Tips to a Better Profile Video - #5 Sound Tips

Tip #5 – Sound Tips

Part of a 10 part series based on the presentation given on June 1st 2009.

There are many aspects of a profile video that viewers will make accommodations for, but poor sound quality is not one of them. There are a few simple tips that can make a big difference in how your profile video sounds.

The first thing you want to do is find a quiet place to shoot. Now this may sound a bit obvious, but a noisy shooting area can make a profile video almost unbearable to watch. Music in the background, loud air ducts or machinery, phone conversations from coworkers can all make your important message hard to hear.

The next thing you can do to make your profile video sound better is use an external microphone. A built in camera mic is designed to pick up a wide pattern of sound. This means that not only will it pick up what you're saying, but also that clock ticking on the wall, your computer humming, and your foot tapping nervously on the floor. Many external microphone options are available, from ones you would put on a stand to lavaliere mics that clip to your clothing. Just make sure that the mic has a narrow pick-up pattern, and you position it close to the person speaking.

Also, you always want to monitor your audio with headphones when recording to catch and noises or sound glitches that your mic might catch that your ears don't. Not monitoring the audio can also lead to accidentally recording no audio at all.

Lastly, if your camera has a visual meter to monitor audio you should make sure to set your audio level before recording to make sure the audio is not too low, or too high. Usually the meeter will tell you it is too high by a visual meeter with a red zone. Going into the red every once and a while is okay, but if the sound stays there it will sound bad on your profile video

Check back for "10 Tips to a Better Profile Video - #6 Camera Tips

Ribbon Cutting Video for Local Company

We recently produced a video for Tumwater based Warren Business Services

They are a great new computer monitoring and repair shop.



This video highlights there recent ribbon cutting event.

TV Commercial for Local Fireplace & Spa Retailer

This TV commercial was produced by Pardiman Productions for Olympia Fireplace & Spa to run on Comcast.

This spot consisted of a half day shoot, and follow up voice over recording to produce 4 spots for broadcast.

EDC Awards Video for Olympia's Express Employment Professionals

This video was produced as part of the Thurston County Economic Development Council's award's ceremony. Express Employment Professionals received the award for best small business.

EDC Awards Video for Olympia's Hands On Children's Museum

This video was produced as part of the Thurston County Economic Development Council's award's ceremony. Hands On Children's Museum received the award for best non-profit.

Owner Named Ambassador of the Month

Owner Attends Ribbon Cutting

Pardiman Productions owner Corey Lopardi is pictured here at the ribbon cutting for Edward Jones as an ambassador of the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce.

Add Video to Your Website!

Add Video to your website. Studies have shown that video on your website will keep visitors at the site longer. Of course the content of the video has to be relevant. For an example go to Paprika's website.

10 Reasons to Use Promtional Video

1. Video on your website keeps a prospect on your site longer and gives you more time to inform, educate and sell your product and services.

2. In a short 30-90 seconds a well produced video informs/sells the visitor on who you are and what you do.

3. Testimonials in your video can help to build customer trust and loyalty.

4. Video can sell for you when your not available 24/7/365.

5. Promotional video is not only your 24/7 salesperson online. It can also be turned into a DVD that can be used by sales people, send out to prospects and shown at trade shows. It is even broadcast quality and can be used on network and cable TV.

6. It's a great referral tool. When people see your video they will tell others.

7. More than still photos or paragraphs of text, video can put "motion" into your promotion.

8. By placing your video on YouTube and other social networks you become the expert in your field. Thus driving a whole new market of customers to your website.

9. For some products and services a video can show the hard to explain.

10. Promotional video from Pardiman Productions is affordable.

10 Tips to a Better Profile Video - #4 Lighting Tips

Tip #4 – Lighting Tips

Part of a 10 part series based on the presentation given on June 1st 2009.

Lighting for video is part technical knowledge and part art form. Professionals spend years gaining the experience to know exactly what type of lighting to use in what situation, and what quality of light a particular fixture will provide.

For profile videos there are a few key things you can do to make your videos look better and more professional.

The first thing to look at when setting up your profile video shoot is if there are any windows in the room. Windows can provide a nice natural light source if used properly, but if used wrong can really ruin a profile video. First and foremost don't shoot toward windows. The daylight coming in from a window is not only a different color balance than the indoor lighting that will be in an office (That's a different post all together) but it's also way brighter than anything you will be able to provide with additional lighting. Even if you have to rearrange an office to do so you will be better off than if you shoot toward open windows with direct sunlight. If you absolutely have to shoot toward windows, pull the blinds at least to minimize the light hitting the camera lens.

The next thing to look at when considering the lighting of a profile video is the exposure level on the camera. Always set the exposure for the person speaking and not the background. It's acceptable for the wall behind your speaker to be dark, or the window blown out, but not for your speaker to be unrecognizable. (Unless it's a video where you are trying to keep the speakers identity secret)

If you have the ability to use lighting try using a basic 3 point lighting setup. This includes a Key Light, Back Light/Kicker, and Fill Light. Your key light is your strongest source, and should be at a 45 degree angle from your speakers face. This can be a light source on a stand, or even light coming in from a window if you can position your speaker properly. The back light is a a light that you place behind your speaker. This light serves to separate the speaker from the background and should be your second strongest light source. You should also place this light at a 45 degree angle from the speaker, and depending on your options for space often looks best opposite your key light. The fill light is a softer light source, sometimes a white reflective card, that should be placed to lightly fill in the dark side of the speakers face, or to remove shadows under the chin.

These tips won't make you ready to light the next Hollywood feature film, but they will help you make your profile video look much better.

Check back for "10 Tips to a Better Profile Video - #5 Sound Tips

Video Produciton for Everyday Olympia "Lakefair 2009"

Pardiman Productions had the opportunity to produce an episode of Everyday Olympia for the website www.everdayolympia.com



The video highlights events that were going on during Olympia's "Lakefair" in July 2009.

Social Media Marketing Makes More Money

Came across this article today that discusses the financial benefits of Social Media Marketing.

Check it out here.

Low Cost Local Video Option

Everyone who is in business for themselves is looking for low cost ways to increase sales and traffic to their website/storefront.

Video on your website can raise your ranking in search engines, and distributed on free video hosting sites like Vimeo & YouTube can generate new links, traffic, search listings, and customers.

Even if you are uncomfortable being on camera, we can produce a video like this which is informative and effective.

Send me an email corey@pardimanproductions.com or give me a call 360-259-6672 and I'll be happy to explain just how quick and affordable this type of promotional web video can be.

Olympia Promotional Video for "A Table For Olympia"

Pardiman Productions had the opportunity to produce an episode of Everyday Olympia for the website www.everdayolympia.com





The video highlights events that were going on during Olympia's "A Table For Olympia" in July 2009.

10 Tips to a Better Profile Video - #3 Incorporating B-roll and Testimonials

Tip #3 – Incorporating B-roll and Testimonials

Part of a 10 part series based on the presentation given on June 1st 2009.

Most profile videos are nothing more than talking heads in a little square video box. One way to improve your profile video is by incorporating other elements that help to reinforce the story that you are trying to tell. Some of the elements that you might use to enhance your profile video are B-roll, stock photos and video, and customer testimonials.

B-roll is any additional footage that you might already have or that you might have shot of you or your business. This could be you or your staff interacting with customers, video of a particular service or operation that you perform for customers that is hard for people to grasp without seeing it, or footage of your business/staff/fleet in action. This is a great way for you to reinforce what you are saying with visuals and can also be used to cover up any rough spots in the on camera part of your profile.

Another option for adding to your profile video is adding stock photography or video. This stock material can be great if your business is not in an ideal location for filming (i.e. your home), if you or your clients are camera shy, or if you just don’t have the time or money to have a professional company come shoot it for you. Stock material can be a very affordable way to add a more symbolic bit of imagery to your video. Sites like istockphoto have royalty free (you don’t have to pay again to use it) photos and video that can be very affordable.

Everyone feels more comfortable doing business with someone they feel they know and can trust. That’s one of the best reasons to do a profile video in the first place. A good way to help establish credibility in the eyes of prospective clients is by having a satisfied customer give an on camera testimonial to the benefits of using your product or service.
Customer testimonials can give your profile video that extra bit of authenticity that can make the difference of whether a prospect contacts you for your product or service, or keeps on shopping.

With just the right amount of additional material any profile video can go from dry and informative to engaging and compelling.

Check back for "10 Tips to a Better Profile Video - #4 Lighting Tips

Sales and Marketing Roundtable Video

Check out this new video we did in June for the Puyallup/Sumner Chamber of Commerce's Sales and Marketing Roundtable.

Speaker Amy Hedin presented a workshop on developing relationships and referral partnerships.

Social Media and Business

I often get asked the questions "What is Social Media?," "How does it work?," "Do you really make any money off of it?" Because of these questions Pardiman Productions has been working more with small businesses and non-profits to help them understand this new opportunity for their business, and offer some tips and advice to guide them through these often confusing and overwhelming times.

For some time now a small company called Common Craft has been using videos to make complicated topics simple. Not being one to reinvent the wheel, their video on Social Media does a great job to explain the topic.



Check back for more tips and videos on using social media in your business in the future.

Pardiman Productions Gets a Profile Video

For some time now I have wanted to create a profile video similar to the videos I have been producing for others, but I am always behind the camera and not in front of it.

A while back I had the opportunity to go to an event put on by Biznik and have an HD profile video shot by a colleague.

I have edited it down, and I think it does a good job of explaining what we do here at Pardiman Productions, and what makes us different than other production companies.

Olympia First Friday Promotional Video Online

Pardiman Productions had the opportunity to produce an episode of Everyday Olympia for the website www.everdayolympia.com



The video highlights events that were going on during Olympia's "First Friday" in June 2009.

Businesses like Wind Up Here, Einmaleins, Yolly Shoes, Home Body, Studio 418 and others had events going on that evening.

2009 Olympia Business Summit DVD Available for Purchase

Pardiman Productions was asked to put together a DVD of the speakers (including Owner Corey Lopardi) at the 2009 Olympia Business Summit sponsored by The Solid Rock Foundation.

The Business Summit focused on several timely topics to help businesses. There was a panel of marketing, advertising, public relations, and social networking experts. A presentation regarding the state of our local economy along with economic forecasts for Thurston County. Opportunities as a result of the Stimulus Legislation for the business owner was presented. The tax panel discussed an amazing 300 tax changes as a result of the Stimulus Legislation as well as tax changes as a result of legislation passed 2008.

DVD 2 disk sets of the event panels can be purchase online here.
(50% of proceeds will be donated to The Solid Rock Foundation)

10 Tips to a Better Profile Video - #2 Pre-Plan Your Videos Structure

Tip #2 – Pre-Plan Your Videos Structure

Part of a 10 part series based on the presentation given on June 1st 2009.

I’m sure we’ve all heard the saying “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” If you’ve ever marched head long into shooting a profile video, only to be disappointed with the outcome, then you’ve probably made a few mistakes that a little planning could have prevented. Planning the structure for your profile video is a key step in having a pleasing and effective profile video.

The first thing you want to do when your planning your profile video is follow a basic three part structure. This structure was first documented in the writings of Aristotle, and is very simple. Have a beginning, middle, and end. When was taking classes in public and competitive speaking many moons ago the structure was explained in this way. “Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, tell them what you’ve told them.” In a creative writing class it was once described as, “Get your protagonist up a tree, throw rocks at him, and get him back down (dead or alive).” I like to look at a basic structure for a profile video like this:

Introduction – Who, What, Where (Who you are, What you do, Where you do it)
Middle – Why (Why you do it, Why I need it, Why you’re the best)
End – When, How (When will I see results, How can I get it)

The next thing you want to do when planning your video structure is making sure you have all the video elements you need before you start to put it together. What images, audio, props, notes will you need before you can put the video together. If you are planning a video that’s going to involve some other element, you don’t want to find out after you’ve shot that the element won’t be available, and you’ll have to shoot your video again to make up for that element that’s missing.

Finally, plan your profile video with a call to action at the end. This call to action will be different depending on where the video will be shown, and what your product or service is, but you definitely want the viewer to take some sort of action after watching your video. Whether it’s calling for more information, click on a link, or logging on to your website, it’s the call to action at the end of your video that will prompt the viewer to move closer to doing business with you.

Check back for "10 Tips to a Better Profile Video - #3 B-roll and Testimonials

Owner Named Ambassador of the Month & Year

Owner Attends Ribbon Cutting

Pardiman Productions owner Corey Lopardi is pictured here at the ribbon cutting for Benchmark Home Loans as an ambassador of the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce.

Pacific Northwest Mushroom Fest Promotional Video

Here at Pardiman Productions we had the pleasure of partaking in the 2008 Pacific Northwest Mushroom Festival last year, and while we were there providing video for the demonstration stage, we also went around and shot B-roll (additional footage) of the event.

Recently we put together a highlight of the event promoting this years 1st Annual Pacific Northwest Mushroom Festival. It was an interesting project, because the music track was already created, and we had to conform to it's length and pacing.

The video has been shown at business and rotary meetings, posted to the events website, on Youtube, and several other places.

Feel free to share with friends, and we hope to see you at this years event!

You can take a look at the video here.

Sales Tip of the Day: PRESENCE

Check out this short sales tip. I have been living this concept for a couple of years now, and it's really starting to pay off.

Sales Tip of the Day: PRESENCE

Posted using ShareThis

Sales and Marketing Roundtable Video

Check out this new video we did in May for the Puyallup/Sumner Chamber of Commerce's Sales and Marketing Roundtable.

Speaker Carol Bowser presented a workshop on conflict management.

Click here to view video.

10 Tips to a Better Profile Video - #1 Know Your Purpose For Producing a Video

Tip #1 - Know Your Purpose For Producing a Video

Part of a 10 part series based on the presentation given on June 1st 2009.

When beginning the process of producing a video for your business it's important to take into consideration what kind of business you are in. The type of business you are in can be very instrumental in determining the type of video to produce, and how to produce it.

What are you trying to sell? Is it a product? Is it a service? If you're in a business that's person to person like a massage practitioner then an animation is probably not going to build customer trust and confidence. Someone looking for a personal service like that is looking to see that you are honest, pleasant, and have integrity. Those things would not come through in an animation, but they would come through if you were giving a short talk about your philosophy and what clients should expect when they set an appointment.

For a service business that is more concept oriented like security consulting would need a video that does more to explain the process, and establish customer expectations. That business wouldn't necessarily need a video that puts a face to the business.

Another thing to think about when starting the process of creating a profile video for your business is who your clients are. If your clients are business owners, then a professional video directed at highlighting the benefits of doing business with your company might be appropriate. If your clients are consumers with whom you will have a long relationship with throughout the purchase process, then a more casual get to know you profile video might be in order.

One more thing to think about when determining the purpose for your video production is where will you show the video. If you are only planning on having the video on a social networking or video hosting site then the quality doesn't have to be as good as if you are going to be sending it out in emails, or direct mailing in a DVD, or using it as part of a broadcast TV commercial.

Knowing the purpose for producing a profile video is the first step in assuring that you have a great video.

Check back for "10 Tips to a Better Profile Video - #2 Pre-plan Your Video Structure


You can sign up for the July 2009 "10 Tips Series - 10 Steps To Get Ranked Locally In Search Engine" by clicking here.

Blu-ray DVD's to Have Facebook Feature

Check out this article about Warner Home Video's plan to make Facebook accessible via Blu-ray DVD's.

Owner Corey Lopardi to Speak on Marketing Panel

Pardiman Productions owner Corey Lopardi will be speaking tomorrow at the Olympia Business Summit.

The Business Summit will focus on several timely topics to help businesses. There will be a panel of marketing, advertising, public relations, and social networking experts. A presentation regarding the state of our local economy along with economic forecasts for Thurston County will be offered. Opportunities as a result of the Stimulus Legislation for the business owner will be presented. The tax panel will discuss an amazing 300 tax changes as a result of the Stimulus Legislation as well as tax changes as a result of legislation passed 2008. Attendees will walk away with practical and useful information in each of these areas. Each session will end with a question and answer section. Lunch is provided. The cost is $15.

Session One - Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, Social Networking

You will learn about local resources to help you grow your business! The marketing, advertising, public relations, radio advertising, video production, and social networking panel will consist of:

• The Williams Group
• Catalyst Publishing
• The Business Examiner
• MIXX96 Radio
• Pardiman Productions
• Alternative Marketing Experts

You can register or learn more here.

Why Every Company Needs a Blog

Check out this article on blogging, that every company should take advantage of.

Click here.

Feel free to pass this link on to others.

Sales and Marketing Roundtable Video

Check out this new video we did in April for the Puyallup/Sumner Chamber of Commerce's Sales and Marketing Roundtable.

Speaker Rachael Costner talks about "Exploring and Expanding Your Marketing Mind."

Click here to see video.

Free Profile Video Workshop

Pardiman Productions owner Corey Lopardi will be presenting a free workshop tonight at Mud Bay Coffee.

http://biznik.com/events/10-tips-series-10-tips-to-a-better-profile-video

Green DVD's Now Available

Check out this article on new environmentally friendly DVD's.

Using Video in Marketing

Here's an article about a small business using video in their marketing efforts.

6 Website Fixes to Make Now - web design - Entrepreneur.com

6 Website Fixes to Make Now - web design - Entrepreneur.com

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Social Media and Business – A Friendly Concept

Business to customer communication is in a stage of transformation like we’ve never seen before. Never before have businesses had so many ways to get their message in front of potential customers. It can be overwhelming trying to navigate all the social networking, blogging, video and microblogging sites at their disposal. To succeed businesses need a basic understanding of the options available and what those options mean to their success.

Unlike other online opportunities for businesses in the past, using social media should be considered part of an overall marketing plan and not a direct form of advertising. Using social media is not like placing web ads or distributing commercials, but more like having a voice at the water cooler and being part of your customers’ conversations.

Businesses with little or no online presence can use social networking sites to let current and potential customers know you exist and speak their language. Sites like Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and local sites like Biznik and Local Business Connections put businesses in the middle of their customers’ conversations and make friends with them. These sites also give businesses the opportunity to promote events, get immediate feedback, and launch new products and services directly to customers. Businesses should avoid directly selling on these sites, but should use the sites to promote, brag, and direct friends (customers) to their websites.

For businesses with an established web presence blogging offers an excellent opportunity for customer education and retention. A well created business blog on Blogger or WordPress can turn one time customers into dedicated fans awaiting a business’ posts and relying on it’s expertise in it’s field.

Video sharing sites like YouTube and Vimeo give businesses the opportunity to engage, inform and entertain customers like never before. An entertaining or informative video can become an integral part of a business’ social media marketing. The same video can be posted across multiple sites, linked in blogs, or direct emailed to customers. Nothing has the opportunity to catapult your business’ online exposure like a video that goes viral.

Currently the business world is all atwitter with Twitter. Microblogging is quickly becoming the It form of social media. Twitter is not for every business. It requires a constant management of the information stream that is necessary to keep customers following your business. A business can benefit from the immediate customer feedback and having an ear to what’s being said about it.

Social media can be many things depending on a business’ needs, but it should not be looked at as a direct sales tool. Statistics show that users of social media are far less likely to partake in a direct sales offer than other web users. However, when used properly as part of a larger marketing plan social media can have an amazing effect of brand recognition and loyalty. Just remember when it comes to social media, customers come and go but friends are forever.

Owner Corey Lopardi Featured in BE Article

Corey Lopardi owner of Pardiman Productions was featured in an Executive Spotlight article in the Business Examiner.

Check out the article here.

Pardiman Productions Receives Green Business Designation

Pardiman Productions was one of 40 businesses in Thurston County designated as a Thurston Green Business.

http://www.thurstonchamber.com/green/

It’s Easy Being Green - Marketing Video

At Pardiman Productions we’re concerned about helping our customers promote their products and services but we’re also concerned about being able to offer environmentally conscious marketing solutions. We have green options available throughout the pre-production, production and post-production process to meet our customer’s needs.

Before production begins we strive for a waste-free process by providing proposals, scripts and invoices digitally. This digital communication process not only eliminates paper waste but also can reduce or eliminate the need for face to face meetings and therefore cut down on travel time and greenhouse gas emissions.

Our green options during the production process include energy efficient lighting, tape-less capture and digital effects. New advances in lighting technology allow us the option to provide the same high quality lighting using long lasting efficient fluorescent or LED bulbs. High-definition videography with tape-less capture eliminates both the waste and expense of tapes. By using green screen technology and digital effects elements such as fire, smoke and explosions can be created without causing harm to the environment. In addition, most all of our equipment uses rechargeable batteries.

During post-production our digital workflow allows for online project viewing that eliminates the waste of making and distributing multiple copies of unfinished projects for approval. We also have options for web-based delivery of your projects once approved, further eliminating any unnecessary waste.

Not only does promotional video offer many environmentally friendly options throughout the production process but you can further reduce waste by distributing on your website, via email, on YouTube or through social networking sites. It’s possible to create a marketing video that exists entirely in the digital form from concept to delivery having a near zero carbon footprint.

Pardiman Productions to Sponsor Thurston Chamber Forum

Owner Attends Ribbon Cutting

Pardiman Productions owner Corey Lopardi is pictured here at the ribbon cutting for Little Sweet Pea as an ambassador of the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce.

Video Marketing Article

Check out this article on marketing with internet video.

Great Article on the Human Connection of Video on Websites

Check out this article that a friend on Biznik wrote. It's very informative about the importance of video on a website.

VIDEO TESTIMONIALS – LET YOUR CUSTOMERS DO THE TALKING

Nothing helps sell a product or service more than praise from satisfied customers.  Just a few positive words can be all it takes to turn a skeptical prospect into an actual sale.  A testimonial video of your customers' words of praise uses the power of audio and video to create a very powerful message.

There are many benefits to using video testimonials over other forms of video advertising.  A testimonial video connects to potential customers on a personal level and shows that people just like them use your product or service.  Video testimonials are also more cost effective than other forms of advertising since they rely on genuine words spoken by your customers instead of costly animations, set, actors, or wilds graphics to sell your products or services.

A great way to gather testimonials is by simply asking your customers.  Just send out an email or personal note asking for them.  You can entice them by offering a free gift or discounts off future products.

There are three main types of video testimonials that you might consider using:

Professional Testimonials - These are from customers who can vouch for you or your company on its character and integrity.  They're great for realtors and other professionals who work one on one with customers and need to build an element of trust to gain a new customer.

Service Testimonials - Let your customers explain the process of doing business with you and how easy and enjoyable it was.  For businesses that are selling a personal service or concept, a satisfied customer can actually be better at promoting your business than you.

Product Testimonials - Despite widespread acceptance of online shopping and e-commerce many people remain skeptical and somewhat leery of purchasing anything online.  Potential customers want more than just promises from your website or television commercials, they want proof that you're the one to do business with.  Seeing a satisfied customer using your product and sharing their positive experience provides that proof.

Conveniently, video testimonials can be used in just about any video marketing piece such as television, web, or direct mail to name just a few.  Once created, these same videos can then be used across many different types of media to reinforce the quality and integrity of your business.

With video testimonials you can bring your business marketing to a whole new level by reaching potential customers on a more personal level than traditional advertising.  And since it can be less expensive than other types of video advertising you have even more reason to use the power of testimonial video.  Check with your customers today to see if they have something positive they would like to say about your business.  Imagine the impact their words will on the trust and credibility of your company.

Company Saves $10,000 Using Merchant Circle for Advertising

Check out the video here.

http://www.wral.com/news/local/video/4583193/

Make a Referral - jump start the economy

I'm pledging to make a referral to a business I want to help as part of a national campaign to make 1000 referrals March 9-13. What a great small business stimulus plan.

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Retailers Take Note: Video Sells!

A recent article from eMarketer found here looks at how product videos can lower the number of abandoned shopping carts, reduce return rates and generate higher sales.

Owner Named Ambassador of the Month

BLOGGING YOUR WAY INTO CUSTOMERS HEARTS

For a business today, having a web presence is essential to expanding its exposure. But, for many businesses, a website has become nothing more than an online brochure. If traffic to your site is waning and you’re looking for a free way to increase page views and search engine placement, then you need a business blog.

A business blog is a web page usually made up of short, frequently updated posts that are arranged chronologically. The idea behind a blog is that it allows a business to share it’s expertise directly with current and prospective customers, get feedback, and draw traffic for its website.

The purpose of your blog should be to provide useful information about the products and services that your business provides and give insight into aspects of your industry. Providing lots of useful information is the key to a successful business blog. This information builds your image as an expert in your field and helps readers to feel more comfortable doing business with you.

Once you’ve started your blog and get a readership you will begin to get comments and questions from them. Your readers are your customers and leads and it is important to respond to every comment and e-mail in a prompt and courteous manner. This feedback can be a great way to determine what your customers know and don’t know about your products and services and can help to point out areas of improvement for your business.

A business blog can also dramatically improve your search engine rankings. The more you post, and the more your customers comment, the more opportunities for search engines to pick up your content. Make sure to use the blog as a portal to get traffic to your website and not as a big advertisement. People will stay and read the information if it is informative and entertaining. From there you can direct them to your website, increasing site traffic.

If you start a business blog, be prepared to stick with it. A client who enjoys your blog only to have it go silent will make some negative assumptions about your business as a result of this. Create a blog that is consistent and relevant and you may just work your way into readers hearts and daily habits.