As consumers spend more and more time online, it’s critical for marketers to reach our consumers at the right time, with the right message, communicated in the right way. Tools that help drive those insights help us stay on the cutting edge.
~ Gayle Fuguitt Vice President, Consumer Insights, General Mills

Most of my career I have worked as a traditional producer, and have had the privilege of working on commercials, TV programs, documentaries, long and short form film projects, corporate videos and pretty much any form of moving image communication – but in the last 3 years I have gone from producing traditional video communications, to producing video content specifically for online dissemination across proprietary and for pay platforms.

I have to say, it is a very exciting time, as we witness the evolution of the internet, going from a static environment to that of moving images. Marketers are creating online video for everything from replacing boring static online catalogs, to fully branded webisodes.

This evolution has created a new medium in itself, completely different from the antiquated platform of TV, so it’s no surprise that this new medium presents a challenge to advertisers and marketers on HOW to message the audience. The online environment has infinitely more channels, and there is lots more content ….. this represents a great challenge and an opportunity for marketers to truly engage their audiences. What I like is that there are no hard and fast rules regarding this new medium, so it’s exciting to come up with ideas as you go along.

Instead of “adapting” a :30 or :60 ad made for TV, and recognizing that this is a new medium – my clients have created video communications specifically designed to engage online audiences.  In the past 24 months alone, I have worked on 5 different online video projects, for 5 very different clients, with very different communication goals. All of them chose to include online video as a cornerstone to their overall marketing strategy – and all have achieved great results by doing so.

Research shows that creating quality original content represents a huge opportunity for brands, because original content has the best effect on consumers’ recollection of brands, as well as fostering positive sentiment.

Below are some of the projects that I mentioned.

• A non-profit start-up, used a short film to illustrate their work and their mission. The video was used for fundraising purposes, and the results have been great.

• For General Mills, we created 20 “How to videos” in English and Spanish. The videos where then deployed on their proprietary microsite as well as on several independent channels including youtube.

Bisquets de Queso y Bizcochos de Fresa

• To increase attendance at an annual national conference, one of my corporate client in the software development space, we created several “invitation” and “welcome” videos that not only were deployed on their website but also as part of an email campaign.  As a result, they increased their attendance by 30%. 

• A film for the NROTC for the US Marines, geared to the parents of prospective NROTC candidates. 

NROTC (Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps) Marine Option

• While at Graduate School at Thunderbird, I directed and produced for the Marketing Department 4 candid student interviews, that are used on their YouTube Channel and for recruiting.  
  

  Executive MBA Student Perspective – Choosing Thunderbird

All of these projects involved telling a story, an entertaining story that connected with their audience and compelled them to listen and watch. 

The growth of online video has been exponential

• According to a recent study by emarketer, US online video ad spending will grow by 43.1% in 2012 making it the fastest-rising category of online spending.
• In 2015, online video ad spending will reach $7.11 billion.  
• The total US internet audience viewed an all-time high of 42.6 billion videos in October.
• 184 million US internet users watched online video content in October for an average of 21.1 hours per viewer, according to comScore.
• A study by Philips (electronics) found that 80% of people who watch video content online do so on laptops

It’s still going to be about the people who can tell a story, you can own the TV network or outlet but you need to hire the people who can tell the story or you won’t own it for long. Michael Eisner, former CEO of Walt Disney and founder of The Tornante Company

One of the reasons that marketers are moving towards online video content could be the growing migration towards watching content online, the 2010 study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, indicates that 69% of adult internet users, or roughly half of all U.S. adults (52%) have used the internet to watch or download video.

It’s not only important to produce a good quality video that engages with your audience, but it’s equally important to deploy the content on all relevant platforms, including social media and proprietary websites. Your video can be as simple as the ones I featured or as complex as creating webisodes.

Still, there are some challenges, including clients understanding how to properly measure ROI. However, there are better technologies to do so, and changing monitization models – this is all very fluid stuff because constant refinements are happening everyday.

If your company is not using video communication as part of your marketing strategy, you are missing an amazing opportunity to really connect with your audience with a message that is relevant. You can start small by experimenting with simple videos and move on to more complex ideas – but don’t wait!

Civility in America should be an inalienable right. Americans have a right to defend their names and explain their actions and opinions, but the increasing unruliness in the public square is worrisome and demands attention and new solutions.
~ Jack Leslie, Chairman of Weber Shandwick

This time of year tends to bring out the best and worst in all of us, we are constantly reminded to do good throughout the holiday season, starting with Thanksgiving and ending somewhere around New Year’s Day. These holidays remind us that we are ALL humans, sharing this little planet we call earth.  

However, lately I have noted a disturbing trend of incivility, at the workplace and everywhere. Sometimes, the consequences of these acts culminates in injury and the loss of life, as we have witnessed during Black Friday’s most popularized incidents of pepper-spray and blood in the shopping aisles. These type of incidents where not isolated, and in fact there are reports of this happening from coast to coast, one of the worst was in a mall parking lot near Atlanta, GA where two men got into a parking spot altercation and one shot the other dead. 

Watching this video makes me think of how sharks react during a feeding frenzy.

In fact, according to the study “Civility in America 2011″ conducted by KRC Research, most Americans report they have been victims of incivility (86%). Their most common encounters with rude or disrespectful behavior come while driving (72%) or shopping (65%).

The study also reveals that Americans admit to perpetrating incivility — approximately six in 10 (59%) Americans acknowledge that they themselves have been uncivil.

It’s not only in the shopping mall, but also in professional exchanges that I have noticed ruder language and uncivil behaviors, on occasion leading to violence. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) defines incivility as “seemingly inconsequential inconsiderate words and deeds that violate conventional workplace conduct.” The study found that 86% of Americans report they have been victims of incivility. The same survey also found that over a third of the respondents believe incivility in the workplace is on the rise.

I have also heard from jobseekers who are experiencing a tremendous amount of incivility from recruiters and employers alike – and it’s not just the unanswered phone calls and questions, it’s just plain rude responses, with a total lack of compassion. Often times people mask their rude behavior by saying something like “it’s my honest opinion” “I’m going to give it to you straight” etc.

Incivility can come from co-workers or the public sector, in the 2009 Institute of Education Science (IES) School Principal Survey on Crime and Safety, approximately 11% of school principals reported that students were verbally abusive to their middle and high school teachers.

The cost of rudeness and incivility

In the 2009 book The Cost of Bad Behavior: How Incivility Is Damaging Your Business and What To Do About It, my former Thunderbird Professor Christine Pearson and Christine Porath say that the problem of incivility in the workplace has been compounded by our increasing tolerance of nasty behavior as a culture.

Surveys by researchers Porath and Erez, indicate that in the workforce, after experiencing rudeness most people lose time and focus, work less and slack off more, and think more about leaving the organization. In addition, 94% of people get even with the rude person or with their organization (88%). 

Does this have a deeper meaning?

The latest scientific research backs up with detailed molecular and cellular mechanisms what June Cleaver (and we) always knew intuitively, that through adolescence, the human brain is molded by the social environment in which a child is reared. A disrespectful, stressful social environment is a neurotoxin for the brain and psyche, and the scars are permanent.
~ Dr. Douglas Fields Neurobiologist; Author, The Other Brain

 

1. Are common courtesy civility, manners, and politeness a thing of the past?
2. Are Americans becoming ruder as the economy is spiraling downward?
3. What happened to our society?

According to Neurologist Dr. Douglas Fields – people (and animals) living together in large numbers must develop strict formalized behaviors governing interactions between all individuals in the group, or there will be strife and chaos. …. “The formal “Yes, Sir, Yes, Ma’am,” is not a showy embellishment in the military; strict respect and formal polite discourse are the hub of the wheel in any effective and cohesive social structure. Stress is a neurotoxin, especially during development of a child’s brain.

During the last 2 years I have traveled extensively, and I am always “shocked” when I encounter a polite culture – it would seem that even the French are far more civil and polite than we are. But it wasn’t always like this, when I was in school we where taught manners and etiquette at a young age, and respect for adults – this is unheard of today – so I hold little hope for the pendulum to swing back any time soon.

So what’s the answer?

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime. ~ Mark Twain

Even though our “society” is becoming ruder, I am trying to stay on track leading with kindness, consideration and respect in business – OK, I don’t always succeed. Not only does this feel right to me, and is in line with my core values, but I believe that people who demonstrate decency and kindness have better relationships. In the end, the kind person wins over the people who have a continual “attitude”. 

When people are consistently rude, it’s important to call them out on it. If it entails common courtesy, it’s usually best to deal with it one on one, but if it involves actions potentially perceived as bullying or harassment, it’s a good idea to get human resources, involved.

Take a moment, smile and be kind – it NEVER hurts. 

The 2011 Holiday Season is fast approaching and to kick it off we are organizing a dual-city Webgrrls International Holiday Celebration December 6th with the San Francisco Webgrrls and December 7th with the New York City Webgrrls, and when the Webgrrls Community gets together, it becomes an industry event, not only about revelry but also about the celebration of the achievements of women in technology and business.

December 6 – San Francisco

The San Francisco Webgrrls Holiday Celebration will be Tuesday, December 6th at the Techsoup space. 

We will toast to success and ring in the Holidays with a wine and cheese affair with some great wine, great raffle prizes, and a great San Francisco crowd. Get more information and RSVP!

December 7 – New York City

The NYC Webgrrls Holiday celebration will be Wednesday, December 7th at Wix Lounge, a co-working and event space for creative professionals (located steps from Union Square).

We will have a great menu and can share a toast with some great wine & beer,  and some amazing people. Get more information and RSVP!

Webgrrls International has a lot celebrate this year! A new site, new technology, our workshop line-up has grown offering new information and new skills to our members and community, our regular and small business membership continues to grow. San Francisco Webgrrls has a new chapter leader, Anne Ward, and is growing exponentially and the NYC Webgrrls is having its best year. The Webgrrls Blog, Webgrrls Wisdom, continues to influence as our subscriber base continues to grow. We have created some great momentum for 2012. It has been a very rewarding year for many of us.

Come and celebrate with us!

viagra

Don’t get a “job”, create a life and career you love – why not?

I’ve done a lot of complaining here, but of all the things I’ve complained about, I can’t complain about my life…….. And all this time I’ve been paid to say what is on my mind on television, you don’t get any luckier in life than that.
~ Andy Rooney

One of the things that struck me during the coverage of Andy Rooney’s life and passing, was his resolute claim that he did what he loved professionally for 70 years – and in fact he did it right up to his passing at the age of 92. Some would say that he was one of the privileged few, but I say why not do something you love to do professionally? why shouldn’t we all do what we love?

Living your life’s passion can not only be extremely rewarding but can lead to prosperity. Interestingly, most creative professionals that I know, will tell you that they do what they love – why can’t this be true for everyone?

Watch Gary Vaynerchuk’s funny and inspiring video. Gary is a 35 year old New York Times and Wall Street Journal Best-Selling author and a self-trained wine and social media expert, and the founder of Winelibrary.com.

Gary Vaynerchuk: Do what you love (no excuses!) TED Talk

This video contains (mostly) adult language

Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life.
~ Wayne Dyer

Have you asked yourself:  What do you love to do? What do you care about? What sparks you? Find your niche, whether it’s working for a non-profit or becoming an entrepreneur creating a company based on your passion?

1. Is there something you already love doing, a hobby? 
2. Care about your self first – figure out what you love and then do it.
3. Study the market carefully and you will find opportunities. Consider conducting a market survey with potential customers to uncover untapped needs, position yourself to succeed

I am not suggesting that you leave your great paying job tomorrow …. but really think about it, plan it and pursue it. Start in small steps, and work on pursuing your passion after you leave the job you are lukewarm about.

Here are 3 stories of people I know who are pursuing their passions:

People might tell you, you can’t do it, you will starve – well I am here to tell you that you can! Here are 3 stories, of people that I personally know, who are making a go at it in 3 very different ways.

• Molly Butler, someone I know in Atlanta was just laid off – she actually enjoyed her full-time job, but her true love is pets. This past year she started Wag & Purr, a pet sitting services she was growing on the side. Now, it’s a no brainer, the passion she had as a side business will most certainly grow and provide her a great income – because she loves it. 

• I have a friend who has been a writer his entire career – he has written for major publications, the news – you name it. But recently he started working on writing a book about 2 of his great loves – Sports and cooking.  There is no doubt in my mind that this venture will be successful, because his passion makes him a credible source, that and the fact that there are so few cookbooks geared to men. 

• Rob Mazze was a well respected Executive at a large New York advertising agency, who got laid off less than 2 years ago. When that happened, he went through a period of introspection about WHAT to do next, and decided to follow his passion for yoga, (which he regularly practiced for 20 yrs.). He enrolled in the teacher training program at Yoga to the People and is now registered as an instructor by the Yoga Alliance. Keep in mind that he went from a highly paid executive job to being a student and re-building his career and income. In a very short time he has built a private clientele as well as regularly instructing at several studios. I have no doubt that his business will grow, and if he chooses he will soon be running his own studio.  

These are just a few of the stories I know personally, you get the idea …. define yourself by your passion, build your business based on that definition and you will have an instant brand for yourself and your business, and that is something that potential customers are naturally drawn to.

Passion is important, especially in your work life since we spend an average of 8270 hours a year at work – and I will tell you that entrepreneurs typically spend much more than that. Be in control of your own future and create the opportunities to do what you love!

Everyone seems to understand that it’s important to have a “brand” as branding is the foundation on which your entire online marketing ‘platform’ is built.  But more and more people are asking me: “How can I build a brand on the various Social Media platforms?”.

Social Media is Nothing New

Before we dive into the tips, it’s good to realize that Social Media is nothing new and we all have been doing it from the beginning of time…Social Media is about connecting with people.  What has changed are the tools.  The tools now allow us to make that human connection on a whole different level…having access to people from all over the world where information travels at the speed of light!

Tips for Building a Brand on Social Media

1. Define your brand…your story
   In Social Media, your brand story appears in your bio or tag line.  Make sure to write a great bio/tag line that tells your story. 

   Things you should include in your Brand Story

   • Identify What You Value
   • Identify What Makes You Unique
   • Identify How You Want To Be Perceived
   • Identify Your Specialty
   • Identify Your Target Market 

   Here are 3 examples on Twitter community that tell a great story:
   

   

   One important note is to tailor your bio for each community if necessary.  The target audiences that you want to reach in different communities might vary, so, you have to know the community in order to speak to it’s members in a language that they understand and expect.

   Also, remember to use keywords that you want to be found under in your bio as this is how users of that community will find you.

2. Use a Great Photo
   I can’t stress this enough.  Your photo is the human connection.  Make sure that it is clear and portrays your personality.  Can you guess which photos I think you should use?
   
3. Engage with your community to build relationships
   Because there is so much going on in everyone’s lives today, engaging with the community members is the only way to stay on top of their minds.

   How do you engage?

   • Ask Questions
   • Answer other people’s questions
   • Comment on people’s posts
   • Respond to people when they try to reach out to you

   To help you manage your Social Media communications, you have to monitor what people say about your brand and respond in a timely manner. To monitor what people say about your brand, you can use Google Alerts, Addictomatic, and Twitter Search.

4. Be Remarkable!
   In order to succeed in Social Media, you have to be remarkable!  The power of Social Media tools are SHARING features, where people can easily pass something they like on to their networks.

   People share remarkable things

   People want to connect with remarkable people

5. Be Ubiquitous
   You have to create multiple streams of YOU on all the different social networks but you have to create a “HUB” (usually your blog/website) where people can find all of the info about you in one place. 

   

What do you think?  Do you have any other tips for building a brand on Social Media, please share in the comments!