by Ydraw | Dec 27, 2012 | Whiteboard Video
Hello everyone! It is great to be back from the Holidays. I spent mine up in Northern Utah with lots of family, food and presents. When you have 4 kids Christmas can be pretty entertaining especially for 2 year olds. Christmas/New Years is always a great time to sit back and plan for the coming year so I hope we all can take some time to set a couple of goals. We have a funny whiteboard video that is coming out next Monday that talks a little bit about setting goals. It is funny, so please mark this pages so you can see it. Enough chat lets take video scribing!
I have a confession to make! I am not the best script writer in the world, nor do I have one bit of artistic talent, but I am the best stealer; ok not really but I do like to take different ideas from all around the internet. If I see something that I like, I will use it on my next script or video. That is how I came up with the new whiteboard video of yvideo. I found a script that I really liked and decides to adjust it to fit my needs and my company. It is a great way to create a video. Check it out.
So here are the steps to creating a great whiteboard video
1. Write your script. If you have no idea how to write a script, here is a simple guide for you: How to write a script. It works and if you still can’t figure out how to write a script then you can find one you like on the internet and adjust it to fit your company.
2. Create the Artwork. This is pretty self explanatory. If you can’t draw, pay someone who can. Or you can always produce junk that reflects nicely on you and your company.
3. Record under camera. Get a nice camera and record the drawing of the artwork. You can use an Iphone but it might not turn out that hot. You can’t have any type of shakes so make sure you use a stand of some sort. You can do this on a whiteboard or you can use a piece of paper. Either way works.
4. Edit your Whiteboard Video. You can use Final Cut, After Effects or any other editing software. We like Final Cut and Adobe After Effects. Editing is pretty easy when it comes to whiteboard videos so if you have made it this far the rest is easy. Add music, voiceover and sound effects. We will usually get our voice overs from www.voiceover.com. I highly recommend spending the money for a professional voiceover it can add so much to your video.
So there you have it 4 simple steps to creating a whiteboard video. If you have questions please feel free to contact us anytime.
+Jace Vernon
by Ydraw | Dec 17, 2012 | video
Selecting the Right Voiceover For Your Video Production
The proper voice for video voice over is often overlooked and incorrectly thought of as insignificant.
Selecting the proper voice for your video voice over is an important and integral part of video production. The voice is what will give your viewer and potential customers the first impression of your business and what you are trying to communicate to them. The voice you select must reflect the message you want to convey and the manner in which you convey it. A tone, pronunciation, accent and volume are but a few of the essential elements that will determine whether your viewers have the attention span to view your video through to completion.
When creating a video production, selecting the right voiceover for your narration is vital to the success of the video. The perfect voiceover will add greatly to the tone of the video and bring out what the message is trying to achieve. A voiceover is the final addition that can make or break the potential of success that your video will enjoy. There are a number of standards that you should set when finding the right person to do a video voiceover so it can enjoy the maximum success when broadcasted on the internet or television. Therefore, if you are shopping around for a person to do the voiceover, then you’ll need to approach it with a number of considerations.
Experience
While experience helps, it’s not necessarily essential to hiring the right voiceover person. After all, you are looking for the right tone to set for your video and whether that person has been in the business for a half century or a half an hour matters little as long as they can do the job the way you intended.
Experience does count to a certain extent when comparing candidates who have similar qualities, but one has more experience and a reputation for getting the job done quickly while the other is still establishing themselves. However, if you are hiring voiceover artists in a freelance manner, then you can pick and choose the one that is right for a particular video.
Tone
What is the tone of your video production? Are you trying to be serious, funny or simply informative? Whatever the tone of the video, your voiceover artist needs to match that tone well in order to deliver the message properly. However, you should be open somewhat when interviewing voiceover artists and listening to the demos that they provide.
by Ydraw | Dec 17, 2012 | Animation Video
Animation Video: Essential, entertaining and engaging
Having an online business presence in today’s world requires digital media.
If you have a business with an online presence and you need to get word out about your goods and services you need digital media such as animation video. What was once a novelty is now fast becoming mainstream due to faster and cheaper internet combines with an increase in mobile devices that allow people to connect faster than ever. An animated video with a bit of humour and proper SEO can improve your search engine ranking and reach your audience quicker than ever before.
You may have noticed the rise of videos over the past few years on the internet. A video on the internet was once a curious novelty reserved only for those with exclusive high speed connections and expensive computers. Today, people watch videos on their smartphones and other inexpensive devices all around the world.
Videos have become a mainstay of entertainment and information on the internet and animation video in particular has achieved a great level of success in promoting products, providing information and entertainment for hundreds of millions of people around the world. If you are running an online business, then animation video production should be an avenue you need to consider to help establish your company to potential customers. Mastering the art of animated video SEO, or search engine optimization, will definitely increase your customer traffic and may lead to having your company expand exponentially over the internet.
Animated Video
Thanks to new advances in software, an animation video production of good quality is now even easier and cheaper than before. Everyday, animation video production studios around the world, some of which are simple, one person operations using a single computer and program are producing high quality animation video on a regular basis. While it may not have the depth or movie screen quality of a fully animated film that you see in the theatres, many animation studios do have a sophisticated, eye pleasing look that makes them perfect to hire for promotional projects that you employ. They can be entertaining and engaging allowing a business to deliver their message in its entirety.
Video SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a well known standard for creating greater customer traffic to your website. While most people recognize how SEO works for their text content, it can also be of great benefit for videos as well. Popular search engines will view good quality video as a definite plus on results pages. This means that between otherwise equal use of proper keywords and key phrases along with link quality and such, a weblink with a video will rank higher than one without. Therefore, it pays to have a good, high quality animated video that will help you get noticed by more people and create more customer traffic.
Humor
Animated videos have a special place in the hearts of people who readily remember the hilarious cartoons that they grew up with as children. Plus, animation has established itself prominently on network TV, cable stations, and the like. This means that when an animation production of good quality and great humor appears on the internet, people will take notice.
In fact, humor is the best way to deliver a positive message about your company or the products that you carry. While its true that everyone has their own sense of humor and what may be hilarious to some may not be so well received by others, it is often the earnest intent of being funny that is enough to bring people over.
by Ydraw | Dec 10, 2012 | video
I have had my eyes opened these last few weeks. It all started with a couple of books and it ended with a class in Dallas, Texas known as the GKIC workshop put on by Glazer and Kennedy. It was amazing and proved to be well worth my time. Hence the reason for this blog post.
Its all about the Sales Funnel
One of the most important parts of any business is sales and marketing, yet most businesses do not spend the necessary capital. If they do, they spend it on the wrong things. Small businesses can not market like large corporation nor should we want to. For us it comes down to leads, leads, leads.
If you do not create leads, you will not survive. If you do not have faithful customers, you will hardly grow. Simple, right? Well, it is easier said then done. Our whiteboard videos are designed and created to capture leads. We want people to call us on the phone or fill out a form on our site to capture info. That way they enter our sales funnel which has a nurturing campaign. Once a lead enters the door we have a series of videos or emails to follow up with the clients.
I learned this technique of survival back when I served a two year mission in El Salvador at the ripe old age of 19. We would spend hours each day knocking doors, talking to people, or asking for member referrals. It was tough to find people who would listen to our message about the Savior. Once we got into the door we would teach the first discussion and move them into the nurturing pool where we would follow up with 5 more discussions making sure to resolve doubts along the way. It was not easy and it took alot of work to get the leads into the pipeline and nurture them. Luckily for us, we do not have to knock on doors 9 hours a day. We have software that systemizes the whole nurturing process until someone is ready to act. Here’s a great quote.
“Most business owners and marketers lead lives of DESPERATION, because they do not know how to create a STEADY and SUFFICIENT SUPPLY of GOOD LEADS.”-Dan Kennedy
How to Capture Great Leads
- Use Video- the first step is to create a video that is fun, educational and has some type of value proposition. We love whiteboard videos, but animation videos created by Ydraw, Epipheo, Demoduck, or Common Craft are also great. Once you have a great video the job is to put it in front of your target audience. If you have no idea who your target audience is, you will waste a lot money on advertising to people who do not need your product or service.
- Create Landing Pages-Landing pages are a great way to capture a lead. You can use CPC ads or banner ads to drive people to a landing pages. That page needs a form on it to capture info.
- Direct Mail- This is something I do not know a lot about, but I am implementing it and will let you know the results. From what I have read direct mail is still the most powerful way to generate leads.
- Monthly Videos or Newsletters- Currently at Ydraw we are implementing this plan. Each month we create a general video that people enjoy watching hoping it will get passed around. The video is more for entertainment and fun than a business pitch.
Those are just a few ideas on capturing leads. Start with one and work your way up to where you have multiple avenues. The more leads you capture the better.
Nurturing your Leads
Once you capture a lead you have to nurture it. We spend so much time, energy, and money in capturing leads, it would be a shame not to get the most out of them. Nurturing leads is an easy step to automate, it just requires a bit of planning and design. Use Aweber, Mailchip, or Infusionsoft to start email follow ups. Be careful with bombarding your lead pool with too much advertising. You do not want to end up in spam folders or trash. One email per week works great. Make your emails educational, and entertaining; using stories, videos, receipts, and a direct mail piece.
Of course, most businesses will read this article and go on their merry way not implementing this strategy. It takes too much effort, organization, and discipline. Don’t be them! Jump in with both feet and become the 5% who actually experience sustainable success.
+Jace Vernon
by Ydraw | Dec 4, 2012 | video
If you do not know what a USP is, then you certainly need this information, so read on! This simple blog could change your business forever. I really mean that. USP stand for Unique Selling Proposition, it is a must have for any business. I am going to show you how to create the perfect USP step by step so when you leave your office today your customers will know what you do. Please spend a couple of minutes to do this simple exercise I paid big bucks to get this info and I am passing it onto you because I love you and I have seen too many businesses get a video who have no idea what problem they solve in the market place. Don’t be them.
Why should you develop a USP?
- You will have a big advantage over your competition
- You will have clarity about who you are
- You will get more leads
- You will have better conversations with potential clients
How to Develop the Perfect USP?
I will first tell you how I came up with the USP for Ydraw and the mistakes I made. Initially when Ydraw was started my USP was “#1 Video Scribing Company” Then it slowly developed into “Creative Videos that Inspire.” As you can see those do not work. I want you to do better. If someone came up to me and ask, “What do you do?” and I answered with, “#1 Video scribing company,” you can see how confusing that would be. I pretty much killed the conversation before it was even started. Those are slogans not USPs.
Here are a couple of things to ask yourself:
- What are you awesome at?
- How will you solve the problem of your target market?
- Do you have a guarantee?
- Are you believable?
- How can you include your personality?
The Unlimate Questions is…..
Why Should I (your future client) choose to do business with your versus any and every other option available to me?
Here are a couple of examples
World’s Strongest Librarian
Get Stronger..Get Smarter..Live Better…Everyday!
Kiva
Kiva connects people through lending to alleviate poverty.
So after much thought and coaching I finally came up with this:
Ydraw
Ydraw creates #1 whiteboard videos that engage, maintain, and inspire any audience guaranteed…because we love you!
Where most people make the mistake is they try to get overly creative. Make sure your USP actually says what you do for your traget audience. Don’t make it too complicated, think simple. Get started on your USP and, like mine, it will most likely change overtime. Create a list then get the opinion of others. In a nut shell, you just need to answer the question.
WHY YOU?
+Jace Vernon