Customer testimonials are typically hard to get. I thought I’d list a quick way that I have gotten video testimonials from customers in the past using flip cameras and dropbox.

1. Step one buy some video cameras Kodak Playtouch ($179) or Flip Cameras ($80) with your loaded logo (as of today you still can) – see picture to the right.
2. Step two send the cameras to your clients with an email & document asking them to find a quiet room that’s well lit.
3. Step three ask them to turn the camera on, sit in front and read the questions aloud and then answer (its also helpful to send a “best practices how to record”).
4. Step four ask them to upload the raw footage to your dropbox folder you have just shared with them – or ship the camera back.
5. Step five edit the video down to under 1:00 in total time.
6. Step six load the content to your site with appropriate tracking codes to see who watches and what they do next (don’t forget a call to action).
7. Step seven ask for their final approval and tell them to keep the flip as a gift.

Marketing should exploit the immediate connection and effectiveness of using video in their referral process. Video is an effective and simple way to make a connection. These types of clean videos come across as very honest as there is very little “production”. I’ve gotten five testimonials completed in 30 days using this method.

It might be obvious to some but the web is becoming a broadcast system. People love consuming content this way and it really has an impact. You don’t need large budgets or time to enable this component of your demand generation marketing engine.

David Meerman Scott just launched his revised & updated book The NEW RULES of MARKETING & PR (Click to buy).  If you haven’t read it you should.

In it David talks about the creation of a video category called business casual (page 252). He explains that video in all its forms need not be the high production difficulty and cost you’ve come to expect from “formal video”.  David goes on to make several points

1. You can produce simple low cost engaging content that works/converts.
2. Do not create poorly shot video, with bad lighting and editing – there is a baseline.
3. He is “convinced that the trend towards casual content means that consumers want to get closer to the organizations they do business with”.
4. Informal “telling it like it is – will make us more efficient”

One additional learning that David and our customers have stressed is -

Trust.

Business Casual video is honest. You’re standing out there on your own with no fancy backgrounds nor teleprompter.  People love the directness and the honesty that comes through the simple format.  We find that people appreciate it and are therefore willing to advance to conversation with such a forthright individual that’s focused on the content delivered.

Never forget that no matter how produced your video is – the content must be authentic and engaging. That is what converts visitors. The business casual content is easily produced on small high definition capable cameras (Cisco Flip, Kodak Zi8) that are simple to use and cost less than $80 to purchase. The quality is fantastic and as of this post Flip cameras are still online for sale.

Here is an example of business casual video content –

Today, when visitors see this business casual content they find it genuine and engaging. The results are excellent and the more you do it the easier it gets.

Cisco announced today that they are discontinuing the Flip Camera. Also, our favorite camera, the Kodak Zi8, has also been discontinued. We all know that every phone/tablet/iPod has a camera, but they are not good enough for business video. So what can we do?

The good news is that Kodak recently came out with the PlayTouch. The PlayTouch offers all the features the Zi8 offered, including 1080P HD video, a mic in, USB plug and play video transfer, as well as a few new features we like.

Watch the video below where I review the PlayTouch

Key Features Of The PlayTouch

• Clipping/Trim Videos Right On The Camera – this is a huge time saver!
• Microphone In Jack Can Also Be Headphone Jack (not both at the same time)
• Same great quality video recording as the Zi8, including image stabilization
• New Larger Touch Screen
• Video Effects, Like Sepia, B/W and 70′s (whatever that means, maybe it puts bell bottoms on everyone?)

We’ve always recommended the Kodak Zi8 for our customers, and we’ve begun to recommend the PlayTouch. Until portable device cameras get better, we’ll be sticking with these.

Let us know if you have any questions. Comment below.

When prepping for your shoot, remind your subject to wear solid colors instead of stripes or other designs that have harsh lines. The lines and stripes can cause distortion when being encoded.

Clothing Guidelines For Men and Women:

• men –  wear a medium to dark sports jacket and an colored shirt like blue, green or yellow etc. If you wear a tie you can wear a white shirt.
• Women – wear bright solid colors, florals or wide patterns. You can wear a dark jacket with a colorful shirt as well.

General Guidelines:

• Avoid wearing pinstripes of any kind.
• Don’t wear predominately black or white shirts or sweaters (color is nice, the camera loves color(
• Avoid wearing skin colored clothing. There should be some contrast between you and your clothing. No dull colors!
• If you are doing whiteboard talks bring a colored polo shirt as well as a dress shirt. Sport coats are optional, but should NOT be dark colored so as to avoid too much contrast with the whiteboard (a problem with camera exposures).
• Avoid silk, cotton is best.
• It is always helpful to bring a change of cloths.

Framing your subject properly makes it much easier for a viewer to follow along with the video. Having the subject to high or low in the picture can make them look drowned out which can lead to viewer drop-off. The term for the space above the subjects head is called headroom. Here are three examples of headroom.

Too Much Headroom	Too Little Headroom	Perfect Headroom

It’s also good to think of your screen being split into thirds both horizontally and vertically. Typically when shooting you want to aim to have your subject centered to one of the vertical lines in the viewfinder. See Below for Example:

As you can see we have our subject to the right of the fame looking to the left of the camera. To achieve this you just need the subject to keep their body facing the camera or the interviewer and have them sit between 1-3 feet from the side of the camera.

Click Here To Download Setting Up Your Shot

This week I got to record a tutorial on how to setup and interview/testimonial shoot.  These shoots typically feature one person answering questions while they look slightly off camera to the interviewer. They are surprisingly easy to setup and a great way to generate reusable content.

Creating effective business video is something that people learn how to do in stages and our advice on the relevant “3 quick ways” varies accordingly. Choose a path through the interactive video below to see what 3 Quick Things might work for you…

Depending on your choices, this will take between 45 and 90 seconds…

While the 3 things you were offered in the interactive video above varied by your experience level, the following things to watch our for apply in all cases:

1. Be careful working on video formats that contain complex messaging (see this post for 12 different types of video by difficulty)
2. Avoid developing content by committee (see this clip from Cisco’s Tim Washer on committee development)
3. Avoid using complex video production techniques including green screens, teleprompters, and multiple cameras (see this post about business casual video to hear our suggestions)

Where are you in the pool and what have you been doing?

Capturing a video interview with a client, partner, or industry guru is the foundation for valuable content.  A couple of important tips when capturing the interview:

1.  Prepare your questions -  Think about what you want to communicate,  so you can ask questions that get you the right content.  Write down your questions and make sure you have a few open ended questions – you will often be pleasantly surprised with gems of an answer.

2.  Identify themselves – Ask them to share their name, company and role. This is always a good lead into any final piece.

3.  Easy Question -  Ask one or two easy questions to get things started and flowing.

4.  Be Quiet   -  When the interviewee is talking, be quiet.  It is okay to nod, but you want the sound only to have their voice.  Much easier for using this later on.

5.  Discussion or Interview -  You need to decide upfront if this is a discussion or interview.  As an interview, you are trying to ask questions and get answers.  Those answers will be what you use in your video. You will not be on camera or heard on the sound track.

6.  Microphone – It often helps to put a microphone on your subject.  Good sound is very important in making a video engaging.

7. Authorization -  Ask them on camera if it is okay for you to post this online.  You want to get clearance to use the content. For more information on authorization, watch this clip featuring David Meerman Scott sharing recording tips.

In an earlier post, The Four Commandments of Shooting Effective Video, we discussed the importance of lighting, sound, background and traffic.  In this post, we’ll cover four more tips that will make you a better videographer and free you to do more (and more adventurous) videos for your business.  In this post we’ll cover basic elements of wardrobe, framing, recording and review.

Wardrobe – This is simple. The day before your shoot, tell your subject(s) to wear solid colors and avoid stripes and other designs that create harsh lines.  Lines, stripes and complex patterns can cause distortion when your video is being encoded and it can distract viewers.

Framing – Proper framing makes it much easier for a viewer to follow along with the video.  You should be aware of headroom, how much room is above the head of the subject and the edge of the video frame, and angle, which can be off-camera and direct-to-camera.  Below are some examples to help you understand the differences.

Here are some examples that illustrate the concepts described above:

Recording – When recording, you may have the option on your camera to record in full HD 1080P video.  For many videos this may be overkill.  If you’re using the Kodak Zi8 or similar camera, you can set the quality setting at 720P 30FPS (FPS= Frames Per Second). This still offers high-quality recording without requiring too much storage and increasing upload times (higher quality takes more storage space and can take longer to upload from the camera).  If you’re adventurous and are using a higher-end camera, it can’t hurt to shoot in higher quality, but be sure to monitor your on-camera storage so you don’t run out of space in mid shoot!

Review – Before your subject leaves and you pack up, take a few minutes to review some of the footage you just captured. Does the lighting look okay? Is the audio clear? Although spot reviewing your footage can’t discover all possible glitches, it can save you from discovering a complete wash-out later. A few minutes invested onsite can avoid an entire re-shoot later.

These tips are basic, for sure, but our objective is to get you started, not help you win film festivals. As you get more comfortable with shooting video you may experiment with higher-end equipment, remote lighting and more elaborate shooting techniques. Hopefully by then we’ll have posted some experts tips to help you on your journey to the next level.

Good luck!

Cecil B. DeMille was famous for flamboyant productions such as the Ten Commandments, with lavish sets that almost outshined the actors (which, in some cases, was actually his objective). How much of Cecil B. DeMille’s flamboyance should you bring into your productions? Let’s just say that in most cases less is more. In fact, if you’re just getting started, we suggest that you focus on the fundamentals of lighting, sound, background and traffic control. We’ll call these our “Four Commandments,” in honor of Mr. DeMille.

Lighting – Look for a location with good lighting that can be placed in front of the subject. If the subject is up against a wall, for example, be sure the room has more than one overhead light to avoid harsh shadows. Windows can bring in ambient light, but be sure the subject is facing the window to avoid the issue below (TIP: the brighter it is behind the subject the more light you’ll need in front).

Sound – New videographers ignore best practices for sound at their own peril. There’s nothing worse than getting home and discovering that your footage is marred by whirring, whooshing or extraneous voices you didn’t hear onsite. A little extra time in advance of shooting, however, goes a long way. If you’re in a quiet room without any echo, you may be able to get away with using the microphone built into the camera. Rather than take any chances, however, it’s better to have an external microphone on hand.  A lavalier microphone easily clips onto your subject and connects to your camera (be sure you have enough cord!). Ideally, the microphone should be 1-3 inches from the center of the chest.  Hide the cables by clipping them onto ties, button down shirts and jackets.

Backgrounds – Less is often more with your background. A cluttered background can distract the viewer and make your video seem amateurish. Removing the clutter, such as in the right-hand image below, immediately gives your video a more polished look. Note how the left-hand image has lines going through the subject’s head and reveals clutter behind. This is an easy fix by simply taking an extra minute to frame your subject through the viewfinder.

Traffic – Even seasoned videographers avoid high-traffic areas for video shoots. Your best bet is a conference room or office where you can shut the door.  It’s also a good idea to prepare signs saying “video shoot in progress” and, if possible, distribute an email to your company letting them know you’ll be filming.  And don’t forget about people and noises outside any windows. A bus going by or loud laughter in an office next door can ruin a “perfect take.” Be sure to anticipate all distractions and make plans to avoid them before you start.

Cecil B. DeMille was judged by his colorful sets and how well he could direct “a cast of thousands.” You’ll only be judged on how clearly your subject’s message is received by the viewer. By following these four commandments for lighting, sound, background and traffic, you may not win an Academy Award, but you will produce video that converts potential leads online.