One of the greatest obstacles faced by thousands of returning veterans who are transitioning back into civilian life is in finding long-lasting gainful employment, according to Kevin Humes, the President/CEO of American Veterans Alliance/American Alliance for Disabled Veterans (501 C-3) and co-founder...
Negotiation is something that home-based or other small business, business opportunity or franchise owners need to contend with, like it or not. Unfortunately, far too many of them think it is okay to just wing it. They don't take the time to refine their skills in this area. As a result, they are doing...
If you’re a mom (or even a dad) who is currently making the job of raising kids your full-time job and who is also wrestling with the idea of buying a business opportunity or franchise, the recent raging and politically charged debate about what constitutes a “working” mom may hit close to home. Personally,...
It worked for UPS, so take a cue from a huge conglomerate by creating a simple video explaining what you do to promote your business. Those ever-present UPS commercials with the long-haired “every guy” and his white board actually feature Andy Azula, the creative director of the marketing campaign. It turns out Azula wasn’t supposed to be in the commercials, but focus groups found him more appealing than actors and pitchmen.
This confirms that consumers like to see the face behind the business, and also indicates you don’t have to be a superstar to engage in self-promotion. You know your company better than anyone else, so who could be a better fit to make the sales pitch?
With a number of free sites available to host your creation (YouTube, Facebook and dozens of new sites), using a video platform to highlight your business is a great tool that won’t cost a lot of money. Also, many allow you to imbed the video right on your blog or website.
Here are some tips for creating a simple, self-promotion, online video to market your business.
Have a friend interview you about your business. This is a great idea if you’re offering something slightly more complicated. Design some questions for a friend to ask you as you sit down and chat. Be conscious of length because viewers can lose interest. Having your friend ask the right questions allows you to toot your own horn without sounding arrogant. The shoot can be done in one sequence to avoid the need for extensive editing, etc.
Speak directly to your viewers. Take a tip from Azula and speak directly to your audience. Explain exactly what they need to know about you and your business.
Show the product. If you’re selling a particular item, be sure to show your wares. In fact, the whole video could just be images of what you have to offer set to music and/or a voiceover. If your product is the key to your business, showing the items is the best way to bring in buyers.
Get creative. Showing your viewers who you are and what you sell is a standard practice, but if you have the means (and the money), take the time to create something fun and memorable that pertains to your business. Costumes, jokes and tricks are attractive, but be cautious as to avoid creating something that will embarrass you and your company. Have fun, but remain professional so that others will take you seriously. You may nab thousands of viewers with a ridiculous video, but if it’s not clear what your business offers, then you’re still at square one.
Millions of home-based and other small business, business opportunity and franchise owners are using social media to market their businesses, but are they really clear on what the true benefits of their efforts might be? According to findings from a recent Social Media Examiner survey featured on Pagemodo,...
Today, marketing online is a crucial part of any business, and this can of course be done through many different channels. The question is, how can you make the social media marketing process―through Facebook for instance―into a well-oiled machine?
Let’s...
The Truth About Leadsis a practical, easy-to-read book revealing little-known secrets that help you focus your B2B lead-generation efforts, align your sales and marketing organizations and drive revenue.
Written by prospect development expert and PointClear...
Facebook’s pages are changing as of March 30, and any business opportunity or franchise owner who has a page and is not ready could be asking for problems. Businesses that are already active on
More than one in four Americans watches a video online EVERY day, according to a recent study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. Furthermore, 71 percent of adult internet users today have visited a...
Ed Lewellen is the Senior Vice President of Talent Acquisition for Employers Edge, Inc., a company that uses its own highly successful and proven business model to improve the performance of other companies―coaching,...
HOT OPPORTUNITY!
View Our Video...Part on-line magazine, part community blog, and part destination site, CityStir is your best business opportunity for 21st Century economy!
Color Glo International is a restoration franchise focused on restoring and repairing damaged, dirty, faded or mismatched upholstery found in homes, offices, automobiles and commercial aircraft. Color Glo’s proprietary process uses specialty formulated, water-based, and environmentally friendly products for on-site re-conditioning of items in need of repair. Color Glo Franchise: Specialists in Color Restoration and Repair!
Color Glo provides a uniquely effective solution for repairing, cleaning, and restoring valuable fabrics and materials to achieve a like-new appearance. Our franchisees are trained to expertly handle leather, vinyl, velour, plastic, carpet and various types of fabric. In addition to material restoration, our franchisees offer a deodorizing service for our clients.
