UNIQUENESS: Why choose you?

Now that you know what else is out there it’s time to figure out what makes your product different or unique. Marketing 101 calls it your “Unique Selling Proposition.” I call it your U. Q. — Your Uniqueness Quotient. Whatever you want to call it, once you figure “it” out, you’re halfway there.

If you are a musician and working on a music project, you know what makes your music unique. It’s okay to have a sound that’s similar to another group or artist because everyone is influenced by someone. But then your uniqueness lies in your technique and song structure. Perhaps you need to design and develop a unique package. In the early ‘90s, die-cut CDs became a big thing -- CD shapes that were unique to a particular artist or a reflection of the project title, until it was discovered that CD players couldn’t always accommodate the shape. So what’s your big thing?

What’s so special about what you do?

If you are a speaker, you need to take a look at the benefits of your program for your audience. What does your audience get from you that no one else can offer in quite the same as you do? Is it your message? Is it your funny wit or down-to-earn personality? Your entertainment value? Can you claim an expertise on the subject that no one else can? If you don’t have a “unique” something, create one. Your U.Q. is the basis of your “brand” and “position” in the market, and more importantly, in your customers’ minds. It will determine everything else you do, and how you do it: the titles of your programs and workshops, concerts, your tagline or motto, the design of all your marketing and promotional materials, the tone of voice used in your communications, and finally, the product, itself.

Despite the much-used practice of re-quoting original sayings, like Earl Nightengale’s “You become what you think about”, I would not consider that unique positioning. I’ve heard other speakers change this to “What you think about comes about”, and other variations. Just because others do it doesn’t mean you should. Expect more of yourself. If you’re at the point in your career where you’re actually considering creating your own product, then you’re good enough to come up with a motto and title that are truly your own.

Here are some examples of projects that I’ve worked on over the years that I feel are unique and demonstrate good positioning:

Professional speaker Steve Rizzo came up with name "The Spirit Lives On" for a program that he created after the September 11 events to meet the needs of the meetings industry. Professional speaker Richard Hadden titled his book and program on employee satisfaction with "Contented Cows Give Better Milk." Professional speaker Christine Holten Cashen created a video product entitled "Got Humor? Get Calcium for Your Funny Bone."

But uniqueness isn’t enough. Your title should also offer a benefit to your potential customers. Good examples of these are: Live Aid, the title of a music benefit concert to feed the hungry (subsequent benefit concerts rode on its coattails with titles such as Farm Aid to benefit farmers, etc.). Titles like Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, or Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich both hook potential customers with a provocative promise.

Interested in learning more about professional audio/video services? Contact me at 800-647-4281.

This information is taken from my book The Art of Production, which you can purchase from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/096739967X/ref=sc_pgp__m_A37OD7TI15D03E... or you can purchase an e-book version from SmashWords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/16020.

First, check out your competition.

You know the saying, “keep your friends close, your enemies closer”? Good advice when it comes to creating your multimedia product. Before you begin even conceptualizing or deciding what type of product it should be, see what your competition is doing. This step will give you vital information, such as the potential current market for products similar to yours. You can discover what you like, and learn from others’ success. Look for a common denominator among your most successful counterparts. Then figure out how you can beat them at their own game. How can you differ yourself from the competition—what makes you and your product special? How can you fulfill a need that no one else is?

If, for example, you’re thinking about producing a CD on time management, research as many products as you can on time management and discover how you are unique in this product offer. If your product blends in with the rest in that category you need to re-think your product.

RESEARCHING PRODUCT BACKGROUND.

The Internet.
It’s your easiest way to research. Type in keywords to begin your search, then add a “+” sign to modify your search with additional descriptors. For example: Real Estate + Audio.

Industry associations.
These are a great source for information on products since authors of such programs are usually members of these associations. Plus, leaders in these associations know a lot about the industry, its members and authors.

Public libraries.
This is another great resource for product information. Products that are well thought-out and properly packaged include an ISBN number. This stands for International Standards Book Number and serves libraries and book retailers in easily locating the product in their system or ordering the product. Amazon.com markets a lot of products — books, CDs and DVDs. You could log onto this site and search for categories to research product availability.

Interested in learning more about professional audio/video services? Contact me at 800-647-4281.

This information is taken from my book The Art of Production, which you can purchase from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/096739967X/ref=sc_pgp__m_A37OD7TI15D03E... or you can purchase an e-book version from SmashWords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/16020

Nothing sells like a little ingenuity.

A great way to increase back of the room sales is to hold drawings. Drawings will help you build a database for promotional mailings and scheduling future appearances. Have audience members drop their business card in a fishbowl to be entered in the drawing -- you now have captured their name, line of business, address, phone number and e-mail address. The person who wins the drawing becomes part of the sales process because when you award the prize you have the opportunity to describe the product in detail and promote its availability in the back of the room. Drawings create a lot of good energy because everyone loves to win stuff!

You can’t lose with free giveaways.

Another way to increase back-of-the-room sales is to put free stuff by your product display. These can be single-song CDs, business-card CD ROMs, bumper stickers, guitar picks, lyric sheets and computer screen savers, just to name a few.

If you do not publish a newsletter or e-zine, perhaps it’s time to start. These make great direct mail pieces and are the perfect forum for showcasing your performance and products.

And if you don’t have a Web site, consider creating one. You can use all of these sales vehicles to drive customers to your web site, where you can provide detailed information about your presentations, programs and workshops, show a preview video, and display your products, both free and for-sale -- enough information to satisfy even your most discerning customer.

Free one-on-ones add great value, too.

Offer a free phone consultation with the purchase of your product. This works well if you are in the training business because it creates more perceived-value. When a prospect purchases one of your products - perhaps the bundle package - you can add tremendous value by including a half- or a one-hour telephone consultation.

Now that you’ve got the gist, what’s next?

You now have a basic understanding of what’s entailed in creating and marketing your multimedia product. Hopefully you’re excited by some of the ideas I’ve offered, and are motivated to dive deeper into the subject.

In the blog posts that follow I will go into great detail in each of these categories, as well as explore some others that will impact your success in this endeavor. Also, make a point of visiting our web site regularly to stay updated on the changes that will continue to revolutionize the recording and production process.

Interested in learning more about professional audio/video services? Contact me at 800-647-4281.

This information is taken from my book The Art of Production, which you can purchase from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/096739967X/ref=sc_pgp__m_A37OD7TI15D03E... or you can purchase an e-book version from SmashWords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/16020.

I asked Damian Blumenkranc to write a guest blog after I met him when I did a speaking presentation in Australia. He's a fellow video producer who works for Creativa, a web video production company in Australia. He kindly shared the following blog about video's affect on the internet and the pervasiveness of digital video.

How many of you remember when MTV started? Back then it was hard to imagine a whole TV show about music videos. Does anyone remember the song that they chose to play first? It was by a band called “The Buggles” and the song was of course “Video Killed the Radio Star”. Well, a lot has changed since then and you could almost be forgiven for wondering when the Buggles are going to release their follow up hit “The Internet killed the traditional Music Industry”.

One thing that hasn’t changed a lot over the past 30 years is the growth and demand for Video content. Everyone with a smart phone now has access to high quality ultra-portable Video recording and viewing equipment. Due to the massive growth of both the Internet and social media phenomena Video finds itself in high demand. There can be no argument that Video is a key driver of Internet growth. We just need to look to the success of sites like YouTube and Vimeo, but not just at the sites themselves, also the individuals and businesses that have used video to achieve fame and in the process, earn a fortune. Without online video there would be no Justin Beiber (and that may be a good thing) but there would also be no Double Rainbow Guy, no Old Spice Guy, no Dramatic Chipmunk or Charlie bit my finger. We would not know if a series of objects could be blended or if a 3 year old Darth Vader has enough force to unlock a Volkswagen.

Video is a web fundamental. It is infinitely suited to the medium. It is digital, it is portable, it is accessible and there is no real barrier to entry. Viewing Video is simple, with phones, tablets and laptops all configured to play most accepted video formats, even if they are not displayed in browser.

Among other things, Video is by far the best digital solution to effectively:

· Showcase products and Services

· Demonstrate Knowledge via training and education

· Entertain

· Position your business as experts

· Become well known

Some interesting Stats

· YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine in the world.[1]

· In four minutes and 26 seconds 100+ hours of video will be uploaded to YouTube.[2]

Many businesses benefit from video, while others build whole businesses from video. Small business previously limited by TV budget barriers, can use Video very effectively as a platform to compete for a larger share of the market in a way that has not previously been possible and larger businesses can use Video to optimise their marketing budget.

Video is no longer just about entertainment, it is also about content and communication. This places the key to achieving success with Video firmly back to how they work with Search Engines. With the YouTube Google partnership a reality, getting your video optimised correctly can mean the difference between 10 views and 10,000,000. So the next time you watch a video online take a few minutes to think about how you could use this technology to drive your business further.

[1] http://www.tgdaily.com/trendwatch-features/39777-youtube-surpasses-yahoo...

[2] http://mashable.com/2010/03/17/youtube-24-hours/

To learn more about Damian Blumenkranc's work with Creativa, visit http://creativa.com.au

Creating buzz in the back of the room and beyond.

You can have the best product in the world, but what good does it do if nobody knows about it? So how do you tell the world about your product? You have several options. You can find a distributor, someone who already has a network of outlets in place and will become your partner, or you can opt to sell back-of-the-room only. How do you know which way to go? Well it all depends…

You’ve got some thinking to do.

Do you want to develop a relationship with independent retail outlets? Are you willing to do the legwork yourself, or will you hire someone to do it for you? What is the cost and benefit of doing so? Do you want to market yourself through catalogs? Can you sell your product on the Internet? How much inventory do you want to keep on hand? You can market your products through all of these venues if you want, in addition to selling them at your events, or just limit your venture to back-of-the-room only. It’s all up to you.

Back-of-the-room sales are very effective for public speakers, musicians, comedians, and just about anyone else that performs live, because you take advantage of the “buzz” of the event. Just make sure you get permission from the sponsors of the event.

There’s something to be said for striking while the iron is hot.

Once, while I was eating at an Italian restaurant, I had the pleasure of enjoying the stirring performance of a strolling violinist. During the break he went from table to table to sell his CDs. You guessed it — I bought one, as did many of the people in the restaurant that night. Would I have still been so moved by his performance the next day that I would bother going to a store or on the Internet to buy it?

What if you’re too busy after the show to sell your product?

Sometimes it can get busy after a performance, which makes it difficult for you to sell the product yourself. Fans will approach you after the performance; they may want your autograph, or a picture with you, or just want to tell you how much they enjoyed your performance. These activities are great for public relations but bad for product sales. If you do not have an assistant who can help take the money, you could always rely on the honor system. A glass fishbowl works great! Make a sign that looks professional and spells out the product name and price. Place it on the display table right next to your products. Throw a few five-dollar bills into the fishbowl so the customer gets the idea and has change if necessary. Or you can get someone from the audience to help you monitor the sales activity.

Your performance is your best sales pitch.

If you have given a good performance, your products will practically sell themselves. Just ask the introducer to mention where the audience can find your products for sale sometime during the show. Or, even better, tell the introducer or facilitator to inform your audience that they can meet you, in person, after the performance in the back of the room or wherever your products are on display. If the sales activity is slow, it may be because your performance wasn’t your best. In that case, use the information to help you improve your next performance.

Interested in learning more about professional audio/video services? Contact me at 800-647-4281.

This information is taken from my book The Art of Production, which you can purchase from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/096739967X/ref=sc_pgp__m_A37OD7TI15D03E... or you can purchase an e-book version from SmashWords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/16020.

PACKAGING: Create your “brand” image.

How you package your production is as important to the success of your product, as the production, itself. Think of your product packaging as an extension of yourself and how you appear to your audience. Just as you wouldn’t show up for an appearance in sweats, the last thing you want to do go all out to create a killer production only to package it like a bargain basement bomb. Get help from someone who knows what he or she is doing. A product package not only creates perceived-value, but also your brand image. It will determine many aspects of your career, the least of which is the price of the product, itself. You’ll want the package, just as the production, to be consistent with your image.

Bundle products to create greater value.

A great way to add value for your customers as well as move more inventory is to bundle them together for a better price. You can package several videos and CDs together in a unique way and offer a discount. Or bundle a book if you have one, with a CD and a DVD. Be sure to list the original retail price of each item on your order form as well as the special bundled price. The bundled price should offer at least a 20% discount on the total retail price of the items when sold separately.

Multiple-unit discounts also work well. Offer “buy-one-get-second-half-off” deals, or include volume discount gradation prices on your order form. You may also offer your product as part of your presentation, and include the price in your fee. For example, if your fee is $3,000 for your appearance, with 100 people in attendance, and your product sells for $10 each, you can quote your fee at $4,000 and include an autographed product for each attendee.

Interested in learning more about professional audio/video services? Contact me at 800-647-4281.

This information is taken from my book The Art of Production, which you can purchase from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/096739967X/ref=sc_pgp__m_A37OD7TI15D03E... or you can purchase an e-book version from SmashWords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/16020.

Yesterday my son and VP of operations Mike Primeau said to me, "I am overwhelmed by social media!" He is 20 years old and loves Facebook. He is also in charge of our Internet marketing for http://www.PrimeauProductions.com, http://www.VideoForensicExpert.com and http://www.AudioForensicExpert.com .

I replied that social media is about to crash and burn. Let me put this in perspective. As a business owner, one of my day to day activities is to sell our video production and Internet marketing services. We work for companies in Mexico, Australia and the United States. Doing business and making sales is all about relationships. If we are referred to a prospect, one of our sales staff will call that person and determine if there is a fit between our companies. After all, if you are going to spend money on Internet marketing or web video, you better make sure you connect with the vendor providing those services.

Social media is about making connections, not about making sales. Social media had a great beginning because it brought the world closer together. Friends who live in different locations could share pictures, video and stories about what’s going on in their lives. Then companies started using social media to drive traffic to their websites to read their blogs and discover their websites. This business activity is out of control in my opinion.

We have begun to revise our Internet marketing campaigns that we manage for our clients to include more information and content and less social media marketing. The social media push has become a vortex of activity that will suck you in if you are not careful. Pretty soon you find your company spending thousands of dollars a year on a team of social media strategists who do nothing but get more Twitter followers.

Many companies have lost sight of the true prize: to get more prospects and clients. Mass marketing is no way to build relationships. Mike and his team have discovered dozens of new social media networks all motivated to get more clients. Businesses whose bottom line is declining look to social media as the solution. It’s really the problem.

If companies put more effort into creating website content like video and blog postings, Internet clients would come naturally. People who look on the Internet are trying to solve a problem or look for a solution. You have to ask yourself, does our web presence speak solutions or are we just trying to sell something?

Thought leadership is a concept that you need to recognize as a solution to your Internet marketing woes. Here’s the prize for reading this post so far. By sharing your expertise with the Internet community you will be looked at as a thought leader for your area of expertise.

Here is a simple scenario: You have a passion and create web content about that passion. People will gravitate toward you because of your content just like people gravitate to television programming that is interesting to them.

So why did I title this post “Social Media is out of Control”? Because I want to get your attention and help you realize that business activity has to be managed and strategized to productive activity that helps build relationships, not that sells something. With at least one new social media network opening every day we can easily become distracted from what’s really important to Internet marketing campaigns.

Next time you see a new social media network launch, don’t feel like you have to participate. Learn to say no just like in other aspects of your life and focus on what’s really important in your business: attracting and retaining new clients and following your company's passion. Use the Internet as a tool to help your business grow rather than a distraction to suck the life out of your company’s finances and workforce. Position your company as a thought leader in your industry and you will be surprised at how little social media activity you really need to do.

You baked the pie. Now get your piece of it.

What determines the price of your completed product? Let’s consider some economic and marketing basics. First, there is a certain amount that you must charge in order to break even on your investment. Once you’ve got that figured out, there are other factors that will help you determine the best pricing strategy for your particular product. The most critical among them is perceived-value. How many competitive products are on the market? Are they all selling at the same price? Have you differentiated yourself from them? Do you have a unique selling proposition that will command a higher price?

I have a client that markets her training and recruiting programs to a small niche in the real estate industry--owners, brokers and managers. Her products are priced high by market standards, yet she sells a high volume of products. The reasons are simple: the message has high perceived-value, her product has beautiful packaging and there is very little competition! There is a belief that low-priced products aren’t as good quality. At the same time, if your product isn’t “special” enough and you set the price much higher than the competition, it will never sell.

A little marketing savvy pays off big-time.

If you are selling your products back-of-the-room (selling products to audience members after your presentation or performance), round prices up to even dollars. For example, $15 or $20 for a CD will sell more than $12.95 just because it’s easier to make change. Two-CD sets range from $25 - $40. Four-pack CD albums generally price out at $30 - $40. Six- and eight-pack CD albums usually go for around $50 - $80. Videos generally sell for $20 - $50 depending on the content and perceived value. Multiple-video albums have a wide price range and very high perceived-value. Their range (for four to eight DVD programs) is $95 - $195, again, depending on content and perceived-value. Include the tax in your price. Then take the sales tax out of your profit, instead of adding it on after (unless you are shipping to another state, then you do not need to charge sales tax). There is a mindset that the bigger the package the more people will pay for it. However, stay in tune with the economy and people’s needs — these will outweigh size.

Think about whom you’re selling to.

Also consider your market and demographics to best determine the price that the market will bear. For example, the education industry might not spend as much on a product as, let’s say, the real estate industry. If your target market is female, then you should consider smaller packages that easily fit into a purse. If you have a large, multi-unit, high-priced product, women will remove one CD at a time and put it into their purse anyway, and a high price might be a barrier to purchase. In this instance, you might want to package the CDs individually instead of a large multi-disk album. Or offer them both ways, with economic-pricing for the large, multi-unit package, and see which goes the fastest. Over time, you’ll learn what works best.

Interested in learning more about professional audio/video services? Contact me at 800-647-4281.

This information is taken from my book The Art of Production, which you can purchase from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/096739967X/ref=sc_pgp__m_A37OD7TI15D03E... or you can purchase an e-book version from SmashWords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/16020.