Mojo Videoman Scott Allman

Well, I’d like to think it was that Emmy Attraction Spell we brewed up for our video producer, Scott Allman... but I’ll have to admit it was probably more likely his own creative talents and remarkable video production skills that enabled him to pick up a 2009 Michigan EMMY Award last night in Detroit. No, it wasn’t for Mojo Videos, but we couldn’t be more proud of our partner!

At any rate, it joins the other EMMY -and a bunch of other shiny awards -on Scott’s fireplace mantle. You can get a glimpse of them just over my shoulder if you look closely at the Marketing Mojo Minute videos -a few were shot on location in his fonky living room.

It does my heart good to work with people of Scott’s caliber.

Congrats, brother!

Related posts:

1. Getting Our Mojo Right From The Source.
2. They’re Workin’ Like Dogs!
3. “Scotty, we’ll need everything you’ve got.”

"Tie up the alligator, Ethel. We're a'headed for the Big Easy."

We have the enviable task of currently being in New Orleans to shoot some video for both our Guide to Marketing Mojo and a few new Mojo Marketing Minutes. You’ll see the latter right here at some time in the near future; and you’ll be able to catch the former by signing up right here.

Of course, the fact that our location shooting schedule coincides with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival -perhaps the funkiest, grooviest, funnest music fest in the country -is just a happy coincidence. Also just by coincidence, I have a number of musician friends here and no doubt will be sitting in and playing a little piano now and again. It’s definitely serendipity that that we’re here and will get a chance to meet some of the cast & characters from the hot new HBO series, Treme.

We’ll try to do an update shortly but there’s a lot to keep me distracted. You know how it is.

Related posts:

1. That EMMY Attraction Spell Must Have Worked!
2. “Scotty, we’ll need everything you’ve got.”
3. Don’t mix bars and business

1. Keep it short.
Don’t make videos that take forever to load -or play. People have other things on their minds, and an aggregator site like YouTube has far too many choices for them to pick from already. A recent study on video-sharing websites suggests that a video works best when it is under 5 minutes in length. So even though YouTube allows you a maximum of 10 minutes, keep it under 5 minutes.

2. Find an angle and exploit it.
Think you can’t come up with something creative for your video? Think again. Here’s a simple activity to help you get started:

Take out a piece of paper and list 10 video subject ideas.

Next to each idea, write down what would make the idea or your treatment of it so appealing. If you can’t come up with at least five reasons the idea is compelling, scratch it off the list.

Narrow your list to your top five choices.

Now, try to define how you will present the information in your video to highlight your video in a unique and unusual way. Will it be a takeoff on a popular theme, movie, music video? Will you eshew gimmicks for valuable information, presented in a straightforward manner? Will you record it standing on top of the highest building in your town? Will you include appropriate background music or sound effects and some nifty animation?

Whatever you decide, make sure you try something unique. People have every opportunity to watch something boring on television. They turn to YouTube.com to find interesting and intriguing things to view.

3. Make the most of your screen time.
YouTube only gives you a few minutes to make a good impression, so you want to make the most of that limited time. How do you do it? Well, consider the last time you watched a movie preview? Was it intriguing? Did it have you curious, even asking questions? Did you want to see more?

I get a lot of inspiration from watching movie trailers -those writers and producers are experts at building suspense and generating a buzz. And when you create your own online videos, you should be thinking along these lines, too. Pretend you’re creating a theatrical movie preview.

4. Make certain you’ve got a good product.
Provide clear shots and well-recorded audio. Graphically sweeten your video to keep the viewer intrigued and interested. If you’re going to appear on camera to deliver the message, practice your lines so you can say what you have to say without fumbling. When in doubt, use a teleprompter. Remember, a few minutes of video time isn’t much time at all. You want to produce and upload a video that’s representative of your skills and creativity; one that is dynamic, unusual and anything but ordinary. Some of the most popular videos on YouTube are popular if for not other reason than the creator did something unique, different and interesting.

5. “Show and tell, no sell.”
Even if you are trying to brand and promote your products, services or websites, you must be careful to make sure you do so in an interesting and creative way. No one wants to watch an infomercial on YouTube. So find a fun way to get your message out.

6 Add your URL.
You’ve made a great video and you’re getting a lot of comments. All of it won’t count for a hill of beans in today’s crazy world if it doesn’t result in increased traffic to your site. So add that all-important URL to your video. You may add one at the head of the video and another at the end. Remember to add your URL to your YouTube profile as well. It’s all in the details.

There are quite a few other video sites besides YouTube for your Mojo, too. More on that shortly.

Related posts:

1. 12 ways to market when the economy sucks.
2. Secrets To A Successful Business Blog
3. Create Your Own “Breakfast of Champions”