MarketingOC Studios

Here's one service we will not be recommending to our clients: AT&T Interactive's Pay Per Call service.  After a lengthy process to get a simple ad up and running, (see my previous post), our ad is running. We run the advertisement M-F from 7:30AM to 4:30PM in the Orange County, CA market. The ad is only supposed to display during these hours. Yet, in reviewing the account detail on our account, I discovered a charge for a pay per call that occurred on Sat, Nov. 7. Our ads are not supposed to run on weekends as we are not in the studio to answer those calls.

So, why did we receive a charge for a call that occurred on a weekend? I don't know, so I submitted the question through the customer support email form on the AT&T Interactive web site. It's been 3 days, and I have not received a response. 

AT&T Interactive clearly doesn't get it. If AT&T wants to have a chance to play with Google, Yahoo and Microsoft in the pay per click/call ad space, it better get it's act together. Self service merchant advertising is clearly a winning solution for all parties involved, but when AT&T doesn't respond and doesn't provide advertisers with the tools of transparency to answer their own questions, AT&T will clearly lose. 

Of course, it is not that I care about AT&T winning or losing - I care about offering effective advertising and marketing solutions for our client's. AT&T Interactive's Pay Per Call is clearly not one of the those solutions. 

 

Comment (0)

You probably don't factor in the cost of what it takes to make a rich and gooey chocolate chip cookie when you sit down with a plate of cookies and a tall cold glass of milk. You just enjoy the delightful experience of eating those cookies.

Enjoying video is a lot like enjoying your chocolate chip cookies and milk. You watch and enjoy, and you probably don't think to much about the ingredients that went into creating the video production. And while cookies are most always round, a video production should never be cookie cutter.

Of course, when it comes to your business, you are concerned with the ingredients, as it is the ingredients that help to determine cost.

So what are the ingredients (cost factors) that go into a MarketingOC Studios Orange County video production?

Here's a peak at what cost drivers we consider for each new video production and marketing production.

1. Project and production management: The overall planning and execution of the video production. While our video productions services are cutting edge, our client services are decidedly simple - you can call or email us at anytime with your ideas, needs and concerns, and we are ready to address.

2. Script Development: Every video must have a script. Often clients will write a basic outline, and we turn that outline into an engaging story. Even if it is just a 30 second commercial spot, there is a need for a story to engage viewers and motivate them to action.

3. Storyboard Development: Pairing the script to visuals is key to a smooth video production. It helps in preproduction planning, on set and in post production.

4. Talent: Getting the right talent is essential for connecting the on screen talent with the audience. So, we need to consider:

• Casting
• On-screen Actor(s)
• Voice over artist
• Extras
• Customers (Release form required)

5. Video Assets: A video production is often made of both custom and stock assets. Sometimes, it is less expensive to use stock footage, but that often comes with some trade offs such as the stock photo not being exactly how you may have envisioned, but yet, it is good enough.

• Images needed
• Stock photos (Royalty free)
• Licensed photos
• Custom photography
• Video
• Stock video (Royalty free)
• Licensed video
• Illustrations/3d elements

6. Special Effects/Animations: Motion graphics and special effects can help to create more impact by presenting text and concepts in an intriguing manner.

7. Location: The decision to shoot in our Orange County green screen video production studio or our Los Angeles video production studio or on location depends on the goals of the video production. But the basics we consider are:

• Studio rental
• Fees and permits
• Local or travel
• Building rental
• Sets
• Props

8. Music: Music adds a lot to any video and there are lots of options from stock to custom music that we consider:

• Stock music (Royalty free)
• Custom score

9. Crew: Having a strong team to executes your vision is essential. The video producition crew MarketingOC Studios may bring to your production can include:

• Director
• Director of Photography
• Camera operator(s)
• Lighting
• Sound
• Grip
• Production Assistants

10. Video Editing and Output: Bringing all the elements of the production together happens in post production where the final video is assembled.

11. Overhead: It is important to keep the lights on at MarketingOC Studios. So, we need to ensure that we provide the best equipment and operational management to serve our clients. These factors include:

• Equipment (Cameras, Lights, Sound, Studio, Computers, Software)
• Insurance (Liability and Workers Compensation)
• Rent

12. Distribution and Marketing: A video will only begin to serve its purpose if it is viewed by your target audience. MarketingOC Studios helps you to reach your audience.

• video distribution
• video marketing
• video seo
• video sem

This should give you some idea of the script to screen video production costs and services that goes into the final number you receive in a video production and marketing proposal from MarketingOC Studios.

An upcoming post will take a more streamlined approach to video production if your needs are more simple.

Comment (1)

If you are still not sure how or if social media can have an impact on your business, whether you are just focused on the Orange County market or across the nation or the globe, here is a quick video to provide some perspective on the social media revolution.

Still not sure how social media can help grow your business? MarketingOC can help.

Comment (0)

Small business and advertising. These are two phrases that are often at odds with each other. A lot of small businesses think they don't need to advertise - just do a great job, and folks will be lining up to buy your products or leverage your services.  However, reality soon sets in, that in order to grow your business, you need to advertise - so more people will come in the door, so you can provide great service, and those people will tell their friends. Advertise some more - and effectively, and the cycle repeats itself.

Here's an example that I think you will enjoy of a company that used advertise to build its concrete resealing business. Not exactly a glamor product - but yet, a service and business that grew because of smart, effective advertising and a committed effort to continue advertising to build their business.

If you are small business in Orange County, CA or anywhere in the U.S. - MarketingOC Studios can help your business advertise effectively, so you can grow your business.

Comment (0)

An interesting trend that seems to be emerging in our Orange County advertising agency is that we are getting more inquiries and (luckily) more business from doctors and professionals in the medical field. The simple fact is, doctors are feeling the crunch on the economy too. You would think that the one service that people wouldn't cut corners on is healthcare. But that is exactly what consumers are doing.

So, what is a doctor to do? Well, if they are spending less time with patients, then they have more time to focus on their business. Of course, the best way for a doctor to grow their business is by attending to their patients, providing quality care and leveraging the referrals come from providing each patient with a quality healthcare experience. However, even the best doctors can find that their appointment schedule is not as full as it used to be. That is why we are fielding more calls from doctors and their business managers - to help fill their calendars.

It is a unique opportunity to consult with doctors, rather than have them consult with me about a cold, or a flue or an injury. Now, I am the one who they are turning to for advice. Doctors don't get into healthcare to be marketers. Of course, some doctors perform marketing better than they provide healthcare, but that is the exception rather than the rule.

What I see with doctors as I do with other small businesses - is that doctors know their specialty -and that specialty, is not marketing. So, when business is slow, they are turning to the advisors that can help grow their business. I am glad the marketing services we provide can be of assistance to helping doctors reach patients - you never know, a new patient may come from seeing an ad we created for a doctor and as a result, that doctor may provide a service that saves a life (lifesaving advertising -that's right, a new term I just created when writing this blog post. You heard it here first!) OK. maybe that's a stretch. But the bottom line is, doctors run a business. When their business is slow - they realize that to increase business, you need to market. Then, these smart doctors contact MarketingOC to create and execute that marketing.

Now, I don't have dental insurance so I have put off going to see the dentist myself - oh maybe that only has a little something to do with the economy - but more to do with the fact I don't like going to the dentist!

Comment (0)

Sure, the economy stinks.

You don't want to advertise because your prospects aren't buying.

I hear you.

Go ahead, crawl into your den.

See what your chances are as you turn off the marketing funnel.

Some bears will sleep through the hibernation of a down economy.

Some bears will emerge weaker, not having eaten (wasted advertising, not resulting in sufficient sales)

Some bears will die.
What if instead of hibernating, you didn't rest?

You go outside and explore new territory.

Territory once dominated by the other bears - the other bear that are now hibernating.

Sure it's tough, there's not a lot of food (customer $'s), but you are making your presence known.
As the other bears sleep, you can now start taking over their territory.

You lay the groundwork for dominance by eating more (marketing)

(Photo: The American Bear Association)

You gain mind share amongst others in the forest (your prospects), that you are the Big Bear in the forest.
Your are getting bigger and stronger while the other are sleeping.

You begin to emerge as the new leader.

You are the bear that everyone in the forest begins to respect and turns to (sales)
You are the bear that realized that to survive, you have to take risks - but intelligent risks (targeted, measurable advertising)

You are the bear that thrives while the other bears (competitors) struggle to regain their position in the forest (market)

Don't let your business hibernate - now is the time to build mind share. To ensure that when prospects are looking for the products and services that you offer - today, tomorrow or in 6 months, your business is their first choice.

Comment (0)

At one point in time, the search phrase "video production" drove the largest share of search engine traffic to our web site. Today, this search phrase has been replaced with "video marketing" as a traffic draw to our Orange County video production and video marketing services. Why? More businesses are realizing that video is not just a marketing gimmick, but a lead generation strategy that does a number of powerful things for you.

#1 - Video helps to brand you and your business as an authority.

#2 - Video builds relationships and encourages conversation - just look at the cooments on any YouTube video.

#3 - Video enables you to inform, instruct and teach mor effectively than words alone.

#4 - Video can be become viral - allowing your business to benefit from nearly free user generated marketing.

#5 - Video offers effective lead generation - there are plenty of ways to encourage viewers to provide their email address and/or phone for follow up.

#6 - Video can be optimized for search engine traffic. In fact, you can expect that video will be showing up more and more in Google's search results.

#7 - Video can sell your products, business opportunities, and services - better than your static web site alone.

#8 - Online video is easier and more affordable than ever to produce - it doesn't take a Hollywood crew to produce your video - in fact, there is a very real danger in overproducing your video.

With every dollar needing to be stretched further than ever, it's no wonder we are seeing more traffic resulting from the term "video marketing." How will your business use video marketing?

Comment (0)

A very clear reality when we produce corporate video productions or small business video productions for our clients, is that many of our clients do not feel comfortable talking on camera. It doesn't matter where a person is in an organization, they could be the CEO of a Fortune 500 or the owner of a Fortune 1,000,000 small business, place the person in front of the camera, they just clam up. This fear should never stop a business from considering a video to promote their business.

Here's a solution for producing a video with a camera shy business owner - professional video voice over.

Our Orange County video production crew will come to your business and shoot the live footage of your business in action. We capture the essence of your business operations and the people that make it all possible. Instead of recording you talking, we capture you in action. We then take the footage you captured, and create your video production based on the script and storyboard. We will then have one of our professional voice over artists provide the narrated story that conveys your marketing message.

So if you are camera shy, or just don't want to take the time to prepare for your video "acting" debut, let MarketingOC Studios professional voice over artists add the voice to your corporate or small business marketing video!

Comment (0)

It is no secret, this holiday season is going to be a major bummer for U.S. retail stores. Retailers are going to need to pull out all the marketing strategies and tactics to get consumers to walk through their door, but what should retailers be doing to increase sales once their customer is in their store? In store video advertising of course!

According to Information Week, consumers make 75% of all of their spending decisions in stores, but stores account for only 7.5% of marketing dollars.

This means there is a lot of opportunity to reach shoppers in the store. Here are some reasons why your retail business needs to consider in store video advertising this holiday season:

 1. Video has the power to motivate: The most important place for buying decisions is in the store - so that is where that buying decision should be encouraged. 

2. Video Creates Impulse: Visuals, sound and the message can be combined to encourage the impluse  to buy. A retail shopper having gone into your store for that drill can be encouraged through video to also buy the electric saw.

3. Video Adjusts to Demand: The power to instantly change a video stream is now in the hands of every retailer. It is not difficult to change the video that is playing by time a day, or by the traffic patterns of the retail store. This can be accomplished either by streaming over the Internet, internal network or even on a DVD.

 4. Consumers Are Reading Less: Chances are, most of the signage goes un noticed in your retail store. Very simply, consumers are flooded with marketing messages. The beauty of video, is that shoppers don't have to watch your video, they can also benefit from hearing the video. The audio message is the extra bang for your buck!

There are many other benefits to in store video marketing and these benefits will continue to increase as the cost of video displays continues to decline and the ease of distributing video in your store becomes even more effective than it is today.

Discover how MarketingOC Studios can help your Orange County retail business leverage video marketing to grow your holiday sales in 2008, by contacting us today! 

 

Comment (0)

If there was ever a video to summarize the main marketing reasons the Big Three automakers have ended up where they are today - is this video.

 

There has never been a greater point in time when businesses must not only connect, but listen to their customers. And not only listen, but respond to them. To take action in the way that resonates with their needs.

Not many businesses will have the luxury of making the mistakes GM, Ford and Chrysler have made, and receive a bailout.  Consider this video part of the bail out plan to help your business get or stay on the right track with your customers. 

Comment (0)