March 2009

Dear Reader,

This is the time of year when we start thinking about renewal – whether it's a fresh start, a new look or simply clearing away the clutter of winter.

In this issue, I'm looking at how using a video of yourself could inject some new life into your personal or professional profile online and give you the edge when it comes to potential business or a potential partner!

Do let me have your feedback or comments on See View – I love to hear from you.

Best wishes.

Gill

Letting the real you shine through

If you're thinking about creating a personal profile on one of the many social networking sites, or you want to up the ante on your existing profile, a video is the way to go.

A video can bring your message – and you – to life in a way which is difficult using a picture and words alone. The moving image captures your emotions and feelings about a subject, and that's what engages your audience.

Once you've placed your video on a social video site like YouTube visitors can easily link to you if they like what they see. Even better – they can embed your video on their site, so your message will spread far and wide. And it also tends to be faster than any other form of media so in just a few minutes visitors can view your video and respond.

With the new mobile devices now available including iPods and iPhones, videos are going to increase in popularity as people can access and share them anywhere on or offline.

Still wondering? A video is so easy to use within the context of your site and the best part is you don't even have to produce it. We'll do it for you! So you get an increased opportunity to promote your business (or yourself) and connect with many more potential customers.

Debunking some myths

1. Video puts 10lbs on you.

Wrong! We sometimes convince ourselves that we look 10 lbs lighter than we really are. Video simply brings us back to reality. On video you'll see yourself as everyone else normally sees you (and is used to seeing you). They don't reject you for how you look in real life, so they won't see any difference on video.

2. I need a planned script.

Yes for some videos, but not for others. A script doesn't allow you to put enough emotion in. You're the expert and you've got the passion. You know more about your subject than others. Mistakes will be edited out, and you approve the video before anyone else sees it. On video we want you to succeed. No one's trying to catch you out like in a TV interview.

3. Women care more than men about their appearance on camera.

Not true! We've found that often men are more concerned about how they come across on video.

I-Catchers are on their way

We're holding our next I-Catcher day on 1 May in our studio in Windsor, Berkshire (free parking is available). For only one hour of your time you'll get a 1-2 minute professionally-produced video which you can use wherever you want.

An I-Catcher costs £400 for the training, filming and editing. You might say: “I can buy a new laptop for that price.” We say: “How much new business will a laptop on its own bring you?”

Have a look at an I-Catcher on YouTube to get the idea, and think of it as an investment in your business, not a cost.

Book your I-Catcher now by dropping us an email, or phoning us on 07751 622482.