• Helpful Tips Get You Hits

    January 22nd, 2012

    These tips are from the top guy — the President of Texas Meatpackers.

    And the video that follows is part of an AR&D video marketing strategy that launches videos from packages. Scan them — they’re called Quick Response codes — with a downloaded free app like “I-nigma” and the video brings the tips to life.

    If you’re stuck marketing the old way with just text and pictures, contact us for smart solutions that are part of a video marketing strategy. Bob Kaplitz 214.766.4236

    Posted in content marketing, Social Media Video, Web Video | No Comments »

  • Testimonial Power

    January 22nd, 2012

    How to Grow Your Business with a Testimonial

    People singing your praises doesn’t always work. Consumers are skeptical. Here are criteria we keep in mind when creating testimonials for clients:

    The person has to be credible. They can’t look like a paid performer.
    Their praise must be specific.
    They should point out a competitive advantage — something special that says “Why you.”
    They need to get to the point.
    The “point” should be important to prospects.

    In interviewing Dallas Realtor Marci Barton prior to the shoot, we explored the competitive advantages of the Marci Barton Group.

    To develop a video marketing strategy for a client, this is crucial. “Why you?” speaks to your point of distinction in a Sea of Sameness.

    Consumers don’t purchase goods or services simply because they’re the same or as good as someone else’s. You need to stand for something.

    Here’s an example captured by our videographer Tori Cornaud as part of a video marketing strategy for Marci:

    Video is powerful. Turn your client success stories into persuasive marketing on your website and through a branded YouTube Channel which AR&D sets up with each video optimized for search engines. Remember the days when Realtors and companies thought all they needed for Google was a website optimized for Google!

    Posted in content marketing, Uncategorized, Web Video | No Comments »

  • Content Marketing: The Power of Story

    October 1st, 2011

    How do you tell a visual story in a short amount of time?

    For our client, The Four Seasons Resort and Club in Dallas, we profiled a couple enjoying the hotel during a major golf tournament.  And enjoy they did.  You’ll notice that to illustrate their experience, we edited down the soundbites as much as possible while communicating their story — and their joy.

    You might consider this a combination of a testimonial and one couple’s holiday at the resort.

     
    Learn more about the power of story through content marketing by contacting us. Bob Kaplitz, senior vice president for content marketing, bkaplitz@ar-d.com

    Posted in Bob Kaplitz video, content marketing, Social Media Video, Web Video | No Comments »

  • Presenting on Camera: Engage Fast

    September 10th, 2011

    Many web videos fail because they don’t hook the viewer from the start. Then it’s too late.

    Some people ask about leaving the most engaging information for last. The problem is that if you don’t hook viewers in the beginning, they’re not going to stick around. We know this from the literally hundreds of thousands of viewers we’ve interviewed over three decades at AR&D.


    Bob Kaplitz
    Senior Vice President for Content Marketing

    Posted in content marketing, Social Media, Social Media Video, Web Video | No Comments »

  • Why “Content Marketing”?

    September 8th, 2011

    The question we often hear is “What’s the deal with so-called “Content Marketing”?

    As senior vice president of Content Marketing for AR&D I like to respond.

    Rather than just watch me, click on some of the articles to the right under Recent Posts to see what Content Marketing can do. Watch actual examples for clients ranging from The Four Seasons Sports Club and Resort to non-profits like Friends of the Family, which helps victims of domestic violence. Imagine the “old way” of trying to communicate with just text. Video brings your story to life. And ultimately, it’s the Power of Story that gets your phone to ring.

    Posted in broadcast journalism, content marketing, Social Media, Social Media Video, Web Video | No Comments »

  • Our Videos Go National with QR Codes

    August 6th, 2011

    As far as we can tell, this is a first.

    Our client, Texas Meatpackers, wanted to bring recipes and food to life with video — video that plays on intelligent cell phones. Consumers will see our videos when they buy certain products at Sam’s and Costco stores nationwide.

    Here’s an example of one of John’s videos, which we produced to bring products to life and share valuable information on mobile screens.  You can also see how effectively this new approach can build the company’s brand.

     

    AR&D has been on the leading edge of QR code marketing, which our content marketing clients have found beneficial because of the growth of cell phones and free QR apps. Note that this video is smaller than others because we created it for cell phones rather than websites.

    Learn more about QR codes at

    How a QR Code Works
     Branding Your QR Code

     

     

    Bob Kaplitz

    Senior Vice President for Content Marketing

    bkaplitz@ar-d.com

    Posted in content marketing, Social Media, Social Media Video, Web Video | No Comments »

  • Avoid this Mistake

    July 9th, 2011

    This is one of those things that’s obvious to viewers but not to many videographers.  What’s wrong with the shot in the still frame?

    The problem:  The person trying to connect with viewers avoids looking at them.  In this case, it’s a testimonial aimed at convincing visitors to this website that this email marketing service is the one for them.

    You probably know what viewers say when the person talking with them looks to the side.  “What are they trying to hide?” or “Why can’t they look right at me?”

    This vendor paid good money to get these produced, but they fall short in the opinion of my colleague Regent Ducas and myself.

    As part of our content marketing strategy, we ask people to look directly at their audience.  Yes, it takes some coaching to get them to look directly at the camera, but it makes a big difference.

    For example, click on this link, then see the difference.  Two Shot Power

    Also, you’ll notice a lot of wasted space in this small screen.  It’s better for the person trying to connect with viewers to fill most of the screen — especially when the video frame is small or viewers are watching on a cell phone.

    IN ALL FAIRNESS

    We don’t mean these comments to suggest this company wasn’t trying to do its best with the information it had.  But with our more than three decades of TV video experience and deep knowledge of viewers, we’ve become trusted advisors to help our clients avoid these mistakes.

     

    Posted in content marketing, Power Tools for TV Journalists, Web Video | No Comments »