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| February 2006 -- Issue 63 Valeriu S. Popescu, Editor and Publisher The Internet Marketing Profits Center, Inc. Past issues available on newsletter archive ISSN: 1583-4180 phone: +40-332-107122 fax: 1-925-666-2853 email to the editor anytime at:  Marketing Online Since 2000 |
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This issue includes: 1) "How To Start Learning About Marketing on the Internet With Video."2) "Selling Online Video Ads For Higher Internet Profits."3) "Classified Ads."4) "Tell Us What You Think!"
I'm getting a lot of e-mail from people asking my opinion of some of the new internet video courses that have come on the market recently. Two things you need to know: 1. I never recommend anything unless I have actually gone through it personally The last course I got behind in a big way was Brad Fallon and Andy Jenkin's "Stomping the Search Engines." Why? Because it was an overwhelming value. I was the first person to get behind their course and I think I'm still their #1 affiliate. Two years later, now that the rest of the world 'gets' what first class educators Brad and Andy are, I'm glad I took my time to find the right course before I made a recommendation. OK, now on to internet video. Internet video (video streaming) is hot and it should be. You've probably heard all the reasons why by now. They're completely valid. There are already A TON of "How to market with video on the Internet" courses on the market right now. And you know what? Many of the ones I've had a chance to look at are pretty good. But my biggest piece of advice right now is this: slow down and take a deep breath. Here's an important question to consider: What's your education budget this year? The reason I ask is that none of the courses I've seen are 'popularly' priced. Most of them are pushing the thousand dollar mark. And that's fine -- if you've got a big training and education budget. But what if you don't? Or better yet, what if you want to make every dollar you spend on training and education gives you the maximum yield possible. Here are my recommendations for learning about marketing on the Internet with video in a cost effective way. First, understand that the good courses I've seen are hybrids. They cover three or four different topics. These topics are:
How to learn direct response principles You don't need to pay anyone hundreds or thousands (or tens of thousands of dollars) to learn direct response principles. You can go straight to the source -- just like the gurus do -- for a lot less. Best book: John Caples "Tested Advertising Methods". I got my copy for $9.95. (But DO NOT get the current Fifth Edition which was virtually re-written by someone else after Caples died. Get the Fourth Edition or earlier. Yes, you will have to dig to find a copy. Life is that way sometimes. Try eBay or Amazon.) If you can't find Caples, then anything by Claude Hopkins will work too. Or, for a more modern master of direct response, I recommend The Benson Book, http://www.thebensonbook.com How to learn how television infomercials work The theory is that the people who make infomercials and short form television commercials already know a whole lot about how to sell with video. And the theory is correct. That being said, internet video and television are two very different beasts. Similar principles, but very different applications. Even so, it does make a whole lot of sense to learn everything you possibly can about what the TV ad masters spent decades learning. Again, you can spend hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands learning this stuff. Or you can get smart and read a few great books. Luckily, there are several INSANELY GREAT books available on this topic, written by real giants in the field. Here are the best of the best: * The Millionaire's Notebook by Steven Scott Scott is one of the founders of American Telecast which created "Where There's a Will There's an A", "Victoria Jackson Cosmetics," "Deal-a-Meal," and "Lori Davis Hair Care" - and other mega-hits of the infomercial world. * The Wisdom of Ginsu by Barry Becher and Edward Valenti The makers of what may well have been the single most successful direct response TV commercial of all time. EVERYONE knows what a Ginsu knife is and Warren Buffett liked the company Becher and Valenti built on a shoe-string so much that he bought it from them. Now that's a business grand slam. Like Steve Scott, they've not only written a great book about the behind-the-scenes reality of how to sell with video, they've also written a super guide to how to run a business. * $12 Billion of Inside Marketing Secrets Discovered by Direct Response Television Sales by Steven Dworman Dworman is one of the great chroniclers of the direct response television business and to put this book together, he interviewed many of the giants in the field. You can get it on Amazon for 23 bucks new. That's a crazy value. Total cost for all three books: A lot less than one hundred bucks. OK, now you've got your basic direct response education nailed down and you've got a library of first rate books from the real giants of television advertising. Next, learning to be your own video producer. My first question is WHY? Do you really need an expensive and time consuming new hobby? Producing video is fun. No doubt about it. I first lugged a Portapak, the ancient forerunner of the camcorder back in 1976, as a high school student. In the late 1980s, I was a working partner in an audio post production studio in New York City that worked on TV spots and feature films including one Academy Award winner ("When We Were Kings.") That was fun too... but it was serious work. Yes, technology has improved exponentially and costs have dropped astronomically, but you know what? When I need video made these days I hire pros. Why? They already have the cameras, the lights, the edit systems and, most important of all, the know how. Do you plan to become skilled enough as a video producer that other people would hire your services? If not, then why would you want to "hire" an inferior video professional (YOU!) And if you're an Internet marketer, or aspiring one, why would you want to invest in learning an entirely new profession (and a challenging one) that only pays $50 to $100 an hour and is saturated with competition. On the other hand, making video IS fun and if you've got a hankering to do it, then I say go for it. First stop, your local community college. Video production courses are as common as grass now. Heck, I took a three-camera video production course TWENTY years ago at Mercer County Community College. I think it cost me $95 and it was taught by a veteran TV producer. We've had some inflation, but you get the idea. You do not have to mortgage the farm to learn the basics of video production. Just plan on making it your obsession for a few months. So far, we've dealt with how to get the following:
The last piece is learning how to create video specifically for the purpose of selling on the Internet. Guess what? That's the topic that all of the packages I've taken a look at cover the most lightly. Why? Because this field is less than two years old and even as recently as a year ago practically no one was giving it any thought. Bottom line: These are pioneer times and your guess is as good as anybody's. Of course, the more nyou know about direct response, TV spots and Internet marketing, the better. But my biggest piece of advice is... Study what people are currently doing and think -- with paper and pencil -- how you would do it better? And talk to intelligent people who are actually IN the field, not just selling tape sets about it. To help you on your path, I've created a newsletter called the Internet Video Marketing Letter. It's free. In addition to the newsletter you will also be pointed to a blog where you can read the latest news and commentary on what's going on in this rapidly evolving field along with practical tips on smart ways to get involved and profit.
Matt Pasternak moved from the research world to head sales at Klipmart Corporation. Executive Editor Brad Berens talks to him about the traits of this ad technique. In August, 2005 Klipmart Corporation, a provider of online video delivery and management solutions, hired Matt Pasternak to be senior vice president, sales. Pasternak came from the advertising development and measurement practice of InsightExpress, where he was responsible for all strategic and tactical initiatives for the AdInsights Solutions Suite, which provides industry-leading products for integrated media development and analysis in both the online and offline advertising environments. At Klipmart, Pasternak is responsible for all aspects of driving the company's established sales successes to new levels by leveraging his established relationships with agencies and publishers, and his deep experience in driving growing initiatives to market leadership. I talked with Pasternak to learn more about how his past experience will serve him in the future, and get his thoughts on the online video business. Brad Berens: Sales people have the job of telling the story of a product to the rest of the industry. Given your experience in other parts of the industry, particularly with the kinds of research InsightExpress does, what kind of story do you hope to tell? Matt Pasternak: Good question. Not surprisingly, research played a part in my deciding to join Klipmart in the online interactive video space. Since Klipmart was a client and research partner of mine at InsightExpress, I had a chance to get a deep look into the company's vision for online video and was very impressed with their dedication to clients and to developing products in response to industry needs and not by whim. The research also paints a very compelling story. Based upon research conducted by Klipmart's Research Division and other studies we have commissioned here are some highlights:
The implications, impact, importance of online interactive advertising are extremely exciting and impressive for our business. Berens: Although online video seems to be an increasing part of the advertiser's mix, it's still only a very small part of their overall spend. What will it take for brand advertisers to mainstream online video? Pasternak: We've seen a huge shift among all the major traditional publishers over the last several months to make online video content plays: AOL, Yahoo!, CBS, New York Times, et cetera. All these major players recognize the importance and value of being able to provide content on demand. Advertising is the natural source of revenue to support these programming offerings, and online video is the logical ad vehicle to provide this revenue stream. In-banner, Expandable, Big Picture and Full Page units can now be complemented by true, player independent in-stream solutions that provide pre-roll advertising ahead of requested content. More and more major advertisers and their agencies are migrating to online video as they realize they can come to video specialty shops such as Klipmart to provide them a turnkey solution to their online campaigns. They can get creative, technical and research solutions from a partner who understands the unique power of online video. As we make it easier and provide compelling solutions and results, more advertisers will recognize the power of online video and adopt the medium. Berens: What advice do you have for advertisers in terms of what kind of online video works best? Is it repurposed TV spots, or video shot only for the internet? Pasternak: This is not a one-size-fits-all environment. There are some really great 15- and 30-second spots out there that do a fine job repurposed to run in-banner or in-stream. A rapidly growing majority of our clients are now expanding the functionality and depth of their TV spots to add the DR, 'pull' component of interactivity. The possibilities are limitless. And, yes, we are seeing a steadily increasing number of creative clients shooting footage specifically for online whether it's using green-screen techniques, designing the original commercial shoot with an eye to online, or longer form formats with unique messaging and value propositions for viewers. Berens: How is selling online video different from selling other kinds of interactive units? Pasternak: Online video ad units add significant layers of richness and complexity to the final product with which the consumer or audience ultimately engages. Although a standard online unit will almost always have some interactivity associated with it, the enriching elements of sound and motion plus the much more emotional connection people make with video units in general make for a much more complex sell. Online video sales requires an understanding of both the traditional reach/frequency, and emotional impact model of TV/video advertising, plus the internet's direct response, engagement and measurability components. For example, a simple banner ad promoting the release of a new feature film, that provides the ability to click to the movie's website or buy a ticket, is a fairly simple sales process. However, take the same banner, fill it with the film's emotionally charged, fast-paced video trailer, make it expandable to a Big Picture or Full Screen unit, AND combine that with some creative interactivity like original video, SMS, merchandising or other even more imaginative elements, and a much more evolved and customized sales process applies. The more creative our advertiser and agency partners become, the more exciting and challenging the sales process for online becomes. Berens: Do you know anything about the demographics of who watches online video? It seems a youth-oriented unit, but I could be wrong. Pasternak: Great question. Although we have not run these analyses to specifically analyze if any one particular age group has a tendency to watch more of the video, I can say that we run on average on about 180 sites catering to an age demographic across the board, with tremendous effectiveness. As the body of Klipmart research grows, segmenting and analyzing campaigns and categories in much deeper detail is in the wings. Don't click that mouse... !
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Dear friend, I would love to hear what you think of this issue of The Internet Marketing Profits™ newsletter. And of course, if you have any suggestions for upcoming issues that you'd like to share with me, please send those, too -- just email me right away! And don't forget to check out the previous issues at the Internet Marketing Profits Newsletter Archive. "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." Valeriu S. Popescu, Editor and Publisher ^ back to the top of the Internet Marketing Profits Newsletter, issue 63 DID YOU LIKE THIS ISSUE? Please forward it to your friends, co-workers, colleagues and anyone else that you think would like it. Thank you for your continued support! DISCLAIMER: I urge you to exercise due diligence in responding to any advertisement or article posted here or in any other future issue. I do not give business or professional advice in this newsletter and therefore cannot be held responsible for results you get from responding to ads or articles in this newsletter. I urge you to exercise due diligence in all of your online dealings.
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Video streaming is hot these days and it should be. You've probably heard all the reasons why by now. They're completely valid. There are already a ton of "How to market with video on the Internet" courses on the market right now. And you know what? Many of the ones are pretty good. But my biggest piece of advice right now is this: slow down and take a deep breath. Even more, the implications, impact, importance of online interactive advertising are extremely exciting and impressive for your business.
Article by Ken McCarthy, writer of the 
The door is now WIDE OPEN for people to download video blogs (called vblogs or vlogs for short) and watch them on their PSP's, cell phones, PDA's, laptops and especially their video IPOD's. For the first time ever, video blogging, A to Z, turnkey is made simple.Brain dead simple...