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Visual Power: 10 Crucial Marketing and Branding Tools Business Owners Should Do

12/10/2014

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Want to increase sales? Stay ahead of the competition? Attract new customers, and keep the valuable ones coming back? It’s a fast evolving technological world. Are you in the game? 

Did you know that roughly 70% of marketers now use video as part of their online marketing campaign? More importantly the internet is becoming less and less of a text medium and increasingly video-based. A Cisco report in January 2014 sited that 50% of internet traffic is video, and not surprisingly that figure will reach 69% by 2017. Here’s one statistic that will blow you away, after 72 hours the average person will remember 10% of text, 65% of an image, and 95% of a video. That’s the power of video!

Add to that the power of video sharing. Sharing of video ads has increased drastically over the last few years, and now technology allows for us to download and stream just about anywhere. But best of all, creating professional video content as a means of branding is now affordable for even small business owners.

The preceding valuable information comes from Sarah Gavin, the European marketing director at content discovery platform Outbrain. Outbrain is a sponsors of the Guardian's digital content hub. Read more here: http://www.theguardian.com/media-network-outbrain-partner-zone/7-myths-branded-video-content

Knowing that video is “king” when it comes to communicating effectively we put it at the top of the list of marketing and branding do’s for business owners. But once you invest in a promotional video you’ve only completed the first step. The next is getting that powerful tool as much exposure as possible, and that’s where the rest of our list comes into play.
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1.  Shoot a Promotional Video. Invest in creating a promotional video. Video has the power to do more than brand, it engages the viewer’s emotions. What better tool to make a dent in the online world, which receives more traffic from videos than any other medium, and perhaps inspire your customer base?

2.  Nowadays practically everyone has a website. Keeping it optimized, and updated with links and content, like your promotional video, will only improve your ranking on search engines. There are sites like wixx.com which allow you to create a website yourself completely free. A website is the face of your company for the online world, your calling card. 

3. Blogging can bring unique visitors to your site. A unique visitor is someone who visits your site more than once for a certain period of time. You want these unique visitors because it means they’re seriously interested in what you have to offer. Blogging is a way to attract them by sharing valuable information to individuals who may become potential customers.

4. Instagram can be an online database for products. Instagram hashtags can be a useful selling tool for many product driven businesses. Instagram allows you another visual online presence utilizing pictures as references, which in turn will get online users interested in what you're selling.

5. Market your products and specials on Twitter. Twitter can be used to blast out deals and sales that are happening in real time. Do contests to bring in new business and even start campaigns with the click of a button. People will stop scrolling their dashboard for a good deal or breaking story.

6. Create a Google Business Page or List on Yelp.  People will be able to look up your hours, type of business and reviews. The Google Page can link to a company YouTube channel, another venue for your promotional video. Yelp is a big for getting customer reviews. Reviews are endorsements for your company and many people make a decision about a business by reading what others had to say about it. Ask your customers to write positive reviews and give them an incentive by offering them special discounts..

7. Send out Newsletters. Mailchimp is a great way of customizing communication to your client base. It is also a great way to connect with those customers who don't necessarily use social media. It's important to remember that good old fashioned mailings are a great way to personalize and make your customers feel special and appreciated.

8. Post daily on all Social Media Platforms. Make sure your brand is seen every day so your business doesn't become an "out of sight, out of mind," casualty. You will want people to see that you are active and constantly updating your website and social media presence. A stale website is a bad website, make sure you keep things fresh.

9. Social Media Icons on Advertising Materials. Put your all social media icons on postcards, posters, and any other promotional materials as a call to action for potential customers. Social media is a place where people are able to interact with your brand and see it's personality. People who like what you do will check in with you to see what's new and trendy. This is a great way to market to younger audiences.

10. Reach out to other businesses. Connecting with other business owners that provide complimentary services to yours allows you to find unique ways of working together to generate business.  Create coupon booklets, referral incentives, and flyers that will market both of you equally. It's a symbiotic relationship in that you are both working together for a common goal.

With these tips you will be on your way to running a successful marketing campaign that will not only help you brand, but speak about your business and establish it firmly in the online world.
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A Demo Reel is Worth a Thousand Headshots

12/3/2014

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A demo reel is worth a thousand headshots. A headshot can sell your look, but you need to market your talent as well, and demo reels can do just that.  As an actor a demo reel can say a lot about you, it can highlight your strength as a performer, your personality, and just how experienced you are; a demo reel markets you for the roles you are right for and desire. Our team at Award Winning Reels can't stress enough how important it is to have a Demo Reel. Actors who have great demo reels set themselves apart from the competition. 

But just what is a demo reel? Demo reels are a visual resume and marketing tool with carefully selected clips from an actor's working portfolio that have been edited together in a concise, dynamic and appealing way. A professional reel will showcase your range and individuality to casting.
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Marketing yourself as an actor can be tricky, but knowing just what range of characters you can play can simplify the task. Are you more of a comedic actor? Use that to your advantage and tailor your reel accordingly. Play to your strengths and know your type, the damsel in distress, the dashing hero, know how and where you fit. Even the most versatile established or famous actors have been known to have geared their careers towards “type-casting” at the onset of their careers. As an actor you are the product that’s being promoted, and with a demo reel you can truly do just that.

Some actors may find that they do not have quite enough credited material as an actor to build a reel. This is when investing in demo reel production becomes crucial, and if done properly, can get you in the game. There is an advantage to having something made just for you, it shows just what you want the world to see. When you hire a team of professionals to create and shoot material for you, you become the star.

At Award Winning Reels we offer full service customized demo reel production packages from concept to delivery. We are working professionals with years of experience in all aspects of development, production, and post. In the end you will have the finest quality promotional video that sells the individual talent you are. 

The holidays are a perfect time to improve on, re-edit, and/or build a demo reel so that come pilot season in the new year you’re prepared. Get in the game and you’ll up your game guaranteed!

Sources: http://www.backstage.com/advice-for-actors/backstage-experts/no-footage-demo-reel-heres-your-solution/ & http://www.backstage.com/video-reels/
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    Authors

    Anastasia Roussel is the head of Development at Award Winning Reels and White Swan Films. 

    Nicolas Pinzon is a filmmaker and storyteller currently enrolled in UCLA’s Professional Screenwriting Program. He has a B.A in Arts and Humanities with a concentration in both Music, and Gender and Sexuality.  

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