Lights, Camera…Share and Sell!
 Takeaway notes from a Target Marketing webinar. By Aliza Bornstein, copywriter, Melissa Data

Social media is one of those ill-defined words that means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. First, it means Word of Mouth (WOM), enhanced by online tools like Twitter and Facebook. They give you access to people and to the pass-along networks those people have.

This is being used in two ways right now. First, and probably the most common use, is for people growing existing relationships. The second is the emerging market and how we use that to build business by finding new customers.

Succeeding with Video: 8 Elements of Contagious Ideas
1. Seeding – Those you talk to first
2. Novelty – Must be fresh value
3. Intuitiveness – Get the idea quickly
4. Relevance – In the social stream, we only pay attention to the relevant
5. Utility – There must be value for viewer and for passing along
6. Social Cascades – Groups often move together
7. Information Voids – Find and fill them
8. Proselytism – Find those who convince others

Three Video Approaches

1. Viral – Use novelty to generate movement. Broad or local viral appeal.

2. Utility – Solve someone’s problem uniquely and they pass the solution to others.

3. Event – Events have excitement. Helps customers “be there.” Announcements; behind the scenes; sponsorships; training company events; etc.

Online Video Principals

1. Value, Value, Value.
Make it worth it. Eye candy isn’t usually worth it.

2. Show that value quickly
You’ve got 5 to 15 seconds to prove that watching your video is valuable.

3. Length is NOT bad
We often find more views for longer pieces. Why? More value.

Make the length appropriate
What’s important is that you continue to deliver value as they watch..

---Source: Target Marketing webinar Feb. 9, 2010 (www.targetingmarketingmag.com) Doug Garnett is the CEO of Atomic Direct. Reach him at doug@atomicdirect.com.