Archive for April, 2009:
Videos on demo blogs enhance relationships with customers
Let’s go do the HOP! Let’s go do the HOP!
I have been SECRETLY BLOG HOPPING for the last month. Yes… the secret blog fairy has been fluttering to various SU demo blogs and watching their videos without the knowledge of their authors, for this blog post today! (I think this is the longest post I’ve ever written, but there are lots of great videos out there and I like watching them, so I consider it my duty to share! 
) So lets watch some videos that I consider to be a great use of video technology on demonstrator blogs. Pull up a comfy chair 
, grab a cuppa tea or coffee (or Ovaltine in a pink Tupperware cup,
if you are like me – a chocolate freak who also likes secret decoder rings) and relax while enjoying yourself! 
It is important to keep in mind that each demonstrator has his or her own style, so what is comfortable for one person to feature on their videos won’t necessarily work for another. However, I’ve watched the following videos at least two times all the way through and I think these are some of the best ones I’ve seen. I’m listing the videos below. With each video, I mention what I love 
about each one. They are not necessarily recent videos… some are from last year. I’m choosing videos based on looking at the features they have from the viewpoint of a general customer rather than if they are current or not. For more criteria information, see the end of this post.
Angie Kennedy-Juda
Angie’s Easy Post-it Note Holder by Angie Kennedy Juda
Angie speaks in a clear voice in a comfortable pace. I like how Angie’s video includes word bubbles with additional details about product ingredients. She explains each step with good verbal skills. Video lighting and quality is good. I LOVE the use of an Incentive Stamp in this video. This is an awesome way to get someone hooked! And it is so fun to see her give away the project and Incentive stamp in this way! Angie also encourages someone to watch the video by announcing a special message is in the video! I also think it is nice and clever for Angie to use the grid paper to cut the ribbon instead of having it pre-cut before the video. It shows the customer how nice it is to own the grid paper.
Andrea Walford
Valentine’s Treat Tote Video Tutorial by Andrea Walford
Andrea speaks in a nice clear voice in a comfortable pace. I like that the beginning of her video includes all of the supplies used in the project. Her blog post also includes all of the supplies as well as the link where the bottles can be purchased. The use of the grid paper gives a nice professional stamping atmosphere. The project itself is unique and she gives measurements as she goes along. Video quality is excellent. Lighting is good and audio is good. I like that there are two video parts to this tutorial. With projects that are a bit longer, it works better if there is a part 1 and part 2 so that videos can take a break if needed, in between the parts. She also has the blog address to her website at the end of the video so if someone finds her video on Youtube, they know where to view additional product information by going to Andrea’s blog. Good job, Andrea.
Barb Mullikin
Stampin’ Up! with Canvas Cuts by Barb Mullikin
Considering this video above is Barb’s first online video, I’m very impressed. I love the fact that she has her blog address on her tabletop throughout the whole presentation and it is in PINK. Very easy to read! She also includes her Stampin’ Up! website address. Barb’s tone of voice is clear and she speaks at a nice pace. Her workspace is clean and professional. She lists product ingredients on her blog and includes a close-up shot of her main card element on her blog so that viewers can see the extra detail she added with the VersaMark pen. At the end, Barb verbally invites viewers to her blog. Nice.
Ann Clemmer
Quick and Easy Double Pocket Card by Ann Clemmer
Ann Clemmer has some cute videos and I decided to feature this one because it is a great example of how music can be used in the background to set the tone! I recommend that you don’t use music that will overpower your verbal instructions, which I feel are important. This music is appropriate and very cute! I like how she includes lots of measurements as well as a definition to a technical term she used. Some terms are commonplace to seasoned stampers, but they should always be defined for your newer customers. I love the additional samples at the end and I like that she gives a solution when she makes a mistake! And… Ann has a cute address reference to her blog at the end of the video too!
Patty Bennett
Watercolor Roses – Technique and Video Tutorial by Patty Bennett
Patti speaks in a clear tone of voice. She speaks at a comfortable speed. Video lighting and audio is good. Her video includes an intro with her website clearly printed on it. Patti zooms in at one point so that viewers can see clearly what she is doing. I think her choice of words during her presentation were well chosen. She gives credit to the source of the technique. I like the fact that she "promo’d" her video several days before featuring it… to get customers excited and let them know they should stop back again to see it. At the end of the video, she invites people to her 6×6 technique book class where her customers can try the technique for themselves!
I also want to mention that a few days later, Patty posted a companion tutorial with the Manhatten Rose Texturz die that rocks!
Abi Bundy
Stamp-a-ma-jig Tutorial by Abi Bundy
Let’s take a trip across the ocean briefly to the home of UK Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator Abi Bundy, who has some great videos. (I admit… I’m a bit jealous of Abi. She lives in Cornwall. Of all the places in the UK I have visited so far, Cornwall is my absolute all-time favorite place on earth. I wonder if Abi and I can trade places… here is a picture my husband took of me in Cornwall in 2000 looking out on Carbis Bay in St. Ives… and dreaming that I live there.)… ok, well… no more dreaming… back to the video! Abi does a great job explaining the stamp-a-ma-jig and its features. Her workspace is clean, she shows her enthusiasm for teaching by the tone of her voice, her pace is comfortable and she references her blog at the end of her video. Very nice, Abi!
Dawn Griffith
Window Sheet Box #2 Video Tutorial by Dawn Griffith
I like Dawn’s nice clear voice. She lists the ingredients for the project on her blog post along with product order numbers. She sounds excited and happy to be showing her project. Demonstrating with clear window sheets can be tricky because they are clear, and she successfully pulls it off. First she makes the box with the purple cardstock so that when it is made with the clear window sheets, the viewer understands. She did a great job with how to use the rub-ons as well. I like how the product ingredients and order numbers are in the video. The pace is just right, lighting is great and audio is awesome. She has her website and blog addresses listed at the end of the video. Bravo Dawn.
Linda Yamamoto
Double Pocket Card Video Tutorial by Linda Yamamoto
Linda Yamamoto did a great job on this video. She speaks clearly, lighting is good, audio is good, her workspace is nicely organized. What I specifically want to point out with this one is her use of the "Fast Forward" so during the cutting and folding portions of the video – parts of the project that are commonplace techniques – are fast forwarded to make the video shorter without missing any steps along the way. Linda has hints and product information float across the video at a few key points. At the end she includes her blog address so customers can learn more. Very nice.
Sandy Hoefakker
Card Kit Bonus Tutorial by Sandy Hoefakker
This is a technique video that I particularly like because it focuses on one tool in detail. Sandy ties this video in with her monthly card kit offering which is awesome because it is a way for online customers to participate in learning about a stamping tool that can be used with the items in the kit. Nice upselling. Sandy speaks in a clear voice at a nice pace. She references her blog address in her video. Sometimes it just isn’t necessary to demonstrate a full card. Short videos on how to use a particular tool are informative and teach a new stamping skill.
Linda Heller
Witch-ay Woman by Linda Heller
I think punch art is a great topic for a video. Making punch art is so fun to watch! Linda has a clear voice and speaks at a good pace. Good lighting and audio. I love how Linda includes "witch parts" that sounds awful, doesn’t it? on her blog post along with the video so that viewers can see all the parts. Linda also shows her sense of humor in this video! I like how Linda mentions in her post that readers of the post in Email need to come to the blog to view the video. So many times we neglect to keep in mind our Email readers. Very good idea Linda.
Terri Walker
Great Friend Card at Sundays with Sizzix by Terri Walker
I like Terri’s friendly tone of voice. She clearly shows that she is happy to be sharing her stamping project. She is clear and speaks at a nice pace. I like how she goes through each item needed for the project in the beginning of the video. I like how Terri ties her video into the new Occasions mini catalog and invites viewers to join her mailing list and place an order. Terri makes everything look so easy! I love how she includes her project ingredients and paper sizes in her blog post. Lighting is excellent. Audio is great too. Her workspace is nice and clean. At the end Terri verbally invites the viewer to visit her blog and the blog address appears.
Amy Celona
Polished Stone video by Amy Celona
Amy Celona’s video features Polished Stone, a great technique that has been around awhile, but was great to see her create it on video. I’ve done this technique so many times, but I’ve never thought of squishing the ball to make outlines like an old watermark with guilded edges. Lighting is great. Her voice is clear and she speaks at a comfortable pace, her workspace is clean (well until she starts playing with the ink, lol!) and she has her blog address appear throughout the entire video.
If you take a look at the post, she shows the finished project images and indicated they can be clicked on for greater detail.
You may also wish to read about her video experience. Amy found a free video converter here. She also used One True Media to edit her video (and that is where she also got the fun TV-looking player! You may want to give them a try. She states in her post that she will be posting some video making experiences (what works/what doesn’t) in the future. You may want to get yourself a subscription to her blog!
Honorable Mentions:
Jacqueline Bayliff
Jacquelyne Bayliff’s Snowflake video is nicely done. Lighting is good. Pace is good. Project itself is awesome. It is a great project for an online tutorial because it is easier to see this sort of project done in person than trying to follow instructions for it. She also gives important tips along the way so that the viewer can understand completely. Occasionally, she gives additional information in pop-up boxes. She also includes a pop-up box with her blog address on it so viewers can visit her blog for more information.
Juanita Golson
Juanita Golson’s video Heart with Scallop Border is a good one because there are lots of people who would not be able to visualize how on earth it would be possible to make a circle scallop into a scallop around a heart. This is a tutorial that shows a technique that really can’t be explained well in words. It needs a video to show the technique and Juanita does a good job explaining as she goes along. Thanks Juanita (actually, I learned something here! I haven’t seen this technique yet. what a surprise to see it done!)
I hope you enjoyed this brief Video Hop and I hope it has given you some great ideas that you can use in your own stamping videos!
Overall tips based on the above samplings of good videos:
1. Speak clearly and at a comfortable pace
2. Have good lighting on your workspace
3. Have a clean workspace – preferably with grid paper, but if you don’t have grid paper, make sure it is a nice single color table covering
4. Include your blog address both on your video and verbally
5. Tie your video in with a product, Incentive/freebie, card kit, or other promotion
6. Upload it to both YouTube and Metacafe. This will increase your exposure and will more likely to help you show up in a Google search for "Stampin’ Up! videos"
7. Include tags and metadata with your videos to increase your chances of showing up in Google.
8. Always include a link to your Video Tutorials in your blog sidebar! This is the ONE thing most demos did not do! And do you know how frustrating it was for me to try and locate videos on demo blogs? 
Many times I had to search through posts to find any video with hopes that the demo added a Category tag to it so I could click on the category tag to find the one I located on YouTube!. Argh!!! Do you really think a customer will have the patience to do all that to locate your videos? For the sake of your customers, please put some sort of link, either a text link or a graphic link to posts which include your videos! Your customers will thank you! :)
9. Always include a link to your blog from your YouTube page! This is the OTHER thing many demo videos I found did not do! There are lots of great Stampin’ Up! video tutorials on YouTube but with many, I could not find any links on their YouTube Channels directing me to a blog (which disqualified them!)
10. Videos can always be improved. Don’t fret if one didn’t turn out as nice as you’d like. The next one will be better and so on… its a learn-as-you-go skill (just like stamping!), and if you get nervous in front of the camera (like me) don’t give up!
And when you mess up, 
just remember Angie Kennedy Juda’s Bloopers video and feel proud that you are collecting blooper material to create your own Bloopers Video!
11. I recommend you have a separate YouTube Channel for your stamping business videos and keep your home videos separate on a different Channel. You’re customers may not be interested in seeing home videos.
12. And lastly… before doing your video demonstration, make sure to check your nails/nail polish etc. to make sure they are properly groomed for a video! No need to put nail polish on, but at least make sure they are presentable! (I sure do like Dawn Griffith’s PURPLE nail polish in her video! Did you notice it? too cool!)
Heather Wright Porto’s links for embedding video in your blogs!
Heather Wright Porto shared on SUDSOL a wonderful list of resources for those who need assistance embedding their videos into their blog posts. She has also decided to share it on her blog! She includes resources for both Typepad and Blogger.
Please visit BlogsbyHeather Video Tutorial post for her resources!
You have all asked for it repeatedly… now it is available:
YouTube Layouts to match your Twitter, Facebook and Blog layouts!
Keep all of your YouTube Videos in one beautiful gallery that matches your blog!
Click the image above to see a larger view!
Brand yourself, as you can see here!
Why not make your Twitter, Facebook and YouTube sites match your blog? I have a combined service now for those who want to order Twitter, Facebook and YouTube designs all at one time. AND… to solve the problem of not having a link to your video gallery from your blog, you also get a matching sidebar button for your blog called "Video Gallery" that links to your YouTube page!
For more information about the Social Networking Graphics four-piece set, go here!
Lastly, if anyone is interested in how I happen to choose the above videos, here is a list of criteria for choosing the videos used in this non-scientific sampling:
1. Stampin’ Up! videos only. There are many non-SU! craft videos out there, but I am limiting this sampling to SU! only
2. Videos I could easily find doing a YouTube or Google search were more likely to get into this sampling (if I can’t find you, I can’t include you)
3. I posted on several groups for video recommendations and received responses
4. I watched lots of videos – the ones that impressed me enough after the first viewing, got a second viewing and consideration for this sampling.
5. The video must be posted on a blog. Videos posted ONLY on YouTube did not qualify for this sampling. I want to keep this blog-focused. So, if I could not locate a blog post to match with the video, I didn’t include it in this sampling.
6. The Honorable Mentions are videos that I think present excellent information but lack some of the important elements in the main group of best videos. In other words, I think they warrant inclusion but not in the main group at the top.
7. The videos are in no particular order – just the order that I chose them as I was building this post as a draft. (In other words, I don’t consider these in any 1st place, 2nd place etc. categories – I didn’t give them "awards" of any sort. This is just a sampling based on what I can find out there in the web and via groups at this time – their order here is not important.)
8. Mistakes in the videos were not considered in the criteria. In stamping, mistakes happen, so no big deal, in fact, that’s what makes them fun! A perfect presentation was not expected in the samplings.
9. No one paid me to include their videos here! HA, I so totally WISH! LOL
10. I did not consider a time frame limit for the videos when judging them. Some of these were done last year. In some cases, there were more than one video from a demo that I could choose from. I picked the one I thought was best to feature here, regardless of when it was made.
ok, I’m changing my rules just a little bit… here are some videos that SHOULD be posted on the Demo blogs, but aren’t and I think they are cute!
i’m putting them down here at the end because they don’t qualify for the main category above. Hopefully these gals will get their videos on their blog at some point. I found these because there is a link to their blog via YouTube, but no link on their blog TO the videos or YouTube. Video buttons ladies!!! put linking buttons to your videos in your sidebars PLEASE!
Kylie Robinson in Australia
Julie Allain in the UK
Julie has links to her YouTube Channel on her blog (so she gets points for that, yay!) But the videos are not in her posts.
Let’s have some MORE fun Video blog hopping!
Got a video tutorial on your blog that you’d like to share with us?
Respond to this post and share the link with us!
If you do, you’ll have the chance to win a FREE 4 piece Social Networking Graphics Set! How fun!!!
This button was made and shared by request
I had a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator who wants to link to the "Why do I Need a Demonstrator" video on her blog. Perhaps other demos would like to do the same! So I created 2 sidebar buttons – transparent – one in black and one in brown. Just copy the appropriate code below the button you’d like!
CODE:
<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/images/ec/demoPresentationenu.html"><img src="http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq5/jeeveser/whydoi.png"></a>
CODE:
<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/images/ec/demoPresentationenu.html"><img src="http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq5/jeeveser/whydoibrown.png"></a>
Classy new blog for Edie Bunting!
Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator Edith Bunting purchased one of my pre-made banners. I added her title, subtitle and contact information on it. This was a draft I made for another demonstrator and she decided on a different look, so I put it in my Pre-made banner page and Edie snapped it up! Edie added a matching background and buttons to her Pre-made banner and here is the result! Visit Edie at her blog here!
Edie’s new banner that is now her very own:
Edie’s banner with background layout:
Edie’s Order Online button:
Edie’s Email Me button:
Edie’s matching watermark:
Edie’s end-of-post siggy:
Posted under Background Designs to match banners, Blog Banners, Buttons for Clients, Signatures for the end of posts, Watermarks |
New project buttons for May!
Here are the projects for the month of May. These can be posted in your demo blog sidebars free of charge. Use the codes below. The May Project of the Month will be posted tomorrow!
CODE:
<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProjectDetails.aspx?projectID=1441"><img src="http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq5/jeeveser/Project%20Buttons/maycardproject.png"></a>
CODE:
<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProjectDetails.aspx?projectID=864"><img src="http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq5/jeeveser/Project%20Buttons/maygiftproject.png"></a>
CODE:
<a href="http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProjectDetails.aspx?projectID=314"><img src="http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq5/jeeveser/Project%20Buttons/mayscrapbookproject.png"></a>
Social Networking Graphics Set, NEW!
For those who would like their blog, Twitter page, YouTube page and Facebook business page to match, this package is for you!!
View large version of the YouTube graphic by clicking on the image.
I’m offering a new Social Networking Graphics set…
for $25 you get:
Custom Twitter background to match your blog (Example: click here)
YouTube background to match your blog (Example: click here)
Facebook badge to match your blog
and…
a matching sidebar button for your blog that says "Video Gallery" which links to your YouTube page!
Schedule for next 6 days
This is the tentative schedule for the next 6 days – subject to change:
(Tuesday night 28th -Sandy P(rescheduled, see below), Wanda. Wordpress install
Wed. 29th – Drafts for Donna S., Lori S. Buttons for Pam L.
Thurs 30th – Drafts for Janis F., Linda K, Buttons for new SU May Promos
Friday May 1 – morning: Sidebar Maintainence for customers, afternoon: revisions
May 2 – Elizabeth H. and Jenny E. drafts, revisions, etc. Evening: Julie E. draft Sandy Wordpress Wanda Wordpress design(moved to 28th)
May 3 – revisions/uploads, finish uploads, etc. (husband taking me to the new ice cream shop on Hwy 32)
May 4 – Drafts: Debbie P., Debbie L. , revisions, etc.
Revise: due to technical reasons, Wanda was installed the 28th instead of Sandy P., who is being rescheduled.
Darla’s blog looks like the Demo website intro page!
Darla Olson just loves the pretty design she sees when she logs into her Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator website administration to make changes! She decided she wanted a banner that looks just like that design!
Well, here it is! (Now how many of you all will go to your SU! demo website administration pages today to "check it out"?) lol
Here is Darla’s banner:
Here is Darla’s full layout with background:
Here is her Facebook badge:
Here is Darla’s Order Online button:
Here is her Email Me! button:
Here is her end-of-post siggy:
Here is her matching watermark:
Posted under Background Designs to match banners, Blog Banners, Business Related Items, Buttons for Clients, Signatures for the end of posts, Social Networking, Watermarks |
Coming May 1st!
I have a special treat for you coming up on May 1st.
On May 1st you’ll want to come back here to visit because I will be showcasing SU-demo produced videos as well as some tips you can use for producing good videos.
So… want to video-hop? Stop back on May 1st to Video-hop with me!
