When the rules and regulations for running your businesses seem topsy-turvy and out of your control, I offer the following advice:

Don’t abandon your innovation.

Through the years, BizVid Communications has partnered with businesses of all sizes. We don’t focus on the businesses as much as we focus on the individuals that have inspired the businesses. We use video to help businesses personify their character. The resulting video delivers those insights to a public in need of that business’s services or benefits.

As a company owner or manager, much of your own character has been embedded in the strategies which have made your business successful. During times of stress, employee anxieties, or faltering finances, you may feel a tendency to abandon your good business sense. You may feel a desire to acquiesce to people who know very little about your industry, and even less about you.

Don’t abandon your anchors.

During troubled times, we at BizVid are impressed by companies who place great emphasis on the well-being of their employees. Often, your employees are the people who helped your business become a success in the first place. Faithful employees are the metaphorical anchors of your successful business. Employers who make modest-yet-heartfelt efforts to lessen the suffering of their employees will likely discover that such efforts are the best possible investment.

Don’t abandon your innovation.

We are heartened to observe restaurants and the innovative work-arounds that they devise in order to continue serving their patrons. Food deliveries, catering, take-outs, plastic booth dividers, and the development of sidewalk tabling are all examples of “how to make the best situation out of the worst restraints”. In his writings entitled “Republic,” the Greek philosopher, Plato, observed that “necessity is the mother of invention.”

As a business owner, take note of what happens when you depend on the anchors who surround you. Your employees are likely to be a stabilizing force, and they may even inspire more innovations that steer your business from “surviving” into “thriving”. In so doing, you can and will redefine your industry and succeed like none other.

In this blog’s Part 1, award-winning BizVid Communications offered insights regarding your smartphone videos, along with video-delivery tips. 

In this blog’s Part 2, we will outline a few ways to maximize your voice delivery, and tips to make your video presentation more desirable and believable. 

Audio tips

There are external-microphone options for smartphones, but most users are assumed to to not be using them. If you are using your smartphone’s built-in microphone, you will like your audio outcome better if you try to keep the camera/ microphone within a few feet of your subject who is speaking. Audiences can be distracted when a video’s audio is inconsistent in volume, or far-away sounding. 

Whenever possible, stay close to your subject and your viewer will stay close to the message

Regarding the content of your video, remember that very few people can string more than a few sentences together. That is completely normal.  To make your video as impactful as possible, we like the idea of crafting a few “glance-worthy” bullet points.

Don’t make your glances obvious, but steal a look at your bullet point as part of your normal head movements. Study the delivery of lines from a soap opera. See if you can locate where the actors have stashed their lines during a rather lengthy diatribe.  

Regarding delivery, stay away from too many “uhhhhs” and “ahhhhhhs”.  Brief silence to collect your thoughts is always better, and substantially adds to your believability.

Also, converse rather than announce. Be yourself.

Practice makes… perfectly believable.

Practice these aforementioned tips, and toss in some purposeful eye contact with the smartphone camera. You will see a marked difference in your delivery, along with higher viewership and greater viewer retention. Fine tune your skills in delivering your message. It is generally okay to have a few takes. Remember, the little things will make a big difference. 

At BizVid Communications, we often tell our clients that it is not the big budgets, but the big ideas that make a great video.  So much the more with your smartphone productions. Go create something memorable.

Smartphone Videos

You may be among the multitudes who have discovered the value and fun of smartphone videos. When it comes to making unforgettable video messages with your smartphone, here are a few tips from one of the producers at BizVid Communications. 

As multiple-time Emmy winners, we know how to craft effective powerful videos using reasonable budgets. But, in this case, smartphones are a good way to put forth a memorable message with no budget whatsoever. With the “increased down-time” recently, we have had the opportunity to see smartphone videos used for all kinds of purposes. Some are even being used to promote small businesses. Here are some tips on how you can “use your smartphone to make smart videos.”

Visual Tips

When recording smartphone video, a horizontal orientation is the most functional. Horizontal smartphone videos allow for more people to be on-screen at once, compared to vertical videos. More background can be displayed in horizontal videos, while showing less of the spokesperson’s lower body. Finally, horizontally-oriented videos allow more flexibility in typical presentations since most display screens (projectors, televisions, etc) are also horizontally oriented.

Starting with a horizontal smartphone orientation will allow more space for the on-screen talent to move their hands or move props. If you are your own on-camera tablet, it is advisable to mount your phone to a tripod or gimbal, rather than hand-holding it. Hand-held video is often shaky, and those shakes can distract your audience from your message.

Regarding lighting and positioning, pay attention to the pre-existing light at the location where you are recording. Frame your shots so the lighting falls on your on-camera subject. Use your smartphone’s manual exposure mode and lock the exposure, if possible. 

Position your subject far enough from the background so that their own shadow doesn’t fall on the background behind them.  Separation between the subject and their background will make both elements more appealing.  

In this Blog’s Part 2, we will discuss some audio tips and the value in taking strategic practice runs. Have fun with your smartphone camera. Go create something.

BizVid Communications is a premiere video production company, so creating blogs are important for keeping our name and brand visible. Further, systematic blogs provide important information regarding one’s product or service. Such communications help with rankings on social media. These are very likely good reasons for companies like yours to do the same.

Regarding the selection of blog topics, we are reminded of the strategies behind one of the most popular and highly rated television programs ever. Jerry Seinfeld’s self-titled show, Seinfeld, was touted as a series about absolutely nothing. Even “nothing” can be something if it’s properly packaged. Indeed, there is nothing like it.

Keeping in mind the main objective of “name and brand appreciation/ recognition”, any blog topic which commands a reader’s attention can do the job. Also it is helpful to understand the media parameters into which your blog will be placed. For our purposes, the length of a blog should probably be around 600 words. That is enough to command attention, while not discouraging a person who does not enjoy reading. A person’s love of reading is not usually a factor in the purchasing of a product. So keeping things short and sweet is always a wise decision. What’s more, that 600-word length seems to be typical for popular blogs around the Internet.

Some believe that having a catchy photograph also helps in the blog presentation. Because of copyright laws, it is unwise to grab just anything off the internet and use that as your blog post’s graphic support. Who wants to get a threatening letter in the mail? This may not be worth the risk. Today’s cell phones offer such high resolution photography that you can click your own photo that illustrates your topic fairly easily. As a video producer, we have access to stock photography and video which allows us to search out appealing visuals within our existing usage contracts. Perks of the trade.

Regarding blog presentation style and tone, it is advisable to simply “be who you are” in your communications. The “real you” will be more believable and more able to properly communicate your message than putting on a false persona. That said, Bizvid Communications is responsible for portraying the products, services, benefits, and personality of our clients.

In video production world, we often assume the character of our clients more than our own character.  Over the years we have learned to do this quite well. In fact, we love helping our clients put their best foot forward. Even so, our own personality is never completely lost in the equation. We enjoy taking our clients’ thoughts and streamlining them into impactful and concise messages.

Then, there are times when you have said all you wanted to say, but the format requires you to provide more words than you feel comfortable generating. For example, if you are creating a blog like this one, and you have only 489 words written, but need to get to 600 words.

In such instances, it may be advisable to apply the art of summarization. It is proven that a person’s ability to comprehend something is enhanced when a presenter reframes the original precept, using fewer words. Repetition can be a communicator’s best friend. 

Remember, periodic blogs are very important for branding and name recognition.  Pick topics that will command attention for your target audience which you feel comfortable communicating about. Be aware of recommended blog lengths and other restrictions. And, use photography or graphics as part of your blog whenever possible. Well, my 600 words are completed, as is this blog message. Thank you for joining us for this informative blog.

You have seen this “catastrophe-in-waiting” in nearly every social and personal environment: marriage, other personal relationships, and even business partnerships. The left-brain “structure” moguls are at odds with the right-brain “creatives” to see who runs this or who leads that.  

Our blog has been written to offer a moment of clarity and inspiration within this very dynamic. At its conclusion, we hope that the insights will improve your company’s odds of success.

The left-brain mentality: If you have a strategic reason behind every action. If you spend a great deal of time mapping out every business strategy and setting up just the right people and situations to maximize your likelihood of success, congrats, you are a left brainer.

The right-brain mentality: Even if you’ve got the goods and the knowhow, the “same old, same old” strategies of plodding your way to success lack the flash and flare of creativity. Of standing out. Or burning out. Congratulations, you’re a right brainer.

Activating balanced relationships: My partner and I are in the business of creating video to tell our clients’ stories. We work with the big companies and the small guys. Over many years, we have learned to thrive in that delicate fulcrum of left, right, center.

In the end, neither one of the two viewpoints should ultimately win out. If the client ultimately feels that their best interest has been accomplished, then success and successful relations happen. This is usually accomplished with just the right balance of give and take.

My partner knows production stuff. He has ten Emmys to his credit and prefers getting stuff systematically done without wasting much time chatting or strategizing. He is disciplined in the business acumen with excellent follow through and consistency. He is a left-brain genius.

I know video production from a less cerebral, more sensory perspective. It is directly tied to the people who hired us. Informed and interactive clients can also help insure the success of a project. My approach would be, “What do you think about this look?” Or, “Is there a better way for the topic to be verbally or visually presented?”  Sometimes, I’m sure that my interjections slow the progress of my partner. Equally as often, my partner’s interjections keep us on time and within budget. 

My business partner’s left-brain tendencies have proven successful for him in the past. And, independently, my right brain tendencies have garnered good client successes.

Bottom line is we tend to have more happy clients together than we do independently. The moral of the story is that it is worth the effort of discover your workmate’s strengths and vigilantly seek to blend his or her best with your own. There is an old proverb that says, “If one can chase a thousand, two can chase ten thousand.” Pride aside, it can be more fruitful together.

A proven strategy for maintaining longevity in your business, and in life, is measured by one’s willingness to “go the extra mile”. Research has consistently shown that people (clients, customers, anybody) tend to incorporate hard-to-quantify components into their decision making.

An important decision may come down to intangible qualities such as the likability of a person, or perhaps having some arbitrary connection based on a hobby, or movie, or maybe having friend in common. These intangible benefits can often “seal the deal” in both a metaphorical and a literal sense.

Unknown variables are out of our control, but there is one important personality trait that each of us can intentionally improve, and that is our ability to “go the extra mile”. If you develop the trait of always going the extra mile, it can make the difference between having a profitable business or struggling to survive.

How does a person learn to “go the extra mile”? A wise person once shared this process with us and now we’re going to pass it along to you.

The process begins with intentionality. Start by taking a thought and then think it fully through so that you reach a decision. Once you have your decision, take action to turn that decision into a reality. If you continually take action based on intentional decisions, you’ll begin to form a habit. Finally, once others start to notice your habit, you’ll realize that you’ve just developed a character trait.

The simple version looks like this:

Thought > Decision > Action > Habit > Character

When people know you’re a person who will go the extra mile on their behalf, you will suddenly become known as a dependable person. Dependable people are invaluable in business, since it provides extra assurance that the job will be done right, the first time.

Professional athletes will tell you that when an action is repeated frequently enough, it becomes second nature. As it is in sports, so it is in business. A person who has repeated a winning action often enough has that action ingrained in them, so that it becomes second nature. This allows the individual to transfer the energy that had been used to repeat a task, diverting it elsewhere to further benefit the end result. We’ll call this step “becoming habitual” about an action or activity.

When you become known for “going the extra mile” in all you do, your reputation will precede you and, as a result, business will find you. Relationships will find you. In addition to helping others find you, by going the extra mile in all you do, you will find life-long satisfaction in the profess of becoming the best you can be.

Engage the benefit of always “going the extra mile.” When your company has this as an element in your business strategy, you’ll see that “it” factor will consistently drive success and satisfaction your way.

This blog will offer a time-management tip that I picked up many years ago which has transformed my most arduous and foreboding tasks into manageable segments and beacons of accomplishment.

How is it that some people can accomplish mounds of meaningful work when others seem to procrastinate themselves into a depression? As a partner in a video production company, I know that when we embark on complex projects, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the details. This is likely the case for many people reading this blog post as well.

The solution to many time-management problems is to create a proper To-Do List. 

The Power of Writing Things Down

My To-Do lists often begin as simple streams of consciousness that are then put to paper or the computer screen, itemizing things that must get done. These actions may be small and relatively unimportant, or they may be major events to accomplish a larger, specific goal.

By documenting your stream of consciousness in writing, you’ll be able to better visualize your tasks and goals. It’s unrealistic to think that you’ll remember everything you need to do, so keep this list as a working document, and freely add to it when other items or thoughts come to mind.

Your First List

To start out, and to give you a manageable starting point, begin with a list of the items that you hope accomplish within a single day or two.

Once you have this “to-do-list-in-progress” document, you are ready to get into the organizational mode. We’ll be using a numbering and lettering system to help you.

First, review your list to get a “lay of the land,” and acquire an overview of everything that you have annotated. This may inspire a few more line items and help formulate “next steps.”

Next, look over your list and identify the “important-but-easy” tasks that you can accomplish relatively quickly. Assign these important-but-easy tasks with the letter “A.” For any “not-as-important-but-easy“ tasks, assign the letter “B.” Continue down your list until all the easy tasks are assigned a letter.

Optionally, you can choose to further prioritize these simple tasks by assigning a number beside the letter. “A1” would be the most important-but-easy task that you have to do, and so forth.

Finally, identify any “important-and-high-priority” tasks for the day and assign them numbers: #1 is the most important task, #2 is the second most important, etc. These tasks that are given a number may not be easy and they’ll likely take longer than the tasks you assigned a letter.

Reviewing Your List

As you review your list, you may realize that relatively simple tasks have stolen much of your valuable time in the past, which prevented you from working on the really important stuff. This technique should help put an end to that.

As you begin working with this system, you will quickly come to understand how many of these big projects you can realistically tackle in an 8, 9, or 10 hour day. As a rule of thumb, I find that I can realistically accomplish around seven or eight of these high priority tasks in a given 8 hour day.

It can be demoralizing when your daily expectations are set beyond what you can realistically achieve. This does you no good and will often give you a bad attitude which will slow the entire progress of every item on your list.

One other thought: if you find that you have far more “filler tasks” in a given day than you can accommodate, try amassing several “filler tasks” together and make them collectively another higher priority item.

As you become comfortable with the system, you may soon discover that you are actually accomplishing more than you ever thought you could. In reflection, you will come to realize how majoring in the minors has cost you dearly in the past.

As an author of several books, a broadcaster and videographer, I can tell you from experience that orchestrating your days in the manner outlined will allow you to accomplish your dreams, giving them the priority that they deserve.

As a videographer and communications guy, I am always on the lookout for ways to streamline activities and cause the teams with whom I work to function fluidly and effectively.

Over the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to work with a couple of groups from around the nation and I would like to share some of my observations about unity and teamwork.

24/7 Artisan teamwork (BizVid’s Caz Taylor, Billie Alexander, Josh and Luke LaRoya) in Washington DC

In one instance, I was at an outdoor venue in Washington D.C. where I was working on a 24 hour, non-stop, live worship and praise music gathering. Musicians and artists sometimes are known for pride issues or other idiosyncrasies which can make them hard to work with. I’m happy to report that this recent Washington D.C. experience was the complete opposite.

Even though each of the roughly 70 participants were excellent in their fields of art, music and administration, it took additional components to make the the long days flow smoothly.

California/DC Artisan teamwork at 24/7 David’s Tent in the DC National Mall. Tent founder Jason Hershey (l) receiving Kingdom Kajon as gift from California team (l to r) Michael, Dan, Kerah, Mary and Daniel

When someone needed to fill-in, they did. When a microphone needed to be moved they did. When administration needed to be accommodated, they did. A person’s skill level or status became irrelevant when everybody shared a common goal. It was a remarkable experience of having a single mind vested into by numerous people.

I experienced a similar phenomenon a few days later in San Diego when a beauty-product client named Japonesque brought BizVid Communications in to produce an instructional video series.

From the talent, to the makeup artist, to the production team, to even the clients themselves, everybody was working together for a common goal. What could have otherwise been a very challenging production, became a very pleasant and effective one.

A recent videotaping, showcasing teamwork by BizVid crew with model and makeup artist

The common denominators in both instances were selflessness, a willingness to be in harmony with one another, and high senses of camaraderie and purpose. Add to these the unifying goal of accomplishing a specific task, and you have a winner.

For those of you ramrodding multifaceted, multi-person projects, the best solution will be found around the caliber and selflessness of the people with whom you work. A single negative attitude can abort the entire effort.

Choose teams and join your teams wisely. Allow for and encourage plenty of freedom and interaction amongst teammates. Deferring to and uplifting one another play big parts in all this. You will be surprised at the excellence of your outcome, and how many times each person will look for opportunities to work with you again.

Let’s chat about the hidden promotional opportunities you and your business have as a result of your day to day interactions with clients and others. Many say that word of mouth is your best advertising. If so, perhaps the second best is being able to utilize existing relationships to cross-promote who you are, and what you do.

Allow me to offer two examples using BizVid Communications, the production company which I co-own with partner and ten-time Emmy winner, Bill Gruber.

First example. We have worked with the Small Business Administration in San Diego and Imperial Counties for a number of years. Our recurring video project for SBA is to interview the award-winners and record their insights as the selected winners of the SBA’s various awards (small business owner of the year, veteran-owned business of the year, minority business person of the year and so forth). We then play back those interviews on a giant screen during the annual awards banquet. Of course, we provide very reasonable pricing for our services for this prestigious client.

In return for our “above and beyond the call of duty efforts” the SBA offered us a full page ad in their printed awards program as a “Gold Sponsor.” We accept that offer, of course. As a result, we receive free advertising about our services and benefits in a publication that is distributed to a banquet hall full of attendees comprising the leading businesses and executives throughout the small business community. Not bad for a free cross-promotion.

This is the cross-promotional “Gold Sponsor” ad that the SBA gives us in appreciation for our video production efforts on behalf of their annual “Best of the Year” awards ceremony.

Second example. Because of my interest in broadcasting and my love for Judeo-Christian topics, I volunteer to host a weekly radio show on a prominent Salem Media Group station, KPRZ Radio. The show is called Come Together San Diego. In exchange for my weekly volunteer efforts, the station gives my company and me free advertising time within the weekly broadcast. As the show’s popularity grows, so does our company’s exposure. Again, not bad for a free cross-promotion.

Here it is, in case you are interested: https://youtu.be/E1SG-Qz0nCo

Ask yourself, “what opportunities might there be, hiding just under the surface of your business and personal interactions, where your company can be presented and your success enhanced?” I know that you can come up with some. So, go for it and enjoy the additional business exposure!