A Different Small Business Newsletter
Here is a excerpt taken from a press release that hit my inbox today. I’m not sure that this idea is going to work for everyone - in fact I’m not sure that it is going to work for very many people at all but anything that challenges you to think is worth looking at.
One thing I definitely don’t agree with is something that Joe says in his introduction (and I elected not to post the introduction) and that is:
Forget about blogs. They’re so 2004.
Nice hype Joe but blogs are not a thing of the past and that line almost made me hit the delete button before I finished reading the rest of your message.
Working in his small home office over the garage, Joe Chapuis knows the next big thing is upon us. Internet video has arrived, and it presents the opportunity of a lifetime - especially for the little guy.
For less than $2,000, Joe Chapuis has built a mini-studio at home where where he produces his new video newsletter for entrepreneurs and small business owners, The HotBizz Report His topics include ecommerce, internet marketing and inspirational success stories.
“It’s amazing. Just a few years ago, this would have been nearly impossible,” he says. “Now, anyone with a decent camera and the right software can brodcast digital-quality video to millions of people around the world.”
Using a $650 digital camcorder, and several low-budget software programs for video production and editing, Chapuis produces two 3-4 minute video shows each week. His only other overhead cost is for web hosting. “I’ve got a dedicated server that runs me $99 month,” he adds, “But I’ll probably have to upgrade to a more expensive package to handle the increased bandwidth usage as my audience grows.”
However, the fact that anyone can now create their own home-grown video show for global distribution doesn’t mean that every production is going to find a sizable audience. “The number of vloggers is growing daily,” he says. “People aren’t going to waste precious time watching your show just because it’s there.” He adds, “The content has to be good if you want to stand out from the crowd and make a name for yourself.”
January 9th, 2006 at 11:54 pm
> I’m not sure that this idea is going to work for everyone - in fact I’m not sure that it is going to work for very many people at all
I agree with you. It won’t work for most people. At least not for now.
Learning video production (for online or offline broadcast) can be an overwhelming task for many people. The learning curve may just be too steep. (It nearly was for me.)
However, I expect that to change within the next few years. It will only get easier.
In addition, it is no easy task to consistently make videos that can grab and hold attention, and then have the audience return for more. I hope to someday have it figured out.
> anything that challenges you to think is worth looking at.
One of my goals: challenging people (myself included) to think. And think differently. Think BIG.
> Nice hype Joe but blogs are not a thing of the past and that line almost made me hit the delete button before I finished reading the rest of your message.
I don’t literally mean blogs are done. They’re simply evolving.
This will be the year online video finally goes mainstream. The technology is there. The pipes can handle the delivery. Now it’s simply a matter of acceptance (and having something worthwhile to watch).
This is a tremendous opportunity for those willing to take a chance and try something different. That’s all I’m doing. Check back w/ me a year from now to see how it all worked out ; )
Best Regards,
Joe Chapuis
http://www.HotBizz.com
January 10th, 2006 at 10:10 am
G’day Joe
Thanks for replying - I’m not sure that Vblogs are really going to be the way of the future - I know lots of people think they’re the best thing since sliced bread but I’m not one of them.
Jakob Nielsen from Alertbox is running some interesting tests with people who are watching vblogs and his preliminary findings are well worth looking at. His suggestion that viewers find vblogs boring is worth thinking about.
As a teaching tool I think an ordinary blog or a podcast has a much better chance of getting the message across than a vblog.
As a marketing tool a vblog might be more successful but I think it would need some careful thought about how to use the space around the embedded player before a marketing vblog realised its potential.
January 12th, 2006 at 7:21 pm
It is still good to know the latest and still evolving marketing methods even though at the moment I don’t feel the need to jump on board. Like most new methods it starts slowly and then suddenly takes off. Thanks for the info.
January 12th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
Steve it’s not something that I’m about to jump on board with either.
Talking heads are fine in certain circumstances but I don’t think that Vblogs are one of those circumstances.
Stay tuned for a post tomorrow about why I don’t think that Vblogs are necessarily the ideal tool for small business.