Product Creation...HELP!

13 years ago

Originally Posted by smallbusinessfire

So here it is...I'm literally pouring my everything into creating my very first Internet Marketing Video Course.

First Problem:

I'm an Offline Internet Marketing Consultant.
I'm still actively taking new clients, managing current clients &
managing a sales team.

I'm having a really hard time managing the Consulting Business, Product Creation & squeeze in time for my family. (Don't get me wrong...I'm all about sacrifice...I just want to know how other people have attempted to manage similar situations..)

Second Problem:

Video Creation: I'm using camtasia to record, organizing content with mind maps, check-lists & slides. But I'm such a perfectionist that the video creation process is taking forever...editing my videos takes too long...the videos that are JUST power point slides seem to be easier because I can make more a script....but with the screen capture videos....I seem to have an issue remembering what to say ... or to say anything at all.

Should I create a script for all videos or is there a better way to go about doing this?

All together....this whole product creation process is tough. I always strive for perfection in everything that I do....and I really think that this is making it difficult for me.

Any advice, suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you to everyone ahead of time!

Travis Gutierrez

Well first of all, I'm sure you can find at least half an hour of time per day to create the video courses.

Secondly, you don't need a script. Throw the script out. All you need is a brief idea of what you want to say.

I create video courses all the time, and all you need is practice. The more you practice, the better you become and more fluent you speak. You just need about a month of practice, 30 minutes per day, and you can call yourself a professional.

The last thing I want to say is, don't give up. Video course creation isn't hard to do, you just need to get the hand of it and learn how to create those videos.

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esk 13 years ago

Hi

I do it this way.

My bulletpoints in my presentation is basically my script.

I just click the bulletpoint read it and then talk about it.

I got a gread tip by Frank Kern. Try to imagine that you do the video for a friend of you. Talk like you would talk to one of your friends.

I also don't edit all my failures out. So by just talking like you would talk to a friend you will make some failures but if you don't edit them out you keep the flow.

And like Ben Gordon said you will get better with some practice.
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- Dan C. Rinnert 13 years ago
  
  Do a script. You don't have to follow it word-for-word when you are filming, but you want to stay on topic and stay on track.
  
  Some people may be able to do videos without a script, and some people think they can do videos without a script, but, for most people, it's a good idea to use a script.
  
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bhuff85

13 years ago

I agree with Dan, with just a little twist - use an outline. This way, your video will have dialogue that is on-topic and flows along nicely. And, you'll also have some wiggle room to say whatever you need to say to get your point across.

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marcuslim

13 years ago

You can use a mind map software like free mind as well. A lot of people are doing that these days. They just fire up free mind, then walk through the mind map one topic at a time. Each topic further expands into subtopics, so at any given time, they always know what to say.

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Marcus Lim
Silver Bullet Publishing

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linkman11 13 years ago

Here are a few tips for screencapture videos.. (i've done 100's)

Make sure that you've cleared your browser cache, search queries, disabled your IM clients and turned off any browser or status bars with search terms in them..

Also set your browser to a resolution that will render in HD. Sucks when you forget that..

If you're not using Powerpoint, I usually write a short script using notepad and minimize it horizontally so I can read it right next to the capture area.

If you goofup or know you need to blur something... pause the video and write down the time of recording to fix before rendering..
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Joseph Dickens

13 years ago

I feel your pain man!
Especially when your a scatter brain like me! It's almost impossible to find time for anything.

Thanks
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Michael Shook 13 years ago

I usually make a script. I don't always follow it word for word, But I print it out in 1 and 1/2 line spacing in 14 pt font and lay the pages sequentailly across my desk in front of my monitor.

I don't edit out my vocal gaffs, unless I curse, but if I am doing something with a software or awebsite and it doesn't work, I edit that out. Nothing much worse in training than telling somebody who is trying to follow along that it didn't work.

They get stuck, especially if what you were showing was somewhat complex. I have found that with some practice, some people can be good without planning what they are going to say and some rehearsal. Most are not.

If I buy a video presentation and it is all full of filler like "I'll just move my mouse over here and click" or "Hmm, looks like the internet is slow today" or things of that nature, I am not really impresed ina favorable way.
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Mike Hill

13 years ago

Here's what I do when recording video courses... I set out what each video is about and the main points I want to cover. Then I just go to it... by the time I get to the last video I am getting better at expanding on ideas and better at conveying my ideas without a lot of ums and ahs.. Once I'm finished I go back and re-record the first few videos because now I'm in a rhythm.

The end result is a very good video product.

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RussRuffino

13 years ago

Making video courses is the way to go. Do NOT worry about editing out every little stumble or stutter. It makes you sound like a human being. Just teach with enthusiasm and passion. It'll be contagious to your audience.

Don't let your brain mess with you. It doesn't need to be perfect. Just get version 1.0 out there - you can always optimize later.

Russ

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Ross Vegas

13 years ago

If everything is going well with the consulting just outsource the product creation?

Surely if you're consulting for offline you've got some experience with outsourcing? (if not you're leaving some "do it for you" cash on the table)

Either way make an outline for each topic, and try to keep the vids in 10 to 20 min chunks. It will force you to get right to it and not ramble. Plus you'll get through them a lot quicker.

Then render while you make the next one if you're comp is fast enough.

Thanks
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smallbusinessfire

13 years ago

Originally Posted by Ross Vegas

If everything is going well with the consulting just outsource the product creation?

Surely if you're consulting for offline you've got some experience with outsourcing? (if not you're leaving some "do it for you" cash on the table)

Either way make an outline for each topic, and try to keep the vids in 10 to 20 min chunks. It will force you to get right to it and not ramble. Plus you'll get through them a lot quicker.

Then render while you make the next one if you're comp is fast enough.

Ross,

Thanks for your comment....

I'm def. familiar with outsourcing...but how do I outsource video product creation?

Thanks
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Kevin AKA Hubcap 13 years ago

Originally Posted by smallbusinessfire

Ross,

Thanks for your comment....

I'm def. familiar with outsourcing...but how do I outsource video product creation?

You don't need to outsouce the creation but can definitely outsource the editing "especially" for the types of videos you'll be doing.

I bet you could get a college kid, whose studying film/video production, for a great price.

If you let it, editing will chew up your time faster than anything else in the process. Even more so if you're a perfectionist.

Kevin
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Ross Vegas 13 years ago

Originally Posted by smallbusinessfire

Ross,

Thanks for your comment....

I'm def. familiar with outsourcing...but how do I outsource video product creation?

Well, there's plenty of ways to do it.

You could make up an outline, and have someone else put it to slides and make it look nice with transitions. Plenty of talented powerpoint and keynote workers out there. That would save quite a bit of time.

Then just record the audio yourself.

After that you could have someone tweak, edit, and format it.

Or you could spend more time on the outline and script, and get a voiceover to do that part for you too.

All depends how much your time is worth right now in your other business how much you want to have done and at what cost.

Ross
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zedert 13 years ago

I can not help you much about videos.
But I can tell about entrepreneurship (Running a sb since 2005).

Once, i let the job eat me.
I had to face the consequences: angry customers, angry wife, never enough time, etc. it's a "spirale infernale", a vicious circle.

It took me time,but i cleaned my mess.
I work 5 and half days a week, I stop working at the same hours. And customers trying to invade my offtime can go to hell. and that comes from a f***** perfectionnist guy!

Because what you need is balance:
I balance my time investment between my family, my jobs and my hobbies.
I take some quality time whatever the professionnal stakes.
Because you need time for yourself and your family to be efficient at work, and for your own well being.
And because, if despite your sincere efforts, you can not get the job done in 50 hours a week, well...
you may need:
more organization,
delegation skills,
reducing your margin by hiring some help
etc.

If you absolutely need to take new customers to improve your figures, maybe you could try to suck more profits with your existing customers (CRM power!). Fidelisation is less stressful and more profitable than conquest.

IMHO an entrepreneur is a ship captain: it's overkill to use a captain to clean the ship deck.

I wish you luck, and know you have in you the ressources to successfully get away with that!
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BubbaJay

13 years ago

People don't expect perfection... in fact they may react better to you being "human" and making some mistakes and being more relatable. One of my mentors says "good is good enough". Getting it done is more effective than trying to get it perfect.