2010 August | Michelle Shaeffer

Three Ways to Create Video for Your Website Without a Web Cam

August 5, 2010 By Michelle Shaeffer 2 Comments

If you want to add video to your website but aren’t ready to put yourself in front of the camera, or aren’t setup with a web cam and software to record video yet, here are some options for you.

1) Create a slide show presentation of your products. This one is simple and easy to create. Just upload your photos, add a title and some music and you’ve got a video.

2) Give a photo tour of your office or shop area. Allow clients a behind-the-scenes look at where you create.

3) Promote a sale or special gift offer with a video. In addition to “photograph” photos you can also use any image you create and save in the right format. So you could use Photoshop or Gimp to create a coupon image and mix that in with photos of the item that’s for sale.

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Filed Under: Cool Tools, Video, Websites & Technology Tagged With: animoto, photos, product photos, slide show, slideroll, stupeflix, video, youtube

3 Ways to Use Video on Your Website

August 4, 2010 By Michelle Shaeffer 2 Comments

Adding video to your website can help you engage a visitor’s attention and keep them around long enough to find out how you can help them. It can also give you a way to provide helpful information to those who prefer video over written words.

Where can you begin?

Before you create your video…

You’ll need a webcam or flip-type camera. If you need software to record try CamStudio, iMovie, or Jing.

Pick an area to record that has good lighting and do a few short test clips to make sure you can be seen and heard. You will also want to take note of your surroundings to create the professional or casual impression you’re after.

Create your video…

Here are three easy ideas to help you get started using video on your website:

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Filed Under: Video, Websites & Technology Tagged With: camstudio, creating videos, how to add video to your website, jing, tubemogul, video, youtube

Easy, Fun Ways to Create Content for Your Blog

August 3, 2010 By Michelle Shaeffer 9 Comments

Got writer’s block trying to come up with your next blog post? Break out of it with these alternative ideas for blog posts.

Do an Interview: You could interview a client, a reader, or an expert. You could even build a series of posts around interviews or create a weekly interview feature on your blog. Start by creating a list of who you’d like to interview, then create a list of questions. Next send those questions to your interview subjects by email. Be sure to let them know why you’d like to interview them and request their permission to publish their responses on your blog. You could also conduct the interviews by phone or Skype and create an audio recording to share instead of written blog post.

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Filed Under: Blogging Tagged With: articles, blog ideas, Blogging, brainstorming, content ideas, what to write about

Don’t Forget the (Business/Blog) Frosting!

August 2, 2010 By Michelle Shaeffer 24 Comments

If Forrest Gump was right, and life is like a box of chocolates, and you never know what you’re going to get… I want you to think of your blog and your business as if it were a cupcake.

The cake part is what you do–your services or your products or the information you’re sharing. It’s the part of your business that’s got the substance and the nutrition (well, the carbs and calories at least). It’s the core thing you offer – like coaching, consulting, design, knit items, clothing, jewelry, and so on.

It’s also the same basic “thing” that others offer and that people can shop around for. Hear me out before you tell me how you’re different. To someone who doesn’t know you… A life coach is a life coach. A marketing consultant is a marketing consultant. A website designer is a website designer. A knit scarf is a knit scarf. A candle is a candle.

If everyone’s offering that same cupcake without frosting, then what’s the comparison point going to be? Will people shop based on convenience? Price? What will cause them to choose you over the other options? Or, how do they know you’re the right cupcake for them?

A cupcake without frosting… is… bland… boring… missing something…

How can you stand out? You need frosting!!

The frosting is YOU. It’s your personality, your perspective, and your uniqueness. You’ve got to throw YOU into your products, your blog, and your business if you want to stand out and succeed. You’re an entrepreneur. You ARE your business. And YOU are what’s going to attract people to you.

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

Tips to Help You Complete a Blog Challenge (or Just Blog More Consistently)

August 1, 2010 By Michelle Shaeffer 8 Comments

When you’ve got a goal of posting every day for a month, it can be a challenge! Make it easier with these tips:

Plan Your Content In Advance

Get your content plan ready and it’ll be as easy as following a map. Start with a calendar for the month. Look at what else you’ve got happening during the month. Are there any holidays? Promotions or special offers you want to share? Are you launching a new product or offering a teleclass? Is there a product you want to promote as an affiliate? Block out the dates that you want to be sure you’re sharing posts around a specific event or topic and then you can see what’s left to fill in with other topics.

Write Topical Series

If you’re launching a new program that teaches readers how to create and paint their own neon purple widgets, then plan for a week or so of posts with content cenetered on that topic. For example:

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