Make sure that you read that script out-loud!

Why?

Writing is for the eye, while your narration is for the ear.  Good writing and punctuation does not always sound very natural. By reading your script out loud, you will catch those phrases that just don’t roll off the tongue in a natural way, and can rewrite them so they are easier to speak.

Using this technique your presentation won’t sound canned, and will be easier to deliver too!

Online Activites of Internet Users Worldwide - 2008

Over 60% of adults using the web to research a product of service, then visit the company or product web-site for more information.  Over half of these folks have watched a video clip.  Now consider this: Over 40% of retailers are expected to add video to their web sites during this next year.  (This would be in addition to those that are already using video today to sell product.)

Planned Advanced Site Features and Functions

This will continue to increase the expectation that prospects expect to access product and service information in a multimedia format. We already see this trend.  Consider your own habits – when looking at products don’t you look for a video that really shows the product in use so you know what to expect? Now extend that expectation to a B2B purchasing decision;  Don’t you really want to hear how an existing customer implemented the solution and make your own conclusions as to their veracity? Wouldn’t it help if you could see the product/service demonstrated?

For B2B companies, this means not only providing a library of  web seminars, but delivering product tours, demonstrations,  case studies and testimonials in a video format, and promoting it on your own web site.

So the net-net here is that we as both consumers and business buyers are doing our research online and visiting your web site. We want to access video as part of the education and qualification process, and those companies that provide it first are going to be have a competitive advantage.

This announcement in itself is not such a big deal for B2B-focused enterprises, but I think it continues the trend where employees, partners and customers expect to be able to access video-based training, tutorials, demonstrations and product communications.  I know from my personal experience that one of the first things I look for when evaluating a vendor is an online product demo. Then I know if its worth exploring further with a sales rep.

Rich media communications will increasingly be integrated into every type of text document – quick start guides, help screens, product briefs, case studies, testimonials, etc. – so that users can choose how they want to receive the information.

I think the biggest question mark is not if this will happen, but if it is company-driven or user-driven. Marketing communication professionals may not be prepared – time, skills and budget – to support this effort quickly enough. If a vacuum exists, users may step-up and fill the void.

Thoughts?

What are the implications?

Smart marketers will want to tell their story on the web in enough detail so that all these influencers can help share it.

The report, part of USC’s Annenberg School Digital Future report also describes how online community participation has doubled in just 3 years, with over half of participants logging in to a community daily.

If you already have educational, information-rich content, consider making some or all of it accessible without registration to encourage its distribution.  On-demand short-form multimedia in particular (video case studies, interviews, demonstrations, screencast tutorials, and web seminar out-takes) can be attractive for sharing.

Bill