One sentence BIG IDEA:  How to make it easy for people to share your video content  Why is this relevant to marketers? Your network of contacts is only so big. At some point you have to gain exposure outside of the audience that already knows you. One way to do this is through video interviews.  When you interview an industry expert and create a well-produced video that makes the interviewee shine, it is likely that the interviewee will want to share the video to their network as well.  This immediately expands your exposure by reaching potential clients outside of your current circle of influence by gaining exposure to the interviewee’s network.  But here is the thing. People are busy. Many people get excited about doing an interview, but then do little to promote it once it has been published.  One way to make it more likely that someone will promote your video is to make it as easy as possible for them to post the video. Take all of the guesswork out of the process by sending the interviewee an email with easy-to-follow suggestions for posting the video.  Below is a template that you can use to make it an easy process for someone to share your video. Fill in all the areas in italics. --  TEMPLATE Email Subject: ( Video series name ) Video Release: [ Insert Interviewee Name ]  Hi [ Insert Name ], Thank you so much for being a featured expert on [ insert video series name ], hosted by [ insert name] . We enjoyed having you on the show. Your interview is great! Your video interview is live on the [ insert company name ] website. Below are some tools to help you promote the video to your network so that you can gain exposure for your business.  1) Share your video on social media. Please share the video with your network through all your social media channels, including LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook with one click by using the links below:  [ Use a social share link generator, such as www.sharelinkgenerator.com, to create one-click links that allow people to post to social media with one click. ] LinkedIn:  [ insert link] Twitter:   [ insert link] Facebook:  [ insert link] 2) Use your video for marketing your company.  Your interview is a great way to showcase your expertise to your network of customers and prospective clients so please feel free to use the video for your marketing purposes. We suggest the following:  Download [ Insert link to a downloadable thumbnail file stored on Google Drive or Dropbox ] the video thumbnail and promote it via your blog, social media, and website and hyperlink the image to the link below:   [ Insert link to the video on your website.] 3) Announce the video in an email newsletter. Send an e-newsletter to your employees and network of customers and prospective customers.  Download a newsletter template [ Insert link to a downloadable newsletter template that you have already written for them and stored in Google Drive or Dropbox. ] Thanks again for being a guest on our show. If you need an embed code or any other marketing support, please let us know. We are happy to help in any way!  Sincerely,  [ Insert your name. ]  -- Challenge for Attendees:  Send this template to your interviewee next time you create a video to make it even easier for them to share it online and increase your exposure. It is a win-win for both you and the interviewee.  Relevant hashtags: #mediarealtions #publicrelations #SGMCtip #videomarketing 

You or your client has a big presentation, a media interview, a video conference, or a video shoot. How do you know what looks good on camera?  Conventional sources will tell you to wear something conservative when on camera. Gentlemen don’t venture outside of the blue (not white) dress shirt, navy sports coat and gray pants. Presenting to an audience at a conference? Ladies, where is the conservative black or navy dress or pantsuit in your closet?  It is an odd thing that when all eyes are on you, the temptation is to dress to blend into the curtain drapery backdrop. Let’s take a lesson from Queen Elizabeth. When she is in the spotlight, she makes it easy for people to spot her. Sophie, Countess of Wessex is quoted as saying, "She needs to stand out for people to be able to say 'I saw the Queen.'"  The same principle applies when YOU are the one on camera or on stage presenting. Do you want people to think you are a member of the audience or the dynamic, sought-after expert who has something interesting to say?  Let’s get a few basic wardrobe no-nos out of the way.  DON’T create a lot of contrast (i.e. wearing a very dark color if you have very light complexion, and vice versa, or wearing a light shirt with a dark jacket).  DON’T wear small patterns such as checks, stripes, herringbone, corduroy and houndstooth which create a moiré effect on screen.  DON’T wear greens to avoid becoming part of the background when shooting in front of a green screen.  DON’T wear overly textured fabrics that absorb the light, such as velvet or corduroy.  DON’T wear shiny fabrics, which reflect too much light.  DON’T wear shiny jewelry or jewelry that has movement, such as dangling earrings or bracelets. DON’T wear clothing that has lots of movement, such as cowl necks or ruffles. If a video is edited. Cuts are more obvious if your clothing has shifted. Loose clothing can also interfere with microphones.  DON’T wear all white, which can reflect too much light and throw off the balance of the camera.  And for heaven’s sake, DON’T wear black. This is a video shoot, not a funeral.  So let’s talk about how to stand out and look your best on camera.  DO choose medium tone colors that flatter your skin tone. Great alternatives to black, gray and navy include jewel tones such as burgundy, teal, plum, and sapphire blue.  If you want to make more of a statement, venture into brighter colors such as dandelion yellow, tangerine, turquoise or magenta.   DO choose a statement piece to add personality. This could be a bold pair of glasses (anti reflective lenses, please), a vibrant top/dress or colorful jewelry, etc. Maintain focus on your face.  DO use asymmetry to make your wardrobe interesting. For instance, an asymmetrical neckline can draw attention to your face without being overly distracting.  DO experiment with prints. Not all prints are bad on camera. A large floral or graphic print that does not have much contrast within the print can often set up apart from everyone else who is likely in solids.  The rules have changed. You do not have to dress in something boring for the sake of not dating a video. The lifespan of a video is much shorter these days. If you are doing your marketing right, you will be in many more videos in the future. So use this opportunity to stand out and be memorable. No one remembers navy.  Challenge for Attendees:  Ditch the navy and black. Have a little fun with your wardrobe for your next on camera appearance! 

One sentence BIG IDEA:  27 Ways to Amplify Your Media Coverage  Why is this relevant to marketers? You or your client has been featured in the media. Congratulations! Way to go. Now what? How do you get the most mileage out of your media coverage?  Below are 27 ideas to amplify your media coverage.  Start with your company website.  Create a newsroom on your website and post links to media coverage. The more traffic you can drive to the original article / video, the more likely the editor or producer is to use your company as a source in the future.  On your homepage, include an “As featured by” section that showcases the logos of the media outlets that have featured your company.  Link to the media coverage as often as possible in other areas on your website, including blog posts, marketing content, etc.  Write a blog post about the experience or write a blog post that expounds upon the content. For instance, if you were quoted in an article, write a blog post with background information on the topic from your perspective and link to the original article.  Share it on social.  Go to the original article / video and use the share buttons to post the content on your company’s social media accounts. All media outlets want shares and engagement. By sharing directly from the media outlet’s website, the number of shares increases, validating the value of the content.  Invite employees, vendors, clients, etc. to post the coverage on their LinkedIn accounts. Tag anyone that is relevant to the media coverage when possible, including the publication, writer, etc.  Post the coverage on your LinkedIn company page.  Add the coverage to your LinkedIn profile under “Accomplishments.”  Post the content on your social media accounts more than once. Consider the following schedule:  The day it is published Later the same week One more time this month If a media outlet posts the content on their social accounts, reshare it and thank the media outlet for their interest in the topic.  See who else has shared the coverage on social media and thank them for sharing it.  Monitor all comments on the coverage on the media outlet’s website and respond when appropriate.  Consider investing a few advertising dollars to boost posts that feature the media coverage.  Email it.  Mention the media coverage in your email signature line and link to your newsroom.  Include a link to the media coverage in an email to your network of contacts.  If you have multiple media hits, do a roundup email that features the most recent media coverage, as well as links to past coverage. Build content around it.  Reference the article in future content marketing pieces and link to it.  Build a white paper, checklist, downloadable guide or infographic that expounds upon the topic featured in the media coverage.  Use it in branding.  Include a sentence in your company’s official bio and boilerplate that highlights where your company has been featured in the media.  Get more media coverage. Pitch the same media outlet in the future and mention the previous coverage in the first sentence.  When appropriate mention the media coverage in future pitches to other media outlets. For instance, if you are featured by Forbes, include a link to the article in a pitch to an industry trade publication to add credibility.  Share it internally.  Send an email to employees sharing the media coverage. Invite employees to share the content on their social media profiles.  Decorate the office with your company’s media coverage.  If you have digital signage and monitors in your office, include the media coverage in the feed.  Use it in advertising.  Consider creating an ad that features the media coverage.  Print it.  Print an image of the media coverage and hang it on your office wall. This is great to have in the background when you do online presentations and video calls!  Add “As featured by” with the names of the media outlets that have featured your company on your business card.  Challenge for Marketers:  Next time you or a client is featured in the media, use this checklist to get the most out of your media coverage.  #mediarealtions #marketing #publicrelations #SGMCtip #PR