Have you thought about using video clips in your blog?

I just watched the funniest video clip starring Steve Crescenzo, a corporate communications guru who also writes a very funny blog, Corporate Hallucinations. It's a Rocky take-off (the 1976 movie starring Sylvester Stallone) set to the theme music, showing Crescenzo running, stopping to drink a beer, running, etc. etc., finally running up the steps... and collapsing in an exhausted heap.

He teaches advanced writing workshops for Ragan Communications. The mini video, accessible via this link through Ragan's home page, is a promo for his workshops.

Well the guy is just... funny. And the clip is very effective as a marketing strategy.

I was thinking today about how your personal appearance can be so much a part of your schtick if you're a speaker or presenter. Steve is a big guy and he's bald. It works perfectly - even for a corporate audience. I wish I were something... more distinctive than the woman you see at left. (Yes, that's me. My daughter says I look like a car salesman in the color version of the photo.)

I'm currently working with a tremendous speaking coach, Clarice Scriber, to take my speaking skills to the next level. It's humbling, a little painful... and fascinating (in a weird way) to watch yourself on video and realize how many ways you can improve your delivery. (Clarice insisted I tape a recent speech I made to IPRA/PRSA-NCC.)

But I don't think bald will do it...

Useful Link

Speaking of Ragan, I'm running a workshop on Corporate Blogging 2.0 [scroll down - last item on the page] at Ragan's mega 15th annual Corporate Communicators Conference in Chicago on Thursday, April 27, 2006. Give me a holler if you're in Chicago and want to meet up for a drink the evening of Wednesday April 26th. You can email me at wordbiz(at)gmail.com.

Comments

[Steve Mertz]

Debbie, that is a great video! Good luck on your video and working with your coach. Not fun-but the results will be worth the effort!

[Dennis Smith]

Funny video, thanks for passing it on.

But I must say, if I had a choice of the lady on the left (car salesman? C'mon!) or the big, bald guy, you get the vote. And I'm pretty sure there's almost 18k other folks out here that would agree ;)

Ordering your book today - keep 'em coming.

By the way, did I tell you I just got a job with Bill Gates? :)

Dennis

[John Bickerton]

Hi Debbie,

Do you know if Steve Crescenzo licensed the music from Rocky to use in this promotional video? If not, he could face some serious copyright-infringement consequences. Including another party's copyrighted material in a production of your own is illegal unless you first optain permission (usually in the form of a paid license from the work's publisher). In that this is a promotional video for a conference, I believe it would be ruled that this was not a simple home video but a commercial endeavor which required permission from the music's publisher and record company to use this music as soundtrack.

I think the point should be made that getting into podcasting or videocasting, really any kind of "broadcasting", isn't as easy as just setting up a microphone and a video camera, there are legal implications regarding the use of content - the use of copyrighted material being one of them.

Sincerely,
John Bickerton
Creative Director
UniqueTracks

[Bert Webb]

Debbie--

My comment is not so much about the video as it is your speaking coach. I, too, find that a coach can yield great improvement in any area of study, especially if you find one who is exemplary. Good luck in your quest for improvement in that area.

By the way, your post on this caused me to do one specifically about coaching and its various forms over at my blog, Open Loops.

--Bert

[paul shepperd]

Hi Debbie
An interesting Blog indeed.
I agree with your sentiments about how people should be using Video(but don't forget about using an audio only clip as well)on their Blogs. I think that a lot of times people don't is because it is hard to do(unless you are really an expert in the field or have special tools to enable it) But I know that once you actually do include Video and audio on your Blogs or websites like I do, you will never be the same again.
If you do go down this road, be aware that the file size needs to be quite small (as people get sick of waiting for downloads)And the vision quality needs to be good (as people will turn off a bad quality video)
Anyway, I just love the new technology uses like this, and if you start to use it then you will too.
Just make sure that you have an understanding partner who will put up with the hours of you "playing" with the Videos and audios on your Blogs.
Best wishes
Paul Shepperd
Technical Director
Synagism