Setting Up a Television Studio

eBook Video Trailer

The software used in the above video was Sparkol's VideoScribe.

I purchased the PRO version because the free version has watermarks rendered in. Also, with the PRO version, you can render to Quicktime or FLV and without watermarks. It does take some time getting used to but it's been a great promo tool and something clients have been wanting done for them as well. 

Real Esate Video Home Tours

This one here was produced by Brian.

Meanwhile, here's one I did. I created "duplets" - meaning pairs of shots. I take the original photos and for each one I created an "art" shot in Smart Photo Editor. Then the "show" consists of a sequence of artshot-->original, artshot-->original, artshot-->original, etc.

VisualTour.com.

Gary North's Ad

My Ad for My Mississippi Home.

Gary North - June 25, 2013
 

If you need four bedrooms and two baths, but you only have enough money for a starter home, this is the best deal in northwest Mississippi.

Think about your situation. You need more rooms. Maybe you have a growing family. Maybe you want a separate family room, in addition to the living room. Or maybe you need an office for a home business. Your kids will have their own living space, but you can set aside at least one of these rooms for yourself, and still have two bedrooms for your kids.

There is a spacious master bedroom and bathroom.

The back yard is completely fenced. Your kids can play outside, and you will not have to worry where they are. There is plenty of room for a swing set. The back yard is a great place for dogs. It also has a concrete patio. You can set up your grill, and barbecue anything you want. Your family will enjoy the weekends.

The home is on a quiet street. It is conveniently located. It is only two minutes away from a Dollar General store, and about three minutes away from a Walmart Supercenter.

It is only about three miles away from Interstate 55. If you are commuting into Memphis, you can be inside the city limits in about six minutes. Right across the interstate is the beginning of the main shopping area of Southaven.

Another great advantage is this: you are not under the immediate flight plan of FedEx jets taking off from the Memphis airport. By the time any of them are overhead -- and there aren't that many -- they are high enough so that you don't notice them.

There was a new roof put on in 2011. The home's interior was freshly painted in June. It is ready to move in.

The kitchen is spacious and well lit. The appliances work fine.

It has a two-car garage. It has fully insulated walls. If you keep dogs in the garage at night, they will not freeze in the winter. You can put a space heater unit, and they will be fine.

This home is doggy heaven for a city dog. Right outside the back fence is a permanently open area that can never be used to build the subdivision behind you. The city has power lines going down the middle of this huge open area, and it stretches for miles. You can take your dog for a walk every day. It is like living in the country. There are even woods close enough to take your dog for a walk. The owner used to take his two dogs out every morning, at least if it was not raining, and all three of them got the exercise they needed.

There is a partially floored attic for storage space. There is a pull-down ladder for easy access.
At $107,000, it's a very good deal.

The owner plans to rent the home, beginning in September, if it doesn't sell. He owes nothing on it. Rental income will give him 10% on his investment -- far better than the bank pays. That's why time is running out on this opportunity.

Call for an appointment.

The Power of Directional Cues

From Robert Wenzel . . .

The Power of Directional Cues

Using visual cues to guide visitors to key areas of your site is nothing new, but just how effective is it?

According to studies such as the aptly named Eye Gaze Cannot be Ignored, it is incredibly effective. Human beings have a natural tendency to follow the gaze of others, and we have been coached since birth to follow arrows directing us to where we should be looking/going.

Consider the following example that included a page with a baby and a compelling headline for taking care of the baby’s skin.

It’s obvious that the baby’s face is drawing a lot of attention. (As a matter of fact, faces of babies and pretty women draw the longest gazes from all visitors.)

Unfortunately, from a marketing standpoint, this is a problem because the copy isn’t commanding enough attention.

Now look at the browsing patterns when an image of the baby facing the text was used.

As you can see, users focused on the baby’s face again (from the side) and directly followed the baby’s line of sight to the headline and opening copy. (Even the area of text that the baby’s chin was pointing to was read more!)

Lesson learned: Visuals are an important part of a site’s overall design, but most pages can be optimized by including images that serve as visual cues for where visitors should look next.

More marketing lessons from eye tracking studies, here.

Matt Drudge, 1998, National Press Club