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Best Affordable Video Gear Guide to Market Your Business

by | General, Attract More Customers, Business Growth Tips Blog, Time Management/Productivity

The Best and Affordable Video Gear Guide isn’t that difficult to find. Below are the helpful list to help you get started to market your business.

Record with Your iPhone – Bare Bones Starter Gear:

iPhone 7 Plus

iphone

You don’t need to wait until you’re ready to buy expensive cameras or hire a professional videographer to start recording videos to market your business.

Just start recording straight from your iPhone. If you’re worried your videos might look poor in quality check out this 1-minute video I recorded from my iPhone 7 Plus.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH AN EXAMPLE VIDEO

 

Condenser Microphone for Smart Phones Smart Headset

 

condenser

 

No one wants to watch a great video if the sound is poor quality!

This is the condenser microphone I bought which hooks directly to my iPhone (with an adapter).

For under $20 it’s a no-brainer decision to ensure that people watching can hear your message clearly.

 

Apple Headphone Jack Adapter

apple

This is the adapter you’ll need to connect your condenser lapel microphone to your iPhone to record great sound for your videos.

 

 

TAluminum Tri Pod

tripod

Don’t cut corners and try to hold your iPhone to shoot your videos at arm’s length. For under $35 it’s well worth the stability and versatility to mount your smartphone onto a tripod.

I started out with a different $19 tripod, but the flimsy legs not only made it too top-heavy when I mounted my iPhone but the cheap tripod was also a struggle to get the three legs to adjust to the same length, which made for very lopsided looking videos.

So, I shelled out the extra 15 bucks and ended up buying this one instead. Having a sturdier tripod now makes me want to shoot more videos since I no longer have to fight with the old one.

 

Smartphone Adapter

smart adapterThis smartphone adapter is what mounts onto your tripod. Then you clip your iPhone right into this piece.

When I first started out with the cheapest adapter I found it became too time-consuming to switch from vertical to portrait mode.

So, then I researched and bought this one which I love because it has a 360 ball joint, so I can easily rotate my iPhone from vertical to horizontal — handy for recording video and taking pictures.

This one uses a universal mounting, so it works on pretty much any tripods, clamps, and handles.

 

Record from Your Computer – Double Duty Video Gear:

HP Pavilion All in One Computer

HP

Instead (or in addition to) recording videos from your iPhone you can also just record videos from your computer.

If you’re still using an old computer you might not have a good quality built-in camera.

This is the computer I purchased which I use to record all of the marketing training content I create for my Power Biz Academy members.

AUDIO TECHNICA MICROPHONE for COMPUTER

Even though your computer has built in speakers the sound quality when recording video is not so great.

I researched and tested out using different headsets, ear buds and other ‘cheap’ microphones. After recording with 7 other computer compatible microphones, the Audio Technica microphone is by far the best choice.

The Audio Technica is super easy to set up. You just plug the USB to your computer and using the tripod stand for secure table top use.  I like that it consistently delivers high quality sound, it doesn’t block my face as close up mics do, and I don’t have to wear a clunky looking headset.

 

Ring Light

ring light

As I reviewed the videos I shot from different indoor locations I started noticing that my lighting didn’t always look so great.

In the scheme of things, getting high-quality sound is more important than lighting. But, once you get the hang of recording videos and you’re ready to step up your lighting, this ring light is a great one to get started with.

It provides soft and flat light, halo shadow for perfect outline, and evens the lightening of the subject.

 

Add Professional Looking Back Drops Video Gear:

Green Screen Kit with Stand  

 

If you’re like most business owners, you probably have limited go-to locations to shoot your videos.  You might have a messy office, kitchen, family room, attic, closet, or car.

A green screen offers you far more variety, creativity, and credibility to give the right tone and look to each video.  You can choose the background that best matches your message. Use any image you want from beautiful beaches, city high rises, elegant conference rooms, or you just want to use your brand colors as your backdrop.

This kit that I bought comes with 2 photo lights. That way you can shoot a bunch of photos to use in your YouTube thumbnails and for your social media posts.

If you want to get softbox lights for shooting video click here: https://amzn.to/312i2pp

 

 

 

 

Box Lights

box lightAnother great video gear is when you’re watching other people’s videos you probably don’t appreciate good lighting, but you certainly will get distracted watching videos with poor lighting and dark shadows.

This is a great starter softbox lighting kit to give your videos bright, professional-looking lighting.

 

 

Triple Shoe Bracket

bracketI wanted to get better lighting on my face while still using my iPhone, so I found this triple shoe bracket that mounts on my tripod and lets me attach my smartphone adapter and the key light I  recommend below.

 

 

 

 

KEY LIGHT

lightWhen I just used 2 box lights I found often times the lighting on my face with either too dark or too bright. That’s when I found using a key light helped to focus on adjusting the light just on my face.

Add the perfect lighting setup to video recording sessions with this key light. The dimmable design lets you choose the right setting for interviews or scenes, and the glare-free diffusion offers a more balanced effect. With a flat profile and metal desk mount, this key light takes up minimal space.

 

 

 

 

Video Editing — Adobe Premiere Pro

adobe premier pro

I outsource my video editing, but if you enjoy doing your own editing (or you want your teenage kids to just do it for you) choose Adobe Premiere Pro — this is the most widely used video editing software.

(HINT: if you have high school/college-age kids they can take this course at community college and knock out their credits while learning how to edit your videos for you 🙂

Another helpful video gear guide indeed!

Keep Audience Attention with 2 Camera Shots

Canon Camcorder

canon

If you’re recording in-person interviews or you want to cut in different angles for your solo videos you’ll need to record from two cameras.

The Canon camcorder is a great choice giving you 57x advanced zoom while the super range O.I.S. (optical image stabilization) keeps the image steady at a longer focal length.

HD videos are recorded to separately available SD cards in the MP4 format for easy playback on most devices. the MMP4 formats are highly compatible with video hosting services and social media websites without format conversion.

Reti Cam Table Top Trip Pod

reticamIf you’re only planning on recording videos from your desk you can pick up this simple, small tabletop tripod.

It has the standard mount that will work for all the other accessories and adapters mentioned above.

 

 

San Disk

sandisk

When you’re recording from a video camcorder you will likely max out your storage space on the camera, so you’ll need to transfer your videos onto a scan disk.

So definitely, this is another cool video gear guide for keep!

 

 

Nice to Have Extras Video Gear

Gimbal Stabilizer 3-Axis – Handheld iPhone Stabilizer

gimbal

If you want to record action shots, whether you’re walking, running, biking, and even skiing, you’ll want to grab the Gimbal handheld stabilizer.

This works with iPhone Xs Max Xr X 8 Plus 7 6 SE or Gimbal for Samsung S9/Note, for Sony, LG, Google Pixel 3 XL, Huawei P20, ZTE, Mi, and more Android Smartphones.

You can also download their 2019 Newest ‘Hohem Gimbal’ App on your Android or iOS Phones for your gimbal connectivity with Bluetooth. The parameter setting and calibration will help you master the gimbal much better.

 

 

 

Sennheiser Smart Headset

headset

If you prefer using earbuds over the tabletop computer microphone I’d recommend getting the Sennheiser Smart Headset.

When I tried using cheap $20-$40 earbuds I found they were inconsistent. Sometimes I’d get on a video interview and the other person couldn’t hear me. It just wasn’t worth the headache and stress of tech issues cheap earbuds can create.

The Sennheiser is designed for Apple iOS devices. It delivers Sennheiser’s signature sound and crystal-clear call quality. A situational awareness function allows switching between Transparent Hearing and Active Noise Cancellation, to amplify or silence sound around you. Microphones capture sound like your ears do when recording video

Fovitec – 1x Photography & Video 20″x28″ Softbox Continuous Lighting Kit w/ 2500W Equivalent Total Output – [Includes Boom, Stands, Softboxes, Bag, 11x 45W Bulbs]

povitec

When you’re watching other people’s videos you probably don’t appreciate good lighting, but you certainly will get distracted watching videos with poor lighting and dark shadows.

This is a great starter softbox lighting kit to give your videos bright, professional-looking lighting.

I like the 3 light set because you can use the 3rd light to backlight you. I love watching videos where the person speaking looks like they have a halo around them.

 

3 Ways to Ensure Your Remote Workers are Successful

by | Build Your Dream Team, General

Running or maintaining a business that supports remote workers comes with its own set of benefits and challenges. But creating a collaborative environment that fosters relationships and good workflow, even if it’s digital, can be complex. However, with the growing development of applications and software to support remote workers, it’s easier than ever to keep your workforce happy and productive.

1. Time Management

Keeping track of time is an important aspect of any job, but it serves a few different purposes when workers are remote. While in an office, it’s easy to remind yourself to take breaks by chatting with coworkers or going with your office mates to grab some lunch.  However, while working from a home office, work can begin to take over and even run into personal time. It may seem counterintuitive, but taking breaks can increase productivity, creating a mental environment where the mind is free to focus on the task at hand. It’s also well known in 2019 that overworked employees are more susceptible to work-related stress and eventually job burnout.

So utilizing a time management software like Toggl can serve multiple purposes that all serve the overall productivity of your company. It allows for more accurate time-tracking which means project management timelines can improve with post-mortem data analysis.

2. Communication

One of the most important aspects of maintaining a remote workforce is communication. With workers spread around the country or even the world, you won’t be able to schedule a quick, last-minute meeting to discuss the result of a client call or pop into a conference room to check how things are going.

That is to say, active communication between management and employees is key. Additionally, fostering communication between employees is beneficial as well. Employees that maintain working relationships with their coworkers feel less stressed at work and have a more positive outlook on their work life overall.

Fortunately, in this digital era, keeping employees connected can be done with a simple internet connection.

Useful connection apps:

  • Email
  • Instant messaging
  • Video conferencing
  • Phone lines

Therefore, no matter where your workforce is stationed, the internet can be used to connect apps. Voice over Internet Protocol, more commonly referred to as VoIP, allows employees to send and receive phone calls from their computer. Not only does this reduce the equipment necessary to keep employees connected, it means there are no limitations as to how communication can be executed. Remote employees will have access to all of the same communication tools used in-house allowing for a more active communication process between teams.

3. Collaboration

This comes as no surprise, but a large part of working together is collaboratively working together; collaborating on documents and giving constructive feedback to improve future performance. In the digital age, hard copies of documents are hard to come by, but making edits and providing insights are large parts of a productive work environment.

To clarify, employees should be able to see revision history or the suggestions made by their co-workers or managers on their documents, allowing them to make adjustments accordingly.

Applications like Dropbox allow users to maintain and work together on documents of various types. These platforms store documents in the cloud, making them ideal for businesses with a remote workforce to keep their information safe and secure and readily available for when they are needed.

In conclusion, as the world moves forward, more companies are realizing that the talent they need may not be in the area that they’re located. Allowing employees to work remotely may be in their interest to ensure the best product for their customers or clients. Remote work comes with its own challenges, but it has been reported that employees often feel happier, more productive, and more valued when they’re allowed the freedom and flexibility to work remotely.

To sum up, providing your remote workers with the tools necessary for their success will tangentially improve the quality of work you receive, making it a worthwhile endeavor.

Need More Traffic to Your Website?

by | Attract More Customers, General

As you know, one of my goals with this blog is to help you find new, better and more efficient ways to increase traffic, build your email list and improve conversions and sales of your products and services.

That’s why I’m always on the lookout for great new tools and resources that can help accelerate your results.

Well, today I’m excited to share my most recent find:

It’s called: “The Traffic Secrets Super Stack,” and it comes courtesy of my friend Cary Richards over at Infostack.io.

“The Traffic Secrets Super Stack” is a hand-curated collection of over 25 premium eCourses, video training, memberships, and workbooks.

Useful information included in workbooks:

  • How to get started building your email list.
  • Mastering Facebook advertising.
  • Successful YouTube marketing.
  • In depth instruction in influencer marketing.
  • B2B lead generation.
  • Killer Social Media strategies.
  • A Masterclass on how to make cold emails convert.
  • Writing social media copy.
  • And even some new, never before seen information on the basics of where and how to get traffic to your business…

And Much Much More…

Now, typically, you’d have to spend over $3,000 + to get your hands on everything packed inside the Traffic Secrets Super Stack…

But this week, (for a limited time) you can get everything for over 98% off.

So don’t hesitate, because after next Tuesday the stack goes away and there’s no telling when or IF it’s coming back.

Click here to learn more about this limited time deal.

Last thing before I wrap up this email:

As you know, I very rarely make offers to my newsletter.

I only share things that I feel are a tremendous value that you can’t miss.

And when I learned about “The Traffic Secrets Super Stack”, I knew immediately it was a winner. Seeing the final lineup of eBooks, eCourses, and more – it’s clear that this bundle is well worth the insanely low price you pay to get access.

So that’s why I’m sharing it with you this week.

My hope is that you’ll take a look, and, if it feels like the right fit for you, you’ll take action before this amazing deal expires.

That’s it for today.

Click here to learn more about this limited time deal.

Take care!

Yoon ~

P.S. I forgot to mention: There’s absolutely no risk to check out this deal.

You see, the guys over at Infostack have a best-in-class, 60-day, no questions asked, money back guarantee.

So that means you can get instant access to everything in this bundle today, and take the next 60-days to decide if it’s the right fit for you.

Click here to learn more about this limited time deal.

 

6 Ways to Build a More Successful Brand Website

by | Business Growth Tips Blog, Lead generation, Success Mindset

Build a More Successful Brand Website

The Internet is a pretty crowded place. Getting noticed among all the other websites vying for your customers’ attention may not seem easy.

That said, it can be easier than you assume. You simply need to apply the right tactics. If you’re looking for a way to optimize your site so it draws in more leads (and yields more sales), keep the following tips in mind:

website-visitors successful brand website

#1 Track Visitor Behavior

There are numerous heat map tools available which let users know where visitors are scrolling and clicking on their websites. Using one of these tools to monitor how guests behave on your site can help you better determine where certain offers and CTAs should be positioned for maximum effect.

#2 Track Conversions

analytics successful brand website

Google Analytics offers site owners many ways to monitor traffic. Although it’s worth your time to experiment with its various features, it’s particularly smart to track conversion sources. This process essentially tells you which traffic sources are driving the most (and least) sales.

For instance, you might learn people who visit your site via social media channels aren’t making purchases. Depending on your strategy, you could work on improving your social media campaigns or using more of your budget to optimize channels which are already delivering strong results.

#3 Include a Video

Did you know 64% of online shoppers are more likely to buy a product after watching a video about it? Video content may cost more money to generate than simple text-based content, but it can also deliver a strong return on investment. Consider adding an explainer video to your site to boost sales.

video successful brand website

Beauty brands, for example, might include videos of customers applying their products. If you run a coworking space, including a virtual tour could highlight what sets you apart from other shared offices in the area. One coworking space leveraged this strategy on their homepage to attract new members and improve their average time on site. These dynamic videos are a great way to give viewers a more accurate feel for your brand and your products.

#4 Include Testimonialstestimonials successful brand website

Savvy customers know they can’t simply trust you to represent your business honestly. However, surveys also indicate 85% of people trust online reviews to the same degree they trust recommendations from friends and family members. Thus, simply featuring reviews and testimonials on your site can help you turn new leads into paying customers.

#5: Test Landing Pages

landing-page successful brand website

Creating a website that maximizes your revenue is much easier when you experiment with different tactics to learn what does and does not work. That’s why you shouldn’t rely on one landing page for a particular service or product at first. Instead, A/B test different versions to see which one drives more sales.

#6: Audit Your Siteaudit successful brand website

It never hurts to examine your current site in close detail to determine where you can make improvements to generate more conversions. Performing a conversion audit is often a smart first step to take during this process. Taking this step early ensures you know where you should focus most of your efforts when making changes to your site.

Again, there is a lot of distracting content on the internet. Keeping your visitors’ attention long enough to turn leads into customers requires designing a website that converts. These points will help you achieve this goal.

QUESTION:  What is your #1 biggest challenge in your business when it comes to generating quality leads from your website? Shae your comments and questions below. 

 

How to Build Your Small Business Dream Team

by | Outsourcing and Hiring Tips Blog, Business Growth Tips Blog, Management-Leadership, Management-Leadership, Time Management/Productivity

You need a quality business dream team behind you if you want to find success in this day and age. There’s no such thing as a one-man show. If your team of small business employees isn’t doing what you want to them to do, it’s easy to get frustrated. Small business is big business. Small businesses with less than 100 workers account for over 98% of all small businesses, and that means your team matters more than ever.

[bctt tweet=”Small business is big business. Small businesses with less than 100 workers account for over 98% of all small businesses” username=”yooncannon”]

When your team doesn’t do what you want, you don’t have a team problem. As much as it hurts to admit, you likely have a leadership problem. Before you blame yourself, take some time to reassess the situation. Learning how to be a great leader is all part of mastering how to start a business. All hope is not lost. There are many things you can do to get your small business team back on track for success.

1. Hire the Right Employees

If you’re noticing a trend in dissatisfaction amongst your current employees, you might not be hiring the right people to begin with. It’s worth being choosy with your team members in this era. When you hire the wrong people for the job, they don’t enjoy the work they do, and you won’t be impressed with their results.

How to Build Your Small Business Dream Team

Remember that the most experienced employee might not be the best fit. You’ll need to weigh things like company culture, expectations, and experience level when making a decision about who to hire. In addition, make sure you’re presenting your company and the role accurately. The internet job platforms are full of poorly described positions which will only lead to more confusion.

2. Improve Employee Happiness

How are your employees responding to their daily work environment? Is it full of stress, confusion, and dissatisfaction? If so, you need to reevaluate employee happiness. While nobody should expect to have a fun, exciting day at work (at least, not all of the time), that doesn’t mean it can’t be a satisfying, stress-free place to be.

There are new ways to improve employee happiness that don’t cost you a thing. The first is simply delegating work effectively. When employees feel they’re reasonably able to handle their daily tasks, they perform better. We’ve all dealt with the stress of not being able to meet deadlines and requirements.

Another way is to offer flexible work options. Telecommuting alone shows 82% lower stress levels. Thanks to modern technology, remote work and flexible hours are easier than ever, and you don’t have to compromise on the quality of work. Learn more about modern employee scheduling tools here.

3. Maximize Employee Productivity

Finally, one reason your business dream team might not be doing what you want them to do is because they’re spending too much time on inefficient tasks. So many of our workplace practices today can be automated thanks to new technology. Yet, so many small businesses, in particular, are still holding onto the older ways of doing things. The older way tends to take longer, be inefficient, and wastes valuable time.

How to Build Your Small Business Dream Team

Chances are your employees likely know more about these inefficient tasks than you, and they should be your first line of defense for solving these problems. The employees time is valuable. How much of it is going to waste doing things that could be automated or skipped altogether?

Conduct regular team meetings to discover if there are any areas you could invest in automation, artificial intelligence, or modern solutions. The cost of implementing these programs likely will be more than worth it in the long run.

[bctt tweet=”When your team doesn’t do what you want, you don’t have a team problem. As much as it hurts to admit, you likely have a leadership problem” username=”yooncannon”]

4. Run a Better Business

Your business needs strong leadership that pays attention to your employee’s mindset and feelings. These tips above help you put your small business dream team first so you can get more done together. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-do stress of being a small business leader, so taking the time to notice where your employees need support is key.

Even just taking the initial steps to bridge these gaps in communication will go a long way to repairing employee morale. Your employees want to do their best. Make sure they’re in a position for finding the most success.

QUESTION:  What is 1 key aha you’ve had from thinking through these 4 tips? Share your comments and questions below.