Video is worth a thousand pictures?
By · CommentsIf a picture is worth a thousand words then video is worth a thousand pictures. 
And the best word is word of mouth. That is what a video testimonial is all about.
Word of mouth is the brass ring for businesses. What better way to offer your products or services than a referral from a satisfied customer? This happens all the time as real people tell those close to them about their purchases, offering recommendations and sharing their good experiences. When you capture that with a video testimonial you bring a whole new level to your marketing by reaching potential customers on a more personal level than traditional advertising.
Video testimonials have amazing benefits, they:
BUILD TRUST
ADD CREDIBILITY
HUMANIZE YOUR BUSINESS
CREATE UNDERSTANDING
Simply said, testimonials are a great way to build relationships and increase sales.
So who should you ask to give you a video testimonial?
HAPPY CUSTOMERS: Ask them when they are the most satisfied with your product or service because not only is this the time they are likely to say yes but also the time when they will provide the best emotional connection.
OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEES: If you are a great company to work for then you are certainly a great company to work with as well. Plus your employees can talk about how they solved customer problems and built relationships.
ASSOCIATED BUSINESS PARTNERS: This is a two way street as it gives both you and your associates’ publicity while building credibility.
Best of all is that a video testimonial has a lot of mileage to offer. One video can be reused across many different platforms within your marketing campaign such as your website, in webinars and newsletters, at tradeshows and in social media. Video testimonials are powerful marketing tools and far more effective than text based testimonials-they give your business an identity!
Remember that people want to hear and see real people telling real stories. If it is worth a thousand words or a thousand pictures, what is it worth to you?
Norfolk Postal Facility closes-how does this effect you?
By · CommentsFor everyone in Hampton Roads we have just received an oversized package marked “Return To Sender!!!!” Current postal delivery times, costs and requirements are all changing and will give “Snail Mail” a whole new meaning. By 2013, if you mail a first class letter to your next door neighbor, that letter will first go to Richmond as the new DSCF hub facility. As of now, it is handled in Norfolk. 
Why does this matter to you?
First, we have to get to know our new mail boss in Richmond. This facility was rated as one of the very worst P&DC facilities in all of the country in regards to turn around times.
We currently can get a first class piece from Newport News to Va. Beach in a day but now you can expect a 3 or even 4 day delivery time for the same letter.
In regards to bulk mail, many in Hampton Roads have expected a 2-3 day turn around. Bulk mail has always had the right to take up to 7 days to deliver and now you should be prepared for that to become an accurate timeline.
In regards to cost, mailings following the minimum of 200 pieces can be sent as a bulk rate as long as they are printed with a pre-sorted bulk rate permit and you will save money on each piece but now that will even change. The big cost savings to the sender in regards to bulk, is having their pieces delivered straight to the regional hub facility. The post service gives a discount to each piece, due to the mail house doing all the work by separating the mailing by mail carrier routes. So the big question is, will mail houses in Hampton Roads now deliver all bulk mail to Richmond? I think not! The local mail houses will not be able to afford a daily delivery to Richmond. Many local mail houses have a scheduled mail drop daily to Norfolk but an extra 60 miles could really be the death of those facilities.
For large bulk mailings you will start seeing people move their printing to printers in Richmond so that they can then get discounts on their postage. If printers and mail house facilities weren’t already hurting before this may become the nail in their coffin. Luckily, none of this goes in effect until 2013 and everyone has a little time to prepare.
We will keep you posted about this. Feel free to comment below and share your experiences and thoughts.
