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can video blogging be the next step?
I’ve debated adding video to my blogs. In a couple of instances at Mommy Know How, I have added videos. I used those to review products and demonstrate some tips for keeping kids busy. So I’m not a stranger to video blogging. However, I’m just now sure I’m brave enough to do it with my face in front of the camera and I don’t have the equipment for it. (All the posts I’ve done so far have been through my cell phone).
But I wonder still, with places like youtube and 12seconds TV, is there a place for me in the video blogging world? What would I bring to the table that would make me worth watching?
Those are the two questions I think you must ask yourself before doing any kind of video blog. I for one don’t really want to hear about your shower that morning or that you’re on your third cup of coffee. Ok I suppose that if your delivery is good it can be entertaining but if you are going to spend the time to make a video (be it 12 seconds or 12 minutes) shouldn’t it pack more than entertainment value or have a purpose?
When I accompanied Bug’s class to DC in May, I took lots of video on my cell phone. I frantically uploaded it all every night at the hotel so my memory card was empty for the next day. That was more to remember some of what we saw as well as sharing it with family and friends back home who could log in to my page at myspace and see what we did that day. Fun and exciting yes? We thought so but it’s not blog worthy by any means.
I guess for now I will hold off on regular video blogs but should I ever decide to dive in, you will be the first to know.
What do you think makes a good video blog? What do you want to see?
Time for a change
Well now that you’re here I guess you’ve noticed a brighter blog.
Last night I went through theme upon theme, upon theme, trying to find one that worked for me. I’m not sure if I’m happy with this one or not. It certainly is professional looking but it doesn’t reflect me all that much or the title of the blog. For now though, it works.
Another thing you will notice is that I added and deleted some pages. I was recently contacted through this blog for some freelancing work and at that point it dawned on me that this blog really isn’t potential client friendly. So I’ve created a contact page, and a page outlining my services. I’m still on the fence as to how I want to showcase some of my work since so many projects that I’ve been working on are going live. At this point, I flip flop between showcasing articles individually at random or creating a portfolio page. I’m very proud of the work I’ve done through The Post Newspapers, but I don’t want to clutter up a new page with a bunch of links, so I’m open to suggestions.
At some point, I will create a separate site for my services and writing business but I felt that for now this is a good start.
One final change I’ve been considering is moving two blogs into one. The Guilty Parent gets a fair amount of traffic and since I’ve become an Editor for Type A Mom, I want to promote more of my momma writer talents. Plus, I have teamed up with another Parent related site, (more on that later). On the other hand, I also have Mommy Know How. Incorporating the two blogs would make a lot of sense because they are so closely related but I’m at a loss how to do it. I don’t want to lose my content at Know How, and I’ve bought the domain for The Guilty Parent and so I am at an impasse and really not knowledgeable on how to go about it.
So you see, I haven’t been slacking (well in the blogging context I have) but I’ve been really busy with developing new projects and working on my own goals. I’m going to keep you updated and I would love to hear any advice or suggestions you might have.
Holiday card shopping for my friends and family (Yes it is THAT time again).
One of the things I did for my business recently was order business cards. As part of my marketing plan I am going to send them out in flyers advertising my services. With any luck this will all pan out nicely for me and then I can send out holiday cards at Christmas to my new clients. I started looking at Cards Direct to get an idea of what kinds of cards I might send this year.
Of course I don’t need new clients in order to send out holiday cards. As you grow your business, regardless of what it is, you should take the opportunity at the end of the year and send greeting cards to all your clients and your networking circle. The reasons are simple:
1. It’s a nice gesture. Really. Who does not like receiving Christmas cards in the mail? Probably my favorite part of the season is receiving cards from family, friends and even my colleagues.
2. You remain a visible presence to you clients. Even if you haven’t worked with someone for a while or they were what you considered to be a one time customer, holiday cards can be an important marketing tool to keep yourself fresh in their mind.
Last year was the first year though that I had ever received photo cards. We got them from some old friends that unfortunately we don’t see often enough. I’d really never thought of doing this myself until I realized just how creative you can get with them and all the family and friends that would love to get them. (Because everyone asks how the kids are and how big they are getting!) I’m loving the photo card holders and have gotten some excellent ideas!
My biggest problem is that I forget to send the kids’ pictures from school and family photos throughout the year to all the family we have spread out across the US. So this year I’ve begun shopping for photo cards instead. Family and friends get a great card and I don’t have to remember to put the pictures into the cards because they are already there. (Anything I can do to cut down on my to-do list is winner to me!)
Now if I could just remember where the address book is…
Things Are Coming up Roses
Not in the gardening sense anyway. We didn’t get our garden in this year. Wet Ohio weather and late frosts simply did not work to our advantage. Instead we’ve decide to build bigger - hence the Garage! We’ve got posts in and are ready to put down some concrete. Again, the weather has been really uncooperative but the boys have enjoyed the weather because it’s given them numerous frogs to rescue from the holes before they meet an untimely and cemented death. (Sigh. Boys.) I have a theory that they are only rescuing the same frogs who find their way BACK to the holes but the boys insist I am off my rocker and that each and every frog is new and excitingly different.
The kids head back to school in just under two weeks (did you see me? I just jumped up off my chair, did the happy dance and had a party in my head), I’m so excited I can hardly contain myself. Peanut Butter and I will once again, have peace, quiet and tranquility for 6 hours of the day. For the first time since we moved here, there is no soccer! Bug has decided he doesn’t want to play! Shorty wanted to play Football but I couldn’t find a team in our area for kids his age. The school district isn’t the best in terms of communication; that it doesn’t surprise me though. So the only thing we will be doing it seems is Girl Scouts for Bebe. All of the children have survived the summer at home with me (I think it’s more like I have survived the summer at home with the kids but…) so I am eagerly looking forward to kicking them out the door sending them off on their first day and waving lovingly from the door.
For me that means better productivity. Once upon a time I said the kids provided great inspiration… I must have been suffering from sleep deprivation or something because I was lying, I’m sure of it now. The most they’ve done for me this summer is proven how much I can’t get accomplished.
If you thought I would let a little thing like four kids get in my way, well you don’t know me very well.
From this summer, I have seen the launch of one of the projects I’ve been working on since February. Life123.com has finally launched and though my articles are somewhat spread throughout the site, my author page is coming - and I will be contributing even more to them.
I’ve gotten the chance to do more blogging as well for some private clients and I was also one of the first hired for Snackerrific.com. You can see my author page here. I don’t eat many snacks (except ice cream - I love ice cream) but I’ve already had the opportunity to try some samples sent to me and I’ve done my own taste testing with snacks I’ve picked up at the store so watch for those soon. Snackerrific.com has given me the chance to blog in my own voice (much like I do here and at my other two blogs). Sometimes when you blog for other clients you lose your voice as the posts need to be created with their visions in mind.
There are still some other projects in the works, some I hope to announce in the not to distant future and those are all special to me in their own ways - I can’t wait to share them with you!
