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Digital Marketing

5 Live Video Marketing Tips

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January 15, 2019

- Digital Marketing

In the last few years, live-stream video apps have emerged as the shiny new toy in the marketing toy box. First it was Periscope and now we have Facebook Live and many other apps. It's the same idea behind them, enabling anyone with a mobile device to broadcast and share life’s experiences live. As with any new medium, marketers are quick to get on the action so they're marketing where their customers are. 

 

They will also puff out their chests as early adopters. There is nothing wrong with brands or agencies recognizing the possibilities of these apps and wanting to be quick to reach their customers, but we would like to preach caution. Substance is important. Strategy is important.

 

Don’t just add to the fire hose of live content, add substance to it. Create content opportunities that separate yourself from your competitors. Make sure the content is relevant to your brand and creates exciting ways for your customers to engage.

 

Below is a short list of live-stream video marketing tips that can help brands engage with customers in ways that, until recently, were not possible.

 

Tod Meisner

 

Product Demos 

Live streaming of product demos is an extraordinarily effective method for boosting conversions. These apps offer the possibility to change the way webinars are consumed by allowing users to save and view the videos on demand, specifically with Periscope. Customers in the consideration stage may want to view your product several times before moving to the decision stage. While services such as EasyWebinar also allow you to save webinars and videos for a later date, they come with an annual fee that you may not want to pay.

 

Hosting Interviews 

Conducting interviews can go a long way in building your brand image. If you are interacting positively with other experts in your field or even customers, your brand will be looked upon more favorably. Tap into these sources and give customers an opportunity to hold a dialogue with your brand.

 

Q&A Sessions

Piggybacking off the last tip, Q&A sessions are another way to communicate directly with your customers. These sessions are a great way to clarify any points of confusion that may be negatively weighing on your brand and is another sign of brand transparency. Live-stream apps also allow for a more organized Q&A session than say a Twitter chat or forum, which have character limits and timing inconsistencies. For these sessions, brands can again choose subject matter experts that will deliver clear and educated messages to your customers.

 

 

Behind-The-Scenes Access

Exclusive, behind-the-scenes content is one of the most significant ways these apps can give brands an edge. Trade shows are still a major player for many brands. Live-stream video apps can give customers around the world an up-close and personal view of major trade shows where your brand is featured. You can also feature “how it’s made” type videos. These will show customers the ins and outs of your product from a point of view that may have otherwise been hard to showcase.

 

Improve Transparency

Lack of trust has traditionally been a problem that brands face when trying to market to customers online. The trend appears to be shifting as brands engage better with customers over social media. Companies must still work hard to earn their customers’ trust. Using live video can help with transparency. You will be seeing the face of and speaking directly to brand representatives. This will help build customer trust. I can't stress enough that adding substance is critically important when considering how to integrate live-video content.

 

Brands today should think strategically about whether live-streaming adds any benefit to their marketing efforts. I've help craft ways to help brands seamlessly integrate the power of this new medium with traditional forms of media and advertisement that has produced great results. If you want to learn more, drop me a line!

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The Simple Life

Resolutions Suck, Goals Don’t

By on

January 8, 2019

- The Simple Life

I firmly believe goal setting is good. Even though we get beaten over the head this time of year with terms like “New Year’s Resolution” or “New Year, New You,” and tend to tune them out, I still feel it is important to set intentional and realistic goals.

 

When I say intentional and realistic, I mean we need to move past the thoughts of “I am going to lose 10 pounds this year” or “Saving money will be a priority,” and focus on small changes and steps that can lead you to amazing progress.

 

We need to change how we approach our goal setting and begin to focus on Progress NOT Perfection.

Tod Meisner
Resolve to Evolve

I touched on this mindset in early 2018, and I’m here again to show you how I was able to achieve most of my goals I shared with you then, and how I’m just as committed this year to evolving and achieving my short-term goals as I was in 2018. It’s really easy; I promise you!

 

My wife Megan and I are using the same method to become more mindful and intentional in our goal setting. We like to call it the “Resolve to Evolve” plan. Check out the link and click on the template to help you brainstorm, create and carry out your goals for the upcoming year. The action plan only requires you to identify three steps leading up to the goal, along with a 6 month review. 

 

Your goals should be SMART.  SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. It’s that easy!

 

Smart Goals

In 2018, our goals focused on five categories: health, career, relationships, financial and spiritual/learning. We chose these categories because these are five focus areas that tie into my core values and beliefs. The easiest way to live an intentional life, one that has true purpose, is to align your actions with your core values and beliefs. By focusing on small changes and measurable progress, you are less inclined to get in a rut and think that the goal is un-attainable.

 

This method can help you break the routine of setting unrealistic resolutions that you bail on by March and transform your life in ways you didn’t think were possible. Goal setting should be a fun, thoughtful activity that causes you to reflect on your best qualities and how to improve upon them in the New Year.

 

As I stated, in an effort to hold myself accountable I published the blog last year with my 2018 goals. Here is the update to those goals along with what I have set for myself in 2019.

 

Tod Meisner
Goal Updates

Health 2018 Goal: Complete 80 workouts by 8/31 – COMPLETE - I worked out a total of 125 times in 2018 and lost close to 20 pounds.

2019 Goal: Complete 80 workouts in 2019 (knowing teaching four days a week limits my gym time), along with maintaining my current weight and running a 5K. Why? Make health and wellness a priority. Workouts need to be the norm and not the exception.

 

Career 2018 Goal: Obtain more digital marketing certifications – COMPLETE – Two new certifications added to my resume in 2018
2019 Goal: Speak at another Ragan conference and one more speaking gig Why? Public speaking better promotes myself as an educator, speaker and minimalist.

 

Relationships 2018 Goal: Send one hand-written note per month – COMPLETE – I’m not positive it was one per month, but I sent at total of 15 hand-written notes in 2018.

2019 Goal: One date night dinner per month with Megan Why? With our professional lives getting busier, it is important for us to be intentional about our “us” time. We like to spend those moments over good food and drinks.

 

Financial 2018 Goal: Pay off my last credit card – COMPLETE – We’re debt free entering 2019 and it feels amazing!

2019 Goal: Donate my time and money responsibly Why? With financial freedom, it is important to me to donate to worthy causes and correlates to my 2019 One Word: Service

 

Spiritual/Learning 2018 Goal: Read eight books – COMPLETE – I finished Everything That Remains, Perfectly Yourself, Smart Baseball, The Last Boy, It Looked Like Forever, The Big 50, More of Less, Are We Winning and The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity.

2019 Goal: Write nine blogs Why? I like to write and it keeps my mind sharp and my blog fresh. It is also another way for me to market myself and showcase my knowledge and abilities.

 

Always make sure when writing down your goals to set realistic deadlines, work in a 6-month review or check-in dates to track your progress and have a “why” behind each goal. If you’re not aligning your why to these goals, you’ll lose focus on their importance and more than likely fail to meet them.

Without these steps, your goals will lack direction.  And without direction, you may end up at an unknown, and unwanted, destination. Work to be intentional and not accidental.

 

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One Word

I want to leave you with one final, easy, and actionable step to help you make 2019 the most productive year of your life. Pick your one word. Yes, one word. Author Jon Gordon and others have used this method to help people focus on just one simple word, instead of a daunting list of broken promises or unrealistic resolutions.

 

My one word for 2019 is “Service.” I want to be able to give more of myself and my time to others in 2019. Whether that is through my time via teaching and speaking or donating funds to causes in which I believe. Our financial freedom is allowing us in recent months to do both and I want to multiply that time this year.

 

Giving to others fills me with a sense of purpose and better aligns my every day actions with my core values and beliefs. To choose a single word, you must have a clarity and focus in your decision. You are moving toward the future rather than swearing off the past. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.

  1. Identify the person you want to become
  2. Identify the characteristics of that person
  3. Pick a word

Before you embark on this journey, a subtle warning: Don’t be surprised if living out your “one word” feels unnatural and awkward at first. Remember, the reason you want to focus on this word might be due to the fact that this characteristic may not currently be present in your day-to-day life. Give it time and stay with it.

 

So, give it some thought. Follow the above steps and think about your one word for 2019. By focusing on one word and setting realistic goals in 2019, you will begin to believe in yourself like never before. You will be on your way to becoming the best version of yourself.

 

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Support, Challenge and Celebrate

Be honest and challenge yourself in 2019. You can’t grow as a person if you aren’t honest with yourself. You must know yourself to lead yourself, and you must challenge yourself without being too critical of yourself. In 2019, begin to believe in yourself without being prideful. We’re imperfect people striving for perfection. We have to learn to celebrate our progress in 2019.

 

Perfection isn’t possible. But, a constant effort and a constant celebrating of our progress is possible. The more we celebrate our progress, the more progress we’re likely to make. I will consistently focus on my word this year, and I’ll use it to be intentional in my actions and not accidental.

 

The word and my goals will be used to challenge myself to become the best version of me. I will also work to celebrate the transformative progress I make in 2019. The psychological encouragement that comes from knowing that we are actually making progress is incredibly powerful.

 

How will you celebrate your progress this year?

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The Simple Life

When Lent Becomes a Lifestyle

By on

April 9, 2018

- The Simple Life

What a wonderful time of the year. The sun is out; temperatures are increasing; flowers are blooming; and He is risen. It truly is the Easter Season. A season of new beginnings. So why did I feel so melancholy on Easter Sunday?

 

For the first time in my life, as Easter came and went this year, I found myself feeling different. I felt somewhat sad. I felt like something was ending. Easter is supposed to be a new beginning, and I was feeling the opposite. It wasn’t until my wife and I were listening to Matthew Kelly’s final message from his wonderful “Best Lent Ever”program that I began to really pinpoint the feelings I was having.

 

You see, for the first time in my life (noticing a pattern yet), I truly abstained from something that had normally been a staple in my life. I made the decision to “give up” alcohol for Lent. I’ve always been a social drinker. Drinking is something that normally makes me feel good. Drinking usually makes me feel relaxed and confident. But, as I get older and try to live my life more intentionally, it wasn’t making me feel those things. It really wasn’t making me “feel” anything at all.

 

Living life more intentionally for me had meant eating better, working out more and cutting back on drinking. For Lent, I wanted to go from “cutting back” to “cutting out.” Therefore, this Lent, I was ready to challenge myself. I hoped this challenge would bring me closer to my faith and help me truly experience what Lent is supposed to mean for Catholics.

 

Tod Meisner

What is Lent?

What is Lent supposed to mean for Catholics? I’m glad you asked. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “The real aim of Lent is, above all else, to prepare for the celebration of the death and Resurrection of Christ. The better the preparation, the more effective the celebration will be. The purpose of Lent is to provide spiritual purification by weaning from sin and selfishness through self-denial and prayer, by creating the desire to do God’s will and to make His kingdom come by making it come first of all in our hearts.”

 

Ok, that’s a mouthful. So what does that really mean? Or should I say, what does that mean to me and why did I decide to “give up” alcohol for Lent? To me, abstaining from alcohol and depriving myself of something that once made me feel good, would make me truly focus on what is important in my life. I hoped it also would help me reflect on areas of my life that need improvement. By doing these things and atoning for my sins, I hoped I would be become closer to God.

 

And you know what’s great? It worked. I think I had the best Lent ever. I think I possibly had my best Triduum ever. For sure, my best Easter ever. It’s truly been a life-changing experience. A sacred experience. Why then was I feeling melancholy? I mean, I had done it. I had abstained from alcohol for more than 40 days and had kept up my other habits of exercise, diet and prayer. And I’d lost weight doing it!

 

Lent as a Lifestyle

I think these feelings manifested initially because the end of Lent was somehow signaling the possible end of this new, better version of myself. But why would that be the case? Just because I “could” drink alcohol again, does it mean I “had” to?

 

The more I thought about things and prayed about these feelings, the answer became clear. I don’t have to change anything or drop these new habits because Lent is over. I can turn my Lenten lifestyle into my everyday lifestyle.

 

Sure I can enjoy a drink now and again. A glass of wine with dinner when we are at our favorite restaurant. A brown drink or a beer on a Friday when I’ve had a long week. I may even indulge at a happy hour with work colleagues. But, because of my Lenten sacrifices, I no longer have that need for alcohol at certain times. I don’t need it to fill a void and don't need it to make me feel content.

 

I can enjoy alcohol responsibly and still maintain a healthy lifestyle and make healthy choices that keep me on the way to becoming the best version of myself.

pexels-photo-235922

 

Celebrate Progress

I’ve talked before about celebrating progress. And about focusing on progress not perfection. I think that mindset is what helped me succeed this Lent. At first I didn’t recognize my accomplishment because the melancholy crept in. After some prayer and reflection, I realized I could celebrate the progress gained with these new lifestyle choices and share my experience with this post.

 

I also could build on this progress and work to maintain these habits. So are you making progress? It’s an important question to ask yourself. Through this Lenten sacrifice, I think I’ve made significant progress. The reason I make this point again is because when I am making progress, I find I am a happier person than when I am obsessing about perfection. Progress brings us to life!

 

When we sense that we are making progress, we tend to be filled with passion, energy, enthusiasm, purpose, and a real and sustainable joy. Progress fills us with gratitude for the now and hope for the future. Progress creates enduring happiness.

 

Are you making progress? Are you a better person today than you were a year ago? More fulfilled? Are you a better spouse? boyfriend? girlfriend? parent? employee? employer? teammate? colleague? friend? Are you healthier?

 

When Lent Becomes A Lifestyle

 

Will You Take Action?

I’ll close with a quote from Matthew Kelly whose programs and teaching via Dynamic Catholic have truly changed my life. Consider these words when striving to be a better version of yourself. Sometimes the tiniest of changes can make a huge impact on our lives.

 

“Most people will tell you that they would prefer to live happier lives, but how much time do they actually spend thinking about how they could create and live a happier life? The preference never becomes desire. The desire never becomes action. But they will spend their whole lives preferring a happier life.

Preference is not enough. Progress requires desire and action. The Gospel rearranges our priorities and challenges us to actively seek what God wants in every area of life. It is not possible to create a genuinely happier life while not also making the world a better place. So let us progress in the direction of happier lives and a better world to pass on to our children and grandchildren.”

 

What lifestyle changes can you make to progress toward a happier life?

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Career Growth

Your Career May Be A Jungle Gym…And That’s OK

By on

July 12, 2017

- Career Growth

The era of employment for life with one company is over. Workers now switch from job to job much more frequently in search of grafter fulfillment and compensation. Today, the average person changes jobs 10 to 15 times (with an average of 12 job changes) during his or her career. Most workers spend five years or less in every job, so they devote more time and energy transitioning from one job to the next.

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