Using Skype for Video Interviewing

Often I am asked if I can do a video interview over Skype and I have been reticent to agree to such an arrangement because, quite honestly, I don't really know if I'll be happy with the end result. I'd  have to do a whole bunch for free until I got it right and with post production involved, as it always is, it takes time - in this case free to the client time.

Today, however, I ran across a report, 61 Ways to Market and Profit with Video available from the folks at Magnetic Digital Marketing.

Before passing on free offers like this I generally review them.  Number 3 of 61 immediately caught my eye:

Video chatting
discuss  topics  and  connect  in  a  networking  type  arrangement.  You  can  do  these  live  on  places  like  Facebook   using  vpype.com  or  you  can  do  it  in  a  more  organised  private  setting  using the three vendors:  

• Vodburner
• Pamela for Skype    
• oovoo.com  for  recorded  video  coaching  or  video  interviews

I'm going to give these a try. Pamela offers a 30 day trial (its professional version is $33); Vodburner a 14 day trial and the license fee is $99.  Recording to MP4 format rather than WMV requires a license; and oovoo, well, I'm not exactly sure about oovoo, but it looks like it isn't especially for Skype. Also mentioned above is vpyp.com made just for Facebook. They say:

Now, anyone with a webcam and a microphone can create a show and chat with their audience in real-time. Shows can be recorded, preserving both video and chat to watch later. Vpype Live is an App with no download. You add it once to your Facebook profile, and you're ready to broadcast anywhere in the world!

I have Webcam and microphone as do most of with a Mac so off I go...

I'm thinking of starting a self-help group on LinkedIn if there isn't one already, Social Everything. In the meantime you could join Social Media Marketing Video.

Stay tuned to my blog as I will update you on what I think of these products and others that pass before my eyes. Also which is not only the best in terms of production quality but the easiest, an essential element of value.

Ruth Ann Barrett
May 10, 2012
Portland, Oregon

Just-In-Time Cell Users Are Most Users

 If you are a retailer, especially a restaurant, make sure you are on Google Place, have positive reviews on Yelp and are right up there on Google search. YouTube wouldn't hurt either as it is the second most popular search engine.  Yes, video.
Now for enlightenment on how we are using our cell phones and the smarter they get the better and this information is from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project: (full report here)

Some 70% of all cell phone owners and 86% of smartphone owners have used their phones in the previous 30 days to perform at least one of the following activities:
Coordinate a meeting or get-together -- 41% of cell phone owners have done this in the past 30 days which makes your business address and zip code important information and you would be surprised how hard it is to find the address of a business when you are standing right in front or inside of it.

Solve an unexpected problem that they or someone else had encountered -- 35% have used their phones to do this in the past 30 days.

Decide whether to visit a business, such as a restaurant -- 30% have used their phone to do this in the past 30 days.

Find information to help settle an argument they were having -- 27% have used their phone to get information for that reason in the past 30 days.

Look up a score of a sporting event -- 23% have used their phone to do that in the past 30 days.

Get up-to-the-minute traffic or public transit information to find the fastest way to get somewhere -- 20% have used their phone to get that kind of information in the past 30 days.

Get help in an emergency situation -- 19% have used their phone to do that in the past 30 days.

And now for the kicker:

Overall, these “just-in-time” cell users—defined as anyone who has done one or more of the above activities using their phone in the preceding 30 days—amount to 62% of the entire adult population.