Lawyers Video Studio Nov. 10' Online Newsletter

Here’s this month’s new online newsletter here in the Lawyers Video Studio. I profile two really smart attorneys, Jack Carney-Debord a personal injury and family law attorney in Ohio, and personal injury attorney Brent Adams from North Carolina.

Read the Lawyers Video Studio newsletter here.

Gerry

I was at the Apple store recently. A shiny new object caught my attention. It was a handheld device that looked like no other. No, it wasn’t an iPad. No, it wasn’t a new iMac. Instead, it was the new iPhone4. I went to the Apple store to get my son’s Macbook pro fixed and after that was taken care of, I began to explore. This new communication device looked interesting.

I freely admit I use a Blackberry with Verizon. I started playing. I was most interested in the video capabilities of the new phone. The screen resolution was outstanding. It played YouTube videos flawlessly and crisply. Even in a crowded store, I was able to listen to myself talk in one of my videos (my wife says I do that all too often!).

My daughter then showed me how to use it as a video camera. “Dad, push the touch-screen button that has a video camera on it,” she said. And I’m the video expert. “Thanks sweetie,” I replied. The camera has two lenses; one on the side you dial numbers, and the other on the opposite side. If you want to take video of yourself talking, just push the button to record. Really simple. Easy to switch sides too. Then I learned that if you are talking to another iPhone4 user, you can see each other and video chat.

I decided to put the video capability to the test. I wanted to see how this portable device took video. I shot a quick video in a crowded and noisy store. Watch the video below to see the results.

When holding the camera close, the lens gives you a slight fish-eye, distorted view. When holding the camera at arms-length, you get a nice frame from your head to your waist. The problem is that when you’re that far away, the built-in microphone picks up all the ambient sound. Not ideal for quality audio in an attorney video.

Lastly, you’ll notice that the frame is very narrow and does not take advantage of the full 16×9 hi-definition aspect ratio. I do not know if this is because I was shooting video holding the phone vertically, or whether it changes if I hold it horizontally.

Is it convenient? Yes. Does it have good quality video? Yes. Audio? Only if you’re holding it as if you’re talking on the phone.

One other cool feature that I always advocate not using: the ability to directly upload your newly made video to YouTube. So why did I upload this video experiment to my Lawyers Video Studio YouTube channel? Precisely because I wanted to see the quality of the new iPhone4.

Let me know your experience with your new iPhone4 and what you think of the video qualities.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog!

3 Myths:

1. You need the best video equipment to create attorney video;
2. You need the most expensive video camera to create great video;
3. You need the most technologically advanced computer to edit your videos.

You just bought the latest and greatest video camera to shoot your attorney video. You got the best price for the most advanced camera on the market. Do you think a viewer can tell the difference between a video created with a $500 camera and one made with a $1,500 camera? The answer is “No.”

Why not? The internet is not broadcast TV. There are limits on how good is good enough for your viewers. They’re not clicking on your video to watch a George Lucas FX or Speilberg movie.

They’re coming to learn information. Content trumps all else. Having said that, remember that the bar for quality video is high. YouTube shows video in hi-definition. Most video sharing sites have hi-definition video. That means the quality of the video is markedly improved from standard definition video of just a few short years ago.

If your video is fuzzy, pixelated and grainy, your viewer may not respect what you have to say and leave midway through your video.

How much should you spend on a video camera?

As much as you can comfortably afford. Do you need all the bells and whistles? Unless you’re going to learn how to use all the manual settings, skip the fancy stuff and focus on the basics.

Computer: You need upgraded hardware and software. Gobs of hard drive memory too. Large amounts of RAM help greatly. Video files are huge, especially from hi-definition cameras. If you have an older computer, you’re in for a tough time to effectively edit and store your videos.

Don’t buy the most expensive camera just because it’s the latest and greatest. Use what you have, assuming it works. Also, don’t reject the option of buying used video equipment. You may get a great bargain with all the accessories from someone trying to upgrade. That’s how I started creating my videos.

I thought I had to have a professional grade video camera. I did tons of research about what was the “best” camera to create online video. The only problem was that it cost almost $2,700 and I clearly didn’t want to spend that amount on a camera; especially since I knew very little about creating video at that time.

I looked around on ebay and found exactly what I was looking for. An entire package of video equipment with every accessory possible, including a carrying case. The price was a fraction of what a new one went for and it had all the extras. I used that camera for almost 3 years. It was the perfect camera for me. I have since upgraded twice and sold my older equipment each time.

Want to know what happened to my original video camera with all the goodies? I sold it to a dad in Florida who was looking for a Bar Mitzvah gift for his 13 year old son who was very much into creating video. A budding videographer. Someone after my own heart.

Bottom line: If you have equipment that works, learn to use all the features well. Work with what you have. When you get really good, then it might be time to upgrade. Until then, use your available resources.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog!

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Ben Glass, Esq., Founder Great Legal Marketing

Fairfax Virginia Personal Injury Lawyer, Ben Glass, says, “Gerry Oginski is the master of online video. If you have not seen his videos, you should. He’s done more videos than any lawyer out there. The big edge that Gerry has over his competition is that his videos allow consumers to get to ‘know’ him before they even pick up the phone. His use of video on his website and his video blog is amazing.”

Ben Glass, Esq.,

BenGlassLaw.com, Fairfax, Virginia, 703-591-9829

Final Cut Express

Some might say yes. Others say “Phooey. I’ll just press record and then when I’m done, simply upload right to YouTube.”

Besides content, editing is way up there in terms of importance and here’s why:

1. You’ve got to make your video direct and to the point. If you don’t edit out the garbage and excess verbiage, your viewer will be turned off. Don’t think that your brilliant lessons on the law are going to sway an online viewer. They won’t. Edit, edit and when you think you’ve got it just right…edit it some more.
2. It’s tough to get a totally perfect video shoot. Even when you shoot the same scene 20 times. Besides creating a concise video that (hopefully) a viewer will want to watch, editing allows you to really think about whether a viewer searching for an attorney will pay any attention to what you’re talking about.
3. Editing your video allows you to add graphics, which is always a nice touch. It allows you to color correct your video; this is very important especially when the exposure is not correct or the coloring is off. Does your audio have problems? Editing is the time to fix it.
4. Want to show that you’re a savvy video expert? Transitions show off your editing prowess.
5. Want to show off that music you’ve been playing and perfecting? Use it for an intro and exit.

If you don’t edit your videos, you look amateurish and simply have stream-of-thought consciousness; someone who just didn’t or couldn’t take the time to create a great-quality product that someone would want to watch.

My advice: Take the time to learn how to effectively edit your online videos. If you don’t have the time or don’t want to do it, hire an experienced video production company to do it all for you. It’ll be worth every penny and every minute you save. Guaranteed.

To learn more about how attorneys save time and money by joining the Total Online Video Solution program for attorneys, watch this 58 second video.

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Chris Davis & Mischelle Davis

“Gerry,

We were so happy to finally meet YOU!! We thought that we knew a thing or two about using video in our law practice until we discovered YOU. You are THE MAN!!! Meeting you last week prompted us to completely rethink our video strategy AND we decided that we weren’t doing nearly enough!!! You light a fire under our butts! We are now back in Seattle and refocusing and redoubling our video marketing efforts!!!

Thanks Gerry!!!”

Mischelle Davis

Davis Law Group, P.S.
2101 Fourth Avenue, Suite 630
Seattle, WA 98121
Phone: (206) 727-4000

Chances are you have a video camera with flash memory. It will hold a memory card, maybe 8GB or 16GB. If you’re really on the cutting edge, you will probably have a Class 6, high capacity memory card.

As most of you know, tape-based video has gone the way of the 8-track (for those of you old enough to remember what 8-track is). It’s past it’s prime. Hard drive video cameras are in. Does that mean you should be upgrading your equipment every time a new camera comes out? No, unless you a technology geek that must have the latest and greatest equipment the moment it arrives in stores.

Are you one of many who waited anxiously at the Apple store for the iPhone4, or maybe even the iPad when it came out?

Let’s get something straight right now. If you have equipment that works and was bought within the last two years, stick with what you have. Work with what you have. Learn how to use your equipment properly before getting all hyped up with the latest and greatest new toy.

I’ll tell you what I do. I like to buy good equipment and use it till it no longer works. If it makes economic sense to fix it, I will. Otherwise, I’ll invest in new equipment. When my kids ask me why don’t I buy a new camera or new piece of video equipment, my response is always the same, “My current equipment works great, and I don’t need the most up-to-date stuff just because it looks cool.” Hopefully, I’ve imparted some wisdom to them with this statement.

As Dave Kaminski of Web Video University said recently in a great video he made, “People who focus on the video equipment have the wrong idea and don’t do well. Instead, focus on the content and work with the equipment you have.” I agree with him 100%.

Attorneys continue to focus on the equipment. Instead, focus on how to convert your online viewer into a caller using the video equipment you own already.

Thanks for reading my blog!

Gerry Oginski's Total Online Video Solution

“What?!”

“What do you mean it doesn’t work? Isn’t that what you’ve been preaching about for the longest time?”

Yes I have. But I have a secret. A secret I do not want to share with my competitors. You see, the reality is that creating video to market your message really does work.

Why would I write such a headline? Two reasons:

1. There are articles online that discuss the efficacy of video blogging and whether they work for attorneys, and
2. I wanted you to see what happens when you create a controversial or compelling headline. The headline is a tease. Sorry. I also don’t want my competitors to think this stuff really works, although I imagine they’ll figure it out eventually and try to replicate what I’ve done and learn what I’m teaching other smart lawyers to do. In fact, if they were really smart, they would hire me to teach them what I’m doing.

Video blogging is the best way to interact with your viewer; they get to see you, hear you and begin to trust you before they ever walk in your door.

Most attorneys just want to practice law and focus on what they do best. That’s exactly what you should be doing; what you do best. Lawyers who want to learn how to get onto video and make the best use of their time and energy hire a video production company to do it all for them. You really don’t want to be a videographer or video editor or video distributor, do you?

Instead, you want to be the best lawyer you can be, helping your clients and earning a good living at the same time. If you want to get your message onto video and don’t know where to begin, or want to improve the videos you’ve already created, my video coaching group for attorneys is the place to start.

There is no other video production company in the country run by an experienced medical malpractice trial lawyer who helps other attorneys get onto video. There is no other video production company in the country that has created a coaching group for attorneys to mentor them and show them exactly what I do to convert online viewers into callers.

In my coaching group, I go through the mindset that is so crucial to understanding what a viewer wants to know, and how to create compelling content that will make the viewer click on your video, watch it in its entirety, and then want to pick up the phone and ask you for more information.

My coaching group is perfect for the attorney who is learning to create video on their own as well as lawyers who have video production companies create video for them.

Come join me in the lawyer’s video studio coaching group for attorneys. You’ll learn so much- I guarantee it. I look forward to seeing you there.

Gerry Oginski, Founder, The Lawyers' Video Studio

This Monday, two very smart attorneys will be creating video to help market their law practices.

They are both eager and excited to begin their journey of creating video that will help them stand out from the crowd and improve the conversion rate for their online viewers. Each one has already met with me during our mastermind strategy session where I map out the content that they will use to create their initial eight videos.

During our mastermind session I give them a formula that I personally use to create content that compels a viewer to pick up the phone and call. This also provides a blueprint for the attorney for all videos that they create on their own after the initial video shoot is over.

In case you didn’t already know, in my total online video solution for attorneys, not only do you get a one hour mastermind strategy session with me, but we professionally shoot 8 video clips lasting 2-3 minutes long and provide you with a custom video channel that gets integrated seamlessly with your existing website. Then, after we have finished your video shoot, we actually give you the brand-new video equipment that we just used to shoot your videos.

We give you the high definition camera, the tripod, the professional lighting and the wireless lavalier microphone. Here’s something that no other video production company does: we actually teach you how to use that equipment so that you can create video anytime you want.

When you are done creating five video clips on your own, you simply send us the video memory card in a prepaid FedEx mailer, and before you know it it’s up online on your video channel and on the video sharing sites.

The great benefit about this program is that you don’t have to learn any technical skills; we do it all for you. All you have to do is show up and start talking. You have the ability to create video on-the-fly, whenever you want. If a new case comes out that can affect your potential clients, turn on your equipment and start talking. If a defective product is pulled off the market and you want to be the first online to tell people how it can affect them, turn on your video equipment and start talking. If you had a phone call with a client and you got a new idea for video topic, when you have a few minutes to yourself, turn on your equipment and start talking.

My video solution for attorneys is the best way to get your message out and stand out from the crowd. It is the best return on investment you will find anywhere and provides the most value for your hard earned money. If you haven’t read about all the benefits and features of this program, I encourage you to explore my total online video solution here.

If you have questions, please send me an e-mail to Gerry@lawyersvideostudio.com or pick up the phone and call me at 516-487-8207. I welcome your call, and I hope you’ll join me on this incredible journey to improve your marketing using the best way possible today.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog!

Gerry

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TESTIMONIAL

An attorney is looking to market his law firm using online video, but doesn’t know where to start or what to ask. Watch the video to learn more. To learn more about Gerry’s total online video solution for attorneys, click here.

Scott Drake discusses video marketing with New York Medical Malpractice & Personal Injury Trial attorney Gerry Oginski.

Oginski produces his own video and distributes the content to his website and other 3rd party sites. He uses video as his primary marketing tool.

Want to jump onto video but don’t know where to start?

You need to read this book, written by my good friend Tom Foster of Fosterwebmarketing.com and myself, to get you motivated. You’ll learn tons of useful information about why video is so important to market your practice and why it’s the future of the internet.

The book is in and now available at Amazon.com for $16.95. (Don’t worry that it says out of stock. It’s here.)

Here’s the link:
How Really Smart Lawyers are Using Video on the Web (to Get More Cases)

It’s a great investment and an even better read!