So what’s the big deal? Not what she said in her voice mail, but what she didn’t say. Importantly, it’s what I heard in between what she was saying that was amazing.

It sounded almost like background noise. Listening carefully, I noticed something familiar about what was being said in the background. Then I heard my name. I realized she was calling me while watching one of my educational videos.

How cool is that? She liked what I was telling her in my video and decided to call to ask questions. That fact confirms what I teach attorneys about how video can be used to convert online viewers into callers.

Ideally, you want your viewers to click on your video, watch it fully and then call you to ask questions. It’s really cool when they call while watching your video.

Want to learn what will convert your online viewers into callers? Come join me in the only video coaching group for lawyers anywhere in the country.

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Don’t get me wrong. I like listening to boring CLE lectures as much as the next attorney. I’m required to rack up a certain number of CLE credits each year, just like you.  I like having the same speakers talk about the same trial tactics seminars I’ve been listening to for more than 21 years. Don’t get me wrong…I’ve learned a lot from these attorneys. I’ve also gone to ‘marketing’ seminars put on by the bar associations with these same personal injury and medical malpractice lawyers. I honestly can say that I have not learned much there. I wish someone had instead directed me to Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer (direct response marketers that teach other people how improve their bottom line).

Over the last year, as I began to fine-tuned my total online video solution for attorneys, I wanted to get the word out to fellow attorneys who could benefit from video marketing that was making my phone ring. I have lectured to attorneys at the New York City Bar Association in Manhattan about medical malpractice law. I have created CLE approved lectures both in person and on video, discussing medical malpractice in New York. I have also been invited back to lecture on the same topic. In fact, I am lecturing to attorneys this month, July 15, 2010, at the NYC Bar Association about medical malpractice law. Thinking that I could offer attorneys useful information about video marketing, I approached the New York City Bar Association and the NYS Trial Lawyers Association.

Each has a committee that vets topics deemed worthy. That’s understandable. They don’t want their attorneys to be inundated and bored to death with topics they can’t use or relate to. Also, they have to be able to offer CLE credit to their members and there are various requirements needed to justify approving CLE credits. Also understandable.

When I suggested that I present a seminar about video marketing for attorneys and have other legal marketing experts talk to attorneys about how to market their practice, the response was eye-opening. The NYC Bar was quite clear. They said they do not want a seminar where attorneys or marketers are pitching or selling their services to their members. Not even if the material was educational and informational only. “Hmmm,” I thought. Rejected. Ok. Maybe the NYS trial lawyers would have a different take on it.

I was wrong. The seminar topics were selected two years in advance and they didn’t see a need for topics on attorney marketing. However, they did offer an alternative. They said I could become a preferred vendor and appear outside each of the seminars in order to promote my service. “No thanks,” I replied.

I finally realized that the bar associations didn’t want to run marketing seminars since they could not justify giving CLE credit. That’s understandable. I finally realized that attorneys who want to learn about my services and how they can benefit from video marketing can learn tons of useful stuff from my online webinars, live seminars, video blog articles, my video coaching group for attorneys (the only video coaching group for lawyers in the country) and my Total Online Video Solution for Attorneys. Oh yes, they can also contact any one of the attorneys who have used my services and ask them personally what they thought.

You can be sure that the next time you hear me speak about video marketing for attorneys at a seminar, that my content has never been given to any bar association for CLE credit. What’s more important to you? Accumulating CLE credits or learning how to improve your bottom line and convert online viewers into callers?

The decision, as always, is yours. Choose wisely.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog!

Gerry

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This article appears in the online website REELSEO, an incredible resource for all things dealing with online video. I highly recommend subscribing to this site. If you want to learn all about the latest online video advances, then this is the site to get your information.

FYI- I wrote this article a few months ago, and Mark Robertson, the head of REELSEO just posted it last week. It’s my second attorney video article for REELSEO. (The first one I did for them was in 2008).

Click here for the article.

2. The Risks of Using a TelePrompTer in Your Law Firm Video

This is a critique of an attorney video that I did for Technolawyer Blog that used to be called “YouLaw” which was a play on words with YouTube and the Law. My video critique is now published under the blog feature called Smalllaw. Editor Neil Squillante describes Smalllaw as “Small firm, big dreams. SmallLaw provides you with a mix of practical advice that you can use today, and insight about what it will take for small law firms like yours to thrive in the future.”(FYI, fellow attorney and blogger Lee Rosen of North Carolina is also a featured writer for Smalllaw.)

Click here to read the article.

3. What lawyers can learn from Gary Vaynerchuk

If you don’t know who Gary Vaynerchuk is, I daresay you are living under a rock. He’s the guy who created a web tv show about wine. He’s developed a massive following and has leveraged that momentum into a marketing empire. This article from Imperius Legal Websites looks at what Vaynerchuk, author of “Crushing It,” has done in order to achieve extraordinary success. His story is remarkable and every attorney would do well to learn from him and study what he has accomplished and how he’s done it.

I am pleased to say that the author, Kelly Spradley, mentions me in the article along with two other remarkable attorneys.

“If you don’t believe that this strategy can be used by lawyers, take a look at Gerry Oginski, Carolyn Elefant, and Lee Rosen. Gerry Oginski is passionate about medical malpractice and accidents. He has created his personal brand online with videos. Carolyn Elefant is passionate about Small Law. She has been blogging on MyShingle.com since 2002. Lee Rosen has developed his personal brand through online videos, blogs, and podcasts.”

Read the full article to learn more about Gary Vaynerchuk and how you can learn tons from everyone mentioned in the article.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog, and have a great day!

Gerry

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-You Can't Find This Newspaper Anywhere But Here-

Do you know what the Ken Burns effect is? If you’re a photo buff, you will. It’s where your photo editing program magically takes a still photo and creates movement to make it appear as if it’s a moving image. It’s really cool to see during a slide show. Ok, now you know what a Ken Burns effect is, but what is the John Burns effect?

I’m glad you asked. It’s when a really smart attorney recognizes that the only person to create video for him is a veteran trial lawyer who’s also an experienced video producer. The John Burns effect is where a lawyer realizes that it’s so important to create video with a producer who ‘gets it’ that he (or she) is willing to fly across the entire country just to create their educational video. That’s the John Burns effect.

To give you an idea of who John Burns is, here’s a photo of him in the Lawyers Video Studio creating tons of useful content.

Attorney John Burns

We’re shooting video with a green chroma-key background. You can see the video camera and wireless microphone sitting on a tripod. Notice the lights all around him? Illumination is the key.

Once you recognize that your video producer is the key to creating compelling content, you too will understand the John Burns effect.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog.

Gerry

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Wanted-lawyer video success story for interview

May the best lawyer win.

Gerry

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I came upon Martindale-Hubbel’s video service and thought you’d want to know what they charge for creating video. Then you can compare it to what I offer and ask yourself which has a better value.

To create a 1 minute video, they charge $3,000. Yes, you read that correctly. A one-minute video. $3,000. Don’t believe me? Click here to see for yourself.

What do I offer?

With my Total Online Video Solution for Attorneys, we make video simple, fun and profitable.

Here’s how I do it.

I PLAN YOUR CONTENT

First, I conduct a personal strategy session with you. During that time I formulate a plan for producing your video content that draws on my 21 years as a medical malpractice trial attorney in addition to my expertise as a nationally recognized expert on Attorney Video Marketing and online video producer.

WE SHOOT YOUR VIDEO

My video crew will then shoot your video content based on our Strategy Session using hi-definition video equipment, professional lighting and microphone, acquiring enough content to make 33 video clips, 2-3 minutes in length each! Yes, you read that correctly. I said “33” video clips. Not 1 or 2 or 5 or even 7, but 33 whopping video clips. Most other video companies want you to create video between 45 seconds to 2 minutes- not us.

Once you’re done creating your video, you’re done! Now, sit back, relax and wait for the videos.

WE DO THE REST

What exactly is “The Rest?” I’m glad you asked, because this is where our unique 10 STEP PROCESS provides much more value than any other Attorney Video Marketing Solution gives you for your money.

THE REST

STEP 1- We start by creating a personalized, custom HD video channel, in essence, your own Branded YouTube for you or your Firm. This allows you to display all your videos in one central location. When viewers want to watch more of your videos, they don’t have to leave your video channel. All your videos are contained right there.

STEP 2- We then integrate your video channel right into your existing website so it looks and feels like it’s part of it.

STEP 3- My Post-Production Specialists professionally edit each of your videos using the latest HD editing software, with each video branded with graphics, intro and tag, with music intro and exit. We also balance audio levels and color correct if needed.

STEP 4- We then encode to the latest specifications and upload your videos directly to your video channel which will become the showcase of your website.

STEP 5- We upload your videos to all the major video sharing sites for mass distribution.

Is that all?

No. That’s just half of the story!

WE GIVE YOU YOUR OWN VIDEO EQUIPMENT AND TEACH YOU TO USE IT LIKE A PRO!

STEP 6- We give you the brand-new HD video equipment we just used to shoot your videos AND we teach you how to use it!

No other video company does this.

We give you a top-of-the line hi-def video camera, soft-box lighting, wireless lavalier microphone and tripod.

Why would we do this? Simple.

So you can create multiple videos any time of day or night. So you can be in the forefront of the online legal world any time there’s breaking news. So you don’t have to wait for a video crew to get to you to shoot your video. Being on the cusp of current legal events and commenting on them will make you stand out. The more videos you create, the better your chances of having your videos watched. That’s the goal, isn’t it? To make your phone ring?

My goal is to make it so simple and easy  for you to create video.

When a new decision comes down, just turn on your camera to talk about it. When a popular drug is taken off the market, you’ll be one of the first to comment on it. Want to comment on an article, blog post or a particular type of case? Just turn on your equipment and start talking. After you’ve done 5 or more video clips, send us the memory card in the mail and we do all the rest!

This way you get the benefit of having 33 videos shot professionally and you also get the benefit of creating more video on your own schedule, any time you like.

STEP 7- You send us your memory card in our prepaid FedEX Envelope and once again my Post-Production Specialists professionally edit your video clips just like before, so each of your videos maintains a consistent and professional look and feel.

WE CRITIQUE YOUR VIDEO BEFORE UPLOADING

STEP 8- Before your own videos are finalized and uploaded, I personally review and critique each one. Where else can you get this personal interaction with one of the best known and well-recognized attorney video guru’s? Nowhere else.

STEP 9- We upload your brand-new videos to your video channel that we created for you.

STEP 10- We upload your brand-new videos to the major video sharing sites and optimize those videos with relevant keywords and descriptions to make them attractive for the video search engines.

Is that all? No. What’s next?

Just like on a shampoo bottle: “Wash, rinse & repeat.”

“Shoot more video, send us your memory card & repeat.”

Does it work?

You bet it does. I’M LIVING PROOF AND HERE’S WHY-

Video forms a bond and trust with your viewer. Video differentiates you from everyone else. Video establishes you as an expert without you ever having to say you’re an expert.

There is no other online video solution for attorneys that is created by a trial lawyer whose entire goal is to help other attorneys get onto video. There is no one offering a program like this at any price and certainly no video producer with over 300 videos online and almost 300,000 combined views.

WE’RE DIFFERENT and that’s really good.

Being different means that we stand out. Being different means that we offer more value for your marketing dollars. Being different means we help you stand out from the crowd and get noticed. That’s the goal, isn’t it? To be noticed; To create content that your viewer wants, that compels them to pick up the phone to ask you for more information.

To see what a smart investment our total online video solution is, I encourage you to call me now at 516-487-8207 or send me an email to: gerry@lawyersvideostudio.com. I welcome your call.

Creating video will be the best return on investment you can make, and I’m living proof of that.

To your success!

Gerry

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The answer explored five keywords and the number of websites that compete for those very competitive search terms. The search terms were “New York medical malpractice lawyer.” Google shows that 5 million websites vie for those search terms. “Do know which website consistently comes up in the #1 organic search results?” My New York Medical Malpractice Trial attorney website does.

The crowd got very quiet and their eyes opened wide, eager for more.

Later, I asked “What if you could own the first page of YouTube?”

Technically, you can’t ‘own’ the first page of YouTube, but in a practical sense you can. “How?” you ask? By having all twenty of your videos show up on the first page results of your search terms on YouTube. That’s how you can ‘own’ the real estate on the first page of YouTube. I then showed the group how I “own” the first page of YouTube for specific search terms.

Then I asked, “What if you could also own the second page of YouTube as well?” I then told them that for those specific search terms I own the second page too. Now, I really had everyone’s attention.

The important question I asked was “What do you think an online viewer would think if they did a search for their particular legal problem and they came upon a YouTube page where every single video on the page (except for the paid videos at the top) was yours?” Who do you think a viewer is going to call after seeing all of your videos; you or your competitor who only has a static website?

I had a blast talking to this group of smart, energetic and eager attorneys willing to learn how to market themselves in ethical, out-of-the box ways. I was glad I had a chance to talk with many brilliant attorneys who are blowing away their competition using so many different marketing methods. It was nice to actually meet a lot of attorneys I communicate with on Facebook and Twitter but had never actually met in person.

The feedback I received from the attorneys were amazing.

• Want to learn what I teach attorneys to create compelling video?
• Want to learn how I create my videos?
• Want to learn what will compel a viewer to pick up the phone and call you instead of your competitor?
• Want to learn the mindset of a viewer and figure out what content will get them to click on your headline and watch your video?

If you do, I encourage you to come join me in the Lawyers Video Studio coaching group. To learn more about the only video coaching group for lawyers in the country, click here: Lawyers Video Studio coaching group.

P.S.  By the way, if you need a speaker to talk to your group of attorneys about how video can help convert online viewers into callers and why attorneys need to create video now, pick up the phone and call me 516-487-8207 or send me an email to Gerry@lawyersvideostudio.com. I welcome your call.

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Dave Kaminski of Web Video University does an excellent job of reviewing the Canon t2i DLSR camera. Here’s my question:

You’re an attorney who wants to create video. You want a camera that will last for years. You want the latest technology. You don’t want to spend a fortune. The choices of video cameras are overwhelming. SD or HD? Hard disc or tape-based? Pocket Flip camera or Kodak Zi8? $500 camcorder or a prosumer model costing $1,500?

Now, you have even more choices. Canon, Nikon, Sony and Pentax are all vying for your dollars by adding hi-definition video capabilities to their digital Single Lens Reflex (dSLR) cameras.

Here’s what you need to know if you’re considering buying a DSLR to shoot your attorney video:

1. It’s costly. This camera with lens will cost $900-$1,200 depending on the lens you buy.
2. You must buy an external wireless mic which will run you anywhere between $150-$600, depending on the mic you buy. You simply cannot use the built-in mic because it’s noisy and picks up the autofocus lens mechanism.
3. Then you need a ‘rig’ to hold all this stuff together while on your tripod. Otherwise, you’ll have to use tape or velcro to hold it up.
4. There is no flip-out screen to see yourself while you shoot video of yourself. This is unfortunate. It means you have to hook the camera up to an external monitor with a cable. If one is handy great. Otherwise, through trial and error, you have to figure out if you’re in the camera frame.

If you’re willing to spend anywhere from $1,100 to almost $2,000, then this camera might just be for you. Be forewarned. As Dave mentions in his video, this camera is NOT for the person who wants to simply turn the button on, press record and start talking. This is for the camera buff who really enjoys playing with all the settings and enjoys the technical details to get a good video shoot.

Oh yes…did I also mention it takes stunning photos?

I am tempted to sell my Sony DSC F828 with my flash to try this out.

Sony DSC F828

What do you think? Is it worth it? My 8 year old, the budding camera man, doesn’t want me to sell it since he knows how to use this camera really well. He’s not sure if he’ll be allowed to play with the Canon t2i if I sell my Sony. All thoughts appreciated!

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog.

Best regards,

Gerry

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SOUND CHECK
Have you ever just sat in your office and listened to the sounds? If you did, I bet you’d hear traffic, a siren, a horn, a hum from your computer, the cackle of secretaries laughing at some joke, your partners walking by your office talking loudly, your phone ringing, and on and on.

When you are deciding on a place in your office to shoot video, you must consider all of these elements and ways to eliminate or reduce these ambient sounds. Otherwise, your pristine looking video will have unwanted background noise. Yes, that noise can be minimized in the post-production phase with video editing software, but the better practice is to eliminate it while taping instead of later during editing.

LENGTH OF YOUR VIDEO

How long will your video clip be? The short answer is “Not too long.” The longer answer is “Not too short.”

You are not limited to thirty or sixty seconds of a quick commercial of you screaming at potential clients that they must come to you. With online video, you can use your time to explain to clients how you can help them. That’s the key. Again, if you’ve taken the time to watch some attorney videos, you will see that most videos do nothing to help explain anything to potential clients.

Most website companies will tell you they need to shoot a few hours of video in your office that could take most of the day. You think “Ok, that’s fine. I expect to get lots of usable video for all those hours, right?” No, you’re wrong. These same companies take your video and multiple re-do’s of the same topic and will edit them into maybe four or five video clips. “Four or five hours of video shooting, and all I get is four or five video clips?” Yes, that’s true. “But how long is each video clip?” “About 1-2 minutes each,” comes the suave reply.

“Wait a second…you’re telling me that after spending four, five or six hours shooting and re-shooting videos; spending an entire day disrupting my office schedule doing this video stuff, all I can expect to get is a total of eight to ten minutes of video??!!” Yes, that’s correct. “I don’t get it! I’m paying all this money, spending all this time, and this is the end result? That’s crazy!”

Yes, it is crazy. These same website companies tell you that potential clients have limited attention spans. This has some truth to it. They also tell you that in their “experience” viewers can absorb only one to two minutes of video. I disagree. I think one to two minutes of video are not very helpful and do not give you enough time to explain a particular legal concept or answer a particular question.

If you put your videos on video sharing sites like YouTube, Yahoo Video, Blip.tv, Metacafe, Mefeedia, etc. you don’t pay a dime to have these sites host your video. However, there is a drawback to only using these video sharing sites to “host” your videos: You lose control of that video. Ads will appear as an overlay on your videos that will entice viewers to click away, never to return to your video.

I firmly believe that your video clips should be anywhere from two to four minutes in length. I have found that if a viewer has found your video and has a pressing legal issue, they have no problem watching a few minutes of your video if you are answering a legal topic that applies to them. In fact, I have had people call me telling me that my videos were so helpful, educational and informative, that they spent hours and days watching all of my videos.

That’s impressive since I currently have over 250 educational videos online about medical malpractice, wrongful death and personal injury law in New York.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

To give you some insight into how I create my own videos, it takes me 15 minutes to set up my equipment, one to two hours to get one full hour of video tape, and 10-15 minutes to take down my equipment. From that one hour of video, I can usually obtain four to five usable video clips that average from two to three minutes in length.
Now we enter the post-production phase.

POST-PRODUCTION

What happens now that the video-shoot is over, and the video techs have left your office? The video tape has to be uploaded to a computer. If I’ve shot one hour of video, it takes a great deal of time to get the video onto the computer. Once it is physically on my computer, I must edit it using video editing software. This is very time consuming and labor intensive.

VIDEO EDITING

For a one hour video, it will take at least six hours (or more) to edit the video, add graphics, background music and convert the video file to a file that is internet-compatible, compressed and ready to be uploaded to your website and the video sharing sites. This is by far, the most time consuming part of making the actual video.

Once your video clips have been edited and are now “ready for upload” they must be optimized for the video search engines, and the regular search engines. The videos are useless if they’re not recognized by the search engines and indexed by sites like YouTube and Google.

The editing is the “behind-the-scenes” work that makes your video come alive. Most attorneys just want to see the final product, and that’s ok. However, when a video editor spends 8 hours to edit your videos, you will begin to understand why website companies charge so much money.

Gerry is a New York medical malpractice and personal injury trial lawyer in practice for over 21 years. He has produced and created over 300 educational videos to help consumers understand how lawsuits work in the State of New York. If you want to see how Gerry has used video to promote take a look at his New York medical malpractice video blog.
Gerry created the Lawyers’ Video Studio to help other lawyers get onto video. To get started creating video to market your legal services, Gerry now offers a “Done-for-you” service where he does everything, except show up on camera, where you don’t have to learn anything technical. Take a look at Gerry’s Total Online Video Solution for Attorneys.

You can reach Gerry personally at 516-487-8207 or by e-mail at Gerry@lawyersvideostudio.com. He welcomes your call.

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