Saturday, March 13, 2010

What Is Video Conferencing

When you call for a conference, everyone is expected to arrive at a designed time and place to discuss an issue and resolve it. But if the people you need to speak with are in different states or countries and those cost of getting them to come is quite expensive, you have to try something else like video conferencing.

But first, what is video conferencing? Basically, this is a system that allows you to conduct meetings or trainings in different places simultaneously. It incorporates audio, video so you are able to talk and send data which takes away the barrier of distance that separates these individuals.

To make video conferencing possible, you need to buy the equipment. You also have to choose the method of transmission because the one you might be using may not be compatible with the other person. These include the Codec unit, the camera, microphone, video display, network connection, stands and equipment charts if these will be mobile or stationary, NT-1 and chicken feet. Most of these are self-explanatory so we will just focus on the Codec, NT-1 and chicken feet.

The Codec is considered to be the “brain and heart” of the video conference system. This is what compresses everything so you can send and receive messages on real time which can be viewed on the display device. The NT-1 on the other hand is an electronic device otherwise called an terminal adapter that converts ISDN to your IP format. There is also the NT-3 version so instead of using one line, you will be able to use three.

The chicken feet also known as acoustic echo cancellers are equipment that is usually hung from the ceiling. Basically, what this does it’s add both clarity and depth to the resonant frequency response of your audio sub system. But the most important which you have to understand is the network connection. There are two protocols namely the H.320 and the H.323. If the one you are talking with is using a different one, it will be impossible for you to talk with one another because while the first uses ISDN lines the latter which is much simpler uses IP lines similar to what you use to browse the web.

The good news is that you can still talk to the person on the other end using the older system by using a bridge that is able to handle these mixed protocols. The advantage of the new system is that you can transmit for multiple uses when the old one can only handle one. The newer version is also cheaper and faster so you get to talk in real time.

How much will you have to spend to get your video conferencing system up and running? Personal users will spend less than $500 while corporations could spend $100,000 or even more. You just have to shop around and see which one is able to fit your needs so you get value for your money.

The video conferencing system of today is one of the highlights of living in the digital age. No longer do we have to send a message and wait for awhile to get a response when you can get a reply right then and there which increases productivity and saves time and resources.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Get your small business featured in big time publications.

If you have a low budget or no budget your advertising campaign can still be done for free, and a small business owner can get free ads with large publishers.

Magazines and other print publications have an ad to content ratio to maintain for legal reasons, and sometimes an issue has a blank space just waiting for an interesting press release (content) to match the size of an ad that they want to squeeze in for maximum revenue.

I once developed a free ad campaign for a manufacturing company on a product line that hadn't changed in 30 years. How do you say something new about a dinosaur? Forget features and focus on the benefits.

Research and create a directory of publishers in your industry, and then contact them for the proper editor responsible for reviewing press releases for your line. Their web site may have what you need, otherwise these editors will tell you what they want, the format, and requirements for accompanying photos. Make a database from your list, and then get ready to send them a press release every month (forever).

Develop a dozen press releases about the benefits of 12 different products with professional quality photos. Divide your database of publishers into 12 groups, and then rotate press releases so all 12 go out to someone every month, and track your system carefully so each editor gets a different release each month for a year.

You can start all over a year later with the same press releases or develop new ones if you are introducing new products. What happens next?

Eventually you will be published. Most send you bingo cards to report interested readers, and then it's time for followup. My system generated 100+ leads a month, so be prepared with a good followup system and don't let the bingo cards get stale.

For most small business owners a single employee can handle the mailing and followup once the press releases, quality photos, and phone routine or form letters are ready. With discipline and patience, it will work.

One final note, do not overlook smaller publications. Any printed media remotely associated with what you do is worth the small cost of a monthly press release.

Local Businesses and Web Sites

It seems that most successful businesses these days have web sites, even businesses that service only certain geographic areas. On the web, where the market place is global, localized businesses can be at a great disadvantage.

A Local Business Web Site Example:

Lets use the example of a car cleaning businesses. The business only cleans cars in a specific city, yet wants to use their web site to create more business. Time and money is invested in marketing the site in the search engines, paying particular attention to marketing the site for the specific geographic region the service provider covers. Nonetheless, many visitors from around the globe are likely to stumble across the site if it is well marketed.
Offer Non-Geographic Specific Products and Services

If a local business does not offer some sort of product or service that is available to the global market, than these web visits are wasted. The solution is simple. Local businesses that expend effort marketing their web site should also consider offering additional products or services that can be purchased by the global market.

Product Options:

Options for our example - a car cleaning service - could include T-shirts, hats, cleaning cloths, wax and/or soap. Even just T-shirts could be an additional source of revenue, whereas the seller benefits not just from the direct sale, but the advertising the wearer of the shirt will provide.

Drop Shipping Makes Offering Products Easy:

To the busy business owner, offering additional products for the sake of web sales may seem like an extra burden rather than a hidden source of revenue. Yet adding products to your web site can be very easy. By using a drop-shipper, inventory is not required. Services such as Café Press allow products to be made as they are ordered.

Affiliate Systems:

Also, if the site owner does not wish to deal with inventory and stocking products, affiliate systems can be used for revenue. Affiliate systems allow site owners to signup for revenue sharing programs with other companies. An affiliate program allows site owners to offer the products or services of other companies while getting a commission on sales generated from the site owner’s site.

In short, if you run a business that operates on a local basis only, and also maintain a web site, it may be well worth your while to expand to the global market by adding products or services that can be sold around the world.

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