It started in August and it spread across the internet, gathering steam and support as it went. People talked about it on their blogs which other people read and also signed up.
Blog Action Day. One theme: the environment. It wasn’t slanted democratic or republican, conservative or liberal. The topic was the environment and could be written in any way needed to relate to the larger issue in a way suited to the blog and its readership.
Simple. Understandable. Executable.
I noted that I wasn’t the only voice over talent blogging either. Elaine Singer, and Karen Commins had posts that I read as well. Like the other 20,600, each different, each insightful.
Let’s hope now that the writing’s done, there is some serious reading as well as thinking done. And action is always appreciated.
Chances are you’ve heard of marketing and even guerilla marketing. If you dabble at all on the internet (especially if your business is based there) you may have heard of viral marketing.
The best viral marketing occurs when people of influence combine with us fairly standard issue types to promote an activity or service that a company has performed. It gets a company great publicity and usually it’s FREE. Good news spreads like a “virus”, get it?
There are no great formulas or guarantees for successful viral marketing but if you offer extraordinary customer service as part of your daily business practice, you’re more likely to gain some positive viral notoriety.
This all leads me to a company called Zappos and they sell shoes. That area couldn’t have been further from my interests until Seth Godin wrote about a blog that some 15 people told him he should read.
I read Seth’s post. I click on the link there to get to this post which told a customer service story about Zappos.
In spite of my A-type personality, through which I may occasionally come off sounding like I know everything, I know I’ve much to learn (I think that’s a realization for most folks as the age).
In fact, I try to listen and or read many posts or books of people whose opinions I respect. They may have new knowledge on something I know nothing about or they may have a new perspective in an area of my expertise that I had either never considered or had left off my check list.
Leesa has taken a tried and true marketing tactic and applied it to podcasting: “A secret to gaining a ton of listeners or viewers is to describe your podcast in 10-words or less with an emphasis on describing the problem your podcast solves.”
Well I hadn’t done that yet. So her post got me going and here are some possibilities:
• Zigzagging across the worlds of voiceover, marketing and advertising; not necessarily in that order.
I like this one because Zigzagging is a word that I think establishes the fun the listener will experience with the podcast…it won’t be boring. It also helps define the voxmarketising title a bit (although there will always be some folks who don’t get it. But think back to way back when….did you even know how to pronounce the word “Oprah” when you first heard it?). On the down side, this IS more than 10 words. Crap!
• Where the worlds of voiceover, marketing and advertising collide!
For sheer brevity and violence, this one may have a real shot of sticking.
• voxmarketising – the audio’connell podcast: more fun than having your back waxed!
While this is certainly true (I would assume) I don’t know if it clearly explains the point of the podcast
So I am now requesting your opinion!
Which slogan do you like best? Which works? Can you think of a better one? If you come up with one and I use it, I’ll not pay you one red cent while I snatch it up but will scream your praises on line.
You can post below or leave your comment on the voxmarketising comment line at +01 716-989-6151
Editor’s Note: In the daily observation of life around him, the author occasionally feels the need to point out ridiculously inane behavior and general thoughtlessness. These are called “Rants” and this is one of those times.
Today is Blog Action Day, a day when bloggers across the internet have agreed to publish a post about one topic based on the concept:
“What would happen if every blog published posts discussing the same issue, on the same day? One issue. One day. Thousands of voices.”
My environmental hot button has always been litter: how incredibly easy it is to contain, how unnecessarily careless people are with their minor waste and how it’s grown into such a huge problem.
I’ll let the more environmentally educated in the world tackle the statistics on garbage collected and how best to recycle, etc. I want to focus on the simple everyday problem of daily litter and stopping people from littering.
Many people of a certain generation will remember in 1971 the Keep America Beautiful campaign’s TV spot for Earth Day where the actor known as Iron Eyes Cody came upon all the litter surrounding America, which made him cry.
That was 1971.
It’s not much different in 2007.
At least twice a week as I’m driving my car, I see one of the other drivers tossing some wrapper or cigarette or other refuse out of their car on to a street or expressway. Somehow the materials that got into their car “immediately” need to be expunged from the car…for some reason, it can’t be disposed of in their home’s garbage can or in a nearby trash receptacle at their next stop (there are trash cans at public places almost everywhere these days).
It’s not just cars though. Parks, streets, its everywhere!
I know Americans are lazier than ever, I know we’re less educated than ever and more disrespectful than ever. So all I think it takes is a quick reminder…a loud, public, always polite reminder that will attract attention from anyone within ear shot and embarrass the crap out of the litter bug.
(In an overly clear loud voice professional voice talent….but you can do it too>) “Hello, HELLO SIR!!!! I’m sure you dropped that wrapper on the sidewalk by accident so I just wanted to remind you to please, right now, pick up that wrapper and throw it in the garbage can you’re standing next to, great, thanks!”
Start politely humiliating the offenders, wherever possible. If we’re silent, litterbugs think we don’t mind. We mind and we need to let them know it.
I think one of the best ways to tackle a huge problem like protecting the earth’s environment is to start small. To a person, litter is a small thing, something that if we each just THINK about it, about what we are doing, how and where we are disposing our trash, we can make a huge impact.
I hope you’ll help by not littering and publicly (and politely) calling out anyone who does.
As great a fan as I am of American history and especially the history of the office of the President of the United States, I am woefully ignorant regarding so many great facts, acts and speeches offered by these gentlemen. I need to work to get better at that.
So I am both embarrassed and enthralled to say I have come across for the first time an amazing speech from President Theodore Roosevelt from 1910. It was given at the Sorbonne in Paris and was titled “The Man in the Arena” speech. It was later republished as part of Roosevelt’s book “Citizenship in a Republic”.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
This speech goes on to plainly outline what a citizen should expect of it government and vice versa. It even outlines the value to be placed on oratory in our republic (which might catch the attention of a few of my voice over friends).
My friends, I’m no Oprah and I have no book club, but this speech is recommended reading.
Tags: commentary, voiceover, voiceover advice by peter k. o'connell, your friendly, neighborhood voice-over talent Comments Off on “strive to do the deeds”
I’ve already set up about three interviews (fourth pending) for voxmarketising – the audio’connell podcast, set to debut probably in a week or so. I’ll likely only do one interview per show and I am really excited about the interviewees who’ve said yes…more to come on that.
I’ve also got the initial format set (it can always change, this is podcasting after all) and the segments for the first show all set. My first interview is tonight (I told you we’re getting closer to p-day!)
What I need are some (future) listener comments. If you call in with your thoughts for topics I could cover on the show involving voice over (acting), marketing and/or advertising, I can promise you three (3) FREE promotional benefits for your business:
When you call the comment line at +01 716-989-6151 and leave your comment you should first:
1. Say your name…thus promoting your personal brand
2. Say your business name…what you do for a living
3. Mention your web site, blog or podcast (including the web addresses)
Then, leave your comment or idea.
Just remember you must sound brilliant when you call…no pressure (just kidding).
Just like they say on TV….call today! +01 716-989-6151
