One of my favorite ongoing viral video campaigns is Blend Tech’s video series, Will It Blend?

In true guerrilla marketing fashion, they regularly release a new video featuring the company’s president using their product in highly unconventional ways.

(Feed readers be sure to click through for the video)

I enjoyed this video, and take comfort in knowing that not only does my wife not buy such things for me, she also doesn’t expect them in return. I guess that might be considered bad news for Blend Tech… although they do say “don’t try this at home.”

If you haven’t seen the series, be sure to check out their YouTube channel page. They blend everything from broom handles to footballs… light bulbs to iPods… iPhones to crow bars… and everything in between.

These are fun, but it leads me to my question: In what ways could you use your product or service in a unique way that would generate attention and get people talking? Any ideas? Post ‘em! If not, ask… maybe we can all help you come up with an idea!

It’s inevitable. Every holiday, Christmas is no exception, marketing agencies and big corporations shell out the big bucks and long hours to make a splash in people’s busy holiday lives.

I keep stumbling across various holiday greeting card sites (or colossal wastes of time, whatever you want to call them) and thought I would share a few. They may not be the most tasteful, and certainly not in the spirit of what I consider Christmas to be, but their technical merit alone warrants a look.

First, and most impressive (though disturbing on many levels) is R/GA’s Tattoo Santa. I have no idea how they figured out how to map text and images to moving video, but it’s impressive.

If you’re feeling scroogey, you can plaster your face on a dancing Scrooge at OfficeMax’s Scroogeyourself.com. They also have (I think it was last year’s campaign) Elfyourself.com, where you plaster your face on a dancing elf, and can even call in to leave an audio message that will get included in your message. Interesting… all I can say.

AdMission put together a matching game.

Thought has an evil looking santa with a chainsaw game (Red Christmas). Not one for the kids for sure!

Hmmm. You know… All of this is not leaving me feeling very festive on this last day of work before vacation. Maybe I should call it quits here.

Anyone have any others worth sharing? Post ‘em below. And do have a Merry Christmas!

Genius. Pure genius!

(Thanks to Nathan T. Wright for the heads-up!)

Consultants have a hard job. They have to do the obvious which is consult with clients about the particular field they specialize in. Hardest and not so apparent, however, is trying to convince people that their services are not only needed, but that they are the expert who is perfect for the job! Not an easy task sometimes.

Word-of-mouth has typically been the most common form of marketing for consultants… but I came across a site I thought was really inspirational as to the power of video to help people see what they otherwise cannot. Personally, I think it’s even better than word-of-mouth! Read on … I’d like to know if you agree!

I learned of a great site today while listening to the podcast, Startup Nation. On this particular episode, the guest was Rob Chen of Visa. He was talking about marketing in the digital age, and as part of the discussion they mentioned Visa’s contest — Business Breakthrough — to help business owners overcome the many obstacles they face. I had to know more, so off to the web I went.

The main part of the Business Breakthrough web site is a collection of videos showing the problems different businesses face, and the solutions offered by the consultants Visa sends in to help. These videos each give a very nice synopsis of the particular business: showing the team in action, interviewing the management teams who talk about the troubles they’re having, and showcase each consultant identifying problem areas and providing solutions that will help each business find success.

I think videos like this, that show the consultant in action (identifying the problem and providing a prescription for an effective solution) — not only help convince people that they truly are consultants who know what they claim to know… but more importantly, they show real businesses with real problems — and that resonates with other business owners who may not be so willing to open up the old checkbook just because someone claiming to be able to help says they can help.

Because video can show the problem and the solution of a real-world example, I feel it’s even better than the “so-and-so does consulting in that area, they might be able to help you with that problem” word-of-mouth-type of marketing.

Do you agree? I’d like to know.

See also my recent post on Video Testimonials — which I believe can augment the examples I mentioned here.

1. Introductions

2. Presentations

3. Invitations

4. Testimonials: Customer testimonials are not only a powerful way to build trust with potential customers, but they’re a great way to reach out to your existing customers and show them that you are serious about earning one from them — it also gives you an opportunity to discuss any reasons why they might not be willing to provide you with one!

John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing believes that “…when a prospect reads a credible comment from another person, endorsing the promise of your marketing message, it does have an impact.”

Written testimonials are very effective, it’s true. However, by using Video testimonials, you allow potential customers to see and hear — and trust — what your existing customers have to say about you and your business.

I posted before about how video can be a great way to introduce yourself… but there is no denying the fact that an introduction by a third party is much more effective. Imagine, video testimonials allow your best customers to make introductions for you! And best of all, they can easily be shared with others at the click of a mouse — spreading them to people you may never have reached otherwise.

In a recent newspaper article, sales guru Jeffrey Gitomer said it simply, “In VIDEO format, customer testimonials are the single most powerful sales tool on the planet. They provide the proof that you can only brag about… Without video testimonials you are alone in the selling process. With them, you will have one thing the competition won’t have — the order.” (emphasis mine)

What story do your customers have to tell about you?

Additional reading:
Drew McLellan on making your clients the hero
Alfred Rocks! - by Andrew B. Clark

Next time: announcements