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'Oh No! Not another video!'Got any exciting emails today? Yeah? Not another video was it?I have this theory that sooner or later anybody building an on-line web business will, sooner or later, register to receive an email newsletter. They expect that newsletter to provide some support in their efforts. In all honesty, I think that's great! I think the idea's great. I think the helpful emails are great! I think the knowledgeable people behind many of those emails are great. Heck! Some of them have even become personal friends - and I think that's great too! What I don't think is great, is the assumption that you don't have to write anything substantial in an email any more. Before the internet, you know, those old-time days when sitting in front of the screen meant watching TV all night. Well back in those days, when I wanted to learn, I either joined a night-school class, or far more likely; got a good book! I like to get relevant information. I'm pretty certain that I'm not alone. Others like to get relevant information. There are people like me out there in cyberspace. We share common interests and we like to stay up to date on the latest ideas in our sphere. Nothing too unusual in that I suspect. I like to think of the internet as a class in a global school. We turn up for lesson and someone with greater knowledge than us imparts their wisdom and opinion. It's one way we learn! For me, the modern equivalent of the night-school class and the book are on-line courses, e books and emails. They're great. They're great methods of learning. But just lately, Oh Boy! I'm opening email after email and end up screaming, 'Oh No! Not another video!' The latest one was from a well known internet marketer. He's successful, I know because I've spoken with him, and I've seen his on-line businesses and we've discussed how he applies some of those ideas in his off-line businesses too. But talk of 'Oh No! Not another video!' Sheesh! His latest email said this: "How to sky-rocket your traffic with two simple techniques". Click here! And apart from the unsubscribe info... that was it! Click on the link and you get to a page with the video. All 97 minutes of it. Yeah! You read that right.. 97 Minutes!Oh No! Not another video! He may be a friend. He may be successful. But, this new obsession of his with videos at the moment just follows the crowd! Doesn't it? He's pleased with his new found skills. He's pleased with a new way of communicating with people. He's pleased with the income producing potential. But.. everybody is doing it. Fine up to a point, but there's a whole army of internet users who went on-line to find written information. They see a video and give the same reaction as me: 'Oh No! Not another video!' What I'd point out here is that his success came before his sojourn into on-line videos. What he hasn't learned is something called blended learning, a buzzword in education circles at the moment. But, it's a buzzword with a long pedigree. A tradition if you like: Different people learn in different ways. But, it's a principle that applies to any communication. Not just in a learning situation. If my friend can't show his two simple ideas in a format that I take in, well I turn off. If my friend can't show his two simple ideas in less time than a feature length film, well I turn off. If my friend claims to show his two simple ideas, but in reality is pitching his way through a feature length sales video, well, I turn off! Why do I turn off?
(But in short, not another video. Please?) Not only that, but that person will probably make money from it too! Me? I still like my friend, but I'm happy to click away from my friends page - and wait. Rant over!
+++Stop Press+++Another Video? You Betcha! Shortly after writing the Not Another Video article on this page, I came across a strong argument in favour of using video. As the bishop said to the actress "It's short! But worth a look!" ;-)
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