Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Video on de website = video on demand

The New York Times reports that Thomson Reuters will announce today a "video-on-demand" service for its financial services clients.

"Thomson Reuters wants its clients, like research firms, banks and investment firms, to supply video of their own people discussing financial news," reporter Richard Pérez-Peña writes.

Frankly, I think that businesses and professionals in general – particularly those in "people" businesses (i.e., accountants, lawyers, speechwriters) – should present their personalities on their websites in something more than brochure-like paragraphs.

At least provide an MP3 soundbite when a visitor clicks on your picture – or, as Thomson Reuters urges, do it with video.

In the latter instance, unless they’re experienced TV anchors like Brian Williams, most people would do well to speak in their own words rather than read from a teleprompter. As I noted in an earlier post, the Access Video production company has developed a technique that helps anyone deliver a message directly to the viewer in his or her own words.

A website is like a booth at a business fair where potential customers may visit 24/7. Make sure they find you on the other side of the "table."

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