[Nick Griffin]

I’m with Stacy on using Wondershare. Once a year we edit a video competition and nearly everything comes in on DVD (SD DVD no less). We’d be lost without Wondershare for that project.

[Nick Griffin]

[Ned Miller] “How many of you young folk here don’t know what “down to seeds and stems” mean?”

Guess that makes me not so young.

[Nick Griffin]

Condolences, Bob. It will come back. But not sorry to say we’ve seldom been as busy as we are right now. It has a lot to do with an Energizer Bunny of a new client coming on board while the normal pre-fall, trade show crunch is in full swing.

[Nick Griffin]

Actually I have that DVD and remember it as having good organizational ideas for most NLEs. I’ll have to re-watch it.

[Nick Griffin]

Thanx, Shane!!! Have you ever considered writing a book about Avid features which are not adequately explained? I’d buy it in a heartbeat.

[Nick Griffin]

Thank you, Shane.

But if I…
[Shane Ross] “Rename the numbered folders in either project…make it “10,” “11” and so on. Any number really. Just make them easy to spot as belonging to another project. When I do this, I tend to change the TENS number, as an easy separator”

…will I have access to my existing projects or will I have to keep switching back and forth which, I believe will force Avid to do a time consuming rebuild of its directory each time.

If I just name the consolidated MXF files folder a number, say 7, will I have access to it as well as the current projects?

[Nick Griffin]

A little snarky, Mark.

But yes, even in the 21st Century many, many companies are successfully using direct mail. The best approach is to first test a number of different offers, copy, layout, etc. and from that determine which produces the highest return. Then use what’s worked best to go out to a much larger audience.

That said, traditionally a response of one per cent is considered good. Two percent and higher is considered fantastic.

Response to email blasts has been declining for several years and, on average, I believe to now be a fraction of a fraction of a percent.

[Nick Griffin]

[Todd Terry] “So yep, if they will give you both spots in the same show”… Actually, even in the same break would be ok if they will let you “bookend” them (the first and last spot of the break).

Aaron, keep your fingers crossed on all of this media buying advice. The buyer of two spots doesn’t have much power… at all. This makes Todd’s earlier suggestion of an agency or a media buying firm all the more worthwhile.

[Nick Griffin]

Oh. On re-watching I see what you’re talking about with the “deal” being on the bottom of the screen. Not really able to notice it because there is so much copy. So yes, you need to make the code more obvious as in extending the time it’s on screen after it’s spelled out by the talent.

It would also be a better idea, although perhaps too late, to reduce the offer from 3 options down to just one for the spot, as in “go online and see how you can see the entire documentary.” That way your three options are presented at the speed the reader takes to review it rather than speeding past in a :30 spot. (One again IMHO.)

[Nick Griffin]

Aaron-

Here’s one simple suggestion for improving the odds that your spot will get results. The promo code is up so briefly that by the time the viewer understands that it will get them something it’s gone. Keep it up for at least half the spot. Yes, on the surface it seems like a low-rent / buy-it now / late night kind of thing, but those spots do that because it boosts sales.

I haven’t bought media in the past several years, BUT… frankly one spot per airing isn’t likely to get you enough of an impression on the viewers to generate the kind of sales you’re hoping for. IMHO. At least double down so that the viewer seeing the spot the second time is more likely to get the pitch. Again IMHO. Can you put both spots into just the first run or are they making it a requirement that you be in both?