Monthly Archives: February 2010

XXII – Time and speed is key: in communication and in technology

Posted on 25.02.2010 | Leave a comment

Who wouldn’t want to benefit from using new technologies and impressing your shareholders, clients, business partners and employees with a hands-on Internet presentation? Produced in no time and cost efficiently? From a communicator’s perspective, this sounds like a gift sent from heaven.

Let me give you some technical background: Webcasts are often used for synchronizing presentations (such as Powerpoint, websites, film, 3-D objects) with multiple audio sources while encoding them into one coherent stream. They provide an all-in-one solution for broadcasting your video and slides to a broad audience via the Internet.

Let it PLAY

In addition, you have the possibility to use the web-based production software «PLAY» which is an all-in-one production software, especially developed by Solutionpark for producing webcasts, that stores any kind of graphical screen design from your PC or Mac. As the «PLAY» software is installed on a web application server, you only need a web browser and internet access to run it. For recording and broadcasting audio-visual content, a Real Helix, Quicktime Streaming, Windows Media or Flash server is needed. «PLAY» enables video and audio to be joined into a recordable presentation. (All content is generated live).

Therefore presentations can either be broadcasted ‘live’ or ‘on demand’ over the Internet and then viewed with any standard web browser such as Windows Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari or Google Chrome – for which you might need a plugin.

Streaming technologies come to life

A LiveBox is an efficient piece of hardware that combines high quality TV satellite technology with the transmission and distribution of video and slides via Internet, while using the most modern video streaming technologies. By the way, a LiveBox offers an array of advantages compared to traditional streaming transmission possibilities such as ISDN networks, video conferencing technology or complex and costly installation of video streaming infrastructure on site.

The benefit of such technologies used for producing webcasts lies in the fact that you don’t have to buy any extra soft- or hardware or any other additional technical equipment yourself. No license fees, no distribution costs, no maintenance contracts. Sounds good?!

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XXI – Investing in the company image

Posted on 18.02.2010 | 1 Comment

What about a corporate video? In communications many of us may dream of producing a corporate video, a grand project with much prestige and pomp. Though too often it’s the budget that is too tight, or so we believe and other priorities that are consuming our time. Besides, it’s ‘”only” an image tool, I’ve heard people say.

No compromises on a lighter version of “the corporate film”

Thanks to modern technology, oh how I love those words, communication specialists have other options and easier ways of producing a company video. That’s exactly what it is, a video, prepared for the Internet, in high resolution, high quality, and with the look and feel of a corporate film. It’s true value added for your organization and when placed strategically on your Internet entry page, it is automatically broadcast to a large audience, draws attention to your website and grabs hold of your viewers. And all this at an affordable price.

If you are thinking of implementing a web TV project or creating a web TV magazine consider the following budgetary items when asking an external provider such as Solutionpark for a cost proposal:

  • Project management – any professional external provider will take the lead for the external side and set up a time plan, milestones and deliverables.
  • Handling – this cost item includes administrative work, bookings, organization, location scouting etc. I can only say: leave it to the pros, they know what they are doing.
  • Resources and equipment: cameraman and camera, sound/audio technician, lighting – this obviously includes the specialists such as cameraman, videographer, web TV producer, sound technician as well as the respective equipment. Do you have a corporate sound, tune, melody? Every part is important in order to make your corporate video a memorable experience to watch and listen. Assuming a “standard/stationary” situation, the sound/audio technician also does the lighting and the cameraman is concentrated on the subject(s) and content of the video.
  • Postproduction – following the recording, the material is cut to the requested time span and any voice over, soundtrack and/or subtitles are added. The better the raw material, the easier it is to get good imagery and a nice flow of the video afterwards.

A corporate video should be harmonious and inviting. Don’t overload it. Less is often more. Keep it simple and slick. Don’t confuse your audience with too many different messages. Web producers, e.g. from Solutionpark can develop a storyboard, write a script, research locations and recommend the most suitable procedure for shooting a company video. Don’t be surprised if the outcome is overwhelmingly positive.

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Posted in corporate communication, event communication, marketing communication, shareholder communication

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XX – Webcast provider doesn’t equal webcast provider: Interpreting a proposal

Posted on 12.02.2010 | Leave a comment

As a communication professional we are often confronted with trying to interpret a proposal that has landed on our desks from one of our external providers. Ok we asked for one, but now it’s our job to check and see if what is being offered is what we really need and wanted in the first place. Does the price tag meet our expectations or is it way over budget?

We tend to be a bit skeptical, but if you want high quality, reliability and efficiency, it’s definitely worth paying an appropriate price.

Looking at a typical proposal

Assuming you are doing a “standard” webcast for video and slides on demand, for the Internet, this is what a proposal (from Solutionpark) looks like:

  • Briefing, planning and coordination – every external provider needs time to be briefed and set up a plan for the implementation of a webcast.
  • Set-up, installation, technical check at the event location – depending on where you are holding the event, interview, roundtable, training session, and depending on the number of participants, guests, people, speakers attending, the technical set-up and respective checks will take the appropriate time. Rather be sure everything is working properly in advance in order to avoid any mishaps, if possible. You will feel calmer and so will your external provider.
  • Cameraman and streaming engineer – these are the specialists behind the camera, in charge of directing, at the mixing desk and the computer making sure that the video and slides match. In addition this item includes encoding the video and sending the link for the Internet.
  • Software and hardware: usage of PLAY software, license and PLAY server utilization, LiveBox, streaming equipment, multiple encoder, backup, converter, slide control, cameras, tripods, hosting, delivery and distribution via Akamai network (content delivery network) – these are the basis for a high-quality webcast and I wouldn’t want to go with anything less.
  • Back-up of the video – for your records you might want to have a DVD.
  • Transport of equipment and expenses – your event might take place nearby, but the equipment needs to be lugged to the location no matter what.
  • Phone service helpline – in case you need a special helpline during the event itself, this is a useful option to consider.

All I can say is, good luck and hope you are successful and happy with your next webcast.

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XIX – CEO calling

Posted on 04.02.2010 | Leave a comment

Which communication professional doesn’t dread that early morning phone call on the way to work from the company CEO saying “we need to prepare some communication on a major announcement to be made today.” Ufffhhhhh. Run to the office and scramble to get the facts together. Try to keep the big picture in mind, the consequences, the impact and and and. Set priorities, make a plan, allocate resources, quick, think about what external partners need to get involved and need to be informed ASAP. Be aware of any legal issues, the stock exchange has its rulings too, forgotten. Crisis communication is always a hot topic and until you have done it, you don’t really know what it feels like. Keep your act together.

Being prepared for the worst

I can not tell you how glad I was to be able to pull my webcast binder from the shelf, look up Solutionpark’s phone number and flip to the scenario that said ‘webcast video and slides on demand.’ Months before I had listed all contacts and processes, described the steps of the ‘To Does’ and drafted template E-mails for just such occasions. The mailing groups had been saved in my Inbox and the only thing that needed to be added was the time and date.

From my own experience, I didn’t mind the excitement, the time constraints and the communication tasks, although every company crisis is emotionally challenging. My job was mostly on the internal communication side and we took great care in informing our employees as soon and as transparent as possible. It’s worse to say nothing than to say “I can’t give you more information at this point in time.”

Absorbing the news

That afternoon our CEO would stand up in front of all (local) staff and explain the situation in the best possible and most understandable way. Following a Q&A session, the employees piled out of the auditorium and went back to their desks, attempting to digest the news they had just heard.

Of course we webcast the information session, no question, as I felt it was too important not to share with staff in the local offices around the world. They have a right to know and learn about what’s going on now, just as much as those in the ‘ivory tower.’ And as always, we published the link an hour after the event on the intranet. No matter the event, this had simply become a routine.

Despite a crisis situation within your organization, communication thereof can be manageable, and the more experience you have using effective communication tools, the better.

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