Is it possible you shouldn’t set any new years resolutions?
No more new years resolutions until…
In her own unique way, Ellen provides a suggestion to help you stick with your new years resolutions. Essentially, you’re not allowed to make any new years resolutions until you’ve actually completed the ones you made last year.
Now, I don’t know about you, but this means I can’t make any new years resolutions for 2016, because I’m still stuck on a few from 2015 and probably 2014 and even 2013. But that’s enough about me.
Some tips from Ellen on New Years Resolutions
Video Blogging or “v-blogging”
Firstly, I’ll try some lame excuse like “where does the time go?”. The answer is of course it’s gone to the same place it has since time began. So, let’s move on from that excuse and the myriad of others.
What will I do differently this year?
I think the key thing I need to do is schedule some time. I’m in the habit, a habit I learnt from Steven Covey, to block out time in my diary or calendar for the “big things” that I need to get done.
This is often things like “Prep Time”. I spend a lot of my time with customers coaching them on Oracle Marketing Cloud Eloqua. These sessions are often bespoke and tailored to their specific campaigns.
It means reviewing their current campaigns, reviewing their Insight reporting and being in a position to provide specific suggestions on how to enhance their campaigns.
By not scheduling time like “prep time”, I can go into a meeting unprepared.
The same can be said for blogging and especially v-blogging.
The right approach
Well, to be honest, I don’t see a lot of v-blogging in my industry, at least from the market leaders.
In her April 2015 blog, Katie Hollar of Capterra listed “Top 15 Marketing Automation Blogs to Inspire Your Marketing Campaigns“. Sadly I wasn’t on that list – lol.
There’s not a v-blog amongst them. Perhaps the odd post, that is a “v-post”, but not a full-on only v-blog.
Am I setting my expectations too high?
I think this is actually a very valid question. I don’t have aspirations at this stage to turn my blog into a V-Blog, however I think a mix of post formats is a good idea.
It’s easy to get excited as a platform marketer and want to dive in head first with the technology. However, the people that take the time to read your posts will probably need some time to change behaviour.
For me, this comes down to something as basic as remembering to have my headphones with me on my commute to work. I’m in a routine of reading blogs and news on the way to work, watching and listening to v-blogs would mean a change of behaviour on my behalf.
How long is too long?
mmm, my blog posts are generally no more than a 10-15 read. I would imagine that a similar length for v-blogs would be a good starting point. Something short, sharp and to the point and of interest to a modern marketer.
I listen to a few podcasts, one of my favourites is “This American Life“** from WBCZ Chicago. They take a theme and then split a one hour podcast into three or four sub-topics based on the main theme.
I listen to the entire hour, however you could listen to the sub-topics as stand alone podcasts. That’s around 20 minutes for each sub-topic. I think that should be the absolute maximum.
About This American Life
** NOTE: The following is an excerpt from the ABOUT US page of their website:
“The program is produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media and airs on more than 500 public radio stations across the country. PRX The Public Radio Exchange delivers the show to stations. They say 2.1 million people listen to us on the radio each week, which sometimes is hard to imagine. It’s probably airing this weekend on a station near you. Most weeks This American Life is also the most popular podcast in the country, with around one million weekly downloads.”
