Luckily I got some sales training early in my career, and have managed to parlay some of those skills into video production techniques. One of the things I’ve found most useful in communicating via video is objection handling –  aka the ability to address Common Annoying Misperceptions about your brand, your line of work, etc. I wonder how many times the nutritionist in my BNI Group has to say “No, I’m not going to force you to be a vegan,” or how often my hypnotherapist friend has to demur “demonstrating” her skills at a cocktail party.

One fine lady I know with similar issues is Miranda Tang, founder of Omni Health and Acupuncture in San Francisco. As Miranda points out (no pun), acupuncture is still a relatively new modality in the West, although it’s been practiced in Asia for over 3,000 years. As with any wellness protocol (although surprisingly not as much with the pharmaceutical industry, but that’s another blog post), acupuncture is met with a healthy degree of skepticism and sometimes fear. Is it painful? Does it really work? It it even safe? These common objections are magnified considering that Miranda deals with family members of all ages – her youngest patient is 4 months old, and her oldest is turning 102 tomorrow!

Sales training 101 says that the key to objections is education. Show the goods, and use facts to prove that your point of view is good, and ultimately, correct. In the case of health related industries, the best “education” is testimonials, since obviously a skeptic won’t be willing to be treated until someone else has gone through the procedure and verified it works.

Behold: Miranda Tang and Omni Health and Acupuncture, in video form, with testimonials from a mom and an 83-year-old patient whose experience with Miranda has been nothing short of miraculous.

Even after shooting the video, I was in awe of Miranda calmly using needles on her months-old patient. It’s obvious from the footage that he is in no pain -in fact, he seems to be having a great time. Ditto Anita, calm as a cucumber on her treatment bed and delivering a glowing testimonial that most doctors would give their left arms to have. Even though I knew the patients Miranda recruited to do testimonials would be favorable of her, I had no idea what kind of results they would claim.

What kind of objections and misperceptions do you get in your business, and how could a video help you address them?

#techsexy at #startupism

Full disclosure: The #Techsexy vibe was wearing off a bit by the second day of Startupism – maybe that’s just the nature of the conference-going beast, or maybe the panel discussions weren’t as applicable to my business as the ones on the first day (it didn’t help that by the afternoon, more people – mostly students- were hanging  outside the speaker hall than inside, and you could hear them and the DJ-fueled acid jazz rather embarrassingly over the dry discussions).

On the upside, Day 2′s keynote speaker Steve Jurvetson didn’t disappoint. Speaking a mile an hour and with more highfalutin’ terms per sentence than I use in a month, Steve unveiled the Future with a capital F. His bets on space travel, biotechnology, and the evolution of the automobile were  inspiring and all around mind blowing. Among the intellectual breadcrumbs he dropped:

Visionary keynote speaker Steve Jurvetson

- We are definitely not the only intelligent life forms in the universe. The only question is when we will encounter one that has conquered space-faring better than us. At which time we might make great pets for this assumedly superior race.

- Every automobile is going to be electric within the next couple of generations. Period. China already has a fleet of over 150 million electric vehicles in the form of mopeds. Total cost of ownership of these mopeds is less than the cost of traveling by bus.

- Within the next couple of years it will be possible to have your entire genome mapped for between $100-$1,000. Anyone ever see GATTACA? Yeah, like that.

- The challenge of all this technology and disruption is how to balance innovation with the vast majority of humans who are happy in the status quo. How do we engage those who don’t think innovation is good – in fact, who think it is evil? Are we heading toward a new Intellectual Elitism where those who “get it” (i.e. engage with technology, embrace disruption, encourage change) start to alienate and threaten those who don’t (and who, as a result of not embracing change, don’t see the economic benefit that the other half does)?

Lots of heady questions for sure. I’m sure many attendees will be mulling these over with a friend and a big bag of Cheetos on April 20.

Now, on to more practical matters… Thecommich also had some great interactions and sneak peeks into awesome apps:

Ketan Anjaria showed off  CardFlick, which allows you to design and share your own mobile business cards. Super bonus: sent over email, the business cards have built in analytics that let you track which people click onto your website from your card. The perfect app for serious networkers or uber-competitive sales reps.

Paul Hoeper tempted me to leave my bookkeeper with Invoice ASAP, a total billing and invoicing package that syncs seamlessly with Quickbooks for only $10/month and is fully controllable via mobile. My small business self was rejoicing. BNI members, did you hear me??

Paul Hoeper and InvoiceASAP

Annie Phan of Gimmieworld rewards people for playing games. The virtual points can be used to buy sweet retail goods like travel pillows, women’s accessories and more. One of their most popular games, Peterpog, is inspired by the cartoon art of Hayao Miyazaki. Triple tight.

Peterpog, inspired by Miyazaki's "Porco Rosso"

All in all it was a great 2 days of learning. My only wish is that the Startup Death Match (modeled after the Shark Tank TV series and more seriously, the Kieretsu forum) was better thought out. Some participants were obviously, painfully out of their league and didn’t seem to take the proceedings seriously (“I don’t really like Powerpoint presentations, so I’m just going to login to my Facebook and explain my app from there…. oops, I just realized I changed my password, hehe, sorry…. OK, here’s my product. It’s just like Pandora.” REALLY???).

Great job by Hult International Business School for putting this together. I’m looking forward to the next one.

smartphone pics uploaded onto Pixt.

Today, uberconnector and co-founder of @coverpage Roman Kettner brought thecommich along to a mind-opening conference called Startupism. In a city filled with networking events, meetups, conferences and workshops for every app developer and wannabe entrepreneur out there, this one was quite a pleasant surprise. There were several foci (yeah I said it, FOCI) for Day 1 – mobile app monetization, the accelerator/incubator phenomenon, and trends in the tech space – but the main idea was innovation. In essence – how is the system of people and companies that orbits the sun called Entrepreneurship moving the rest of us forward? What ideas are changing the way customers experience or expect things to work? What are the next emerging markets (and if you thought you were hip knowing what a DINK is, do you know about Yuffies? What about Skippies, Mobys, and Woofs?)

Roman Kettner and Media Coordinator Tania Arreyales

Keynote speaker Phil McKinney delivered a powerful presentation on the importance of asking questions. Not just any questions – the “Killer Questions.” The questions that he has asked have rescued HP from being #4 in PC sales and a billion dollars in the hole 7 years ago, to being #1 in all categories and 2.5 billion in profit today. How do you like THEM Apples? (Pun intended)

By far the most important thing I learned today thanks to Mr. McKinney was to question assumptions. This is difficult for me, not only because I literally grew up studying at Assumption College, but because most marketing, and by extension marketing-based video production, is usually seen as a series of assumptions – about what people like or dislike, about how an audience will react, or (to put it in a cynical business perspective) whether or not your client will approve your ideas and pay you for them.

Surprise surprise, this is apparently not the way to innovate. Assumptions are only good for the innovator as a baseline tool in order to break the assumption apart. For example – it was once assumed that laptop computers were a commodity; that every laptop owner had pretty much the same hardware and software so that it was pretty much useless to try and differentiate them. HP took that assumption, asked the killer question “What if the Opposite Were True?” and  came up with Beats by Dre – a  ”built for music” notebook computer bundled with cool headphones that delivered professional quality sound – developed in conjunction with our favorite hip hop Doctor.

Beats by Dre: Laptop assumption buster

The incredible popularity of Beats by Dre also kills the assumption that a hip hop producer would have nothing to contribute to a geek-driven software and hardware platform. And the assumption that ordinary laptop users don’t care about sound quality. And the assumption that a kid who loves music wouldn’t be willing to spend upwards of $300 for a killer set of headphones. And the list goes on and on and…you get the picture.

So what assumptions need to be cracked open in the video sphere? What about the one that says a company video has to have a talking head (preferably the CEO) answering questions? What about the assumption that “young, hip startups” need young hipsters starring in their videos, and Old Established companies need families and kids in theirs?  Maybe I’m shooting myself in the foot here but it’s definitely worth exploring.

What assumptions do YOU, dear reader, face in your life or career? Which ones do you think you might apply the Killer Question to: What If The Opposite Were True? Comments below. I’d love to hear ‘em.

Oh and another thing: Day 2 is tomorrow… so stay tuned for even more fun stuff from your Startupism Insider!

Rolling Stone Illustrator Jacob Thomas  recently donated a wonderful piece called “The Learning Tree” to Schoolbags for Kids, which is rolling out a limited edition run for the occasion.

Check out this awesome video where Jacob talks through his creative process and why he thinks giving back is important.

Ampliphi Media is proud to support Schoolbags for Kid’s giving mission in the Philippines! We’ll be capturing the journey of the bags from the US to their eventual beneficiaries in Cagayan De Oro,  where Typhoon Sendong (international name Washi) killed hundreds and displaced thousands of Filipinos.

We’ll be posting more updates on our trip in the coming months. In the meantime, ZOMG check out this internship opportunity!!!

We’re looking for a few good college men and women to join our team for our social media marketing strategy in Manila! If you’re in college and want a unique opportunity to learn from marketing experts, network with the highest level non-profits and retailers, interface with US startups, AND help your fellow Filipinos, email me – michelle at ampliphimedia dot com.

OK, so first of all – I get it. Miss Bela Padilla, long may her career and bountiful bosoms bloom, is not in charge of the cover caption, nor did she request for black models to come and sit around her, setting off her pearly (I wonder how much of it is glutathione-induced) white skin. In  an interview with BBC World News, she gives her side of the story: it was a coming of age piece; the shadows were supposed to be representative of her past. Did it occur to anyone to hire a lighting guy and just create the shadows? How about some black gauze? How about shadows of fluffy animals to show that she is now a grownup? WHY in the hell did it have to be dark women? Bela goes on to say - ”really some of those models were Filipinas who were painted black, not to represent Africans, but to be shadows… We weren’t thinking about harming anyone.”

Wait, what? …. “Africans?”

You’re right Bela, you weren’t thinking about harming anyone with a cover that depicts your light skinned, bikini-d self surrounded by Filipina models in blackface. You weren’t thinking. This is the point. Saying “sorry to anyone who was offended” while simultaneously admitting that you don’t understand why they were offended (“honestly when I see a black person, I don’t associate them with any race, because we have black Filipinos here in the Philippines”)  is not a sorry at all. It’s just a testament to your ignorance. So instead of celebrating your coming out as an artist, you are now coming out as a moron who doesn’t seem to understand why the subject of color is a big deal in this big world.

And oh, FHM. You said you wanted an “edgy cover.” Welcome to the backlash that comes with that adjective. I know there aren’t many black people in the Philippines.  But there are dark skinned people, as our charming cover girl has already stated. And you know that Filipinos have always valued light skin over dark. We blame this on our Spanish colonial heritage. We reinforce this with countless whitening skin commercials and light skinned supermodels and yes, magazine covers like this. So when you say “edgy,” did you mean “willing to offend?” And if you were willing to offend, why did you scrap the cover so quickly and contritely? Either be edgy and have some balls or stick to photographing half naked starlets in suggestive positions. Whatever it is, FIGURE IT OUT. And know that in this digital age, with the rest of the (very vocal) world just a mouse click away, you stand or fall by your editorial choices. So quit making them with your collective head stuck in your behind.

I’m happy that so many women reacted so quickly to this cover. It bodes well for Filipinas worldwide being in touch and in charge of their voices. Maybe at some point we’ll all realize that “sexy” and “adult” have nothing to do with the color of your skin or what kind of magazine you come out in. Maybe at some point, there won’t be an FHM magazine telling men that little girls are grown now, and ready to show you their ta-tas. I’d love to see that day, really.

Corte Riva and Cortez '78 - the first Filipino made wine in Napa Valley

Nothing is more satisfying to thecommich than creating great memories that also happen to help grow businesses. This was definitely the case (pun intended) for the launch of Corte Riva Winery’s newest label, Cortez ’78, which was held at the Cortez Residence in sunny Penngrove California last week.

Under the wine country sun, 30 specially selected guests ate a simple yet elegant “Wine Country Pinoy” meal created by Thomas Keller alum Cocoy Ventura.

Each course was paired with one of the three wines under the Cortez ’78 label – their “Ladykiller” Merlot Rosato,  Petit Sirah, and their “Firepit” blend.

Hosting the launch of Cortez '78 - Michi, Cocoy and Nieves

Nieves Cortez, co-founder and queen bee of Corte Riva Winery, gave a heartfelt and stirring speech to start off the afternoon. “From our humble beginnings making wine in our garage, to hosting such wonderful and important people, we are so grateful for how far we have come,” she said. Marketing Manager Rich Rivera followed it up with the story of the Corte Riva logo – an old Chinese vase from the Philippines that their parents used to empty all their loose change into every night. “One day, this will be your treasure,” they said. And so it was.

3 delicious courses later (and a very special pour of the world-famous Corte Riva 2005 Merlot), everyone packed their cars with as much Cortez ’78 as they could carry. A lucky few won Cortez ’78 bottles signed by winemaker Lawrence Cortez himself.

Asparagus salad with mango, heirloom tomatoes and microgreens

Thecommich once again thanks Cocoy Ventura for creating a meal to remember. Thanks as well to food videographer Kenrick Mercado, for sharing his captured highlights of the afternoon below.

Any of you readers jealous yet? Worry not, my lovelies. There are more special events planned between Ampliphi Media and Corte Riva Vineyards, and as my loyal followers you all get first dibs on tickets to the next one!

In the meantime, check out this video made by Kenrick Mercado of KennyKusina

A cleft lip may not seem to be the most dire of conditions to cure – what with AIDS and other terrible diseases still running rampant – but this condition can literally mean life or death for a person born in the wrong circumstances. Babies with cleft lips/palate are frequently left to die in the Third World,  because the resources used to feed and care for the infants can’t be recouped as the child grows. Children with cleft lips and palates can accidentally inhale their food, leading to more complications; they can’t marry or work a regular job; they are usually taunted or forced to stay home in shame.

Enter the good people at Alliance for Smiles, which raises money each year to give a new – smiling – future to hundreds of kids and adults.

Anita Stangl, the organization’s director, asked thecommich to help create a brief PSA that could air during the holiday season and encourage people to donate. As with most non-profits, budget was scarce – so scheduling a shoot was not a realistic option. However, the story needed to be told visually to get people to appreciate the huge difference a cleft lip and palate surgery can make.

In the end, we opted to use a simple slide show format using the before and after photos that doctors usually took pre- and post-operation. We also concentrated on images of the youngest patients of the program (the man pictured here, Bernie, actually counts as one of the oldest… but his transformation is so wonderful I had to share it. You can read more about his story here.

After writing and recording the script (using the trusty – and free – voice memo app on my iPhone), we had a soundtrack to edit with. We also dubbed the voice over in Cantonese and Mandarin as the majority of cleft lip and palate sufferers are Asian. The result is simple, yet effective:

A smile is a great thank-you for any gift, but being able to give other people a smile is a wonderful way to start the new year.

Thecommich is stoked! A great opportunity has just landed on my lap to not only help the brightest kids from the poorest communities in the Philippines, but also capture on video an amazing story  that spans the globe.

Ampliphi Media has partnered with Schoolbags for Kids in a unique and exciting venture – we’re calling it the 1000 Schoolbags Challenge. For  every school bag sold at full price, Schoolbags for Kids will donate another bag filled with school supplies to a child in need in the Philippines. The bags themselves are created by Luis Garcia, a former packaging designer for Ralph Lauren.

The company has already staged successful events in schools and orphanages in Thailand, India and Belize (and has gotten some stellar press in the Huffington Post, Martha Stewart Living and Parade Magazine to boot). Next stop –  the Philippines in May of 2012! We were brought on board by CEO Kalon Gutierrez  to facilitate marketing, logistical support, and of course video production.

Vicky Garchitorena, one of the Philippines’ shining lights in the non-government sector, gave us a wonderful opportunity to deliver the bags to the kids at the Centers for Excellence in Public Education (CENTEX). The kids chosen for Centex schools are not only educated by the best possible teachers throughout their childhood, their families are supported too – parents get a monthly stipend to offset the income their children might have made working instead of studying.

The partnership(s) were announced on Adobo Nation last December 18. Check it below:

Since then, some fabulous friends have lent their support – Ruby Veridiano from Litworld and Meeting of the Minds will be facilitating social media from Universities in Manila and PR pro extraordinaire Celine Gabriel Lim will be fundraising for school supplies. We expect to announce more sponsorships and support as the project nears completion.

Now the real work begins! 1,000 bags in 5 months is no small feat, but thecommich is certain she will get by with a little help from her followers and friends. Are you ready to help??

Here’s a couple of things you can do to get 1000 school bags to deserving kids in the Philippines:

1) Buy your own bag! 

Want to teach your school age kid/niece/nephew more about other kids in other cultures? When you buy a Schoolbags for Kids bag on their website, you can find the school and country of the kid who received their matching bag and learn more about what a typical school day is like for them. To ensure your bag goes to the Philippines, use the coupon code 1000BAGS

2) Share this on Facebook!

You can “Like” the Schoolbags for Kids page on FB and share links to your mommy/daddy friends to get the ball rolling.  The more people are aware of the challenge, the better.

3) Tell Thecommich if you know someone who knows someone!

We’re building a global network of influencers, doers, movers and shakers to get this project going. If you know someone who is in PR (here or in Manila), someone whose company would benefit from sponsoring a portion of the project – through travel, hotel stays, school supplies, or media exposure, I’d love to connect with them.

Thank you in advance for your support. A project like this comes once in a blue moon, and I’m determined to make it work – not just to amplify the effects of an already compelling story, but to help better the lives of a thousand kids.

Thecommich found a great resource for video production businesses recently: meet Scott Gilbert, founder of Mesa Verde Solutions – a business development company that works specifically in online video. We love this incredible focus at a time where sales training in any industry is an absolute must.

As the primary business development person for Ampliphi Media, I know the long hard work that goes into demonstrating to C-level execs why video is the way to go for online marketing. Sometimes the message sticks, sometimes objections get in the way. Scott is the man to turn to if you’d like those objections bulldozed (very nicely) to the side.

A veteran sales trainer who’s worked with some heavy hitters, Scott is also a great connector with an enviable Rolodex of online video resources. We decided to share the wealth and let you into Scott’s thoughts on video in the online space – and why surrounding yourself with top talent is so important.

THECOMMICH: Tell us about Mesa Verde Solutions. How did the company come about?

SCOTT: After working for PeoplePC, EarthLink, and Clikthrough and other start-ups over the years, I decided to start my own business.  This business leverages my 13 years of work experience. Online video has come of age and is the essential business tool of the future.

THECOMMICH: Why is it important to train salespeople on how to talk about video as a marketing tool?

SCOTT:  [We help] CEOs and CMOs understand how video fits into their overall marketing and communications strategy.  The details involved with deploying online video and advertising solutions are complex.  The more CEO’s and CMO’s understand, the better they can grasp the tremendous advantages video brings.  Sales teams must communicate these two things to make it completely understandable.

THECOMMICH: What are the most common questions you get from clients that are exploring video as a marketing solution?

SCOTT: Invariably the first question is:  “How effective is online video as a marketing tool?”  They want to understand the impact that video has had for other companies around the world.  I would call it a “bang for the buck” question.  When they realize the impact, the next question is how exactly they can deploy video in their particular companies and businesses.  This is where creativity begins since the uses of online video are limitless  – both as an internal company tool as well as a marketing tool.

THECOMMICH: In your website, you mention your expertise in dealing with “premier clients.” What do these clients look like and how are they different from  non-premier clients?

SCOTT: I consider “Premier Clients” to be those who are leaders in the marketing field.  A good list I monitor is ClickZ’s list of top 100 most valuable global brands.  If you are in the online video space, you should be shooting to do business and partner with companies on this list.  During my time at Clikthrough we were able to land quite a few companies that have been on this list, such as Calvin Klein, ELLE Magazine, Gucci and Sony.

The boost in profile that brands like these can net your company are huge for start-ups.   As in golf or tennis, if you surround yourself with the hardest workers, and play with the best players, you become their equal or better.  You remain the same unless you challenge yourself.

THECOMMICH: What are the biggest mistakes video companies make when pitching video services to potential clients?

SCOTT: Potential clients pass on the opportunity or choose other companies, usually from an inability to offer the customer what they want and need. The industry is changing so fast that it requires a dedicated and diligent product manager as a part of the team. This requires a commitment to product management that is forward looking and guiding the team to stay ahead of competitors.

Thecommich loves to share the wealth – especially in the form of great tips and tricks. Below is a video from serial entrepreneur Scott Gerber (am I the only person who thinks he looks like Harry Potter’s older brother?) with some really good, solid, basic tips on making a great impression with your promotional video.

So what are the “little things” Scott stressed? Professional sound, good lighting, a script that makes sense and cuts right to the heart of your offering. These are exactly the elements that are missing from low priced video productions (has anyone ever approached your business with a “free video” offer? Yeahhhh…. No). If you plan on interviewing for a top notch job at a multi million dollar company, would you borrow a second hand suit from your brother who is 100 lbs and 6 inches taller than you? Or would you go and buy yourself a good suit? Similarly – if you are planning to create and grow a brand for the long term, would you invest $0 – $150 for a crappy video, or find a provider who will match the quality of your brand with a quality product?  Just like the stitching and fit of a good suit is what makes it a good investment, the quality of “little” things in a video production will tell your audience, consciously or not, that you are serious about offering a quality business.

I hope you’ll get some great insights from these tips and use them to guide future decisions with marketing – after all, good lighting in your company or product photos are important too, just like good copywriting for your website. Remember that the little things add up.