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Home: Video University Forums: Marketing & Business:
distribution of product....

X-al
Imported Account

Jul 15, 2003, 11:11 AM

Post #1 of 7 (1073 views)
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distribution of product....	Can't Post

Hey all!
I have an idea for a business video project (30 min how-to video), but I'm not quite sure on how to...
a) pitch my product when it's done (and to whom)
b) how many copies do I initially make? should it be on a as needed basis? if not, how many should I initially start off with?
Thanks in advance!

X-Steve_Yankee
Imported Account

Jul 17, 2003, 7:06 AM

Post #2 of 7 (1072 views)
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Re: distribution of product....	Can't Post

: Hey all!
: I have an idea for a business video project (30 min how-to video), but I'm not quite sure on how to...
: a) pitch my product when it's done (and to whom)
: b) how many copies do I initially make? should it be on a as needed basis? if not, how many should I initially start off with?
My advice: Don't put the marketing cart in front of the product horse.
Write up your ideas, maybe tape and edit a portion of your production,
then shop it around to see who's interested. Nothing worse than spending
money and precious time on a pet project to find out later that no one
is interested in buying it! At the very least, you should start your
marketing in earnest 90 days before you have a product ready for sale.
As far as copies -luckily, getting tapes, CD's or DVD's duplicated in
small quantities (unlike printing) is relatively affordable. Don't sink
a bundle into duplication until you see if the product sells.
Good luck!
Steve Yankee

X-Jim_Colman
Imported Account

Jul 17, 2003, 10:22 AM

Post #3 of 7 (1072 views)
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Re: distribution of product.... [In reply to]	Can't Post

Good info by Steve but sometimes if there isn't already a video on the market concerning your product or concept you just have to go for it.
I produced a 90 minute long video for a speciality niche market a few years ago. I researched and found that there wasn't a video out in the market about this product. It also helped that I was keenly interested in the product as well. Before I started the video, I contacted the owner of one of the web sited devoted to the product and asked him if he was interested in selling the video via his web site once it was completed. He encouraged me to produce the video. I finished the video a year later and to date, I've sold over 3000 copies. Not exactly a blockbuster, but again, the video is aimed at a small market. I've made enough money on the sale of the video to pay back all expenses and pocket about $10,000. The video still sells today.
Good luck with your project and I hope you do well if you decide to make your video.
Sincerely
Jim Colman
Horizon Productions

X-al
Imported Account

Jul 17, 2003, 3:59 PM

Post #4 of 7 (1072 views)
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Re: distribution of product.... [In reply to]	Can't Post

Niiiiice! So was this website your only channel for distribution? If not, what other ways did you use?

X-Jim_Colman
Imported Account

Jul 18, 2003, 9:14 AM

Post #5 of 7 (1072 views)
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Re: distribution of product.... [In reply to]	Can't Post

Al,
I also purchased an ad in one of the magazines devoted to the product (Shelby Cobra replicas by the way) but I lost money on that. The ads are quite expensive and the return was minimal.
There is one other website that sells my video but they're much smaller. Basically, the website that I primarily use is the first one that comes up when someone uses a search engine for "Cobra replicas" or "kit cars". The owner of the web site also sells a printed guide to these cars so it made sense for me to sell my video on his site.
I've been toying with the thought of selling the video on Amazon but haven't taken the plunge yet. Since we're a video production company and not a retailer, we're not set up to take credit card purchases. Besides, I'm content to simply sell my video on the one web site. Making the video was more a labor of love for me rather than a serious money making venture. I'm just glad that I actually made money.
Jim

X-Doug_Graham
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Jul 18, 2003, 5:00 PM

Post #6 of 7 (1072 views)
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Re: distribution of product.... [In reply to]	Can't Post

Sounds like a candidate for customflix.com!
Regards,
Doug Graham

X-Vicky
Imported Account

Dec 15, 2003, 4:29 PM

Post #7 of 7 (1072 views)
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Re: distribution of product.... [In reply to]	Can't Post

just accept PayPal. its so easy for a small independent.