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THE TRAVEL TRADE PROFESSIONAL’S GO VIDEO! HANDBOOK

Steve Crowhurst, CTC

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The Travel Trade Professional’s Go Video! Handbook © 2014 Steve Crowhurst, SMP Training Co. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada. No part of this book may be used or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise whatsoever without written permission or authorization through payment of a Permission to Copy fee (except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews) . For information please contact SMP Training Co. T: 1-250-738-0064 Protected by the Canadian Copyright Act. For general information on SMP publications and services please email: smptraining@shaw.ca Illustrations by Steve Crowhurst unless otherwise noted.

Limit of liability/disclaimer of warranty: SMP Training Co., publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation, warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher and author is not engaged in rendering legal or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising here from. The fact that an organisation or website is referred to in this work as a citation and / or potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information, the organisation or website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

THE SELLING TRAVEL STORE COACHING PROGRAM

To help you get the maximum benefit from your purchase The Selling Travel Store offers a free coaching session with the author of the e-Guide. The coaching sessions last for up to one-hour and are conducted via Skype. Once you have read through and studied this e-Guide jot down any questions, challenges you have, then email to steve@sellingtravel.net to arrange a coaching date and time.

Be sure to take advantage of this offer!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

Welcome 4

The VMP – Video Marketing Plan Q&A 5

The VMP – ACTION! 8

The Storyboard 9

Unboxing Brochures 12

The Explainer Video 13

The “Hi there!” Video 14

The Mini Trip Report Video 15

The Travelogue 16

The Personalized Video 17

Become a TripVlogger 18

The Video Share 19

The Embed Code 20

Sharing Your Video 21

Getting It Noticed 22

Marketing Hyperlapse Videos 23

Desktop Webcams 25

Smartphone Cams and Accessories 26

Video Creation, Editing & Production Software 31

1. Adobe Photoshop Elements / Premiere 31

2. Animoto 32

3. AVS4YOU 34

4. Camtasia Studio 35

5. Corel Video Suite 36

6. Crazy Talk Animator 2 37

7. EasySketch FX 38

8. Explaindio Video Creator 39

9. GoAnimate 40

10. Muvee 41

11. Pinnacle Studio 42

12. PowerPoint 43

13. PowToon 44

14. Quicktime 45

15. Raw Shorts 46

16. Skype 47

17. Snag It 48

18. Sprout Video 49

19. Toon Camera 50

20. VideoMaker FX 51

21. Vimeo 52

22. YouTube 53

23. More Tools of the Trade 54

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Welcome! Video, as I have often written about, created and delivered, is now and will be in the near future, the BEST and possibly the only way to market yourself, your agency, your brand and your travel offers. The most marvellous thing about video is that to create one, you do not need a Hollywood styled studio. Your initial cost would be the purchase of a mid-priced video camera, or a DSLR camera with built in video capability. You’ll want to select a couple of video apps for your smartphone and tablet and last but not least you should also have access to a webcam that sits atop your PC screen or built right into your laptop computer. Your most immediate editing tool would be Windows Live Moviemaker or Apple’s iMovie. There are many more, however those two are just fine. You also have the opportunity to use and employ videos created by your preferred suppliers and tourism boards and if you wish to purchase travel videos online from bespoke companies who create and market their journeys to travel agents like you, you can do that too. The concept of personalized video production is for everyone selling travel. Supplier BDMs should also learn the craft, using the videos they create to help train their travel agency accounts who cannot attend a product knowledge meeting or join a FAM. BDMs can also use video to quickly mention a new product or upcoming value-add that all travel agents would want their clients to know about. Rather than send a text based email – more can be said and understood in a 30 second video clip. That same 30 second clip could be turned around and emailed to agency clients especially when certain clients need to be notified about that value add the BDM just mentioned in their video. The art of switching on the webcam, casually but succinctly, creating that award winning message, saving and uploading, clicking and sending is a skill to be learned and that skill will eventually pay off. So let’s get you on camera and get you initiated with some no-fluff tips, tools and techniques as we explore the art of GOING VIDEO and remember: facts tell, but stories sell. Any and all tutorials are online, on YouTube and found on product pages of any program you purchase. That’s it. Go for it. GO VIDEO. Good luck and break a leg!

My own “studio” where I record and edit the videos I produce for my website / magazines.

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The VMP – Video Marketing Plan Q&A This question is a 4-part one: 1. What is the purpose of your video? 2. What is the content? 3. What do you want your video to achieve? 4. Who will you send it to? Here’s where that VMP Plan comes into play. Keep it in mind that the actual plan and the desired outcome will differ per video you create. The following steps are simple, easy to remember and repeat. Just make sure you review these additional 9-steps prior to clicking that record button. Review the following and make your notes as ideas come to you: 1. What is the intended outcome of your video? What response is it meant to generate?

___________________________________________________________________________

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2. Within seconds - tell the viewer what’s in it for them if they watch your video. Try here:

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3. Keep the content interesting & compelling. How will you do this?

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4. Use a variety of video formats from generic to cartoon to hand sketching…

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5. Personalise where you can – golf videos to golfers, cruise to cruisers etc. or mass market.

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6. Have a Call to Action built in such as: redeem promo code, email now, click, visit website.

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The Storyboard Creating a storyboard is one way to keep your ideas and intended outcome on track. The idea is to sketch out the scene you want on the left and then make your notations in the right hand column. Here is a simple storyboard layout you can print off or better yet, use PowerPoint which is one of the best tools to use for this activity.

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Here’s how your PowerPoint storyboard might look. You can use the title of each slide as the main action item, then use the bullet format feature on each slide to list, in order of activity, the steps you want to cover and points you want to make in the video.

You’ll print this storyboard and hand out copies to everyone involved, discuss the ebb and flow of the scenes and then go for it. Take One! Allow for creative input and take as many takes as needed to capture the result you want. Another Storyboard method is the use of sticky notes – just sketch out your video scenes and write each step on a sticky note and then using a blank wall or table top, layout your sticky notes, moving them from place to place as you build the story.

OWNER WELCOMES THE

VIEWER

USE MAP OF GREECE…

USE AGENCY AS BACK DROP

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The Explainer Video An explainer video is a short video that explains your product or service. The programs Powtoon and GoAnimate and VideoMakerFX are great for this type of video. Here’s two explainer examples: one from a travel agency and another crated by a company that creates explainer videos and in this case their promo is for a travel agency. As you’ll see, creating this type of video is not that difficult, however you do need a sense of the story you intend to project and be able to generate it using the tools and features offered in the software programs mentioned in this eGuide. If time is a concern than there are companies right near you or as close as your mouse who can produce your explainer video for you. Start searching online for travel agency explainer videos and then check out various tourism boards and also your preferred suppliers. Perhaps one of your suppliers has a functioning marketing department that will create an explainer video for you with the caveat that their logo appears in it. Try your own explainer video first before seeking pro help.

Click the images to view the videos.

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Become a TripVlogger As your videography skills grow and you become recognised perhaps there’s another calling for you. A calling that might just tie in nicely with selling travel. You could search out companies such as Tripfilms as shown below.

As a travel agent you already have access to travel and during those trips you can video what you are looking at and package that video content to help sell and close more travel bookings. With Tripfilms if your skills are at the right level, where they should be, you could receive assignments to shoot footage for travel trade companies, suppliers and tourism boards. Being a travel agent offers so many dual career opportunities and this TripVlogger concept is one more. All it takes is for you to enhance your videoing skills.

Click on the image to view their website.

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Desktop Webcams I’m sure you have a webcam. It’s either built into your laptop or positioned as a standalone device close to your desktop computer or clipped to your monitor – like mine. Yup, there’s mine sitting right where I need it so that as and when a video idea pops into my head, I can click the button and start recording. The camera I use is a Logitech 910, the latest model is a Logitech 920 and they are just fantastic. They shoot in HD 1080 and also take 10mp images. So very high end in terms of output. Stereo microphone too. When the program opens it starts with this screen shown below on the left with Quick Capture for either a still shot or video and below you can see a string of icons from Gmail to Skype and other video chat and editing tools.

The screen shot on the right shows you the interface, the video screen panel, the control panel and a strip of images indicating the photos/videos previously recorded. To review the recorded imagery you just click on the image. So all in all, very simple to use as are most other webcams. Webcams are wonderful for those quick and easy Selfie shots too. You holding a new brochure. You holding a souvenir purchased during a recent trip. Just you looking smooth!

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Smartphone Cams Whatever model of smartphone you are using I’m sure the video capability is top notch. Most of them are. I happen to be using an iPhone5 which has become my “pocket” camera for snapping away when I need to. There are some people who have taken iPhoneography to a whole new level. If you also use an iPhone search for links to information, blogs and sample images. Try this one: http://iphonephotographyschool.com/ So, regardless of make and model, the activity of using your smartphone to capture what’s going on around you and of course your “I was there!” Selfies, remains the same. One keypoint is to learn to love the camera and do not be put off by self-doubts about how you think you look and sound. If you do have doubts you can take training from someone in your community who teaches presentation skills and on camera skills. Why not? It’s a marvellous skill to learn. Okay assuming you love the lens and have an eye for lighting and angles and know how to use your smart phone you are almost good to go. One thing you must learn is to capture backgrounds, (like the stone wall shown here) and items that would and could be used in a travel promotion as an opening image to your video. When you see such a background or anything else just snap and capture. Review later to save or delete. Brick walls are good. Curtains are good. Pastoral scenes are good. Cloud and sky shots. Shoot signage. Sidewalks. Trees. All of these and more to be shot and saved into their respective folders where you can access them anytime. The other day I needed a shot of a can of Spam, so I went grocery shopping. Out came the smartphone, click, job done. This snap and capture concept applies to video too. You’ll want to collect as many short clips as possible. Once you get into the swing of things you will know what you want and you’ll find it. Sometimes of course an opportunity will present itself and you just need to be ready with your smartphone video app “on” and ready to record. You know, for that moment when Nessie raises his/her head or that UFO is just a hovering in front of you and begging a photo. This is no time to fumble that app or be looking at which button to push or tap. Practice! Remember too, if you capture someone face on, they sign a waiver allowing you to use their image.

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Video Creation, Editing

and Production Software Okay, now we move on to the various software programs and online video production / editing websites. I am showcasing the programs that I use personally – some are free to download and others range from a few dollars to more dollars (!) to annual subscriptions. All very affordable for the type of videoing you intend to do. You can spend more money if you wish, that’s up to you however just to reiterate the idea of this eGuide is to show you how you can create your travel videos for low to no cost. My intention is to introduce you to each product from a user’s point of view and then leave you make your own decisions as to which ones will work for you. For more information I have given you the link to the product website. Take advantage of any free trails and test the programs before you purchase.

ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS It’s a good idea to check out still image programs such as Photoshop Elements as you will need to pad your video with still shots from time to time, or all the time depending upon the type of video you wish to create. This program sells for under $100 and when on sale for around $70. It’s well worth the full or sale price. Elements seems to have a new version each year so check for the latest when purchasing the image here shows Version 12 and I actually use Version 13. Quite often it will come bundled with Premier with is the video editing sidekick to Elements. Many video editing programs now have a direct link to your Elements images for easy and quick insertion into your video time line. In organizer mode you can gather images and share them as shown above. Adobe now offers an online annual subscription which means for something like $10 / month you can use the current program ongoing. No more software downloads and old versions.

www.adobe.com

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EASY SKETCH FX My latest acquisition. I had been looking for this type of software for some time and then suddenly there it is. Using the tool bar shown below you can insert text, images and line art and position them on the drawing canvas. Then to view the production so far you click the green arrow icon to preview your work as shown below. On the left you can see the canvas as I have created it and then on the right the preview with the hand sketching out what I created. From the first canvas you can move to another clean canvas to create more content and finally when you are finished, you can produce the video which will play and sketch your production from start to finish.

The sketch video is an excellent tool to factor into your overall video marketing plan. Using it too many times will remove the WOW factor and its uniqueness. Done right then, this quick and easy tool will serve your well. You can also import your own graphics and the preferred format is SVG. So look for software to convert your images and line drawing to SVG or simply purchase SVG images that you can then use in EasySketchFX.

http://easyvideofxpro.com/easy-sketch-pro.html

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MUVEE Now here is a very well packaged product and affordable to boot. You may wonder why you need several video editing or production programs and the fact of the matter is each one offers something different in the way of features. In this case Muvee offers several Style Packs that range from retro to Hollywood movie style. In essence I purchased the upgrade to have access to the movie trailer style. Cost is under $100. There are three steps: upload your content, select your style, change the audio if you wish, and then personalize it if you wish to add your own flare. If not, you are done!

www.muvee.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmcHQpkrwU4

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PINNACLE STUDIO Pinnacle Studio in all its various versions is an editing software and like all programs of this type there is a better version to upgrade to and it offers more tools for you to have at your disposal. Now, as we’re focused on making sales and not so much producing a Hollywood blockbuster, you can do very nicely using the cheapest version which, when on sale, comes in around $90. If your career takes a different turn, you can always upgrade and start producing travel videos to sell to your fellow travel agent pals.

What I like about this program is the number of sound tracks and animations that come with the basic program. That, plus as you can see above, you can also work on your video editing as you travel using your iPad or iPhone. This means you can shoot, edit and sell from wherever you happen to be. Shoot the scene. Edit it to a 30 second to 60 second clip and send that off to your clients with a “You should see what I’m seeing…” comment.

http://www.pinnaclesys.com/PublicSite/us/Products/studio/ultimate/

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YOUTUBE If you have watched a video on YouTube you are so close to creating and uploading your own travel videos to this mass market video outlet. When it comes to posting your travel videos and agency videos, this is the place and all it takes is a few minutes to open an account, make it your channel, think of it as your personal TV video / commercial channel and then upload quality video/information. The majority of video editing software programs offer a post to YouTube button. Before you click that button however, you’ll truly want to edit your video, top and tail it with a title and credits and remove any footage that might incite crazy comments. There is an option to keep your account private and away from public eyes. Only your clients will be able to view them. All they need is the code, the key, the password, the link to view them. If you can stand some of the comments you are bound to receive then stay with the all public option. YouTube is owned by Google and to create a YouTube account you first need a Google account. So, start your Google account and that opens the door. Be careful what you name your YouTube account as once it’s done it’s done. Keep it professional and businesslike all the way. Here’s how your finished channel might look. Click on the image to view the first of my videos – target audience is YOU the travel agent. Click the YouTube Creator Academy image to access their tutorials. This program by Laughing Bird Software who produces The Logo Creator software series of tools is one to explore. Click the image to view.

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Your Personal VMP To Do and Review List ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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About The Author Steve Crowhurst Travel trade keynote speaker, trainer, author & publisher.

Steve entered the retail travel industry in 1965 and has worked from the front line to the executive floor, owned and operated his own travel agencies, travel trade training and consulting firms and has worked from a home office for over 20 years. In 2010 he published his 412 page book 273 “No Fluff - No Theory” Marketing Ideas for Travel Agents; in June 2011 he published the first digital issue of Selling Travel magazine, this was followed by Travel Agency Manager and Travel Trade Supplier magazines in early 2013. In October 2013 Steve published the first issue of IC Travel Agent a digital magazine targeting the home-based travel agent, ICs and OSRs. Steve is now turning all of his workshops and webinars into easy to read, street savvy eGuides. Check back often at www.selllingtravel.net for new titles. If you would like Steve to speak at your conference or convention, deliver management level webinars or work with your executive team please email him directly: steve@sellingtravel.net

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THANKS FOR SHOPPING AT

THE SELLING TRAVEL STORE

There is always something new and exciting being created and

uploaded to the store so be sure to check back often.

www.sellingtravel.net

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