TurnHere is Crossing the Chasm

Online video keeps on growing and so is our company! To help drive the team to the next phase of growth – also known in the business world as “crossing the chasm” - we recently added three new senior executives to our management team: David Rich, named SVP of Sales and Marketing; Jon Johnson, SVP of Operations; Guy Ladetzky, appointed as General Counsel. All of our new folks have an outstanding background and will help us take advantage of the increasing interest in online video.

From our Press Release:

“In response to the rising need for high-quality, cost-effective online video advertising, we’re actively growing our business and our talented team of executives,” said Bradley Inman, founder and CEO of TurnHere. “The addition of such respected industry veterans to our team will help us continue to develop our product offerings, build awareness around the advertising medium and further establish TurnHere as the go-to provider of online video advertising needs for a variety of businesses.”

David, Jon and Guy, welcome onboard! Read our full press release here.

Video is the star at Real Estate Connect

Video was the hot topic of discussion at this year's Inman Real Estate Connect and the TurnHere team was out in full force.  In addition to sponsoring the conference TurnHere hosted two events showing real estate companies how to leverage video to stand out in the crowded online listing space.

Director of marketing Morgan Brown was a panelist discussing "How to Use Video the Right Way" and TurnHere announced the launch of two new real estate-specific video products to help meet the needs of agents and real estate businesses of all sizes.

From our press release on the new real estate video products:

The new line of high-quality, low-cost online video products deliver authentic perspectives, turnkey production methods and high information value to allow real estate professionals and marketers to reach more prospective clients and gain an edge in today’s tough economic market. TurnHere’s solutions provide real estate professionals with much-needed competitive differentiation in the form of compelling, professionally produced online video.

The new real estate products are as follows:

• Snapshot Video TM: Real estate professionals can upload still images directly to TurnHere. TurnHere’s professional editors will then create a finished video by editing the footage and adding music and professional voiceover.
  
• Deluxe Snapshot Video TM: Real estate professionals can upload still images directly to TurnHere. TurnHere will send a videographer to shoot footage on location, and TurnHere’s professional editors will then create a finished video by editing the footage and adding music and voiceover.

These new products supplement TurnHere’s signature Profile Video TM products that have long been a favorite of agents, brokers and real estate businesses. TurnHere produces the Profile Video series by commissioning a senior TurnHere videographer to shoot interview and other footage on location, which TurnHere’s professional editors mold into an authentic, engaging video portrait of a real estate professional or property.

It was a great event and we enjoyed meeting so many real estate professionals who are enthusiastic about the video space.  Let us know how we can help you make video a star for your business too!

 

See you at Real Estate Connect!

Yesterday we announced that we are a Gold Sponsor of Inman News’ 2008 Real Estate Connect. Held from July 23rd through 25th, this event is the premier networking, information and technology conference for the real estate industry and will take place at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.

We're going to all over the conference, just look for us in our black TurnHere Shoot Happens t-shirts! Meet us at DemoPod D-31in the Sunset Court. Stop by to learn how TurnHere's new high-quality, low-cost video solutions can drive business for real estate professionals and register to win a brand spanking new iPhone 3G!

From our press release:

“TurnHere’s support of Connect further demonstrates our belief in the power of online video for the real estate industry,” said Graeme Brown, senior manager of real estate sales, TurnHere. “We’ve seen the difference that engaging, authentic online content can make for industry professionals operating in a rapidly changing market and we’re honored to partner with the country’s premier real estate conference.”

In addition, our Director of Marketing, Morgan Brown, will be speaking on a panel titled, “Using Video the Right Way” on Thursday, July 24, from 2-2:45 pm PST. For a complete conference agenda, please visit the Connect Web site. See you there!

Read the full press release here.

TurnHere Unveils New Book Video Products

With all of the positive feedback around our bookvideos.tv web site and author profile videos we've been hard at work looking for ways for more authors and publishers to make TurnHere  part of their marketing outreach.  To that end we're excited to announce the addition of two new video products to our award-winning author profile.

The new products make online video affordable to all authors and publishers and ensure high-quality video and distribution on TurnHere's bookvideos.tv web site for more titles and authors - even those with a limited marketing budget.

The new products are:

• BookVideo Profile: A video meet-and-greet that gives readers the most compelling and interesting information about a new title, resulting in a 60- to 90-second virtual sit-down with the author. Cost is $800 per video.
  
• BookVideo Snapshots: A fast-paced, 30-second promotional trailer driven by still images, graphics and book jacket art. Cost is $500 per video.
  
• BookVideo Stories: A premium product based on the BookVideos.tv tradition of in-depth storytelling in a two - to four - minute video. Cost is $2,500 per video.

You can learn more about the product launch in our recent news release.  If you want to learn more about the products and talk to someone about how online video works for authors and publishers visit bookvideos.tv.

TurnHere Points Video Makers Toward Paycheck

TurnHere's very own Kelly Duane was interviewed by Wired.com.  Kelly talked about the filmmaker benefits of working with TurnHere, some of her favorite projects and how what makes the company different from other online video companies.

Kelly is a key driver behind the TurnHere style of filmmaking, and it's film pros like her that help make the TurnHere product unique.

Here's an excerpt from the interview:

Wired: In the past few months, a ton of websites have emerged that showcase filmmakers outside the Hollywood system. Filmaka, Pyxworld, Withoutabox, Fylmz, Veoh, Crushed Planet, Uber, Flux, Attention Span Media  and many others talk about bringing together a virtual community of artists.  What makes TurnHere different from the competition?

Kelly Duane: What makes us different is that TurnHere is not about user-generated content.  It's about professionally produced film and a mutually beneficial relationship between filmmakers, producers and technologists.

Wired: How do you cultivate that relationship?

Duane: We match a local filmmaker, typically with a background in documentary filmmaking, with a local business to create compelling content at a price point that meets the revenue realities of the online channel.

You can read the full interview here.

And the Award goes to…

…TurnHere! Bookvideos.tv scored again. On June 12, we were thrilled to hear that our book-centric video network won the 2008 American Business Award for Best Video Web Site. Also know as the Stevie Awards, the ABAs were created in 2002 to honor the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and business people; they are one of the world’s most prestigious business awards.

In just a few years, Bookvideos.tv has become a resourceful and innovative tool for the publishing industry, but it’s the videos that made the award winning possible. Many thanks to our 5000 talented filmmakers all over the world who made it possible!

We're constantly looking to improve our site and love your feedback, so please visit bookvideos.tv and leave a comment.

Online video takes you home

Entering the Real Estate arena was a pretty obvious move for us. After all, our founder and CEO, Brad Inman, is the accomplished entrepreneur behind Inman News, the leading source of independent real estate news, and HomeGain, which he sold to Classified Ventures in 2005. This past year, web video became a key marketing tool in the real estate business and we were thrilled when two major players in  the industry teamed up with us.

MyNewPlace, the largest online marketplace for apartment rentals, and Weichert Realtors, one of the nation’s largest privately held real estate brokerages are now working with TurnHere to produce a series of broadcast-quality online videos that offer prospective buyers an inside look at their properties.

Video makes sense for Real Estate agents, brokers and development companies because prospective buyers can get so much more from video than they can from traditional online listing tools such as still images and fishbowl virtual tours.  Video makes properties and personalities stand out online, an important element particularly in today's congested listing market.

From the Press release announcing our partnership with MyNewPlace:

“We’re adding value for the property owners who list on our site by giving prospective renters a personal, guided tour of apartments,” said Amanda Cann, vice president of sales at MyNewPlace. “Viewing compelling videos online creates a strong emotional connection between the renter and the property that can’t be achieved with words or photos. Authentic videos help viewers imagine themselves living in the community and build trust about the community and apartment, invaluable qualities for both renters and owners.”

From the press release introducing our deal with Weichert Realtors:

“Our partnership with TurnHere and their talented network of filmmakers allows us to optimize the Weichert home-searching experience and reach out to a wider range of potential home buyers,” said Michael Montsko, president of Weichert Lead Network. “Online video brings a new dimension to our marketing efforts and enhances our ability to showcase Weichert properties, their surrounding neighborhoods and the expertise of our sales associates.”

Ypulse loves BookVideos.tv

Our book-centric video network, BookVideos.tv, continues to draw attention from prominent bloggers, media and publishing professionals. Ypulse.com, the influential youth media and marketing blog, highlighted the site in a recent article and focused on how the videos provide a unique insight to the title.

Writer Alli Decker notes that the combination of authentic content, presented in an engaging manner, and accompanied by social tools make TurnHere's book videos a powerful online marketing vehicle for publishers. Alli also suggests that BookVideos.tv can be a resourceful tool for professionals from the book business - such as librarians - to help readers find what they are looking for.

From the post:

"Recently I discovered BookVideos.tv which was created by the folks at TurnHere. It's a site where you can see videos that are mostly author related. They're done tastefully and I think they offer a different kind of insight than simply just telling you what the books are about. They're not just trailers nor are they simply digital jacket flaps. They present the author as an artist, and I think are compelling in and of themselves. I spent an hour and a half watching videos on books I would normally have no interest in just because I found the video interesting"

Online videos and authors: the winning combo

This past year, web video became an important, new online marketing tool for the publishing industry. Publishers and authors alike recognized that authors can connect with readers, differentiate their titles online and engage in the conversation around books through the use of online video. 

TurnHere has been pioneering online video as a way for book lovers to connect with the author in a comfortable, authentic setting.  On May 8, 2008 we launched the new version of our book-centric video network, BookVideos.tv, which allows readers looking for more information about their favorite titles to get the 'story behind the story' by hearing direct from the authors. Following the success of the site, Morgan Brown, our Director of Marketing, was a guest on Book World News to discuss how online video is becoming indispensable to the book business. You can listen to the interview here.

In addition, Wall Street Journal recently published an article, Watch This Book, explaining how, in a book world where authors struggle to stand out and sales are on the slow side, authors use online video to attract readers’ attention.

Clearly online video has become an important part of the online marketing plan for authors and publishers.  See how we help them succeed with online video at bookvideos.tv.

Online Video Benefits for Lawyers and Legal Firms

Choosing the right attorney or law firm to represent you is not an easy call. Potential customers base their decision on various criteria depending on their situation. But the one thing they are all looking for is a lawyer who they feel comfortable with. Video is the perfect online marketing tool to create a compelling, emotionally engaging video to help potential clients personally connect with a lawyer or firm. Reel SEO recently published an article about how online video works for lawyers and it's place as an indispensable tool in legal marketing.

From the article:

”According to the research, consumers typically visit an average of almost 5 websites (4.8) before they end up making a decision as to which attorney to choose.  When video is added to the lawyer’s website, this number decreases to 1.8.  This indicates that consumers are more apt to choose an attorney that offers an online video on their website.  Perhaps this is because the clients feel more comfortable dealing with an attorney that they can put a face to”

Marketing leaders from the legal industry are already using short films as part of their online marketing strategy to help them stand out from the competition and chose TurnHere to produce their web videos. TurnHere's authentic, mini-documentary video format breaks down doubts and fear that potential customers may have by introducing the members of the firm in a friendly and inviting manner.

You can see the power of these videos with this sample here.