Saturday, July 14, 2012

Reviews: Streaming Video Title: Insider Secrets, Marketing Yourself


 I'd like to make this a regular part of my blog, since there is a never ending source of inspiration!



Artist/Instructor: Michelle Joyce
Producer: Cheeky Girls Productions, exclusively for www. Raqstv.com
Length: Approximately 2 hours

What you’re supposed to be learning, from www.Raqstv.com “Description: In this exclusive online seminar Michelle talks about how to push your dance career to the next level. So if you can already bellydance and want out "bust out of your local bubble" and be seen on the international stage, this is the workshop for you. This workshop covers…”

Content:

This workshop covers a lot of ground. An amazing amount of ground. So much ground, you might want to consider transportation to get to the other side.

The topics covered range from webpage design and content, tips for modeling, including an interview with the fabulous Michael Baxter, my brother from another mother., networking, how to use social media, dvd production and how to’s, and rounds it all out with a demo of a professional makeup application.

In other words, it should have been titled “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Doing Everything As a Professional BellyDancer, Including Some Mild Swearing”

But that would be too long.

I watched this on www.raqstv.com. This is an amazing website where you can pay a small fee and watch bellydance instructional dvd’s (and presumably you would actually do the “class” so to speak).

I watched this in one sitting. There is so much content in this production that you really must take it in chunks. Two hours is a long time to watch, but a short time to try to absorb the tips and tricks that Michelle presents.


What I liked:

The content is fabulous. Michelle initially talks about a concept, for example, professional photographs. In her characteristic attention to detail, Michelle starts out by discussing HOW to hire a dance photographer, including what to look for when you are purchasing your images. There are tips for how to use lighting, what is flattering, what is not, and even a photoshop demonstration on how to improve a fairly good photograph to a great one.

Who doesn’t like that?

The topics covered go on from there to webpage, youtube tutorials, what to pay attention to in video tapes, tips on getting the best view, what a reviewer or a potential workshop sponsor might be looking for, to how to conduct your workshop so you get asked back…

There is a TON of content, well worth the rental fee for all the information that you get from it.

It’s not so much like watching a dvd, more as if you were in a deep conversation with your mentor who is teaching you how to get ahead in this  very specialized niche market.

Michelle as an instructor is funny, expressive, honest, down to earth and blunt. One of the things that I really appreciated about the many of the tips for using social media (and I can think of a few people who could use this info) is on not only how to use the various opportunities you have for marketing effectively, but also how to give back to the community.

Michelle demonstrates her desire to give back to the community by concretely providing not only the tips and tricks designed to help you to effectively market yourself, but also providing real resources to support your endeavors by way of web sites, youtube video and even some free stuff you can download.

I’m not going to give away all of her giveaways, I want you to go watch this so that she can make more :-)

Tips to maximizing your rental, watch in full screen. If you’re like me, you may take the time when you’re watching something like this to bead, draw, something to keep your hands busy. You’ll miss out if you do this with this title. Michelle demonstrates, on screen, things you’ll want to watch.

The rental is broken up into chunks. You may benefit more from watching each section at a time, rather than watching them all together. Unless you have a photographic memory, if so, have at it.

Why you should watch this: you will come away with a better understanding of this market. You may be able to maximize your experiences in workshops and seminars to create more opportunities for yourself. You get to hear Michelle swear. What’s not to like?







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