I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and found fascinating the current TV series ‘Britain at Work’ hosted by Kirsty Young.It has raised a huge amount of questions prompting many conversations with my Mum looking back over the years studying people’s attitude towards work over different generations.One question raised this week with my Mum was why I couldn’t remember very much the 80′s miner’s strikes and the terrible times families suffered in the hands of industries being wiped out causing extreme unemployment with over 3 million out of the work. During this period when I was growing up as a teenager I remember well the scenario of Dad intensely watching the evening news when you dare not say a word or else you would be glared at and told to be quiet (which I wonder now how often this typical picture plays out in family homes). It occurred to me that because my parents were self employed and ran their own business what was happening around me, didn’t directly affect me as none of our family members worked down the mines either.My parents were lucky to be in a position where financial independence was possible, certainly didn’t earn pots of money but they didn’t have to rely on an employer to provide the work and wage packet. Yes I do remember things being tough with not a lot of money floating around but we certainly didn’t go without.This made me realise and ask the question about attitude to life and work and what impression parents and family make on you as you grow up. Definitely having a family that ran their own business made a mark on me, helped create my outlook and influences on life – having to stand on your own two feet and not solely rely on other people. My parents were very much about being an individual and not being a ‘sheep’, following the crowd. They knew life was going to get even tougher and having a certain amount of independence and self reliability was very important.Over the last few months I’ve had an increased amount of people contact me interested in finding out how to become a home working virtual assistant – which has been fantastic. As always I paint a realistic picture of what it’s like to start up your own new venture, all the excitement and buzz, opportunities of being your own boss and setting up your own virtual assistance business. What I always point out is the two sides of being self employed and what the real crux of running a business involves. You can be the greatest provider of your service in the world but if you can’t sell it then you’re going to have a hard time. When you say to someone that business falls into the 80/20 rule – 80% is running the business getting clients on board and 20% is doing the actual work, for some the idea of going self employed suddenly loses its appeal. Going self employed doesn’t automatically suite everyone!Going back to the TV series ‘Britain at Work’ – a large percentage of people are brought up with the ideals of getting a job with the strong reliance of large companies and authorities to provide the work and the wage packet every month. A large percentage of people will be looking for something different, wanting to be their own boss, choosing not to be reliant on a company to provide the work but want to be financially independent and generate their own work.But what is guaranteed these days – very little. So are we at a tipping point in society where people are being forced into rethinking their working life journey?After watching the tragic aftermath of the peaceful demonstrations in Hyde Park this weekend followed by the violent disruption at Trafalgar Square with the small percentage of people intent on causing violent chaos – are we walking into a worrying period of repeated demonstrations with the rise of unemployment on the up.Will we start to see a huge rise in more people taking up the self employment route – is it a survival strategy out of this mess?Having the confidence to go it alone when you’ve always been in work where the responsibility of finding the clients/customers/sales has been the manager/owner/executive’s role is like tipping a working role scenario on its head. All of a sudden it’s your responsibility to find the clients that want the services/products that you’re selling – you’re forced into the driving seat of being the sales person – it can be an overwhelming place to be. All of a sudden you’ve got to wear the hats of about 10 different roles usually held by different people made up in a company. Having the ability, energy, enthusiasm, drive and sometimes the courage to try something new doesn’t automatically exist in everyone.So who is going to provide the jobs for all these people who don’t fancy self employment?Is it up to you, individually to create your own work, take a look at what skills you already have and think hard about what you could provide as a service or a product to sell?What is the survival strategy – does anyone have the answer that’s likely to fit all the differing scenarios to look after all those millions of people out of work.Whose responsibility is it?
The Enticing Beauty of Black and White Photography
We see color in everything around us, drawing our emotions and moods from the hues of nature. Fantastic colors create displays that go far beyond grabbing our attention whether they are the pinks and purples of a sunset or the plethora of bright shades mingling in a flower garden. Still, the appeal that comes from black and white art photography manages to reach even farther into you to elicit feelings that the most intrinsic colors cannot.It all started with black and white photography, using the elaborate processes of camera obscura, daguerreotype and others that are mimicked by only a select gathering today. As the 20th century unfolded, new capabilities came about and color photography gradually became the selected method of capturing images on print. Today, digital cameras are available with a variety of features and settings that allow you to take good quality photos in nearly any setting. They are also available in a wide range of prices so that they are a good choice for photographers of all levels. Whether black and white photography is something that you wish to pursue as a hobby to create pictures you and your loved ones will enjoy or you are a professional photographer, there are options that are right for you.Today, there are those photographers who still enjoy using the old techniques of producing black and white photos either as a pastime or because they want to create a special type of photo that stands out for their business. Many others simply convert photos from color to black and white using a computer that has Photoshop installed. While these photos may not have the same old-fashioned quality as those produced with primitive processes, they are still capable of eliciting the desired effects that most photographers have in mind.While black and white photography is often used to create portraits, it is also a popular choice for those instances where a serious or somber tone is required. A soldier walking through the battleground is capable of eliciting the serious tone that is associated with war and battle. While there are still those who think color photography is the only method that is truly enjoyable and who find black and white photos to be without inspiration, many others think of it as a classic art form that is as fascinating as it is appealing.If you have a computer and a digital camera, you have everything you need to start creating black and white art photography that is simply striking.
Why Use Video Promotion?
Promotion through web videos is the up and coming trend. If a single picture is worth 1000 words then a video is priceless.Today, YouTube is the single largest video sharing site on the internet. This stems from individuals’ desire to quickly locate videos without spending hours skimming through countless websites. Nowadays, the simplest means of attracting a viewer’s attention is through the use of web videos. When added to your website these will help draw in visitors and keep them on your site longer, reducing the bounce rate, increasing your search ranking, and ultimately drawing in more visitors.
With the exception to YouTube, too few companies apply web videos effectually as a marketing technique. Web videos have the dual benefit of both high popularity and accessibility through various platforms (computers, smart phones, and tablets). Any public relations specialist who is unable to recognize and embrace video as a highly beneficial technique is needlessly restricting their marketing capabilities.
One of the latest studies from Forrester Research discovered that including an online video on your site increases the probability of converting a visitor into a client by six fold.This research also revealed that a sparse 20% of visitors will read the text content on a website, whereas 80% will view the same articles when paired with video.
If a company’s site includes video it has increased its likelihood of being rated on Google’s top page by 50%. Web videos are a requirement for any company with a major internet existence. It is calculated that by 2012 if a site does not have video, it will not make Google’s front page. Videos are a highly influential method when it comes to snaring a visitor, enhancing their experience by making it far more memorable and effective when compared to text content and still images. In another study, it was also discovered that retail website browsers who watch a web video tend to linger on the site two minutes longer and are roughly 65% more likely to buy.
Video production is one of the most highly successful methods of marketing,particularly when used in conjuncture with a number of social networking platforms.Web videos operate most efficiently when they are the adhesive that bind strategies together.For instance, when a video can be published on YouTube, posted on FB, and shared through Twitter, the level of dispersal is optimal for maximum web exposure.
While web video production can be incredibly effectual, the content is important. For instance, a video that is neither useful nor interesting cannot possibly meet with success. In order to be effective videos need to stop wasting time and cut to the chase. There are high expectations for videos these days and those that are the most successful tend to be brief and concise.
If you want to be successful get a professional and experienced video production company to assist you in creating a script, provide the necessary equipment, and help you plan your concepts so as to be as aesthetically engaging as possible to potential visitors.
Another ideal use for videos is in email advertising. Studies show that email advertisements that contain only text are viewed only 20% of time. In comparison, emails containing a video will be viewed 75% of the time, and 85% of those will be viewed in their entirety. Individuals recall photos and visuals even after they have seen the information. The ability to utilize web videos is at your fingertips, so why not you utilize them. The sooner you begin using videos the sooner you will begin to increase your client base.