Here’s a 1:20 minute school visit promotional video by Tina Nichols Coury that promises a star-spangled presentation.
Tina Nichols Coury is the author of Hanging Off Jefferson’s Nose: Growing Up on Mount Rushmore (Penguin USA). I like that she has produced more than one video, and that one of the videos — the Mount Rushmore Tour – wasn’t just about promoting herself or her book. It offered educational value for students. I can picture teachers and librarians using this to prepare kids in advance of her visit.
Here are my thoughts on her School Visit video:
- This is a professional-quality video, produced by Tina herself
- The length is just right — in the sweet spot of 1:20 minutes
- The video mixes still images with live action
- Images show Tina interacting with kids in the audience as well as on stage.
- The kids are engaged – those in the audience are raising hands and those on stage are wearing costumes.
- She clearly shows the cover of her book
- The contact information including her phone number and email stays on the screen long enough (11 seconds) to copy down
Here are some tweaks she might consider making:
- School librarians love to show author videos. Make this section easier to find. Make a button called VIDEOS. List all videos here – the school visit, the tour, the three book trailers.
- I wouldn’t use the word “promo.” It’s too industry-chat / sales sounding. Instead of “School Visit Promo,” she might call it “A Visit with Tina” or “Star-Spangled Assemblies” or “Spend a Day with Tina”
Thanks, Tina, for the opportunity to take a closer look at your school visit video.
Does anyone else have a school visit video you’d like to share? Send it my way!
Fabulous job. I agree.
Thanks for your comment, Robyn. It takes lots of planning to put together a video with the right mix of images, sound and message. Most people are familiar with book trailer videos, which is in a category all on its own. But you can probably get some great ideas for your school visit video by watching them. For some interesting links about this, go to http://www.darcypattison.com/marketing/book-trailers/
So where would you use a school visit video? Or is it posted on your website in case someone comes looking for you?
Great question, Susie. Here are some possibilities:
1. Post to YouTube and TeacherTube
2. Post on your website under your “school visit” button
3. Send it as a link when someone makes an email inquiry about your availability
4. Include it when you do a guest post on other people’s blogs
5. Have the link in your signature line
6. Post to Facebook and Twitter along with news (i.e.”look what I just learned how to do” or “thanks to xxx for creating this for me” or “looking forward to meeting kids at Main Street Elementary in Anytown, TX)
Great example! I loved that it was just background music. I had thought I’d have to have clips of my actually speaking, and I don’t have any decent audio. This makes me feel like I could actually put together a basic animoto video (that’s how I do all my trailers) with some fun shots from school visits interspersed with references, etc. Thanks for the renewed inspiration, Tina and Alexis!
Good point, Laura. Live audio clips, if not done professionally, usually sound echo-y and garbled. Doing background music-only solves that issue. Be sure to let me know when you make your school visit video. I”d love to see it!