Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Online Commercials Make Their Debut on Google Adwords as InfomercialToolkit.com Founders Aim to Satisfy Internet Marketing's Conversion Craving

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Online Commercials Make Their Debut on Google Adwords as InfomercialToolkit.com Founders Aim to Satisfy Internet Marketing's Conversion Craving by Teaching Non-Technical Computer Users and Marketers How to Make Web Videos That Sell Products and Services Just Like Television Infomercials

SAN DIEGO, CA — MAY 10, 2006 — Michael Koenigs and business partner Robert "Rocket" Helstrom teach entrepreneurs, online marketers, authors and small business owners how to make Internet Infomercials or "Online Commercials" with inexpensive hardware, free software and free web hosting that look like television infomercials at a fraction of the price – starting at $100.

"We're teaching ordinary people how to take their computer, a webcam or digital camcorder, inexpensive lights from a Home Depot store and make their own Internet Infomercials in a few hours. One of our great success stories was a short video that we made in less than four hours that generated nearly $4,000 in affiliate commissions and 37% visitor to lead conversions in less than 48 hours" reports Koenigs.

Internet Infomercials 101 is an eBook that walks any web site owner through the steps to make their own Internet Infomercials and web marketing videos. It was written with non-technical users in mind.

After conducting dozens of teleseminars, webinars and fielding thousands of questions from visitors on the InfomercialToolkit.com web site, authors Michael Koenigs and Rocket Helstrom decided to answer the top questions they received in a book. "We wanted to give non-technical users and business people the answers they were looking for when it came to making their own internet marketing videos" says Koenigs. "We felt an eBook was the fastest way to share this information quickly and easily."

Helstrom adds, "The initial response to the eBook has been outstanding. Owners of Internet Infomercials 101 tell us the eBook answers virtually all of their web video and Internet Infomercial questions. Now they're excited about taking the next steps to make their own web videos to feature their products and services on their web sites."

"When Google launched their free video hosting service, it opened the doors to anyone to put high-quality marketing and sales videos on their web sites. We're filling a void by showing people how to leverage this technology to advertise and market more effectively."
Link to Publication*: http://www.lulu.com/infomercial

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Rocket Helstrom has earned advanced degrees in TV, film and communication theory, written ten screenplays and marketed online and offline for major companies like Polaroid, 20th Century Fox and Andersen Windows.

Michael Koenigs is a true new media video pioneer, having founded one of the first interactive agencies, Digital Cafe. He produced an award-winning feature film recently acquired by Warner Bros. and has boosted conversions for scores of companies using Internet video.

ABOUT INFOMERCIALTOOLKIT.COM AND KAZZOE, LLC

Founded in 2005, InfomercialToolkit.com was founded to help online marketiners, entrepreneurs and small business owners the tools and information they need to make their own Internet Infomercials with free or inexpensive software and hardware that create outstanding web conversions, quickly Please see http://www.infomercialtoolkit.com/ for more information.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Jeff Ledbetter, 888-669-7751

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

How Old Is Too Old For Internet Video?

"The difference between the 20-something Internet video entrepreneurs and the rest of us is that they aren't afraid to just go out and do it."

Not that Rocketboom needs any more publicity after its recent auction of five 60-second commercials for $40,000 generated tons of mainstream media coverage but a recent article about the company (and the auction) in May's Business 2.0 magazine begs an important question: How old is "too old" for Internet video?

Rocketboom is a five-times-a-week video blog, or vlog, in news show format that covers "whatever we find interesting," according to host Amanda Congdon. She and her producer shoot the Internet video segments in her New York apartment. None of the segments runs longer than five minutes and many include video submitted by "freelance correspondents"—a euphemism for viewers.

Rocketboom has 250,000 visitors a day and estimates 1.6 million segments were downloaded per week in March, up from 910,000 in February.

Congdon is 24 years old.

So what does all this imply?

1. Internet video is proliferating as fast as we thought it would.

2. It can be monetized faster than we thought it could.

3. Advertising and marketing is rapidly trending toward Internet video.

4. Internet video is a young person's domain.

According to the Business 2.0 article, after Rocketboom leveraged its solid niche audience to earn $40,000 in its commercial auction, it quickly won more advertisers and a deal with TiVo to offer the show to a million broadband subscribers "to snare younger, hipper viewers."

But hold on a minute. Who's to say we once-upon-a-time-20-somethings can't play in this sandbox? The largest consumer market in history is well out of its 20s and it comprises thousands of viable niches. Who do you think are paying for all those broadband Internet connections, now estimated to account for 70 to 75% of all U.S. Internet homes?

The difference between the 20-something Internet video entrepreneurs and the rest of us is that they aren't afraid to just go out and do it. Have you checked out Google video or YouTube or any of the 40+ free online video hosting services lately? Young people are just making videos and putting them out there.

Now, think what you could do with all your knowledge, experience and marketing savvy if you put your excuses and fears aside and just started building an Internet video-based business or incorporating video in your existing online business.

We often hear from Internet marketers about this issue. Their questions go something like: "How can I make Internet videos? I'm 60, balding and have a face that's meant for radio." And our response is usually a battery of questions like:

1. What is your market? People your age? Men your age? Balding men your age?
2. What are you selling?
3. Could you leverage your experience and unpretentiousness to connect with people and let them see how believable and capable you are?
4. Do you have a compelling story to tell?
5. Do you have a sense of humor?

Accentuate the positive and just go out and do it. You can start with a vlog or even a video up on one of the free services. The new technology has no age bias and it's pretty easy to learn. Do you think 40+ new free hosting services would have come online in less than six months if it was prohibitively difficult?

What's stopping you from learning how to make your own Internet videos or infomercials and putting it to work for you?

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Rocket Helstrom and Michael Koenigs are co-creators of the Internet Infomercial Toolkit and the upcoming Internet Video Starter Kit. http://www.infomercialtoolkit.com | info@infomercialtoolkit.com

Monday, May 08, 2006

Internet Infomercials 101 Published at LuLu.com

We've just published our first book, "Internet Infomercials 101" at LuLu.com. It's available for only $19.98 for a limited time.

The book describes what Internet Infomercials are, how they work, the kind of performance and results you can expect from them, the equipment you need to buy and much more.

Also included are over a dozen frequently asked questions our subscribers ask us.

For more information, visit the LuLu.com Infomercial Toolkit storefront and learn more about how Internet Infomercials will transform your business and internet marketing efforts.