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It's been a little over a decade since I was first introduced to the internet. I can remember how slow small businesses were to adapting the new idea of marketing their products and services in a way they never had seen before. Even for some larger corporations, it took awhile for them to accept the new concept of e-commerce. I guess no matter how profitable an idea maybe, it still will take a couple of years before the larger population can become comfortable with it. Ironically, I find small businesses are in the exact same place they were 15 years ago as an affiliate with VM Direct.

VM Direct - a streaming video company out of Las Vegas, Nevada. VM Direct, is a streaming media service provider offering web-based technology services: Video email, blogging, video instant messaging, podcasting, and live broadcasting. Their all-in-one media packages start as low as $9.95 per month.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I had a few hours of free time to dive into the achieves of VM Direct's weekly newsletters. As a new affiliate, I wanted to learn more about how other VM Direct affiliates are using the products as marketing tools for their small business. Immediately, it became apparent how a small business can take advantage of this new technology and have a competitive edge over their competition by simply implementing streaming video into their current marketing plan.

Video Email

Word-of-mouth advertising is the least expensive marketing tool a business can use in marketing. What better way to get people talking about your business than to use the latest technology like video email? Let's imagine for a moment, that you meet someone at a business networking event. After a few minutes of small talk, both of you exchange business cards. Monday morning, you put your new contact information into your database. However, rather than making a typical follow-up phone call, you decide to send a quick video email expressing how much of a pleasure it was meeting them, and how you look forward to calling them later in the week. What type of impression do you think that email will leave with that new contact? During the course of their day, they might receive a few dozen emails. However, which one do you think they might remember? Could the impression from your new form of communication be so strong that they will forward your video message to someone else in the company, creating a bit of viral marketing for you along the way?

VM Direct web-based video email application incorporates a custom design function for its subscribers. There are three places which users can put their own advertisements; the header, the card, and the footer. Both the header and footer act as banners which are positioned above and below the video screen. The card acts as a business card where subscribers can advertise a simple message. Users can easily upload their custom graphics and have readers click on the graphic icon to open up another webpage of their choice.

Video Newsletters

Successful businesses, both small and large, understand the power of having a database list. Rather than sending a two-page newsletter to opt-in subscribers, the sender can have messages sent to every subscriber in a new, refreshing email format. Think of it as having your own "60 Minutes" weekly television show. How many of your competitors has their own weekly video show?

Personally, I still have a number of email newsletters I've yet to open. Many of those email newsletters have given up hope themselves, as they wait for me eventually open or delete them. Shamefully to say, some date back as far as four years ago. I keep promising myself that I'll get to them one day. I can honestly say, I've yet to let a video email I've received go unopened.

Live Broadcasting

Incorporating live broadcast into your marketing, opens up an untapped realm of possibilities. I didn't know the many applications in which it could be used until I watched some of the live broadcasts that were created by Razor Stream's Chairman of the Board, Richard Kall. Every Tuesday, Richard Kall broadcast his show live over the internet called, "Summer Chat with Richard Kall." For about 30 minutes, from his home-office in Las Vegas, he offers words of encouragement to new affiliates that have recently joined VM Direct family, and shares his insights on building a home-based business from his years of experience in the network marketing industry. People from all around the world can log onto the broadcast, even if they are not an affiliate with VM Direct. At the moment, I happen to be watching a video Richard Kall recorded on November 11th, 2006. All live broadcasts can be achieved. So whatever time subscribers broadcast their live show, it's easily accessible for others viewers to later watch if their scheduled didn't permit them to catch it live.

We've come along way from being habitues of those now antiquated bulletin board services. We've become comfortable with instant messaging and text messaging. As the advancement of new technology continues, I imagine that one day cellphone users will have streaming video coming into their cellphones. I am just as confident that small businesses owner will eventually start to take advantage of the applications and uses of streaming video as more and more companies start using it to market their own products and services. I only hope they get to use it before their competition does.

Article written by Eric P. Martin. Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. Eric P. Martin is currently a part-time, pre-journalism college student at Harold Washington College in Chicago, Il. He's also an affiliate with VM Direct. To learn more about VM Direct services or business opportunity. please visit http://www.chicagovideoemail.com or contact via email at epm1013@helloworld.com for a example presentation of the video email application.