Orion Blog Video Series

August 9, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Orion Advisor Services, LLC (Orion) recently rolled out a new website and requested we create a video each month to accompany a newsletter article on their blog. The video would need to be informative without giving away the whole article and of course, an element of humor needed to be involved. July’s featured article highlighted future reporting enhancements at Orion.

Most technology companies are extremely cautious with the amount of information they share about upcoming innovations for fear of the competition catching wind too early. This hesitancy of information is completely understandable… and laughable if it turns to paranoia. So we thought, who better to poke fun at the line between caution and paranoia than Nathan Thurm, the shady and defensive lawyer played by Martin Short and best known from a 1984 60 Minutes sketch on Saturday Night Live.

Since hiring Mr. Short was likely out of our budget, we chose to recruit from within. Joe Leyboldt, Director of Technology Support at Orion, played the defensive roll perfectly in this interrogative interview on Orion’s future reporting enhancements.

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Why All the Buzz About Social Media?

January 31, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Information is exchanged via an ever-evolving, rapidly expanding network. Not only is the amount of information increasing, the sources of that information and the avenues for accessing it are also increasing. Google is the largest search engine in the pack, and its dominance in the marketplace is changing how we speak about information – you don’t just look someone up, you “google” them. When even the vernacular has changed, the ways we reach out to clients and potential clients needs to change, too.

Social media is on fire when it comes to client acquisition. Advisory firms using social media are growing faster than their counterparts not using social media – three times faster in terms of annual revenue, AUM, and client base, according to Alte Group Advisor Survey Q4 2009. These advisors still need to deliver on their value proposition, pursue efficient operations, and fulfill client expectations; the difference is they are getting more exposure by being in the social media mainstream.  Read more of this post

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The Art of the Conference Invite – Part 4

January 26, 2012 by Leave a Comment 

This is the fourth and final post of a series.

Our series on “The Art of the Conference Invite” has been highlighting the key benefits of using video to engage potential conference attendees.

In summary, the primary advantages of using video are the ability to:

  • Deliver a personal message to your audience that helps build relationships
  • Speak to all attendees instantaneously
  • Measure audience engagement through video metrics
  • Increase attendance and have participants sign up earlier

A post-conference followup provides those same benefits along with some additional ones. A post-conference video message allows you to:

  • Thank participants for their attendance
  • Reinforce your message and content shown at the event
  • Briefly pitch your services
  • Provide a call to action

Read more of this post

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The Art of the Conference Invite – Part 3

January 23, 2012 by Leave a Comment 

This is the third post of a series.

Our current series on “The Art of the Conference Invite” provides details on the advantages of using video invitations. Here’s another example of a humorous video campaign. Joel Bruckenstein of Technology Tools for Today, asked us to produce two video invitations for this annual technology conference for advisors, “T3.”

It is important to think of video as part of a campaign strategy. In this case, we developed a two-part series that could be integrated into T3’s existing conference promotion efforts. The first video draws viewers in by making them question their use of technology. The second video builds upon the first, and utilizes our established character to showcase examples of how to use technology productively.

P.S. The conference takes place in February in Dallas, Texas, and registration is open now.

Video examples in full post >  Read more of this post

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The Art of the Conference Invite – Part 2

January 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment 

This is the second post of a series.

We shared many of the benefits of using video invitations in Part 1 of our conversation. Perhaps two of the most important aspects are:

  • Video lets you deliver a personal invitation to your audience
  • Metrics allow you to measure your results

Now let’s have some fun. With video, you can use humor unlike in any other medium because it gives you access to tone, inflection, body language, and eye contact. And, of course, you can always add additional detail with type on the screen. Video examples in full post > Read more of this post

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The Art of the Conference Invitation – Part 1

January 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment 

This is the first post of a series.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine how much a 30-second video would be worth. If you are hosting a conference, consider using a video invitation rather than a paper invitation. Video lets you get up close and personal with your audience, and build interest in your event faster and more completely than a paper mailing.

Other key benefits of video invitations:

  • Focuses directly on your target market
  • Delivers all your invitations instantaneously
  • Provides a sneak peek to sessions, speakers and activities
  • Initiates an immediate call to action
  • Supports faster reservations
  • Connects to online registration
  • Increases attendance, REALLY
  • Supplies metrics — see how many people clicked, watched, re-watched; something that just can’t be measured with a mailer

Want more benefits? A video invitation can easily be shared and duplicated on social media, forwarded emails, and YouTube postings. Video also lets you build momentum with follow-up invitations.

Video examples in full post >  Read more of this post

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Advisor Studios Launches Amidst Media Buzz

January 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

As we’ve geared up for the launch of Advisor Studios, our president, Steve Biermann, has shared his technology expertise with several industry publications over the past few months.

Evolution of Orion
 By Joel P. Bruckenstein
Financial Advisor Magazine
Technology is critical to the success of today’s advisors. Biermann comments on the impact of video market commentary in this article about one of our sister companies, Orion Advisor Services, LLC and their tech offerings.

By Kenneth Corbin
Financial Planning
Clients are increasingly communicating online and through mobile technology. Advisors must communicate with their clients there, too. Biermann sheds light on the level of engagement that video, mobile apps and social media are bringing to our sister company,CLS Investments, LLC, and their advisors. CLS has been using our video services for market commentary, conference invites and sales introductions for over a year and half.

Tips for Making a Video
 By Lavonne Kuykendall
Investment News
Many advisors are interested in utilizing video but don’t know where to start. Biermann shares his expert knowledge on using video to effectively engage clients.

Mobile Apps: The Newest Must-Have for Your Practice?
 By Donna Mitchell
Financial Planning
Uncertainty of how mobile applications fit into existing online efforts may scare some advisors. Biermann comments on how mobile apps supplement advisors’ current web presence.

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