Being in Minnesota, being a huge Viking fan, I eat up anything related to Hall-of-Famer in-waiting Adrian Peterson.

So I noticed he’s the subject of a new DVD from NFL Films, All Day with Adrian Peterson, telling his life story and then some. The Minneapolis Star Tribune has a nice recap here, including a video clip.

I love everything NFL Films does. Their talent for producing compelling, visual stories is clear.

I’d love a chance someday to do a high school standout’s story in the same fashion as All Day with Adrian Peterson, with sit-down interviews with family and friends, childhood photos and sports highlights. It would be a fun project.

By the way, here’s another recent video with Peterson, courtesy of a nice production from ESPN’s E:60:

One of my clients this fall once again is the Lakeville North (MN) football team. I’m shooting video and interviews for their season-end team highlight DVD. I love high school football. Being on the sideline under the Friday night lights is a ton of fun.

I’m also producing their weekly PantherCast podcast, which recaps each week’s game and looks ahead to their next opponent. This year, in addition to head coach Mike Zweber, we’ve incorporated a host, Erik Okeson, and have included some players in the podcast too.

Here’s a look at the most recent episode:

Say what you want about the spectacle of the TV and Web coverage of the Little League World Series – that’s a post for another day.

But I spent some time this afternoon watching a game on ESPN from the LLWS. Not only is the event getting great coverage from ESPN’s broadcasts – with great HD camera work and production elements (like the player introductions, highlight montages and coaches wearing microphones) – but the LLWS also has a nice presence on the Web for its game coverage and highlights.

Besides its website, the LLWS has been covering the event and posting its videos regularly to its YouTube channel.

Here’s one well-produced ESPN montage in particular that gives you a taste of the talent that’s hard at work at those games:

ESPN also is posting updates to its site here. And, on ESPN360.com.

What a great use of video, and what a way to set the standard for how an event that big can be covered with digital media. Even with all those tactics, there are even more methods they could have considered, blogs, giving the kids cameras, etc…

The great thing is it’s not just about the event. It’s about the kids and coaches on the field, and showcasing their experience of getting there and competing (and the parents and fans cheering them on in the bleachers!).

As a side note, I mentioned off the top that ESPN has some of the coaches wearing microphones in the dugouts and on the field. As a coach myself, in several sports, I think those interactions are priceless to include in the TV broadcasts. One coach simply telling a pitcher, “Forget about it, it happened, you’ve gotta move past it.” Proving the teams that get to the LLWS need the right coaches to prepare them for the games, and for life.

Now, ESPN might be choosing to show only the positive, encouraging stuff but I’d like to believe they have a lot more of those moments to choose from that anything remotely negative. I’d like to think that at that level you don’t find many jerks coaching those teams. I hope the jerks are smart enough to tell ESPN “No thanks” if they’re asked to wear a mic.

Again, the real purpose of this post is to give kudos to the video talent on display at the Little League World Series and get you thinking about ways to promote and market an event from your group or business, big or small.

The increasing popularity of Twitter has allowed many small businesses to raise their profile and bring more people in the door.

I saw this article in The New York Times, (Mom-and-Pop Operators Turn to Social Media”) highlighting some success stories in the small business arena on Twitter.

But it’s not just about posting thoughts about your sale items or daily menu specials in 140 characters or less.

Use Twitter to post links to your videos on your YouTube channel or website, or your audio podcasts. Also, post links to pictures of your products and people, etc… If you’re taking the time to produce good quality, well-produced videos, audio and photos about your business… you need to take advantage of every tool that helps you spread that multimedia content.

Twitter’s just another free channel for you and your business to broadcast your “news.” Facebook, too, for that matter.

And it’s up to the small business owner to get creative and explore how to use it to push out their multimedia. Of course, it’s all in the name of pushing out a message and getting more business as a result.

And, it’s free.

If you run a small business, or work for one, my question in the title of this post is for you.

Having a website is one thing. Being found on Google is nice. But having a site that gives your potential customers something that provides them with a reason to trust you, buy from you and talk to you is something else.

Look for ways to work video content into your site.

A simple and short, professionaly produced “Hi, my name is…” video clip can go a long way. Be genuine, not scripted. Look directly at the camera, or do it as a TV news-style interview.

Just do something! Let customers know there’s a person behind the product or service. That there’s a passion to your business.

What’s on your website? Words?

I read quite a bit online and listen to several podcasts, looking for new ideas in digital marketing and social media – specifically the use of online video by business owners or all types.

Mitch Joel has some great ideas for you at the end of a recent episode of his podcast, Six Pixels of Separation (Episode #150).

He closed out the podcast with his “Six Points of Separation”, on how small and medium-sized business can benefit from social media:

1. Start the movement

A lot of times, Joel says, businesses wonder how could they possibly add anything useful to what’s out on the Web.

The idea is to find ways to connect to the people who would be interested in you ”out there,” and start your own movement. Hop on in!

2. Impenetrable niche

The inspiration for the title of this post, Joel says the power in connecting with people is not to find as many people as possible. It is finding the people who are interested in what you have to offer, your shared values and how and why you connect to your small segment.

You’re unique – there are opportuinities to create a niche among people who will spread your name around.

3. Connect in ways big business can’t

I think this is key. You can do so much more, faster, than a big company can. And, you don’t need as many people working on your digital and social media pursuits as a big corporation does.

You control what you do. You approve what you do. You eliminate layers and layers of logjams that corporations have to deal with, in order to get one blog post out, to get one podcast out, to respond to a blog comment, etc…

4. Create content in the form of text, audio, video and/or images

I preach about this quite a bit. It could not be any easier to do this than it is right now.

Get your content out there. Blogs, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc…

Joel talks about how you can start out doing it for free or with minimal cost (Some video cameras, especially geared for the Web are just $150).

But… I believe, and Joel points this out too, that even though the tools are often cheap, you do need to present your content in a high quality way.

Don’t upload a video with crappy audio or poor lighting. Don’t litter your blog posts with spelling mistakes.

Create content. But do it right. Yes, it’s free or low-cost to get on the Web. But you need to polish it a bit.

I think nothing will sink you faster on the Web than a poorly-produced first impression, or a series of poorly-produced content that you think is great but in reality, it’s killing you.

5. Respond in a cheap and effective manner

If someone’s complaining about you and your business online, you can and should be there to respond. Take the complaint or issue offline if you have to.

But engage the people who deserve to be engaged. I think you should make that decision, based on who is complaining and the validity of the complaint or comment.

6. Have that content live on – share tribal knowledge

Every comment or clarification you make to a complaint, on a blog, etc… is out there for other customers to see. You’re sharing the information to many, rather than having to respond the same way over and over to individuals.

Don’t take my word for it about the power of digital media… listen to marketing guru Seth Godin, in his blog post Monday, titled “Sixty to zero”:

Prediction: 90% of your sales will come from word of mouth or digital promotion by 2011. How do you change what you’re doing today to be ready for that?

Digital promotion. You know, audio, video, text… anything on your Web site or perhaps something you send out as a link to your customers that has to do with you, what you do, what people are saying about you, etc…

But remember, promotion is not always about promoting your products.

Digital promotion promotes you… but it’s really about how you are best equipped to help your customers solve their problems. Through your expertise, your experience, even your personality.

Digitally… with multimedia. Professional and affordable.

What are you waiting for?

How do you change what you’re doing today to be ready…?

I have an article in the April 2009 issue of the St. Paul edition of the high school sports magazine, VYPE.

The story I wrote focuses on the bright future of the Farmington (MN) High School girls basketball team, who played several sophomores and freshmen this past season, and made it all the way to the Section 1AAAA final.

The photos in the article were by Mark Meyer, who lives in Farmington, and has a daughter – Taylor – on the Tigers who will be a sophomore in the fall.

A video I produced, (that I mentioned in a previous post) featuring much more from the interviews I did with several players and head coach Jason Berg also is posted on the VYPE site. (And, on my Vimeo channel in HD).

I want to again thank Coach Berg and his players for helping me out with the story. If your school in the Twin Cities would like to do something similar give me a call.

VYPE Magazine is free, and is available across the Twin Cities at high schools, and selected Cub Foods and Rainbow Foods locations, as well as SuperAmerica, Kmart and Blockbuster Video.

I’m recovering from a week of out-of-state travel for my corporate day job, in which the primary purpose was to attend two trade shows, in two cities, and record several video interviews for posting to our corporate blog.

We’ve been doing this consistently for just over a year now and I’m still amazed at the number of people who say to me, after I capture an interview with them… “Wow, this is a really good idea to do this at these shows”, etc…

Views of our blog spike during the shows and conferences we attend and produce daily videos for. Which tells me that people at the shows, and those who stayed at home, are both keeping tabs on what we’re doing.

What could your company be doing with video, or audio, at the next big trade show or conference in your industry?

This is the final post in a 10-part series aimed at providing some ideas for various businesses and professionals looking to get into video podcasting – either daily, weekly, monthly or just whenever.

Whether the economic times are tough or not, one thing is clear… most of us still need a haircut once in awhile, right? I don’t know about you, but I still have to wait in line for my monthly cut every time (I’m a guy, no need for appointments).

If you work at or manage a barbershop, hair salon or spa, have you seen your schedule stay the same, or slow down? My guess is you’re making it through these months okay.

You’ve got customers, but are you more than just a place for them to go to get a haircut, manicure, etc…?

Sure, they trust you for their hair and beauty needs. But do they look at you as a service provider or a partner? Do they rave to their friends about your service and how you treat them?

If you answered yes to that, great… keep reading. If you answered no… keep reading.

Here are five ideas for video podcasts for barbershops, beauty salons and spas:

1. Who’s doing the work? Introduce your staff, profile their experience and their personalities, etc…
2. Highlight some new styles, new spa treatments, etc…
3. Hair “success stories” of your customers. A before and after look at a bride, prom-goer, etc… with a video interview testimonial.
4. Unique customers. Who are your regulars? Let’s hear from them!
5. What makes your business different? A sports-themed barbershop? Mother/daughter employees, etc…

Beauty is about looking good, right? Use video to make your business look great. Showcase the personality of your staff and commitment to customers that your business provides.

Here are the first nine business video podcast posts in this series:

1. Real estate

2. Hardware store

3. Doctor/Dentists

4. Construction/Remodeling

5. Nursery/Gardening

6. Restaurants

7. Auto dealerships

8. Health clubs

9. Computer repair