DiscoverNEPA and Chamber Member Spotlight

Owner Dan Kimbrough and Park Multimedia were recently highlighted in the DiscoverNEPA Member Meet and Greet blog. Dan highlighted what what makes Park Multimedia stand out in the market and our focus on being flexible in the ever-changing media profession. 

One of the things that makes us truly unique is our understanding of how media works. We can create media and content, but we also understand the how and why of media. We’ve studied the industry and bring a long-term view of changes and trends to how we create and work with clients

You can read the entire article on DiscoverNEPA.

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Wake Up With The Arts Breakfast

Owner Dan Kimbrough was invited to speak at the Lackawanna County Arts & Culture Department “Wake Up With The Arts Breakfast”. On June 30th, 2022. 

The Breakfast, started in 2022, allows for networking between local artist and the community as a means to raise awareness about local artist and remind businesses to look local when seeking out artists for projects. It also allows for artist to discuss best practices and find resources to further support themselves. 

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Dan Kimbrough Graduates From the 2022 LNE Class

Owner Dan Kimbrough recently graduated from the 2022 Core Class of Leadership Northeast. The class worked on 6 projects to better help the local community. Dan and his team “Kitchen Impossible” worked through the year on raising funds to renovate the kitchen at Ruth’s place, Luzerne county’s only 24-hour homeless women’s shelter. 

To improve a safe space for Luzerne County women and give them the tools they need to nourish themselves and reach their fullest potential each day.

You can read more about the class’s accomplishments here.  

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Better Webcam Videos

Welcome to My Home (Office)

The early part of 2020 has seen drastic change in how we live and function. The majority of our “face-to-face” communications are now happening via a webcam. And while the idea of separate but together isn’t new, it has been the theme during this quarantine. Many different teleconferencing and video communications apps and devices are seeing a boom in usage and purchases. Facebook’s Portal, which was slow to take off at best, has now sold out as families are looking for ways to stay connected and not miss out on time together. Zoom, as you can see below, has grown 10 million daily meetings to 300 million in 5 months!

The thing about all of us using our home office set ups to communicate is that many of these spaces were never meant to be used this way. Most people have their backs to windows and have never thought about getting a decent microphone. 

Over the past few weeks, I’ve gotten the question “what can I do to look better on the webcam?”  

1. Clean Off Your Camera – 

Chances are you’ve covered the lens with something adhesive before and that residue could still be there. Maybe you’re on a laptop and your camera sits right where your thumb goes to lift the screen? Give it a quick wipe to clean it off. 

2. Put More Light in Front of You – 

If you’re in front of windows or a bright room, you’re going to look like a silhouette or very grainy as the webcam tries to compensate. Close the blinds, turn the computer around, or put a soft big light in front of you.  

3. Raise Your Monitor – 

When shooting and setting up a camera, one of the first things you learn is to keep the camera eye level or a little higher to your subject. It’s a more flattering angle and puts them eye-to-eye with the viewer. 

4. Use a Headset – 

Unless you live alone (including no pets) or have a private space, chances are there’s noise happening in your living space. Having a headset with a microphone allows you to have the mic closer to your face and it will pick you up better. 

Most generic computer mics will try to even out the sound it hears. So you and the barking dog or the kid screaming at a video game will all be at the same level and that’s not good. 

Cheers To Better Meetings

We hope these quick and easy tips will to improve the look and sound of your next online meeting. If you’re looking to upgrade your set-up or have any other questions, just let us know!

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NOW IS THE TIME TO ENGAGE – Content Marketing From Home

It’s been over a month. How are we doing? Worried, scared, fearing for how your business is going to weather this crisis? It’s a crazy time and fear and worry are acceptable. 

So how do you survive? How do you weather this unprecedented moment in history? There’s no easy answer to that question, though I’m sure you’ve received a ton of email from people trying to sell you on their ‘system’ for survival. That’s not what this is.

I want to talk about things you can and should be doing during this time. It’s not the end all be all or a magic pill, but, it will help strengthen your customer relationships and possibly gain you new business once we get back to ‘normal’, whatever that is.

Jump Ahead

Audio Content
Video Content
Photo and Graphic Content
Written Content
Putting It All Together

Now’s the time to engage with your audience.

Content marketing focuses on building a relationship with your customers. Not so much selling them a product, but making them confident that your company is who they want to do business with. They’re not a number, they’re a part of your community. 

And if you haven’t been focusing on this aspect and creating an experience for your customers, now is the time. 

It may seem impossible to do this at home and without your team nearby, but it’s not. And in reality, it’s the perfect time to get started or expand your efforts. Do you remember when YouTube first began? Bad audio and lighting, cats everywhere, and no one knew what they were doing? Well, it’s that time now, but with more platforms, better technology and a bigger reach than we had in 2005/6. 

If you’ve ever wanted to try something new or create a new way of engaging, now is the time. People are hungry for content and the audience is captive. Now is the time to experiment with video, podcasting, user engagement, Tik Tok, or whatever has been in the back of your mind. If you have a creative team and they’ve been pushing to try some different platforms, now’s the time. Expectations and barriers to entry are low. Get it wrong, fail hard, laugh about it and figure it out along the way. And if it works, you have a new way to engage with your audience when this is all over. 

If it fails, blame the pandemic and move on. 

Audio Content

Podcasting is an easy answer here. There are many platforms and services available to help you get your podcast up and running in no time. Anchor.fm, which was recently bought out by Spotify, is the easiest by far and the cheapest. Creating a podcast with Anchor will automatically have it populate in Spotify to help you find an audience. They also have a new feature, Record with Friends, that will allow you to interview people remotely without them needing to do much heavy lifting. Other options are Clearcast.io and Ringr, both have a small fee, but offer some enhanced options. 

Within the Anchor interface, you can also distribute to other podcasting platforms. And if you already have a podcast, just download the audio and upload it to your normal service. 

If you’re looking to edit, there are plenty of knowledgeable creatives in need of work, so you’ll be able to get help there. If you know how or want to learn Audacity is a freeware that while clunky works just as well as many of the pro options. 

Your podcast doesn’t have to be an hour-long introspective either. It can be short bits, about your business during this time, tips and tricks for your customers, positive community activity, interviews with local leaders, etc. Be creative and try something new or completely unrelated to your business. The goal is content and engagement. 

Another audio avenue is creating a skill for Amazon or Google. In today’s voice rich environment, a daily or weekly message from your company could go far in making an impact on your audience.

Video Content

The options are limitless. You’re walking around with a portable TV station in your pocket. You can record videos for YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok…you get the picture. You can live stream to your existing followers while on your daily walk or whatever you’re doing to remain grounded during this time. 

If going live isn’t your thing, you can also record content with your phone. Today’s mobile apps give you the ability to shoot and edit from your phone and upload to your platform of choice. Adobe Rush and Premiere on mobile are free and fairly simple to use; iMovie has always been available for iPhone users. If editing on your phone isn’t ideal, DaVinci Resolve is a powerful free desktop editing suite that includes video, color grading, audio mixing, and compression. The main difference between the free and paid version ($300) is 4K exports and some effects. 

You can also use your computer to live interviews on Zoom, Google Hangouts, Go To Meeting, or whatever conferencing software you like. Using OBS, live streaming freeware, you can send the interview out live from your desktop or any other video content, with more control than just using your phone. 

Video can be a bit tricky and labor-intensive, reach out to local creatives for help with editing or getting your stream/webinar/video class up and running. 

Photo and Graphic Content

Your phone shines again here. Most cell phones have a decent camera and given the current situation, decent will do. Do some research on basic shot composition and you’ll find that you can take and frame some decent photos. Your workstation, projects around the house, creating art from everyday objects, your neighborhood or the dog park all make great subjects and ways to engage with your audience. Photoshop has a free phone app for photo editing. There’s also SnapSeed and Pixlr. You can use Canva to create some cool designs with your images to make your post stand out. I’ll add, here again, there are tons of creatives looking for work. So if the editing and design aspect seems too much, reach out and I’m certain you can find help. 

Written Content

Writing or creating a blog is the first choice here but not everyone is a writer. Other forms of written content can be a weekly “Top 5/10” list. Things of interest you’ve found online, things about your industry, mindfulness tips, reviews, etc. 

Using your email list and Facebook following is a great way to engage followers with long-form content that can also further educate them. Using links, charts and graphs, and other research to help them understand new topics.

Putting It All Together

We’ve looked at the tech side, the how-to of creating content at home. But now, what do you create? An old phrase is ‘Content is King’ and now, more than ever, it’s ringing true. You need content to help keep you engaged and we’ve got some ideas for you.

• Use video to tell different stories. Introduce us to your employees by interviewing them and letting your audience get to know them and their stories. If you have an older, storied business, tell its history. This could be a great podcast as well.

   

• Do you have current customers that would be willing to do a testimonial? Have them record them on their phones or a zoom call. Then edit it together. Ask them what they miss about being able to visit your business or what it means to the community.

   

• Organize a Google Hangout or Zoom panel discussion on local topics. It could have nothing to do with your business, but be beneficial to your community. Start a talk show with members of your community.

   

• Create an online video course with webinar software or teach others about aspects of your industry with companies like LessonAlive. And don’t feel bad charging. If your business is public speaking, speak to the public, remotely.

   

• Create trivia nights with CrownPurr and encourage online engagement. It could be a fundraiser for local non-profits or just a fun thing for your community of followers.

   

• Create how-to videos related to your industry. If you’re a restaurant, do cooking demonstrations and give up some of your secrets. Remember, most people patronize companies out of convenience. They could probably figure out how to do what you offer or make what you sell if they really wanted to, but they don’t. So when this is over, they will still come to your business. Explain QuickBooks if you’re an accountant. Show how to clear a drain if you’re a plumber. How to cut your bangs if you’re a hairdresser. They will come back to you but appreciate the help now.

   

• If you’ve done content marketing in the past or already have a podcast or some sort of media you already put out, repurpose it. Make a 2020 or pandemic version of that 10 ten list from 2016. Use Headliner to chunk up old podcasts and create Instagram and Facebook content out of it.

   

• If you’re still open and offer curbside service, take photos of all of your products. You can even hire a photographer, being mindful of social distancing, to help. Use them to beef up your website and facebook post as well how ever your customers are ordering from you.
• If you need supplemental help in the process – images for your post, music for your videos or podcasts, writers for your posts, reach out to your local creatives. They need the money and would love the work. In the end, you’ll have a new relationship with local talent and your end product will be more authentic.  

This list isn’t complete, not even close. It is some of the questions that have come across our inbox and calls we’ve received. There are plenty of other ways to engage your audience and help you get through these trying times. Think of it as a product test. Have fun and test out new platforms and ways of connecting and engaging. Hopefully something will stick and when things get back to normal, you’ll have learned something that can help your business.

Whatever you choose to do, do something. Now is most certainly the time. It won’t be easy and it won’t be pretty, but nothing is in the beginning. If the tech side has you worried, reach out. Again, there are people and companies (like us!) who do this as our business. Figuring out how to get your content out there isn’t difficult with the right team or consultants helping out. But you need the content first. 

Go get creating.

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AUTHENTICITY AND CONTENT CREATION

Content. 

Content!

CONTENT!

Ask anyone in business what’s one of the best ways to engage and grow relationships with potential clients and they’ll tell you through your content. We’re not talking advertising, we mean consistent authentic content about you and your business. Showing people what separates you and why they should trust you. Owner Dan Kimbrough recently moved from behind the board to in front of the mic on the Wilkes-Barre Connect Podcast and discussed why authenticity matters in your content amongst other topics.

Creating Authentic Content While Running a Business

The problem is, how do you create and continually publish content while running and maintaining your business? Can you afford to hire a full-time content creator to create and publish all of this content? Probably not if you’re a small to medium-size business.

That’s where we come in. We come to you and spend a few hours a week documenting you and your process and help create authentic and branded content to engage your audience. All you have to do is run your business and we’ll help to tell your story.

Give us a free test drive and see if we can’t help ease your content woes.

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Wilkes-Barre Connect Podcast Appearance

Part of the work we do is providing podcasting support for the Wilkes-Barre Connect Podcast out of the Think Center in downtown Wilkes-Barre, PA. Normally our owner, Dan Kimbrough, is behind the board but in the episode the focus was on him and summer intern Jules Priest.

For the Love of Podcasting

If you follow us on any social media, you know we love podcasting. It offers a great way to tell your story as a brand, but also tell so many other stories. Communities, history, fiction, news, etc. It’s a great medium and it really removes many of the barriers to creating content.

I had a great time with Nick and Mariah, as I always do, on the show. If you’re local to NEPA and looking for a place to discuss your business and what you’re doing in the community, the Wilkes-Barre Connect Podcast is a good option. 

If you’re looking to get started or just want some pointers on starting a podcast, shoot us a message!

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One Too Many Wedding Surprises – Sara and Sean

Sean planned a stellar day for he and Sara. Jokes flew all day about how long he’d waited to get married, so it seemed he was going to make sure that he got the most out of the day and had a couple of wedding day surprises planned. 

As an Eagles fan and employee, Sean part of the Philadelphia Eagles Pep Band and Swoop come up from Philly to surprise Sara. They played at the cocktail hour and took photos with the bride and groom, as well as some of the guest. Then there were the surprise bagpipers that lead the ceremony and reception off. Sara and Sean had a good time dancing an Irish Jig to kick off the reception. They even had a quick boat ride planned around Harvey’s Lake. While not a total wedding surprise, it was a really cool idea. 

Special touches like these can make your wedding video and overall day that much more special because they add a personal touch to all the festivities.

Surprise, It’s the Wedding Police

While waiting on Sara and Sean to come back ashore, we noticed that another boat on the lake had stopped them. At first we thought it was well wishers given the “Just Married” sign. But as time passed and a second boat appeared, we realized it was actually the Lake’s boating authorities. The boat Sean and Sara were in had just been remodeled, but had forgotten to display its license properly and the fire extinguisher was in the wrong place. 

For Sara and Sean, it was a bit of an inconvenience to sit and wait for the inspection and ticket to be written. The ordeal took about 45 minutes. Luckily, they were both good sports about it and in the wedding video we have them coming ashore smiling and waving. Plus, they now have a truly unique story about their special day.  Remember, if you have surprises and special events planned, always add in extra time for delays and mishaps. This way you can keep you stress levels to a minimum and enjoy all the ups and downs of the day!

If you’re in need of wedding videography, let us know!

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What is Raw Wedding Video?

In today’s digital world, sharing content and media has become somewhat easier. When I first started shooting weddings, we delivered them on standard definition DVDs. There was a 2-hour maximum and that was that. 

Now, between high speed internet, flash drives, and cloud storage sharing ALL the content is easy. The question is, do you really want it?

So What is It?

When talking photo or videos, the idea of “raw” images is pretty simple: it’s the untouched, unprocessed images that we recorded images.

The problem is, the shot you see in your wedding video, is the third take, or we were focusing while recording, or trying a shot to see if it will work. Or, something I do, you let the camera record long when you know something is about to happen. So there are 5 minutes of nothing, to capture an important 30 seconds.

But I Want to See Everything I Missed!

No, you don’t. Trust me. What you’re looking for is a behind-the-scenes cut of the wedding day. Jokes told while getting ready, the antics at the hair salon, shotgunning beers in the limo on the way to reception and so on. That, that’s all well and good, but needs to be a conversation with your wedding videographer. Capturing that and making sure to capture all the footage you saw in their portfolio can sometimes be tricky. It may require a second shooter, extra mics, or reevaluating how the day is shot. 

The reason we, at least here at Park, call it raw wedding video is that we’re not going to color correct or process all that extra footage. The price would go through the roof. We do, though, offer two packages where we’ll shoot a bit more footage and deliver these “raw” videos for you. This way you get you edited and stylized wedding video and highlight. Plus a bit of “raw” wedding video or behind-the-scenes so that you can relive all your day!

Book Us Today!

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HANDMADE WEDDING GIFTS

Wedding season is upon us! Whether you’re getting married or just attending, we all share the same burden: Wedding Gifts! Well, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of our favorite, unique handmade wedding gifts. They also happen to be from some pretty cool artisans! You can buy for your bridal party or take as the ultimate personalized wedding gift!

Unique Wedding Gifts

Laughing Saint Fragrance – You want unique? How about a hand blended, unique fragrance? A great gift idea for bridal parties or gifts for the betrothed. With enough notice, they can even make a signature fragrance for your main squeeze.  

Instagram, Facebook

Find and Beautify – What does every home need? F.A.B.ulous decor. Find and Beautify reclaims old and rundown furniture and turns them into amazing custom creations. They can customize almost any piece to meet your needs. Give a great wedding gift that will look great wherever it’s placed. 

Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest 

Country Witch Candles – If you’re looking for something a Magickal, these candles and oils are for you! Handcrafted with care, these candles will make a great gift and blessing for years to come!

Instagram

Gud Mood Essentials – Handcrafted, natural, and beautiful, these bath and body products look as fresh and clean as they’ll make you feel. Soaps and body scrubs make great gifts for a bridal shower and other wedding events.

Instagram

Peacey Vibes – Custom hand-lettered signs, stationery and other gifts give the ultimate personal touch. Chalkboards, artwork, and notes are great ways to remember such an important day and make great gifts to tell amazing wedding stories.

Instagram 

Make sure you check them all out and show them some love. Most will ship, so even if you’re not local, you can still win with an amazing gift!

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