Comments on: 2009 PIMA Annual Meeting – Thriving?!?! How can this be?

By: Mike Wise

Mike Wise — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:31:21 +0000

Catherine, ya gotta click through on the links?!?! Video is next…
http://mikewise07.smugmug.com/pima

By: Catherine Schneider

Catherine Schneider — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:34:59 +0000

Great blog!! Sorry to have missed the meeting. Should have video taped the whole session. Do you have pictures ready yet?

By: Mike Wise

Mike Wise — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:00:55 +0000

Bill, thanks for the note and encouragements.

Correction – I didn’t say ‘Direct mail is dead.’ I said ‘More personalization in the short-term, obsolete and perhaps illegal in 5 years.’ Green initiatives, high costs (compared to the Web), and low response rates (compared to the Web). And btw, most of my predictions never come true, so by saying this, I’m actually ‘protecting’ the direct mail folks! I do find it interesting though that one PIMA Business Partner who is a direct mail shop described themselves in the Business Partners meeting as “a company specializing in direct mail and Web sites” and sheepishly snuck a glance my way!

By: Bill Tyson

Bill Tyson — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:22:59 +0000

Mike,
Great job with the blog, the panel and the photos. I also enjoyed your thought provoking declarations – “Direct mail is dead” and “Lurkers are lame”. Lurkers are lame —-unless you can sell them something while they lurk! Go convert ‘em.

Congratulations on your appointment to the PIMA Board of Directors. I look forward to working with you there! You are the man!
Bill Tyson
Executive Vice President
AMPAC Insurance Marketing, Inc.
6301 Owensmouth Avenue, Suite 700
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
Phone: 818.577.1300 ext. 128
email: btyson@wncampac.com
http://www.wncfirst.com

By: Mike Wise

Mike Wise — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:58:52 +0000

Thanks, John. http://camstudio.org/ It's free. Going to give it a try. Supposed to be easy for recording voice and screen-capture for playback.

By: Mike Mercer

Mike Mercer — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:44:12 +0000

Mike,

Great Blog!!! I appreciate your reference to my hunt and peck. I will work on my “get of jail “card.
I also thought you captured the essence of the meeting as well the content and highlights. And, (very belated) welcome to the Board. You will be a great and very much appreciated addition. Thanks for the follow up.

Best regards,

Michael G. Mercer
Vice President
Business Development
Transamerica Affinity Services, Inc
520 Park Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21201-4500
(410) 209-5346 (W)
(410) 209-5914 (Fax)
(609) 206 0224 (C)

By: Marcia Moore

Marcia Moore — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:55:36 +0000

Mike, You have captured the essence of PIMA’s Annual Meeting with your write-up. I love your blog, it’s a great read! Thank you.

By: John Pogas

John Pogas — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:21:51 +0000

Short and sweet video? Easy. Just follow the Talking Heads recipe. No not the band. The people on the evening news. Story board your video with a few Power Point slides. Have bullet points introducing your subject, some animation, a few graphs and more bullet points to wrap it up. The bullet points will keep you on task and the timing function will ensure you stay withing your time limit. Think about the talking heads on the evening news. They have a shot of the newscaster introducing the story, a brief video with voice over, a quick still visual (chart of crime rates over the last 3 years, or increase in gas prices) with more voice over and then wrap the story by going back to the talking head. Voila!

Oh, and one more tip from the Talking Heads – when making a video, use plenty of hair product. And a big suit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgP3WapymKo