It’s fair to say that most clients think of a life story in book form rather than video. That’s why I previously  wrote 5 Reasons You Should Consider a Video Life Story where I extolled the virtues of video. As I said then, I have a bias because my background is in documentary filmmaking. But I’ve also produced several books.  So which is better? Each format has its strengths and weaknesses. You be the judge. Here are six areas where books triumph over videos.

• Books will last. Printed on archival paper and properly stored, books will be around longer than any current digital media. The best “guesstimate” for  DVDs is a lifespan that ranges from 5 years to over 100 years depending on the manufacturing process of the DVD and its storage. But the bottom line is that no one knows for certain.

• Print books don’t require hardware to read them. Digital hardware and formats continue to change. There’s a thriving business in transferring old media to current formats. Who out there doesn’t have a box of old videotapes waiting to be digitized? But you can still pick up a book printed a century ago and read it.

• Books capture detail. Books are splendid at documenting the intricacies and depth of a story. This isn’t video’s strength. Video prefers a broader stroke and emotional content over detail.

• Books have presence. You can hold a book in your hand. It has weight, texture, and odor. It almost demands that you pay attention. A DVD case, no matter how attractive the labeling, feels  insubstantial.

• Books are convenient. You don’t have to plug them in, recharge batteries, or worry about dropping them.  You can pick up a book and in an instant start reading.

• Books are  accessible. An attractive Life Story book set out on a coffee table invites friends and family to pick it up. Unlike viewing a video there’s no need to set up equipment.

How many of you provide your potential clients with a choice of a book or video personal history? Do you think you should?

Photo by iStockphoto

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As those of you who frequent my site know, I occasionally pull together free Internet resources. Previously I compiled a mega list of 100 Free Resources for Personal Historians. This was followed by 20 More Free Resources for Personal Historians and More Free Stuff! Well I’m back with more free resources to help you with your personal history work. Please note I don’t personally endorse any of these sites because I haven’t tested or used all of them. If you are familiar with some of these services  or products and would like to leave a comment about your experience with them, I’d welcome such a review.

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25+ Free Vector World Maps. “If you are in search of a high quality vector World map, then your search is now over. Most of the vector maps below are of the highest detail and accuracy, some have been designed specifically for designers and others to be used by everyone for whatever the project. They are all in either .ai (Illustrator) format, .eps format or .svg formats.”

Photovisi. “…a free and easy to use online tool to create photo collages. Select one of the many collage templates, add your photos and then customize by dragging items around. After the collage is finished, it’s available for download and print!”

Diagram Designer. “Simple vector graphics editor for creating flowchart, diagrams and slide shows.”

30 Boxes – Online Calendar. “…lets you connect with the people who matter most.”

Zoho. “… a suite of online applications (services) that you sign up for and access from our Website. The applications are free for individuals and some have a subscription fee for organizations.”

Wordle.“…a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes.”

Babylon. [Free Trial] “It offers text translation in 33 languages and Wikipedia results in 21 languages, all in a single click.”

The Levelator. “Do you believe in magic? You will after using The Levelator® to enhance your podcast…It’s software that runs on Windows, OS X (universal binary), or Linux (Ubuntu) that adjusts the audio levels within your podcast or other audio file for variations from one speaker to the next, for example.”

Apture. “The leading provider of context for readers and publishers. By adding Apture’s simple code to their website, publishers can plug the holes in their content and let readers open related background material, view related photo slideshows, or watch videos from these popular destinations, all in an innovative second layer that keeps users on the page. Best of all, it doesn’t require any editorial effort.”

toggl. “A helpful tool for freelancers charging by the hour who need to keep track of exactly how much time they spent on what task.”

Cacoo. “…is a user friendly online drawing tool that allows you to create a variety of diagrams such as site maps, wire frames, UML and network charts.”

PDFmyURL. “A simple, one-function site that converts any live Web site into a static PDF file–something handy for offline reading, long-term archiving, and sticking on PDF-friendly e-book readers like Amazon’s Kindle. It can also be a lifesaver, if you’re on a computer without PDF-making software that would otherwise enable you to “print” a PDF copy of your own.”

TribalPages. “Build your Free Family Tree website online. Invite friends and family to view or update your site. Each private and secure website is loaded with Photos, Charts, Reports, Maps, Relationships, Events and Stories. Just add names of your relatives or import a GEDCOM file and instantly create your website. Your site can create custom newsletters for each member with birthday and anniversary reminders, recent site activity and send them out every two weeks.”

Celtx. “The world’s first all-in-one media pre-production system. It replaces ‘paper & binder’ pre-production with a digital approach that’s more complete, simpler to work with, and easier to share.”

Pixorial. “… created to liberate the world’s video – to empower people of all ages to share, create and connect with friends and family through video.
With Pixorial, you can easily send, upload, edit, organize and share your video memories.”

50 Free Resources That Will Improve Your Writing Skills. “You will find copywriting blogs, dictionaries, references, teaching classes, articles, tools as well as related articles from other blogs.”

75+ Online Travel Resources. “We’ve rounded up 75+ sites to help you on your way, including travel search, deal sites, travel social networks and user-generated reviews. Bon voyage.”

20+ Free Press Release Distribution Sites. “We’ve gathered 20+ sites that will help you with getting your press release out in the world for free.”

OpenZine. “A publishing platform with web browser based tools that provides an easy way for anyone to make their own magazine, for free…To preserving the design experience of print we’ve created amazingly powerful one click layouts. You can even change them as you go!”

OurStory. “… is here to help you build and enrich your relationships and connections by guiding you (and others in your circle) to recall, write about, and illustrate life’s most important memories. In one easy-to-use, organized place, and in a rich environment that celebrates all of the stories – big and small – with the words, photos and voices that help tell about your journey, at the same time honoring your choices regarding privacy. OurStory delivers—finally—a way to hold on to life’s incredible moments, and to keep them in a place where others can share in your journey.”

Photo by Luke  Stearns

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The following article is reprinted with the kind permission of Stephanie Kadel Taras, Ph.D., of  TimePieces Personal Biographies .

*** Don’t forget to vote on my poll: How long have you been a personal historian? Click here to vote.***

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I have a 1-year-old rescue puppy, part husky, that pulls so hard on the leash I’ve given up walking her in the neighborhood. My inability to train her right, and my already fragile wrists and elbows from typing too much, left me frustrated and sore. We’ve been going to a fenced dog park, so she can run off leash, but I’ve missed my regular loops around Ann Arbor, especially as spring has bloomed. At the dog park, I heard from other humans about a harness that prevents pulling with the leash clipped in front of the dog’s chest. I was dubious but desperate.

Yesterday, I found the harness at the pet store. It cost 27 dollars! For a few inches of nylon and plastic. I bought it anyway. I tried it this morning, and it’s a minor miracle. My dog stopped pulling instantly, and we had a wonderful, relaxed walk to see the tulips and flowering trees. It was worth 27 dollars. In fact it was  worth 50 dollars to me, but I probably wouldn’t have bought it for that without knowing its value first.

Now, even if I’m generous and estimate the company spends $5 per harness to produce, market, and distribute it, that’s a pretty amazing mark-up. But they understand the value of their product to the desperate dog-walker.

As I walked, I couldn’t help thinking of our work as personal historians and the treasure that we provide our clients. I saw it just last week when the adult daughter of an 83-year-old narrator was speechless after reading the draft of her mom’s book. She held her hand to her heart with tears running down her face, and then just reached out to hug me. Now THAT is value.

So if you’re thinking about what to price your services, after you go through all the necessary machinations of figuring out what you want to earn, what you have to charge, what it costs to produce, and so on, the most important question is: what is it worth to our customers? And are we doing a good enough job helping them realize that worth before they decide whether to buy or not? What will people pay for a minor miracle? If they are able to afford our services at all, they will probably pay a lot more than many of us think.

Photo by Francesco  Negri

Poll: How long have you been a personal historian? Click here.

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What marketing approaches have you used that are cheap and effective? Love to hear from you!

And don’t forget to vote on my poll: How long have you been a personal historian? Click here to vote.

1. Business cards: Don’t forget to carry a few cards with you at all times. You never know when and where you’ll have a conversation and someone will want your card. Ask businesses if they will display your card.
2. Join a community group: People will get to know you and in time you’ll have some potential clients. I was part of a community choir for many years.  It worked for me!
3. Offer workshops: This is a great way to introduce people to life stories and attract clients.
4. Write articles: Seek opportunities to write articles for your local paper, alumni magazine, professional newsletters,  etc.
5. Arrange speaking opportunities: Service organizations such as the Rotary club and Lions club are always looking for guest speakers.
6. Wear a button or T-shirt: Have a T-shirt made with a phrase like “Preserving memories is an act of love”.  Wear your T-shirt when you go to the supermarket or mall.
7. Join  networking groups: From Chambers of Commerce to BNI there’s a business group for you.  Ask some local business people for suggestions.
8. Start a Blog: If you like to write and have something useful to offer potential clients, then this might be just for you.
9. Put a bumper sticker on your car: A few words and your telephone number provides a mobile advertisement for your business.
10. Carry a tote with a catchy “personal history” phrase: This is similar to the T-shirt suggestion above but more suitable for business settings.
11. Sign up and use Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn: Social media has become  a powerful marketing tool. Don’t be left behind!
12. Become a volunteer: Find an organization for which you’ve some affinity. In time you’ll find some clients among the people you’ll meet.
13. Give away gifts: I frequent garage sales and pick up books that relate in some way to life stories. I insert a small label in the book  that includes my business name and contact information. I give these away at my workshops. You might also try bookmarks or pens.
14. Host your own radio or TV show: Local community radio and TV stations are always looking for new sources of programing.
15. Join Toastmasters: There’s a Toastmasters in most cities. Not only is it a great way to improve your speaking abilities but also to find clients.
16. Ask for referrals: Don’t forget to ask your satisfied clients for referrals.
17. Publish an Online newsletter: This is an excellent way to keep in touch with clients and establish yourself as an authority.
18. Speak at Conferences: This provides an opportunity to share your expertise and meet prospects.
19. Join the Association of Personal Historians: The Association provides great support and its membership listing is available to those looking to hire a personal historian.
20. Create an e-mail signature: Every e-mail you send out should include a memorable phrase, your web/blog address and contact information.
21. Give away free reports: On your blog or website create a useful document that visitors will want to read. This not only establishes you as an authority but also strengthens your bond with your audience.
22. Form “supportive” business alliances: Contact local businesses that have clients that might also fit your client profile. For example you could  meet with people offering “Seniors Services”. Suggest to them that it would be mutually  beneficial to cross promote your services.
23. Attend workshops: It’s a way to enhance your professional skills and market your personal history business.
24. Organize a charity fund-raising  event: You get to meet a lot of people, do something worthwhile, and create more awareness of your company.
25. Send out media releases. Tie your release  to a holiday, special day, or issue. Follow up with a phone call to see if your release was received. Make friends with your local media. Eventually you’ll get an interview.

Photo © Martin Green | Dreamstime.com

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When I’m researching links for my Monday’s Link Roundup, I’m always  amazed by the richness of material available for those interested in personal and oral histories, storytelling, and genealogy. Today’s list is no exception. My favorite link is the Newseum. You can hover your mouse cursor over a city anywhere in the world and the front pages of that city’s newspapers are highlighted. Very cool!

• Unique photo gift ideas. “Your hard drive’s holding gigabytes of digital photos you’ve been snapping for years hostage, keeping all those memories of people and places in the digital dark. Your photos can make others smile on a personalized photo gift, for a holiday or for no reason at all.”

• Google Digitizes the Ottawa Citizen Archives. “Google has digitized and made available online most of the archives of the Ottawa Citizen newspaper, putting about 2.5 million articles at your fingertips, the earliest from 1890. You may be amazed at the speed and ease with which you can find family history.”

• Online Oral History Projects. “Many museums, historical organizations, universities, and special interest groups have not only created digital archives, but also oral history projects that cover spectrums of historical themes. The following sites offer a look into the expansive realm of online oral history projects.”

• African-American Roots: Websites and Resources. “To start off Black History Month, here are some of my top picks for soaking up African-American history and genealogy knowledge.”

• Newseum Blends High-Tech With Historical. “The Newseum — a 250,000-square-foot museum of news — offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits. The Newseum is located at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Sixth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., on America’s Main Street between the White House and the U.S. Capitol and adjacent to the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall.” [Thanks to RJ McHatton of Inventive Productions for alerting me to this site.]

• Researcher gave the Chumash a gift: their heritage. “John Peabody Harrington relentlessly studied Indian families for decades. Today, a 71-year-old woman who considered him a pest is grateful for his intense scholarship.”

• This I Believe. “…an international project engaging people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives. Over 70,000 of these essays, written by people from all walks of life, are archived here on our website, heard on public radio, chronicled through our books and television programming, and featured in weekly podcasts. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow.”

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This Monday, with Valentine’s Day not far away, take a look at Us: Americans Talk About Love. Another favorite link of mine is Vintage Ad Browser, a great way to idle away the hours. Did you know that Aspironal is “Better than Whiskey for colds and flu”? [from a1928 medicine ad]

• ‘Us: Americans Talk About Love’ : Interviews about intimacy. “… a new collection of 44 personal narratives from people describing the dynamics of their most intimate relationships. “There’s money and existential stuff . . . but then this love stuff fills in almost everything else.”

• Digital scribes transfer ancient words into bits and bytes. “In the corner of a quiet government office building, Leah Otak spends her work days in front of a computer and a cassette deck, poring over hundreds of hours of recorded interviews dating back as far as 1986. The interviews contain a massive trove of quickly-disappearing information: the traditional knowledge of elders from the Igloolik area covering everything from shamanism and kinship to traditional navigation methods and hunting and sewing techniques.”

• But Enough About Me. “What does the popularity of memoirs tell us about ourselves?” [Thanks to Pam Pacelli of Verissima Productions for alerting me to this article.]

• Vintage Ad Browser. “This site aims to collect vintage ads from a variety of sources, including comic books, CD-Roms, websites, APIs, your submissions, book, magazine & comic book scans, and more. At the moment, this site contains 123,311 ads.” [ Thanks to Melissa Dopp of Reel Lives Media for alerting me to this site.]

• Turn Web Pages Into PDFs. “Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a way for you to capture a web page in its entirety, either for future reference or for sharing it with your friends without having to start sending links back and forth? I’d like to capture the web page as it exists today. Luckily, there is an easy method of doing just that. PDFmyURL.com is a web service that captures web sites and converts them to PDF files.”

• A Time-Lapse of a Cover Creation. “After working on the latest cover for Macworld Magazine I wanted to show what is involved in making a cover. I focused on the three main areas: the photography, photoshop and design. I chose a time lapse format to convey lots of information in a small amount of time. The only drawback of time lapse is that since half a day goes by in 30 seconds, the whole process seem so easy!”

• ZOOM – Music Licensing for Videography & Digital Imaging. “For the first time ever, as a professional producer in the United States or Canada who uses music in the production of wedding and event videos, photo presentations and other related productions, you are NOW able to purchase the rights to use copyrighted music from the artists you choose at a price you can afford! The ZOOM License Bundle makes it possible.”

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This Monday’s  roundup has three book suggestions. I’m anxious to read Confessions of a Public Speaker. The reviews are great.  And as we start a new year, I’ve included some links to help you get a “leg up” on your personal history business. In particular, be sure to check out The Marketing Plan Formula.

• Half Broke Horses, A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls. “Half Broke Horses chronicles her maternal grandmother’s life. However, instead of basing the tale on research, her grandmother died when she was 8 years old, she uses her mother’s oral history of her grandmother’s life as the basis for the book.”

• The Pat Metheny Interviews by Richard Niles. “Composer, arranger and performer Richard Niles took his 25-year association with guitar legend Pat Metheny as a starting point for a three-part BBC series, Pat Metheny―Bright Size Life. Airing in 2007,…In this volume, Niles reassembles those interviews along with many others, sprinkled with comments from his closest collaborators—Gary Burton, Lyle Mays and Michael Brecker… Neither as complete as a biography or as self serving as a testimonial, The Pat Metheny Interviews offers a unique approach to the effort to get inside the head and heart of an artist who truly changed his medium. Added value—scores of black and white photos of Metheny performing as a youngster through current tours and discography. “

• The Marketing Plan Formula. “I’ve observed that when it comes to marketing, most of us don’t plan. Instead we have vague wishes and goals of what we’d like to do… Let me give you my complete formula for creating workable marketing action plans.”

• More Tips about Making and Keeping New Year’s Resolutions Than You Could Want. “Because resolution-keeping has been so important to my own happiness project, I’ve written about it several times. So, to give you a boost as you launch your 2010 New Year’s resolutions, here are some of my favorite discussions about resolutions:”

• Confessions of a Public Speaker by Scott Berkun. “In this hilarious and highly practical book, author and professional speaker Scott Berkun reveals the techniques behind what great communicators do, and shows how anyone can learn to use them well. For managers and teachers-and anyone else who talks and expects someone to listen-Confessions of a Public Speaker provides an insider’s perspective on how to effectively present ideas to anyone. It’s a unique, entertaining, and instructional romp through the embarrassments and triumphs Scott has experienced over 15 years of speaking to crowds of all sizes.”

• Rubrics for Viewing Photographic Storytelling. “Matthew Cline and Sudipta Shaw have both recently written blog entries that examine how photographs can tell stories.”

• Canadian Headstone Photo Project. “The mission of this project is to capture digital images and the complete transcription of  headstones of our ancestors. As decades pass — many stones are becoming harder, if not impossible, to read the inscriptions they originally contained. By archiving the images and transcriptions, we can help save these important records and also assist researchers using this valuable resource.”

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Lots of good stuff in this Monday’s Link Roundup. For Anne Murry fans, there’s a glowing review of her recently published memoir We needed her. Don’t think you can tell a riveting story in a little over a minute?  Check out The Closet. And for those of you using LinkedIn, take a look at 10 Linkedin Tips for Professionals.

• Talking Suitcases tell unique life stories. “[Susan]Armington explained that a Talking Suitcase is broadly defined as some sort of container for a diorama of handmade artworks. Those created by the women of the Korean Service Center reflect each woman’s life. “These are thoughtful, courageous, and sensitive women. As they worked, more and more memories came alive.” [Thanks to Linda Coffin at www.historycrafters.com for alerting me to this article.]

• All of Me. “Anne Murray’s voice comes through in her autobiography with low-key, self-deprecating humour and surprising honesty.”

• Photo Storytelling. “The holiday season is nearly upon us! It’s a time of year I associate with food, family and friends, but it’s also storytelling season…Memory is a funny thing. You can show an older relative the same picture year after year and get no new information. Then all of sudden someone else in the room starts talking about an event related to the image, and remembrances start pouring out of that older relative. It’s all about finding the right memory trigger.”

• Danville resident used filmmaking to get the word out. “David Walker returned from military service in Iraq with countless memories and experiences — the kind that would stay with him for a lifetime. Fighting in a war is not something one easily talks about…[he]enrolled in English 497: Narrative, Oral History and New Media Technologies in the spring of 2009. The goal of the course was to help returning veterans become filmmakers by creating short documentaries about the experiences of the Iraq War. Dubbed “Back from Iraq: The Veterans’ Stories Project,” these films, along with student interviews, class footage, and course materials, are now available online at http://wpsu.org/backfromiraq.”

• The Closet. “Never underestimate the power of a great story.”- a seventy-four second YouTube video by Canal+ [Thanks to Larry Lehmer at Passing It On for suggesting this piece.]

• How to Be Happier: Stay Connected to Your Past. “A while back, my husband and I noticed a characteristic we shared – neither of us did a particularly good job of staying connected with our past. It was true of us as a couple, too, once we got married. In each stage of life, we’d have good friends, but when we moved to the next stage, we found it difficult to stay connected to the people to whom we’d earlier been close.”

• 10 Linkedin Tips for Professionals. “Despite the hype over Twitter and Facebook, Linkedin offers the greatest opportunity for professionals to make connections that lead to business.”

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Our Link Roundup has a little Canadian seasoning this Monday. There’s a link to a Canadian magazine of shared family stories and memoirs. The other link leads to a story about 82 years of Canadian Immigration to the UK. The records are now online. And for those of you wanting to get some advice on social media and marketing, be sure to check out the free webinar on November 12th.

• Canadian Stories. “… a folk magazine featuring family stories, personal experiences and memories of the past. It is written by “ordinary” Canadians sharing material that is extraordinary. Readers identify strongly with our stories and reach back into their own memory banks to find pleasure and strength in their own histories.”

• Photo Sites: Read the Fine Print. “Yesterday’s New York Times featured an article, Guardians Of Their Smiles, on the uses and abuses of photo sites…So here’s the question: “How do you safeguard your online photo identity?”

• How to Manage Your Brand in Social Media. “This free webinar  November 12, 2009 – 1:00 PM EST/10:00 AM PST will cover:
  • How to incorporate social media into your overall marketing strategy.
  • How to track and monitor your brand in social media.
  • How to attract more website visitors and leads from social media.
  • How to measure and evaluate the ROI of your social media marketing efforts.”

[Thanks to Bob Breakstone at Our Living Tree for alerting me to this item.]

• What the Last Meal Taught Him. ” Memories are what Mr. Keller strives to create with all his food. And food memories are something he said he cherishes about his last years with his father. Especially that last meal.” [Thanks to Jose Diaz de Villegas at TellingLives.net for alerting me to this item.]

• Oral history project aimed at NO’s Central City. “Central City is widely considered the most dangerous neighborhood in New Orleans…The folks at Mondo Bizarro, the street-wise producers of local theater and festivals, are trying to breathe new life, confidence and pride into the area using one of New Orleans’ most pervasive and powerful devices: storytelling.”

• Records of 82 Years Of Canadian Immigration To The UK Now Online. “The UK Incoming Passenger Lists 1878-1960, detailing the travels of Canadian men and women who arrived in the UK during the twilight years of the British Empire, are available on Canada’s leading family history website Ancestry.ca. The collection contains records of more than 18 million immigrants and tourists who arrived on British shores throughout the 19th and 20th centuries before commercial flights became the norm. Among those listed are 2.6 million passengers who set sail from Canada’s shores.”

• The National Day of Listening is November 27, 2009. “On the day after Thanksgiving, set aside one hour to record a conversation with someone important to you. You can interview anyone you choose: an older relative, a friend, a teacher, or someone from the neighborhood.”

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This Monday’s Link Roundup has some gems. One of these is Grandma taught our son a lot. If you read nothing else from my list, read this. It speaks eloquently of the power of passing on our stories to a younger generation. And close to my heart is a  link to the story about a Hospice in Florida that helps patients tell their life stories.

• Grandma taught our son a lot. “He earned $200 typing up her stories, but what he learned about our history was priceless.”

• Native Americans learn about culture preservation. “Culture is complicated for Native Americans, and so is its preservation. Without a record, some tribes left no trace. Passing culture down through the generations gets more complicated by a tradition of oral history that makes some elders suspicious of recordings and photography.”

• Davina’s old postcards inspire a family history. “A visit to an antique shop led a holidaymaker on a quest to find the history of a Lazonby family – and publish his findings.” [Thanks to Larry Lehmer at Passing It On for alerting me to this story.]

• Hospice’s Legacy Program lets patients tell their story, their way. “Hospice’s mission is to help people die with dignity and comfort. And doing what Kiesel did on Friday — tell his story, his way — can offer patients both, said Dawn Woodward, director of HPH’s east Pasco office.”

• Altman’s Passions Shine Through. “Robert Altman: The Oral Biography, …imitates Altman’s art. Mitchell Zuckoff, who had been working with Altman on a book about filmmaking when the celebrated director died in November 2006, took those interviews and cross-cut them with conversations with just about every person who figured in Altman’s life. The result is much like one of Altman’s movies: many voices overlapping, some in concert, some contradicting, all rushing headlong toward their version of the truth.”

• Fairmont’s History Told Through Podcasts. “Fairmont,West Virginia is a known for having a rich history, but teaching that history to the younger generations can be a challenge…Main Street Fairmont is using a $20,000 Preserve America Grant to record an oral history of the town, which will be edited into mini documentaries and put online available for downloads.”

• When Everything Changed, by Gail Collins. “In her new book … Gail Collins weaves research with oral history to describe an American society in the midst of change in the 1960s.”

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