| Multimedia is everywhere on the Internet, | | | | understands the message you need to convey. |
| whether in the form of floating ads at major | | | | Is a creative firm with a great portfolio and |
| websites, streaming video or animated | | | | appealing style really able to promote |
| presentations. Of course, there is a good | | | | effectively your product and/or service? Only |
| reason why multimedia has become such an | | | | client testimonials, references, case studies |
| integral part of the web experience: it's an | | | | with solid results, or market research can |
| effective tool for capturing attention or | | | | tell you this. Even when obtaining the |
| provoking visitors to buy or contact the site | | | | creative from a top line firm, if you do your |
| owner. For these reasons, many educational | | | | homework, you can still keep costs down. |
| institutions, businesses, and other | | | | Prepare as much information about your target |
| organizations desire multimedia | | | | audience, goals, customers, products and |
| presentations. Unfortunately, at first glance | | | | services as possible. Develop a few rough |
| multimedia, often appears prohibitively | | | | concepts of your own, in-house, to help |
| expensive for small businesses and | | | | orient the creative team. Finally, discuss |
| non-profits. The following represent a number | | | | these endeavors with your chosen firm up |
| of ways to control the high cost that | | | | front and negotiate a reduction in fees if |
| typically accompanies multimedia production | | | | you both agree that the information you |
| without losing quality. We believe these | | | | provide is helpful.A second way to cut cots |
| suggestions will ensure that you save money | | | | is to ask for fixed price development. This |
| but still feel good about your | | | | direction can mean losing some flexibility in |
| investment.Let's begin by understanding the | | | | the design of your site. However, the |
| components of professional multimedia | | | | tradeoff can be worthwhile if you are able to |
| production, which include creative | | | | exert self-discipline. For that reason, when |
| development, actual production, and various | | | | choosing fixed price development, be limited |
| stages for revisions.The lion's share of | | | | with revisions, as you only get a few as part |
| multimedia production costs typically stems | | | | of a fixed price. Avoid common mistakes such |
| from creative development. This is often the | | | | as being unsure of what design direction you |
| most controversial line item for frugal | | | | desire or being unsure of your marketing |
| business owners, who may ask, "shouldn't the | | | | message. Carefully consider each deliverable |
| cost of the creative be part of the design or | | | | in order to provide all your comments in as |
| production costs?" As with fine clothing, | | | | few phases as possible - take a couple of |
| where the choice of designer adds to the cost | | | | days, at least, to do this.Finally, when |
| of your product more so than the actual | | | | working with a firm, make sure that you |
| material or sewing, multimedia design costs | | | | provide them with only one point of contact |
| depend on the creative input as well. For | | | | so they don't spend additional time |
| example, if you hire a designer with more | | | | coordinating between people in your company - |
| experience or with a track record of creating | | | | although seemingly amusing, that mistake is |
| unique, catchy concepts, your creative | | | | quite common, especially so with growing |
| development costs may be higher. Of course, | | | | businesses. Requiring your designer to |
| the final product may result in having a | | | | handle internal coordination of ideas leads |
| stronger impact as well. The solution isn't | | | | to dramatic extensions in project timelines, |
| to pick the least expensive creative | | | | so be sure that you appoint someone |
| professional, but rather to understand their | | | | internally to act as a point of contact and |
| process in order to help speed production | | | | clearinghouse of internal discussion. Another |
| (thus reducing cost).The second component of | | | | way to save on multimedia costs is by |
| multimedia production, the design and | | | | concentrating on developing powerful ideas |
| production of the piece itself, typically | | | | while keeping implementation simple. When too |
| requires less guesswork in terms of defining | | | | much time is spent on design and not enough |
| cost. The cost per minute of production | | | | on concept, you will waste production money |
| depends on a limited number of specific | | | | and effort. To make this strategy effective |
| parameters, such as the complexity of the | | | | interview firms that may front load the |
| animation and the overall quality of the | | | | creative, but also display portfolio pieces |
| design agency selected. Generally speaking, | | | | that focus on conveying ideas rather than |
| there are three types of firms - from a cost | | | | showing off lots of special effects. Work |
| perspective - you can choose to work with: a | | | | with the designer to simplify the production |
| purely on-shore, purely off-shore, or a | | | | process by brainstorming easier ways to |
| hybrid off-shore/on-shore firm. The type of | | | | animate key concepts, and be open to using |
| organization you choose will have a strong | | | | less labor intensive "vector" animation |
| correlation with the quality and the price | | | | rather than 3D animations or video |
| you pay.The third component, client | | | | production. When it comes to sound, seek out |
| revisions, is an area controlled most easily | | | | talented and "undiscovered" freelance |
| and typically is the cause of inflating or | | | | musicians or voiceover actors working from |
| deflating multimedia development costs beyond | | | | home who can provide original audio that will |
| a designer's original estimate, or your | | | | cut licensing costs..As a final point, the |
| expectations. The most basic revisions | | | | operational structure of your chosen design |
| consist of three rounds: changes to creative | | | | firm can impact cost and quality as well. |
| concepts, changes to a draft version of the | | | | Off-shoring software development is well |
| final product, and a final review. Often, | | | | established, but outsourcing design work |
| more revisions may be needed when a designer | | | | abroad is less common and can lead to |
| is provided with inconsistent or incomplete | | | | interesting results due to cultural |
| information. This invariably results in a | | | | differences or lack of marketing knowledge. |
| higher cost than expected.With the extensive | | | | At the same time, larger multimedia projects |
| time that some multimedia presentations call | | | | often benefit from repetitive production |
| for, requiring the efforts of creative | | | | taking place off-shore. Depending on your |
| professionals and skilled developers, it's | | | | needs, a "full" off-shore firm with just a |
| not surprising that multimedia presentations | | | | sales presence in the US may not be able to |
| and ads can be expensive. Why, then, consider | | | | provide you with the customer service needed. |
| them? Are they effective?Multimedia | | | | On the other hand, a fully US firm will |
| presentations are very successful at grabbing | | | | likely double your production costs.The best |
| people's attention. Multimedia results in | | | | choice for small businesses is a design firm |
| higher retention of marketing information by | | | | employing a hybrid approach, where creative |
| viewers, or more enthusiasm for an offer. | | | | development and high level design is handled |
| When compared to static text, graphics, or | | | | by professionals that you can meet and build |
| even audio, multimedia is simply more | | | | rapport with, but where larger production is |
| compelling due to its ability to trigger | | | | handled costs effectively by a well managed |
| multiple senses at the same time..According | | | | offshore team.By controlling the costs of |
| to DoubleClick (quoted in ZDNet.com, Joseph, | | | | multimedia your business can afford a highly |
| 2002) multimedia ads have a 71 percent higher | | | | effective communication tool that can pique |
| impact than their static counterparts. | | | | site visitors' or ad viewers' interest. |
| Similarly, in 1997, the California Community | | | | Remember these key points:- Think "simple" |
| College system, "implemented a test design to | | | | when it comes to producing animations - focus |
| assess the efficacy of multimedia technology | | | | on strong ideas instead. |
| as a non-traditional form of instruction" | | | | |
| (Luna & McKenzie, 1997). Surveys take after | | | | - Be disciplined with your revisions to |
| the test determined, "40% of the students | | | | avoid charges for many rounds of changes. |
| felt multimedia improved understanding and | | | | |
| 73% found it a positive addition to the | | | | - Take over creative development and let |
| course." Finally, a study published in the | | | | your designers simply produce your vision |
| Journal of Management Information Systems | | | | when your in-house creative is strong. |
| (Benbasat & Lim, 2002) determined that | | | | Otherwise seek out a trustworthy design |
| multimedia "facilitat [es] the retention and | | | | agency with a track record of strong creative |
| subsequent recall of explanative | | | | development. |
| information..." The study consisted of two | | | | |
| test groups. One group processed information | | | | - Work with firms that employ an optimal mix |
| through a "text-based system" and the other a | | | | of US and off-shore development.One never |
| "multimedia system." The subjects who were | | | | needs to cut out quality while cutting costs. |
| tested on the basis of a "multimedia system" | | | | Strong concepts and ideas will make the |
| received a higher mean test score of 2.70 | | | | biggest difference in your presentation's |
| compared to the 2.10 of the text based group | | | | success at the end of the |
| (p.114); clearly demonstrating that higher | | | | day.ReferencesBenbasat, I., Lim, K.H. (2002). |
| retention is possible with multimedia. | | | | The influence of multimedia on improving the |
| | | | comprehension of organizational information. |
| The case for implementing multimedia into | | | | Journal of Management Information Systems, |
| your marketing, sales or advertising is | | | | 19, 114-115. Retrieved August 5, 2004, from |
| clear. What can your business or non-profit | | | | EbscoHost, M. (1997, February). The cost of |
| do to cut its costs?The first method involves | | | | computer based training: A directory of |
| separating the development of the creative | | | | development houses. EMedia Professional, 10, |
| (the message, concepts, and storyboards) from | | | | 109. Retrieved August 12, 2004, from InfoTrac |
| the production (design, animation, and sound | | | | Web: General Reference Center Gold.Joseph, P. |
| production), or at least finding ways to | | | | (2002, January). Beyond the Banner: New |
| control it.An article by Mark Frits for | | | | strategies in online advertising. Tech |
| EMedia Professional (1997) discussing a fax | | | | Update, Retrieved August 27, 2004, from |
| survey taken of 100 different multimedia | | | | C.J., McKenzie, J. (1997, February). Testing |
| production specialists determined, "the | | | | multimedia in the community college |
| creative time spent by designers and project | | | | classroom. T H E Journal, 24, 78. Retrieved |
| managers, as the most expensive factor of | | | | August 5, 2004, from EbscoHost, © 2004 |
| production." Therefore, if a business has | | | | Polar DesignPatricia A. Schmal |
| already developed a detailed creative | | | | |
| concept, storyboard, schematics, or other | | | | Patricia Schmal is a Marketing Associate |
| documentation of what needs to be done, it | | | | with Polar Design where she plays a pivotal |
| can reduce the total cost of producing | | | | role in its creative team's concept |
| multimedia by utilizing a small design firm | | | | development, and also works to improve |
| or freelancer. Costs are cut because the time | | | | clients' link popularity and search engine |
| and skill spent on one creative is replaced | | | | positioning. Patricia is also an active |
| by an in-house team. Of course, to ensure | | | | participant in its public relations activity. |
| success, only those small businesses who | | | | Patricia is currently an undergraduate |
| believe they possess strong creative assets | | | | student at Merrimack College in North |
| (with professional advertising or marketing | | | | Andover, Massachusetts where she is |
| expertise) should attempt this | | | | completing a degree in Business |
| approach.Remember, if you do ask your | | | | Administration.Mark J. Jaklovsky |
| designer or design firm to handle the | | | | |
| creative, that the route of working directly | | | | Mark Jaklovsky is Managing Director and a |
| with a designer (rather than a firm with a | | | | co-founder of Polar Design an interactive |
| creative team) may cut costs and also | | | | agency employing 25 designers, developers and |
| quality. Firms with full time creative | | | | web marketers in North American and Europe. |
| professionals that are not involved in day to | | | | Polar Design is a full-service provider of |
| day design are often able to craft unique | | | | multimedia and graphic design, software |
| storyboards that describe and explain | | | | development, and search engine marketing |
| products, services, or company mission in | | | | services. In his capacity as Managing |
| memorable ways. Freelancers are a poor choice | | | | Director, Mark spearheaded dozens of |
| for strong creative since they often work | | | | successful multimedia presentations, web |
| alone and have limited means to brainstorm | | | | sites and online marketing campaigns on |
| and perfect concepts with other creative | | | | behalf of Polar Design's clients since 1999. |
| professionals - a principal differentiating | | | | Mark is a graduate of Georgetown University's |
| factor and benefit of working with a firm.If | | | | School of Foreign Service where he earned a |
| you do select a firm for your creative and | | | | B.S. in Foreign Service. |
| production, make sure that the creative team | | | | |