It's a great concept, - and it has a 'cool factor' of 300%!

Many people will pop these into their drive just because of image appeal alone. What's really neat is when one is so well done, so informative, so interactive, that everybody wants one.

This type of viral marketing can be very effective and create residual traffic to your business. The point I would like to make here is, don't undertake these projects without specific goals in mind. Yes, they are cool, yes, they (themselves) are not that expensive, but without a well done message, or purpose, they lose the 'cool' effect very quickly. The point is to keep interest, no matter what your selling, or announcing, or rolling-out.

Anyone can get online and find a dozen CD replicating firms pretty quickly. What you really want to find is a pro- fessional consultant that can assist you in putting it all together, making it all work, and keeping it interesting.

This presentation is what will make the CD card become a success (sizzle!). The CD cards are not your real expense (under $1 each), it's the chosen platform and presentation you care to deliver and how.

Let's look at some ideas...

One of the first things you should consider is that the presentation have live links to it's major content. In this way, we can constantly keep our site pages updated and the CD remains usable (not outdated). When loading, you can choose to have a permission based icon burned onto the user's Desktop that links directly to your website (and even ask permission).

You can make special offers that can be retrieved at your website. You can use them for your next huge Tradeshow, Product Announcement and Roll-out. How about your Corporate Year End Results?

These cards can hold different capacities (MB's), and come in many shapes. You can create a custom shape, but that adds heavily to the investment (there are plenty of shapes available).

You can fit audio, video, and most content within this form factor. The popular interface is currently Flash or other Macromedia applications. They are fast, allow complete creativity, and interface well on both PC and MAC platforms. If you have a Flash specialist in-house, then you can save money in the creation process.

Now you should take the major goals of the CD and layout a Storyboard that accomplishes those goals. We have a lot of flexibility here, we have audio, sounds, voices, music, and we have animation, video, and links to more information.

This should be your interactive TV commercial. Besides, the CD ROM's, we keep a copy of the commercial on our website for the benefit of the people who didn't receive a CD card. They can view our webfomercial from online too!

Use your logo prominently through-out your presentation (branding). Keep your messages and information focused, always restating the benefits. Know your audience! especially if this CD Project is directed at a specific market segment. Create the environment with that audience in mind, not what desk executives like.

The image on the cover of the CD is completely flexible as well. You can use a photograph, a screenshot, or a combination. The image resolution has improved dramatically in the past 3 years. Use or create some of your "best stuff" for these CD projects, it is worth it.

You can also pay for plastic sleeves that each CD has been inserted in-to (you want these). It makes them very easy to mail.

Consider that image, you receive one in the mail with your Christmas card from the company. Maybe you ship one out with every order for a month..? It really depends on what you want to accomplish. Spend the time to come up with the concepts necessary in having a successful campaign.

Written by and Copyright Scott Sedwick