# Marketing Advice for New Security Camera **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 23, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405 "2012-01-23T17:05:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/21 "2012-01-24T21:21:23Z")
> [@anson2995](#): > > Why is a high-tech security camera appealing to the average homeowner? Beyond the “gee-whiz that’s cool” factor, what’s going to compel someone to spend hundreds (thousands?) on this device? What need does it fill? > > Your “cat video” has to answer that. It has to identify the itch your product will cure. > > Is it to catch his wife cheating, or his kid sneaking out at night, or a neighbor borrowing lawn tools? I think as a marketing pitch, you have to identify the need… not just show how cool the product is. For a homeowner, one camera will replace 3 or 4 standard cameras, wired window screens, door switches and motion detection. So, saving money to start with. If you happen to want to see who’s driving your cars, visiting your kids or using your pool while you’re away, you can check on your cell or iPad. ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/22 "2012-01-24T21:24:53Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > You just did. If Saint Cad turns you down you could send me one, free of charge and I will friend you on Facebook; then watch the orders start rolling in and rake in the cash! 😃 > > Seriously, how much (ballpark) for a single 180 camera that I would set up myself? $10K? $5K? More? Less? I think we realize that bleeding edge does not equal cheap. $1800 MSRP for digital, $1200 for Analog. Less if they like you. Runs on Windows/Explorer with 1 wire on that laptop you don’t use any more. Analytics are $150-$xxx. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/23 "2012-01-24T21:35:59Z")
Reaching consumers is expensive and tricky. I’d look for licensing partners who are already successful in the consumer end. Take this technology to the [Go Pro Hero](http://gopro.com/) sports cam people. They already produce a groundbreaking camera with excellent quality at a very low price. Mount these as a 360 helmet cam. Record your sports activity in super high resolution, and use that extra resolution to extract a stabilized 1080P segment from it. Another thing is in the automotive area. Regular back-up cams suck. They are usually low res, and have such distorted fish-eye lenses that they are difficult to use safely. Sell to auto makers, or aftermarket for truckers. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/24 "2012-01-24T21:41:43Z")
As mentioned above, you need to put that info on the website. I don’t know how that pricing compares to standard security cameras, so maybe talk up how it can replace X number of standard cameras or something as a sales point. As it stands now, even if I came across the website and thought “ooh, cool”, I’d assume that the price was out of my range. That’s been my experience with sites that refuse to give pricing or require me to “contact our sales staff”. I don’t want to deal with some huckster trying to give me the hard sell, I just want to buy a damn camera. Until you get basic stuff like that worked out, no Cat Video is going to do you any good. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/25 "2012-01-24T21:44:29Z")
And gaffa has a good idea. Look at some of the mountain biking videos. If your camera can be made portable enough to take on a bike ride, MTBers would go for it. Probably motocross, too. And if you can get some top riders to film some awesome rides for you, those make great video. ---
**Author:** ![Stormcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@Stormcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stormcrow)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/26 "2012-01-24T21:46:45Z")
> [@andyleonard](#): > > Need a Cat Video. Why not do a Cat Video? I’m serious. Partner with a pet shelter, or with someone who fosters kittens. Live-streaming kittens in 200 degrees, including when the lights are turned off at night. The secret lives of kittens, finally you can find out what they do AFTER you turn out the lights. You want something that will go viral, so that an incredibly wide population looks at it and goes “wow.” Sports videos might be another possibility. ---
**Author:** ![Mgalindo13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea5d25/32.png) [@Mgalindo13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mgalindo13)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/27 "2012-01-24T21:53:20Z")
> [@andyleonard](#): > > O.K. We’re all in agreement it’s truly cool stuff. He has one that will do 200\* at .03 lux and 15fps, which means you can see people moving on both sides of a fence when it’s so dark you can’t see your hands, with no IR. The original one was designed to be a picture window in a Bradley Armored Personnel Carrier. Which eliminates the argument over who has to open the door when they’re shooting at you. > > What I’m looking for is the “Aha” circumstance…which I’m referring to as “the Cat Video” since no one will be buying a Superbowl ad for this stuff… One thing we’re missing here is some kind of budget. You mention he’s not buying a Superbowl ad (and rightfully so), but what kind of promotional budget is he working with? Does he want something on the cheap, or is he willing to invest in this product? $10k, $50k, $100k? > [@andyleonard](#): > > that causes this product to come to the attention of and be of interest to a layman end user - like “Doctor” - who will then call his installer or his kid and get one for his house, office, hangar, garage, cabin, warehouse, etc. Driving demand through end users for this type of product can be very tricky. Many tend to take the recommendation of the security professional since he “knows what he’s doing.” It might be better to better detail the advantages of this camera to security professionals using the aforementioned trade publications/websites. Why should they be recommending this camera to their customers? Maybe that’s because they can do setup faster and they can do more jobs in a day, or corner a market by being one of the few installers that works with this technology, higher markup for higher ticket items, and so on. Also, consider the market. I don’t know that many people are going to want to spend $5k plus for a home video surveillance system. (cost of camera, plus DVR, plus wiring, plus installation) I think this product is best marketed towards businesses with a need. Consider a case study or feature article in trade magazines/websites that target jewelry stores, banks, casinos and other high end retailers. For example, if that money counting video was shot in a casino, get them to participate in a story about how the system benefited them and place it in _Casino Chronicle_. > [@andyleonard](#): > > The Security Professionals are seriously committed to low-res, narrow view, motorized PTZ cameras in heated cases that give you results like what you see on TV of a 7-11 or bank stickup… in the same sense that Detroit stuck with 5000# V8s until Europe/Japan beat them to death with 1.6 liter 4 cylinders. At 7 megs, you can blow a still from this thing up into a small poster and the camera is the size of a light switch. And, oh by the way, a lot of installers get paid on percentage - like an architect - so there’s no huge advantage for them to sell a single 180\* camera with no moving parts and a single CAT 5 wire that will replace 3 or 4 of the standard cameras that need conduit, an electrician and maintenance. > > Help me be a hero here. What’s the image, situation, circumstance that would snap your head around and make you notice the product? I want to get to the end user. I’m assuming the “new school” way to do that is on the internet, as everything else is so costly. What’s my move? Thanks. I would definitely try to find target/niche markets first. Those will be the buyers with the shortest lead times for purchase. A jewelry store owner who sees the advantages to the system is going to be a much more motivated buyer than Joe Doctor who wants to make sure his neighbors dog stays out of his yard. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/28 "2012-01-24T22:01:33Z")
I gotta ask: Why aren’t there any low-light stills or videos? ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/29 "2012-01-24T22:12:01Z")
> [@redtail23](#): > > As mentioned above, you need to put that info on the website. > > I don’t know how that pricing compares to standard security cameras, so maybe talk up how it can replace X number of standard cameras or something as a sales point. > > As it stands now, even if I came across the website and thought “ooh, cool”, I’d assume that the price was out of my range. That’s been my experience with sites that refuse to give pricing or require me to “contact our sales staff”. > > I don’t want to deal with some huckster trying to give me the hard sell, I just want to buy a damn camera. > > Until you get basic stuff like that worked out, no Cat Video is going to do you any good. It’s not a big secret. All questions are answered - with demos - on the web site. If you click through to your local distributor, the prices are right there. Regional distributors are not big fans of direct sales. On eBay too. ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/30 "2012-01-24T22:19:17Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > I gotta ask: Why aren’t there any low-light stills or videos? Low-light zoomable stills and video on site; [www.scallopimaging.com](http://www.scallopimaging.com) You’re looking for the M6 and “Imaging.” > **[Panoramic Vision Systems | Scallop Imaging](http://www.scallopimaging.com)** > > Panoramic video camera ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/31 "2012-01-24T22:29:50Z")
Also, consider the market. I don’t know that many people are going to want to spend $5k plus for a home video surveillance system. (cost of camera, plus DVR, plus wiring, plus installation) I think this product is best marketed towards businesses with a need. Consider a case study or feature article in trade magazines/websites that target jewelry stores, banks, casinos and other high end retailers. Agreed. He did that first. All referenced on site. For example, if that money counting video was shot in a casino, get them to participate in a story about how the system benefited them and place it in _Casino Chronicle_. Casinos are the hardest sell. They won’t even tell you what they have now or who’s running it. They also want 35fps to catch sharps. Cash handling:yes. Card handling: no. I would definitely try to find target/niche markets first. Those will be the buyers with the shortest lead times for purchase. A jewelry store owner who sees the advantages to the system is going to be a much more motivated buyer than Joe Doctor who wants to make sure his neighbors dog stays out of his yard. [/QUOTE] Oddly, Joe Doctor - once he has personally seen the results of the Scallop camera - will call his installer and buy stuff WAY faster than a jewelry store owner, who clearly has no use for another set of cameras because the ones he has are fine…even if they’re analog and 10 years old. Trust me on this one. Do doctors watch cat videos? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/32 "2012-01-24T22:30:53Z")
I have an apartment in Kansas City. As soon as Google Fiber hooks up my apartment and several of my clients, they will have the bandwidth to support one of these cameras as a next-generation webcam. Put a couple of these aimed at the stage at a music venue like [Knuckleheads Saloon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knuckleheads_Saloon) that has music nearly every night of the week. Couple that with a viewer that would allow the viewer to zoom in on whatever portion of the stage they desire, with a transparent Scallop Imagine logo in the corner. As you said, the security market thinks things are fine the way they are. You have to solve more difficult problems. ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/33 "2012-01-24T22:34:36Z")
[quote=“Stormcrow, post:26, topic:610405”] Why not do a Cat Video? I’m serious. Partner with a pet shelter, or with someone who fosters kittens. Live-streaming kittens in 200 degrees, including when the lights are turned off at night. The secret lives of kittens, finally you can find out what they do AFTER you turn out the lights. You want something that will go viral, so that an incredibly wide population looks at it and goes “wow.” Winner, winner, chicken dinner! I’ll have the lads get something. Where do we put it up? Does it have to have photoshopped orcas eating the kittens…or just kittens? ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/34 "2012-01-24T22:37:36Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > I have an apartment in Kansas City. As soon as Google Fiber hooks up my apartment and several of my clients, they will have the bandwidth to support one of these cameras as a next-generation webcam. Put a couple of these aimed at the stage at a music venue like [Knuckleheads Saloon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knuckleheads_Saloon) that has music nearly every night of the week. Couple that with a viewer that would allow the viewer to zoom in on whatever portion of the stage they desire, with a transparent Scallop Imagine logo in the corner. > > As you said, the security market thinks things are fine the way they are. You have to solve more difficult problems. Good brain. We’re working on this exactly. Go look at Bob Weir’s TRI studio site. We use it on SWAT robots too, before the guys go into a building. ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/35 "2012-01-24T22:47:04Z")
> [@redtail23](#): > > And gaffa has a good idea. > > Look at some of the mountain biking videos. If your camera can be made portable enough to take on a bike ride, MTBers would go for it. Probably motocross, too. > > And if you can get some top riders to film some awesome rides for you, those make great video. Yup,yup,yup. A little heavy still, we’re working on chip recording and small batteries, but the zoomable windows change everything. I use a Scallop D180 in my racecar. You get hands and faces of driver (and passenger), instruments, closeups of both side mirrors and a 100\* window out the windshield, PLUS the whole 180\* stream and the ability to zoom and pan when you get home. Thing is, most people have peripheral awareness out to about 165-170\* but they aren’t really SEEING anything other than movement. And humans aren’t really seeing in sharp focus except directly in front of them. Brain’s 'shopping in the rest. 180\* full depth of field is sort of like sitting in the front row at IMAX…needs some getting used to. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/36 "2012-01-24T22:53:00Z")
> [@andyleonard](#): > > Low-light zoomable stills and video on site; [www.scallopimaging.com](http://www.scallopimaging.com) > > You’re looking for the M6 and “Imaging.” > > [Scallop imaging - Panoramic Vision Systems](http://scallopimaging.com/m6-200-camera.php) Ah, I see. I couldn’t find them in the imagery section. These are AWESOME. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/37 "2012-01-24T22:54:31Z")
> [@andyleonard](#): > > It’s not a big secret. All questions are answered - with demos - on the web site. If you click through to your local distributor, the prices are right there. Regional distributors are not big fans of direct sales. On eBay too. _shrug_ Hey, you’re the one looking for advice. So your theory on selling things is to make the customer really, really have to work for it? That’s an interesting notion. Like multiple clicks to wander through to a regional distributor that doesn’t exist in my area? To find a website that may or may not give me the info that I need (can’t know till I spend the time and effort to go find it and then try to find your product on their site)? You’ve lost my business already. Personal and professional; I frequently am called on to find and recommend stuff for work - and your site wouldn’t be one I’d bother with for that, either, unless someone else insisted. I see sites like yours every day - I’m not interested in jumping through your hoops, certainly not gonna do it before I even know if you’re in my price range. I don’t want to watch a bunch of videos, I want to find some basic information in a relatively easy and efficient manner. I think you have a seriously, seriously mistaken notion of how effective your “cat video” is going to be. Yeah, get something cool on YouTube and everyone will watch. Then because you ignore all of the actual details of how to market and sell online, that will be the end of it. You’ll have a cool video - and still no sales. Have fun with that. Or stop trying to market directly to the public and quit trying to market online, both of which you evidently don’t know how to do at all, and find other markets and methods. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/38 "2012-01-24T22:58:34Z")
I’d also look at “reality tv”. Right now, there are always camera crews, so the available pool of participants is limited to attention whores. A number of these cameras in well-selected positions could conceivably allow eliminating all camera crews from the environment, and getting more interesting programming. I’d have someone in Hollywood trying to catch the attention of noted technophiles like Jim Cameron. One mention of the product’s name on national TV is worth far more than the cost of the equipment. ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/39 "2012-01-24T23:02:36Z")
> [@redtail23](#): > > _shrug_ Hey, you’re the one looking for advice. > > So your theory on selling things is to make the customer really, really have to work for it? That’s an interesting notion. > > Like multiple clicks to wander through to a regional distributor that doesn’t exist in my area? To find a website that may or may not give me the info that I need (can’t know till I spend the time and effort to go find it and then try to find your product on their site)? > > You’ve lost my business already. Personal and professional; I frequently am called on to find and recommend stuff for work - and your site wouldn’t be one I’d bother with for that, either, unless someone else insisted. > > I see sites like yours every day - I’m not interested in jumping through your hoops, certainly not gonna do it before I even know if you’re in my price range. I don’t want to watch a bunch of videos, I want to find some basic information in a relatively easy and efficient manner. > > I think you have a seriously, seriously mistaken notion of how effective your “cat video” is going to be. Yeah, get something cool on YouTube and everyone will watch. > > Then because you ignore all of the actual details of how to market and sell online, that will be the end of it. > > You’ll have a cool video - and still no sales. > > Have fun with that. > > Or stop trying to market directly to the public and quit trying to market online, both of which you evidently don’t know how to do at all, and find other markets and methods. Thanks for the comments. Sorry to lose your business. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![andyleonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e19b73/32.png) [@andyleonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andyleonard)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405/40 "2012-01-24T23:08:03Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > I’d also look at “reality tv”. Right now, there are always camera crews, so the available pool of participants is limited to attention whores. A number of these cameras in well-selected positions could conceivably allow eliminating all camera crews from the environment, and getting more interesting programming. I’d have someone in Hollywood trying to catch the attention of noted technophiles like Jim Cameron. One mention of the product’s name on national TV is worth far more than the cost of the equipment. A couple of reality line producers have tried the camera for exactly this. Problem - at the moment - is frame rate and the astonishing reluctance of backwards-baseball cap-wearing-children to use anything that’s non-Mac compatible. Another $1M for R&D for new sensors and we’re there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marketing-advice-for-new-security-camera/610405.md?page=3)