35 Ways To Grow The Business In 2010
 Print This Post
|
|
Reading time: 7 – 12 minutes
About 10 days ago I started an exercise on coming up with ideas to help Leechon grow financially and in social capital for this next year. The following list is what I got with your help.
–
1 -
Develop a financial processing system
for processing company transactions to ensure timely execution of reimbursements and accounts receivables
2 -
Find funding sources for clients
where the funding for video comes from the organization’s member/subscriber base. This way more organizations can actually benefit form the service and more people can be engaged.
3 -
Relaunch Secrets of Video Production with affiliate partners,
separate from the full Message Mastery membership while also giving new courses and content to existing members.
4 -
Produce a sound loops and scores product without musical instruments
by partnering with a sound designer to sell as digital downloads as a means of helping Muslim indy producers.
5 -
Start a slate of three feature projects budgets at $30K each
with on demand distribution model and private funding partners to finance it.
6 -
Online product launch of 20 minute short film
with educational content partnered with a specific organization
7 -
Setup speaking engagements
followed by paid live-in-person workshops with Message Mastery on topics of marketing, strategy, social media & video
–
8 -
Outsource all projects with budget under $1500
to Pakistan or India
9 -
Release case student of past projects
via Message Mastery. Price would vary based on depth of coverage and time spent on project.
10 -
Perodically release fun merchandise for people to buy
What type of merchandise would people be keen to pickup? t-shirt? gear? dvd?
11 -
Decade of Dawah good will project to invite bloggers & orgs to share their achievements
major events and accomplishments for last 10 years – (response to idea) – RT @shMuhammad @khanb1 I was reading one of those “decade in review” and thought: how about a series on AlMaghrib’s growth? Who’s interested?
12 -
Build segmented email lists and databases for smaller and/or Start-ups
via permission marketing – to increase social capital and lead base for Leechon and the organization
13 -
Release Tufaan not only as a film, but also with uncut interviews
as direct download and/or cinema-on-demand
14 -
Organize an indy conference on novel topic
Produce all it’s lectures in professional quality with a short documentary on the subject/topic. Sell it online as a complete package in Direct Download and/or DVD
–
15 -
Remake Egyptian film “Tito”
adjust story to relate with American Muslim youth and with similar flair of action and drama.
16 -
Instead of selling Tufaan, release it for free as a lead generator
and a place to build a larger fan base for future film sales
17 -
Start a restaurant review show with Zabiha.com
traveling across the country
18 -
Map out a 50 year plan
of where Leechon, Message Mastery and how it will impact Islamic dawah in the following years
19 -
Produce a children’s show
on a full investors budget complete with merchandising and maybe an online social game.
20 -
Produce discussion videos
on contemporary topics featuring a numerous prominent people
21 -
Enter film competitions with a cash prize
–
22 -
Team up with a grant writer
and apply for grants on specific film projects.
23 -
Upload content for monitzation
via ads for blip.tv views
24 -
Have lunch of coffee with at least one executive producer ever month
in NY to role model & draw map for personal dream of being one
25 -
Produce a DVD with general appeal and narrow focus
and go door to door selling it.
26 -
Stat a blog site to collect and follow all news on Prophet Muhammad-sal Allahu alayhi wasallam bio pic
27 -
Solicit other Major Islamic organizations for video services
After the internship, map out major Islamic orgs with already existent shows (means they have the money, equipment and workforce to sustain it) offer to do one episode / video free and show them the difference that can be made in terms of quality and affect. Then bam, we charge this much, here’s the profit / increase in hits you will make.
- submitted by RizaK
28 -
Start a reality show
A reality show behind the scenes of Leechon, a Muslim media (giant inshaAllah) in the 21st century in an ever changing word etc. etc. I’m sure it can be dramatized a bit. It will basically showcase the difficulties of doing something that hasn’t really been done before, at least not on this scale. Paving the way for the future inshaAllah. Feature film. Distribute… ??? …. PROFIT!
- submitted by RizaK
–
29 -
Start basics training course on Message Mastery
Simple video marketing training (lesser level than current MsgMstry course)
- submitted by Nahyan
30 -
Teach social media marketing
- submitted by Nahyan
31 -
Move beyond the Muslim space
working with bigger/smarter businesses with video marketing. Generally speaking, Muslim businesses aren’t that sophisticated to hire professional video people and pay adequately
- submitted by Nahyan
32 -
Video certification program
Complete DIY guide to video production, how to get clients, keep them, meet their needs, make a profit etc. You must prove yourself in order to graduate. Once graduation has finished you’re a Leechon certified video extraordinaire. You now have the option to work for Leechon or start your own business. (I may have lifted this idea from somewhere)
– submitted by RizaK
33 -
Tour AlMaghrib qabaail with short and sweet program on Video
Stepping up the Dawah Promo: Tour Qabail with a short and sweet program that peaks the interest of Muslims in video. Give them reasons to KNOW why video dawah is the future. Interest people and show them that it CAN be done with some effort. The basic idea here is to interest Muslims with the concept of video, create noise. Why? Leechon wil be the GO-TO organization for Muslim media bithnillah, thus they will come to Leechon for help. inshaAllah
- submitted by RizaK
34 -
Feature Film of the year
Call a bunch of organizations to find out common issues in Muslim communities. Then come back months later after the data is collected with a proposal.
- submitted by RizaK
35 -
Pitch to production houses and studios
risk it and start going to all the production houses that you know of [both Muslim and Non-muslim] and pitch ideas to them see if they pick it up. If not approach potential sponsers, i asuume that you probably have a few if not many contacts in the media and see if they would be willing to sponser a Muslim show which has a unique twist to it. [of course a concept paper for this show will have to be developed]
- submitted by Haris
Nahyan Says: 03.01.10 at 6:51 pm
Excellent brainstorming Belal.
I’m especially feeling these: 3, 7, 8, 11, 16, 17, 21, 27, 28, and 34.
Some are more easily executable than others, but in any case inshaAllah 2010 is a year of massive growth for you and Leechon. Ameen.
Yusuf Says: 05.01.10 at 8:32 am
May Allah make your intentions pure and give you success beyond your wildest dreams!
n Says: 10.01.10 at 2:43 pm
could you elaborate more on number 15?
have you seen the film?
AlBaraa Says: 10.01.10 at 2:48 pm
@N -
Sure, I’ll elaborate. I have seen the film. I own the DVD too (courtesy of my wife – she’s Egyptian).
Perhaps I should use the word “re-imagine” instead of “remake.” It’s a story about a boy living off the streets, getting involved in gangs, going to jail, but looking for a way out. When he’s older, he finds a way to build a new life, but his past begins to catch up with him and thus endangering the people whom he now cares about.
It’s a common story arc – following the 12 steps of a hero’s journey.
n Says: 10.01.10 at 4:28 pm
yeah i’ve also seen parts of the film…..
if you don’t mind me asking, i would like to know how are you going to adjust (or would like to adjust) the story to relate with American Muslim youth?
AlBaraa Says: 10.01.10 at 4:38 pm
@N –
I haven’t thought much about it yet.
I’d start off by developing a character with elements that youth identify with. Similar likes, desires, struggles, problems, etc.
Off the top of my head, building off of basic human needs – the need to be loved. Many youth grow up either in single parent homes, or due to the “generation gap” don’t feel like they’re given the attention they want thus the need for love is left unfulfilled. That can lead to the youth doing different things to fit in.
The need for significant. To gain respect and power. That’s why people tend to join groups, parties, gangs, etc.
The need to contribute and grow as a human being. We naturally look for opportunities in these two areas.
The need for adventure contrasted with the need for stability in life. The character Tito “Tahir” wanted more stability in his life in terms of his career and method of living so that he can have his other needs fulfilled, but the needs of his “mentor/boss” tend to conflict with his own and this is where the struggle for the character begins.
Similarly – a youth who’s part of a gang, group, etc – finds himself lacking in some of his basic human needs but his attempts at fulfilling those needs conflicts with what currently fulfills his needs for significance and adventure.
Just a place to start perhaps.
n Says: 10.01.10 at 5:01 pm
great, alright, please let me know when you start off. actually, i would very much like to join or work on something like that. i’m a media design student and i very much wanted to apply for leechon’s internship (wasn’t even sure if people from Egypt could take part) but the problem is I’m working on my BA thesis, (it’s about independent filmmaking) so unfortunately, time’s very tight.
anyways, i would like to join the team later on inshaAllah if possible…
jazakom Allah khayran.
Counting Money And Moving Towards Making Some -- Leechon Films Says: 13.03.10 at 5:46 pm
[...] January I made a blog post about 35 Ways To Grow The Business In 2010. A little over two months later looking back at that list I realized only a handful of them can be [...]