Multimedia is known to be an effective tool for educating and entertaining. It's no wonder that many businesses large or small want to use it for a variety of reasons: employee training, sales presentations, to educate consumers, communication, etc. An article on INC.com stated that, "A survey conducted by Business Research Group found [small businesses] that were developing multimedia applications most often used them for presentations." (Mangeldorf, 1997) Presentations are usually used for product launches or as a complimentary sales tool. As a small business there are certain situations where using multimedia is appropriate and others where it's not.

The first question you should ask yourself is, "Can my business benefit from multimedia?" There are a variety of factors that can influence the benefits of multimedia. First, think about your audience. Are you marketing to a young group of consumers? A 1997 article discussing how "The exposure of American children to TVs, videos and computers has accustomed them to multi-sensory stimulation in the development of their learning capabilities," illustrates that multi mediums are the best way to help them learn (Golden, 1997). Therefore, multimedia would be a good way to target a young audience. Also, marketing to a broad range of people can influence the benefits of multimedia. If your market consists of various levels of education, multimedia presentations can help get your message across because it uses more than one sense. For instance, those who perhaps are not very literate could understand the message you are trying to communicate by listening to voiceovers.

A second factor that influences the benefits of multimedia is the type of product/service your business offers. A business that provides videography/photography services would benefit from multimedia in a couple of different ways. They could use this to display much of their work, especially if they provide digital photography services. A second example that can help you understand whether your product/service will benefit from multimedia is to compare a business selling an LCD TV to a business selling a new ball point pen. If you are an internet retailer selling a new brand of pens the same idea will reach the consumer regardless and more cost effectively by using static text and images. Also, it's highly unlikely a consumer is willing to invest their time into watching such an interactive and elaborate presentation on ball point pens. Then again, if you are a business selling an LCD TV, a consumer will be willing to invest their time in educating themselves on such a high-ticket item. Not only could a multimedia presentation benefit the business online by providing the consumer with a 3D view of the TV, but when a consumer visits the retailer to purchase it they could view the multimedia presentation on the same LCD TV they are considering. In this case multimedia offers several benefits.

Quality is another factor that influences the benefits of multimedia. In relation to the videography/photography service example you can understand how quality may benefit a small business like this. It is important for a photographer to establish a sophisticated and professional image. High-quality multimedia can provide this to a small business such as a photographer. Vice versa, a small business that is looking to target the consumer with a small pocket may benefit from a lower-quality multimedia presentation where as a high-quality presentation may intimidate the customer.

While quality can also influence the benefits of multimedia it also has an influence in costs, as do many other factors. There is a direct relationship between quality and costs. Other issues influencing costs are: length of multimedia, voiceover & sound production, 3D vs. 2D animation, and production speed. Each of these factors can influence costs based on your specific production needs.

The second question that you should ask yourself, as with any investment: "Will the benefits of multimedia exceed the costs?" In this context, the "benefits" can refer to increased conversion of sales leads to customers, while the costs include design, programming, and hosting. In some ways cutting costs can lead to greater return. For example, a small architecture firm would benefit from 3D animation where in they could display a new or current project. A small business which doesn't have many resources that larger corporations do could outsource this 3D design for a multimedia presentation. Therefore, the business would benefit but costs would be lower. . In this example cutting costs can lead to a greater return. However, in other situations where the benefit really depends on quality, cutting costs can have the opposite effect. If the firm were to rely on lower quality design or 2D design clients may not feel as confident in their investment because 2D doesn't give them the perspective that 3D can. Therefore, a client may have trouble picturing what the actual structure will be like. As a result, a client may resort to a firm that provides this type of design. Not only would this result in a lower return on investment but also possibly lost revenue. After reviewing the costs and benefits of choosing multimedia one should ask, "Based on our expected benefit, how much are we really ready to invest into the cost of multimedia?" Does the company have enough working capital to support employment of multimedia? If you don't have the cash flow, how will you finance your investment? Be aware, the last thing you want to do is invest a good deal of money into a mediocre multimedia presentation.

Due to the costs of multimedia it is vital for you, a small business owner to consider your goals and objectives to determine whether or not to utilize multimedia. By asking yourself a few questions and assessing your goals and objectives, you can feel confident in your investment.

Resources
Golden, B., (1997, October) A glimpse of possibilities. Techniques, 19. Retrieved August 5, 2004, from Infotrac Web: Gen'l Refrence Ctr Gold.

Mangelsdorf, M.E. (1994, November) In the Vanguard: Putting Multimedia to Work. INC Magazine. Retrieved January 17, 2004, from http://www.pf.inc.com/magazine/19941101/3199.html

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