When it comes to communication, efficiency is everything. Voicemail is giving way to text based messages like SMS and Email, which are more easily sorted and can be quickly skimmed. But while basic text may be enough to convey simple ideas, it often falls short with when trying to pitch a startup, or offer a business proposal. GoldMail has built a platform that allows users to send media-rich messages that can include graphics and audio while still retaining much of the flexibility of Email.
A GoldMail message is essentially a Flash slideshow that can include any number of images, Powerpoint slides, and text, which are accompanied by the sender’s voiceover. Messages are created using GoldMail’s Windows client (a Mac version is on the way), and are then uploaded and hosted on GoldMail’s servers. Recipients of a GoldMail message are sent a text introduction along with a link to the full GoldMail movie. And while you can make the messages as complex as you’d like, they generally only take around 5-10 minutes to put together.
In practice the service seems to work well – I would much rather watch a 3 minute narrated presentation than read many pages of text, and building a presentation was straightforward. That said, GoldMail is only useful when the message contains something I know I want to hear about. For unsolicited communication the service would grow old quickly, as there’s no way to skim through a message to see if the content is worthwhile in the first place – if I started receiving multiple GoldMail messages a day, I’d probably skip them altogether.
GoldMail originally launched last November as a consumer-oriented service, but the company soon realized that it was better suited to business-to-business communication. Until now the service has been quite expensive (running around $5000 for an initial license and then $500 per person), but GoldMail is eager to grow its user base and has dropped the price to around $100 per user, per year, with no initial license fee.
is there a video embed or input function?
PostalLocator.com
Goldmail looks like an interesting service. It reminds me of Brainshark.com, a powerpoint and audio presentation tool, except that it seems to be for smaller audiences.
It’s been my experience that when presentations involve video, the video tends to be the core of the message. It makes sense that Goldmail doesn’t have video because I’m sure one of their core benefits is the rapid creation of the mixed-media content.
For example at Wistia (where I work), the videos that people are sharing with one another tend to be shot and edited in advance. Introducing video changes the audience and the way one needs to think about incorporating it into a larger offering. The value of the service is no longer about the rapid creation, instead it’s focused on tracking, feedback and access control.
cheers,
Chris
wistia.com
There is not currently a video embed function. We have an exciting roadmap of enhancements/features to be added, and we welcome all of our users’ suggestions. As we continue to enhance the product, we will keep GoldMail’s ease of use at the top of our priority list.
“exciting roadmap of enhancements/features to be added…”
>> Like what? this is called empty marketing speak. you didn’t tell *us* anything
“As we continue to enhance the product…”
>> How? With what features? Again ’signaling nothing’
“we will keep GoldMail’s ease of use at the top of our priority list.”
>> Ok, so you say you will listen to feedback and watch user response rates. Is that some kind of assurance that your serious?
Windows client????????????????????????Mac version????????????????????????
LMAO
You have to be kidding, right?
Good luck with that!
How old is this email?
Exactly for the reasons pointed out (not being able to skim through) this does not seem to be a good service for “cold call” pitches.
However, I see potential for people working together in a team and needing to discuss complex data: send people a big excel file and quickly give a view (narrated) highlights without having to spend time to make graphs or write down summary analysis.
This is obviously true for working papers, rather than final presentations.
Couldn’t you just send someone a link to a sliderocket presentation or some other online presentation program? This sounds like a solution without a problem to me.
Shame with all that money they couldn’t hire a decent web designer.
Why, what’s the problem with the design? It’s simple, linear, uncluttered, and keeps the focus on the content creation process.
Hey! I will tell u why… a decent web designer will provide feedback to all user actions (rollovers, menu, buttons…) also, there all countless issues related with the css used in there, menu items sometimes are red others white… and so on.
It is not simple, it is not linear and sorry it is cluttered.
…hire a real web designer
>> Voicemail is giving way to text based messages like SMS and Email,
I’m heard about this newfangled email thing. I think I might give it a whirl after I have finished flushing out the septic and find that dern cow what gots out of the barn yesterday.
I think this solution is much better, cheaper and more effective (www.wrapmail.com). They are even #1 on TechCrunch Pitches. They charge $5 per user, they have tracking and takes advantage of every employee that is sending emails.
There’s no question emails are moving towards being more visually rich communication tools. It’s one of the few communication methods that has not gone through some type of renaissance.
A solution searching for a problem .
HORRIBLE web design! That site looks worse then most of the cookie cutter templates sold at places like template monster.
Anyhow, I would give it a shot during the free trial … HOWEVER … another dumb company not building for Mac OSX. Actually, I just changed my mind because if this was actually a “good concept”, SJ would have already built it into Apple Mail – LOL.
You can create the same “media-rich messages” with your PowerPoint and share them for free using SlideBoom.com. There is no need to pay for GoldMail services!
Now that Eyejot ( http://www.eyejot.com ) does attachments (in their PRO+ version for $100/year), wouldn’t that be a good alternative solution? You could record video and send the actual PPT. They also have a feature called “Eyejot This!” which will play content below recorded video in a frame – giving you the “talked over” effect. Both, though, seem like good solutions.
PG – Boble
Eyejot and Slideboom don’t offer the same type of service Goldmail does. Both are for people messing around on the computer, not for business use. I also don’t see where either of those offer a customized viewer, take a look at the website. They are good products but don’t compare to the ease of use….anyone can create a GoldMail, can’t say that for Eyejot or Slideboom…..
Also, Dave – Wrapmail.com is a cool service but it’s going after a totally different market, get on the same page.