OK, so we know where we are, know where we are headed and have decided our income. All we have to do now is make ourselves available to be seen by the industry's decision makers. But WHO are these people and WHERE are we going to find them?
Tip 5 - tell the world
Sadly, many entertainers work on the "Field of Dreams" basis -- build it and they will come -- and while there is much truth in the belief, the reality usually plans on "them" giving you your big break before you run out of drive, energy, momentum and money.
Marketing is a big topic in its own right, so we are not going into any great depth here other than to highlight some of the key ingredients to be considered BEFORE launching into the ever-growing and competitive talent pool. It's important to remember an overall marketing strategy has to combine your decisions about who the people are that are most likely to book what you have on offer, what these potential customers expect about the quality/service/budget relating to what you have to offer, how and where you can most appropriately communicate to/with those decision makers and lastly, what messages are important for THEM to hear.
Talent can streamline their marketing by careful placement and wording on their resume; by highlighting their unique or sought after physical features in their headshot and comp cards; by completing profile options within database profiles used by your agency; and by taking the time to research and understand what the given client's needs are before casting (and, of course, then showcasing that you can fill those needs).
For example, we recently had a client request a serious kung fu artist within a certain demographic. The important thing to note here, is that when the agency database was searched, what came up were talent who had "martial arts" listed. By generalizing their skill, these talent had not focused in on a potential need and could have missed the opportunity altogether. (They didn't only because they were quick to respond - good for them!). Honing in on the skill and using their resume to work to their advantage and present the client with what they needed was the key. What they should have listed was:
Martial Arts: Ju Jitsu, Kung Fu, Taekwondo
Take a look at your marketing materials and ask yourself what they are showcasing. Does your headshot highlight the features most likely to get booked in your market? Does your resume have specific wording that will catch a busy CD's eye?
Are you telling people what they need to see or hear in order to be the one booked?
Comments