2015 Marketing

Ok, it's March, the temps are warming and we're shaking off the cabin fever. Time to get motivated!

Right now, I have to admit, I'm busy. The eLearning is cooking along, the commercial work comes in and out, (regular, but often enough) and the studio is sounding nice. But there's a plan to do more.

Several months ago there was a great meeting in NYC with a fellow "Voiceoverist" Philip Banks and he said something profound. A couple things actually.

Start at the Top!

If you start at the top, you can only work yourself down. So introduce yourself to the big wigs.

They Don't Know You Exist!

True, so if they have never heard of me, how in the world would they figure out how to hire me?

Make it Easy for Them!

People are so freakin' busy. Seriously. Make it easy.

The Plan.

Last year I hired Celia Siegel Management to give my marking a once over. (money well spent!) That was website, branding, message, etc. I had a new demo produced, revamped the website and had Lee Everett over at Fine Line Multimedia create a new graphic for my name.

So a bit of coding and some photography got the website up.

Philip mentioned sending out a USB with marketing. Sure! why not! But I decided to take it further with the branding. And had UBS's printed up with my new graphic, complete with contact information and dropped my new demo onto it.

It's a USB AND a bottle opener...

The next bit of marketing schwag was the mug.

I have used a mug for marketing for years. People don't toss out mugs. At a recent on-camera shoot, the producer had my mug on her desk. I had cleverly left it in the green room at a previous shoot.

HEY it works! I've had other producers call me, and say, "I have your mug, and had to call..."

People may toss out schwag, but damn, that mug has stuck around. So it needed an update as well, to match. A couple minutes in Photoshop with the new graphic and off to Bargainmugs.com. 144 mugs with shipping was just over $500. But completes the package.

New and shiny!

Next comes the tough part. Finding the names and places to send them to.

People will argue over all kinds of things in this business, "It's competitive!", "No it's not..." What I have found is that people are willing to share all kinds of secrets of the business, but they're not going to tell you who their client contacts are. Nope. No-sir-ee-bob.

THAT you have to find and build yourself. There are sources, but it's not going to be handed to you on a silver platter. (Unless you're a nationally known film and TV actor).

The Goal

These mugs and USB drives aren't going to mail themselves, so the plan is to create a list of production companies and agencies and introduce myself. Get things put together and get them out the door.

The more people who know me, and listen to my work, the more people who will know me and listen to my work.

As the amazing Bob Souer says, "Prepare for the avalanche."

I'm ready. And I'm going for it.