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Paul R. Martin
Voice Talent
Joined: 11 Mar 2007
Posts: 14
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 Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007, 03:53 (GMT) Post subject: Marketing...probably again |
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Okay, I'm the new kid on the block...moldy in my own ways but new to this business.
I have a talent agent who is great. She is 'my biggest fan' and also my voice coach. I get auditions, work, support....and even encouragement to seek my own work. Therein lies the problem: What is the best way to NOT waste my precious time (we're all busy, so I won't whine about it) and my serious distaste for throwing money into the void of "it might work..."
Who have proven to be the most successful contacts that you initiated:
Recording studios, television stations, Advertising agencies, major companies with their own Media services/public relations departments....
What was type of contact generated the most responsiveness:
Email, phone calls, letters w/demos,.....
I want to move, but I don't want to waste motion.
Thanks in advance
P.R.
http://voice123.com/prmartin |
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Bob Bergen
Voice Talent
Joined: 18 Jan 2005
Posts: 224
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007, 14:09 (GMT) Post subject: Re: Marketing...probably again |
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| P.R. Martin wrote: | Okay, I'm the new kid on the block...moldy in my own ways but new to this business.
I have a talent agent who is great. She is 'my biggest fan' and also my voice coach. I get auditions, work, support....and even encouragement to seek my own work. Therein lies the problem: What is the best way to NOT waste my precious time (we're all busy, so I won't whine about it) and my serious distaste for throwing money into the void of "it might work..."
Who have proven to be the most successful contacts that you initiated:
Recording studios, television stations, Advertising agencies, major companies with their own Media services/public relations departments....
What was type of contact generated the most responsiveness:
Email, phone calls, letters w/demos,.....
I want to move, but I don't want to waste motion.
Thanks in advance
P.R.
http://voice123.com/prmartin |
Hey!
Marketing is a huge part of the game. Your agent gets 10%, which means you have to do 90%. Let me address your questions:
Who have proven to be the most successful contacts that you initiated:
The ones that hired me. I know that's a vague answer, but in the old days of sending out CDs I use to send out about 5000 a year. Some got me attention, most didn't.
Recording studios, television stations, Advertising agencies, major companies with their own Media services/public relations departments....
Yes,yes,yes,yes/yes. Everyone needs to know of you. If you have a character demo you also need to market with toy companies, theme parks, interactive companies, etc. Any company that might need voice work, you market to.
What was type of contact generated the most responsiveness:
Email, phone calls, letters w/demos,.....
I say all but phone calls, unless you know the buyer well. Once you've established a relationship calling is fine.
E-cards are great! It's a postcard sent vie email, and can have links to your demo/latest work embedded in the card. This has gotten me oodles of work!!
I want to move, but I don't want to waste motion.
Well, this is not possible. No matter how strategic you are with your marketing, some, if not most, will be thrown in the trash.
But let's put that into perspective. Let's say you spend a weekend sending out 1000 demos. Let's say of the 1000 demos 50 people actually listen to you. And of those 50 people, let's say 5 remember you and actually send you copy to audition. And of those 5, let's say you book one of them which happens to be a national Honda commercial. You now have a national Honda spot running on TV, paying you substantial residuals.
Why??? Because 999 people said no. But one person said yes..and changed your life.
So you are now the voice of Honda. A few weeks into the commercial campaign Proctor and Gamble is looking for a new voice for Tide. Someone at the ad agency says, "Hey-how about that new Honda voice?" You book Tide. You now have 2 national TV campaigns running.
Why?? Because 999 people said no. But one person said yes...and changed your life.
You now have 2 national campaigns running. You now add those 2 spots to your demo. You change your marketing to reflect these 2 additions to your career. You create a new E-card promoting your new work. You send that E-card to the same 1000 contacts as before. You now get the attention of 250 people, who are very interested in getting on the bandwagon with this new hot VO talent. Of the 250 who listen to your newly updated demo 100 of them put you at the top of their list of talent they'd like to work with in the future. 25 of them have projects you are right for right now. They send you auditions. Of the 25 auditions, 10 of the ad agency's clients hire you. You now have 10 more campaigns.
Why?? Because way back when, 999 people said no. But one person changed your life.
This is a long winded way of saying there are no guarantees. There's no way of knowing which marketing contacts will work for you, and which ones won't. But you won't know unless you just do it. Market to everyone. Market often.
Because it just takes 1 person to change your life. |
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Bob Souer
Voice Talent
Joined: 07 Sep 2004
Posts: 180
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007, 15:48 (GMT) Post subject: |
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Bob,
Thank you for that superb post.
_________________
Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
ISDN, Source Connect, Phone Patch, FTP, Web
704-560-2749
bob@bobsouer.com
http://bobsouer.com/blog/ |
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Erik Sheppard
Voice Talent
Moderator
Joined: 02 Mar 2005
Posts: 1317
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007, 15:58 (GMT) Post subject: |
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| Really Bob, that was fantastic. |
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Paul R. Martin
Voice Talent
Joined: 11 Mar 2007
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007, 16:18 (GMT) Post subject: Re: Marketing...probably again |
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| Bob Bergen wrote: | [Why?? Because way back when, 999 people said no. But one person changed your life.
This is a long winded way of saying there are no guarantees. There's no way of knowing which marketing contacts will work for you, and which ones won't. But you won't know unless you just do it. Market to everyone. Market often.
Because it just takes 1 person to change your life.[/b] |
Hubba, what a response Bob.
Thanks for not being in the 999 to my question and, though it 'ain't a paying gig', thank you for being among the 'one persons' that changed my VO life with that post.
So the message is, be creative, be persistent, be willing...
the specific tidbit about E-Cards was really nice too. I never thought about that one.
Again, thanks. |
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Caryn Clark
Voice Talent
Joined: 27 Mar 2005
Posts: 1000
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007, 16:49 (GMT) Post subject: |
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Bob,
I'll reiterate what others have said... that was a great post. I'm printing that bad boy out!
It is so great to have a pro of your level in our midst! Caryn
_________________
Caryn Clark... THE Hip Chick Voice!
www.CarynClark.net
VoiceChick Productions, LLC |
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Allen Brown
Voice Talent - Voice Seeker
Joined: 22 Aug 2005
Posts: 520
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007, 16:54 (GMT) Post subject: |
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Bob,
Good advice...except...I'm wondering...
...how is an "E-Card" not spam?
_________________
www.voiceover1.com |
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Bob Bergen
Voice Talent
Joined: 18 Jan 2005
Posts: 224
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007, 19:18 (GMT) Post subject: |
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| Allen Brown wrote: | Bob,
Good advice...except...I'm wondering...
...how is an "E-Card" not spam? |
Well, I guess technically it is spam. But I guess technically, sending out a CD in snail mail is junk mail. No matter how you slice it, it's unsolicited PR.
But who solicits PR????????
Sometimes ya just have to take a risk and do it.
Just don't send it out in a huge bulk. And always blind copy.
I'm fortunate that my agent sends out E-cards to their buyers as a way to promote their signed talent. We are responsible for designing the E-card, but they do the sending. But I also send myself. And I've never had any spam issues. |
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Allen Brown
Voice Talent - Voice Seeker
Joined: 22 Aug 2005
Posts: 520
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| Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2007, 19:34 (GMT) Post subject: |
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Spam is spam...a different animal completely than junk snail mail.
Spam is hated for many reasons I will not list here. Unsolicited advertising email from VO talents with whom a producer doesn't have a previous business relationship is not good PR.
I agree it's a risk. And, while taking risks is part of business, I don't think spam should be promoted as a marketing tool.
Bob, I did appreciate your other great points. Thanks.
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www.voiceover1.com |
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Paul R. Martin
Voice Talent
Joined: 11 Mar 2007
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007, 02:26 (GMT) Post subject: |
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I get what all of you that are critiquing the use of e-carding as a communication tool are saying.
It would probably be an effective and quick communication idea once you have established some kind of positive contact with the potential or current client. Sort of like the automated email listings for online fan clubs with newsletters, updates, concert dates and the like.
In this case, though, it might be updates on projects, demos, awards, ...
but, again, most effective if used to continue an established relationship and not as an intitial contact to establish said relationship.
Still a great post overall.
Time to start making some phone calls I guess.....
| Allen Brown wrote: | Spam is spam...a different animal completely than junk snail mail.
Spam is hated for many reasons I will not list here. Unsolicited advertising email from VO talents with whom a producer doesn't have a previous business relationship is not good PR.
I agree it's a risk. And, while taking risks is part of business, I don't think spam should be promoted as a marketing tool.
Bob, I did appreciate your other great points. Thanks. |
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