Maximizing the exposure with marketing and publicity opportunities – Part I
This is merely a reference. I have done this (for the past 8 years) and I am sure many of you had done it, as well. This paper is a combination of publicity and marketing methods that would help sell your product, no matter what it is, a film, a show, a shoe, a pencil, etc.
Let me backtrack a bit. I have an MBA and I later worked with a salesman that can make a dead person look alive (Seriously, he can talk and he can sell. He is not a car sales person, but a computer geek.). I’ve learned from him and from others that are already on the road of success. I was also lucky, at one point, to be part of an organization which our main goal was to promote a charity that auction off celebrity stuff. In this way, we had to work with nonprofit organizations and celebrities at the same time. That connected me to have the opportunity to work with some of the top notch publicist in LA, which included Lee Solters and Digney, PMK, Rogers and Cowan, etc. My duty, as part of this organization, was to think of worst case scenario: I was the logistic person. At the same time, I was hired to do promotion/publicity/marketing as a whole.
As mentioned earlier in another thread, your name has to be out there for them to think you are an expert, granted, you will form A LOT OF ENEMIES. This is because many would think you are snobby, others would think you don’t know anything, but the MAJORITY of the people would follow you because your words are gold…, because you seem to know your stuff. So, the rule is simple, make it a minimum of 12 times a year to ‘propagate’ your name or your product. The more they hear about it, the more they think you are the missing piece of their life.
You always hear your boss telling you that you have $xxx amount of budget for marketing. When you go and design the promotional material, and tell your boss it would cost lower than the $xxx amount, your boss’ first question is still, “How much cheaper can we do this?” or now it’s, “I have no $ now, make it work with no $”… so you do. I’ve encountered that scenario so many times that I have decided to find some ‘cheap’ to no-budget way of promotion and marketing. Which include these…
I’m going to list a few things in random order. They are things I do (at one time together or spread out) to maximize exposure for my products or goods. Feel free to add your own comments and suggestions.
- Press Kit/Media Kit
Create a press kit of your product. This should be like a portfolio with articles, press releases: a write at up newspaper, a photo at an event, and everything that has ever mention of the product or yourself (depending on the press kit is about, if it’s about you, then create your portfolio). Make the press kit (sometimes called a media kit) available online and hard copies (for mailing). Current dates listed first and then back track. What is this good for? It is to show everyone, the ‘non-expert’, that your stuff is out there and it’s everywhere, to make them a believer… Lee Solters called it the “Media Bible” after he saw the results. He then decided to do the same press/media kits for each of his clients to help promote them. Try to update your kit as much as you can to reflect the changes or additions. I have about four, six-inch-thick binding folders of things I’ve done since 1985. It is my credential/portfolio which includes my designs, articles, news clips, and events that I have done. It is creating the ‘credibility’ environment for me. (For movie press kits, you can use mine of A Joker’s Card as example, located at http://www.mdifilm.com/joker/graphics/ajc_press_kit.zip.)
- Press Releases
We all have written them, but have you successfully gotten anyone respond back and use it to write an article? If your answer is not as much as you want, then you need to sit back and think on ‘targeting’ correct press release markets.
That means, don’t send the same PR to everyone, but adjust accordingly to the reporter’s taste or the newspaper’s needs. As many reporters had told me in the past, they want news that revolves within their community that is exciting. The Plain Dealer would rather write about Spiderman 3 coming to Cleveland than Johnny Wu attending Oscars in LA. Why? There is more interest because it affects its own area. So, look for the angle. If your product is sports related, talk to sports reporters. Even they might say, “Sorry, your product isn’t sports,” then see what angle needs to be addressed so he would want to write about it. A reporter will most likely write your story if there’s a lot of ‘peoples’ feelings’ involved, meaning that it connects with the readers. So, ask yourself this: How will my product benefit you (the reader)? Write your PR around this, main plot and sub-plot it out (like a story).
I usually start the first paragraph short, 3 or 4 lines on how this product would benefit the reader. The 2nd paragraph would expand more into the product. The third is the quotes and results that can be benefited by benefactors, and, finally, write about the company or author. Try to limit your PR to about 1 page AND less wordy if possible (so, nothing like this…). Reporters tend to ‘scan through’, not read through, so all the pertinent info MUST be available. If it’s about an event, make sure the date, location, time, price, attire, and what’s included is spelled out. (An example of this can be found at www.mdifilm.com/free/press.zip. - Note: they’re scattered because I have to re-pdf it and many might be missing.)
- Design
This would include posters, postcards, business cards, flyers, etc of your product that you want to sell. Again, keep in mind that the audience is more interested in ‘needs’ than ‘wants’. If it’s something they ‘need’, they will get it. A ‘need’ can be classified so many ways, such as, I love kung-fu flicks and I would consider it a ‘need’ to buy the latest kung-fu film. You need to get toilet paper cause it’s out…, that sort of thing. Wants are harder to sell, but it’s possible for you to ‘sparkle’ the product a lot more for sale. Like PS3 or Xbox 360, everyone want one, but why? Is it because it’s the latest trend or because they had smart marketing? Or is it because of the technology? I think it’s both, how they ‘branded’ the name into your head and how they use technology to ‘woo’ you.
Make sure the identity of each design is similar or the same. Do not have text or graphics angled downward (like down out to page), keep font types clean and easy to read. You must keep design easy for the eyes, add text appropriately if you feel it’s a bit too empty, but don’t over crowd or saturate messages all over. It isn’t healthy and most of us wouldn’t bother reading through.
The design of the piece should be interesting. If you are selling a film about horror, then find a good ‘horror look’ to it that draws attention. Don’t just have the text or a house; because it’s not as catchy. Make people want to find out more, basically, tease them to want more. I am sitting in front of a poster for The Butterfly Effect, it’s simple, it’s interesting, and it’s sellable. Ashton Kutcher’s face is behind a basic tag line: “Change One Thing. Change Everything.” It’s that simple design that catches eyes and gets more attention to it.
Keep the pictures angled leaning inward the poster, so your attention is always drawn to the middle. This is to help keep your eyes concentrated to the design than wondering off around the edges.
Create web based poster/design, as well. Now, internet has become a great ‘marketing’ opportunity, as long as you don’t spam. (More on this later)
- Branding
Without people remembering who you are, you won’t help sell your product. So, you need to get an identity. If your product is film, then make sure the name of the movie is something people can remember. If you want to ‘brand’ your company, then make sure your company name is easy to remember as well. The ones that we always remember: Hanes, IBM, Sony are branded already because of simplicity. If you are just starting out, you then need to decide which branding identity you want to go with: your product, yourself, or your company?
I have had a lot of problems on this perspective. I wanted to brand my name, I wanted to brand my company (MDI), and I wanted to brand my films.
So, first I did is to brand my name and the company, which is always on everything I do or write. Eventually, everyone knew Johnny Wu and the MDI name (but not Media Design Imaging), so I was in an ‘OK’ position. Then I started to use my initial for Johnny K. Wu to brand with my films. Why? I decided to set me apart from my other relative who is in the business… long story. Anyhow, it’s best to keep it different where there’s no confusion.
Branding is a bit tricky. You can ‘make fun’ of yourself like what I do with viral videos, such as the one for the teaser of The Rapture. That way, it’s somehow imprinted into your brain; or… You can easily have it on press releases, every design page, or on your business card, and such. However, it’s up to how much ‘buzz’ you can create that would help get your brand out. If you branding name is too hard to remember, think of a ‘tag line’ or a slogan that would help.
Branding film with your name is usually much easier to do. Obviously “A Film By Johnny K. Wu” at the beginning would work. Also, “presented by Johnny K. Wu” or “a product by MDI” or “Johnny K. Wu and MDI proudly announce the invention of a new device that keeps you looking young for 5 years…”
This is merely a reference. I have done this (for the past 8 years) and I am sure many of you had done it, as well. This paper is a combination of publicity and marketing methods that would help sell your product, no matter what it is, a film, a show, a shoe, a pencil, etc.
Let me backtrack a bit. I have an MBA and I later worked with a salesman that can make a dead person look alive (Seriously, he can talk and he can sell. He is not a car sales person, but a computer geek.). I’ve learned from him and from others that are already on the road of success. I was also lucky, at one point, to be part of an organization which our main goal was to promote a charity that auction off celebrity stuff. In this way, we had to work with nonprofit organizations and celebrities at the same time. That connected me to have the opportunity to work with some of the top notch publicist in LA, which included Lee Solters and Digney, PMK, Rogers and Cowan, etc. My duty, as part of this organization, was to think of worst case scenario: I was the logistic person. At the same time, I was hired to do promotion/publicity/marketing as a whole.
As mentioned earlier in another thread, your name has to be out there for them to think you are an expert, granted, you will form A LOT OF ENEMIES. This is because many would think you are snobby, others would think you don’t know anything, but the MAJORITY of the people would follow you because your words are gold…, because you seem to know your stuff. So, the rule is simple, make it a minimum of 12 times a year to ‘propagate’ your name or your product. The more they hear about it, the more they think you are the missing piece of their life.
You always hear your boss telling you that you have $xxx amount of budget for marketing. When you go and design the promotional material, and tell your boss it would cost lower than the $xxx amount, your boss’ first question is still, “How much cheaper can we do this?” or now it’s, “I have no $ now, make it work with no $”… so you do. I’ve encountered that scenario so many times that I have decided to find some ‘cheap’ to no-budget way of promotion and marketing. Which include these…
I’m going to list a few things in random order. They are things I do (at one time together or spread out) to maximize exposure for my products or goods. Feel free to add your own comments and suggestions.
- Press Kit/Media Kit
Create a press kit of your product. This should be like a portfolio with articles, press releases: a write at up newspaper, a photo at an event, and everything that has ever mention of the product or yourself (depending on the press kit is about, if it’s about you, then create your portfolio). Make the press kit (sometimes called a media kit) available online and hard copies (for mailing). Current dates listed first and then back track. What is this good for? It is to show everyone, the ‘non-expert’, that your stuff is out there and it’s everywhere, to make them a believer… Lee Solters called it the “Media Bible” after he saw the results. He then decided to do the same press/media kits for each of his clients to help promote them. Try to update your kit as much as you can to reflect the changes or additions. I have about four, six-inch-thick binding folders of things I’ve done since 1985. It is my credential/portfolio which includes my designs, articles, news clips, and events that I have done. It is creating the ‘credibility’ environment for me. (For movie press kits, you can use mine of A Joker’s Card as example, located at http://www.mdifilm.com/joker/graphics/ajc_press_kit.zip.)
- Press Releases
We all have written them, but have you successfully gotten anyone respond back and use it to write an article? If your answer is not as much as you want, then you need to sit back and think on ‘targeting’ correct press release markets.
That means, don’t send the same PR to everyone, but adjust accordingly to the reporter’s taste or the newspaper’s needs. As many reporters had told me in the past, they want news that revolves within their community that is exciting. The Plain Dealer would rather write about Spiderman 3 coming to Cleveland than Johnny Wu attending Oscars in LA. Why? There is more interest because it affects its own area. So, look for the angle. If your product is sports related, talk to sports reporters. Even they might say, “Sorry, your product isn’t sports,” then see what angle needs to be addressed so he would want to write about it. A reporter will most likely write your story if there’s a lot of ‘peoples’ feelings’ involved, meaning that it connects with the readers. So, ask yourself this: How will my product benefit you (the reader)? Write your PR around this, main plot and sub-plot it out (like a story).
I usually start the first paragraph short, 3 or 4 lines on how this product would benefit the reader. The 2nd paragraph would expand more into the product. The third is the quotes and results that can be benefited by benefactors, and, finally, write about the company or author. Try to limit your PR to about 1 page AND less wordy if possible (so, nothing like this…). Reporters tend to ‘scan through’, not read through, so all the pertinent info MUST be available. If it’s about an event, make sure the date, location, time, price, attire, and what’s included is spelled out. (An example of this can be found at www.mdifilm.com/free/press.zip. - Note: they’re scattered because I have to re-pdf it and many might be missing.)
- Design
This would include posters, postcards, business cards, flyers, etc of your product that you want to sell. Again, keep in mind that the audience is more interested in ‘needs’ than ‘wants’. If it’s something they ‘need’, they will get it. A ‘need’ can be classified so many ways, such as, I love kung-fu flicks and I would consider it a ‘need’ to buy the latest kung-fu film. You need to get toilet paper cause it’s out…, that sort of thing. Wants are harder to sell, but it’s possible for you to ‘sparkle’ the product a lot more for sale. Like PS3 or Xbox 360, everyone want one, but why? Is it because it’s the latest trend or because they had smart marketing? Or is it because of the technology? I think it’s both, how they ‘branded’ the name into your head and how they use technology to ‘woo’ you.
Make sure the identity of each design is similar or the same. Do not have text or graphics angled downward (like down out to page), keep font types clean and easy to read. You must keep design easy for the eyes, add text appropriately if you feel it’s a bit too empty, but don’t over crowd or saturate messages all over. It isn’t healthy and most of us wouldn’t bother reading through.
The design of the piece should be interesting. If you are selling a film about horror, then find a good ‘horror look’ to it that draws attention. Don’t just have the text or a house; because it’s not as catchy. Make people want to find out more, basically, tease them to want more. I am sitting in front of a poster for The Butterfly Effect, it’s simple, it’s interesting, and it’s sellable. Ashton Kutcher’s face is behind a basic tag line: “Change One Thing. Change Everything.” It’s that simple design that catches eyes and gets more attention to it.
Keep the pictures angled leaning inward the poster, so your attention is always drawn to the middle. This is to help keep your eyes concentrated to the design than wondering off around the edges.
Create web based poster/design, as well. Now, internet has become a great ‘marketing’ opportunity, as long as you don’t spam. (More on this later)
- Branding
Without people remembering who you are, you won’t help sell your product. So, you need to get an identity. If your product is film, then make sure the name of the movie is something people can remember. If you want to ‘brand’ your company, then make sure your company name is easy to remember as well. The ones that we always remember: Hanes, IBM, Sony are branded already because of simplicity. If you are just starting out, you then need to decide which branding identity you want to go with: your product, yourself, or your company?
I have had a lot of problems on this perspective. I wanted to brand my name, I wanted to brand my company (MDI), and I wanted to brand my films.
So, first I did is to brand my name and the company, which is always on everything I do or write. Eventually, everyone knew Johnny Wu and the MDI name (but not Media Design Imaging), so I was in an ‘OK’ position. Then I started to use my initial for Johnny K. Wu to brand with my films. Why? I decided to set me apart from my other relative who is in the business… long story. Anyhow, it’s best to keep it different where there’s no confusion.
Branding is a bit tricky. You can ‘make fun’ of yourself like what I do with viral videos, such as the one for the teaser of The Rapture. That way, it’s somehow imprinted into your brain; or… You can easily have it on press releases, every design page, or on your business card, and such. However, it’s up to how much ‘buzz’ you can create that would help get your brand out. If you branding name is too hard to remember, think of a ‘tag line’ or a slogan that would help.
Branding film with your name is usually much easier to do. Obviously “A Film By Johnny K. Wu” at the beginning would work. Also, “presented by Johnny K. Wu” or “a product by MDI” or “Johnny K. Wu and MDI proudly announce the invention of a new device that keeps you looking young for 5 years…”
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Read it twice and somehow I kept thinking that was the right link... my bad. 