What Have You Done To Separate Yourself From The Pack?
There is much to know about advertising, how it works and what it can
do for you! We believe that advertising is not an expense; rather it is
an investment in yourself and your business. The world needs to know
who you are before they can ever book you!
Advertising with American Entertainment Magazine will build a
relationship for you with the buyers that read through each magazine.
This relationship is evidenced when you reach out to a buyer and they
already know who you are or know of your product although you have
never spoken with them before. Our industry is a relationship driven
industry. There are many great bands or comedians out there, so which
one does the client choose? They typically choose through the
relationships they have previously developed. This is where American
Entertainment Magazine can help.
How Do Buyers Make Decisions?
Are
you frustrated that buyer’s don’t want to take the time to
chat with you or review your press material? This is because buyers
don’t want to be sold to, but want to discover the next best act
for themselves. Corporate buyers would rather discover you on their
terms rather than be force fed a diet of artists they are not
interested in. With the marketplace being computer savvy, buyers will
discover you through American Entertainment Magazine and proceed to
learn about you via your website and other industry portals. Only after
this research will a buyer pick up a phone, if they pick up the phone
at all. Allowing a buyer to research you before they contact you is a
good thing… as it offers artists and booking agents more time to
spend making grass roots calls and following up on their advertising
instead of delivering price quotes to uninterested buyers.
How Do Other Artists Afford To Advertise?
Many
artists will allow 10-15% of their annual income to go back into
promotion. This can be achieved in any number of ways but most take the
cost of their advertising contract, divide it by the number of expected
dates and include that amount in their asking price. This is a small
investment when you consider buyers are always more attracted to
artists who have the most exposure.
When Goodyear spends a half million dollars on a 30-second TV spot
their expectation is to stay in the buyer’s face so that WHEN
they need tires, they will think of Goodyear. The same is true of
music, novelty attractions, comedy and others. When the buyer gets
ready to make a decision, you want them to remember you.
Exposure is the name of the game and the more of it you have, the
easier you will be remembered. Make your ad dominant, clean, easy to
read and with as little copy as possible. Sell on the phone or in
person, not in an ad because a busy ad will lose the buyer nearly every
time.
How Do I Design My Ad?
Use
a professional and give them the freedom to be creative. Are you a
recognizable figure? If so, than you should be prominently featured in
your ad. Your ad should display why a buyer would be interested in you
and should not simply play to your ego. Choose the right photography
that best represents what you do and creates an interest in you. The
number of words on your ad should be at a bare minimum. Hold your ad
five feet away from you when it is finished and note if it attracts
your attention. If you can’t read every word at a glance, it is
too busy.
For further advertising consultation, please feel free to contact:
Craig Delk
Craig @cameopublishing.com
843.278.4978
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