So you've followed all the advice in my blog and from others, You've ticked all the boxes, dotted the 'i's and crossed the 't's. You have a promo video in your computer that is worthy of release at the annual Sundance film festival.
Now what? Obviously the next step is to get your video seen by the people that need to see it. So for that you need to figure out who that is.
Who should see my video?
Agents:
Using an agency is a very effective way of promoting your video because they have a vested in interest in showing your video to clients. A good video will help you to win a contract and it will help the agency to develop their reputation. An agency can show your video to a wide range of clients in a short time. They will also be able to accurately assess which clients would most likely be interested in what you have to offer*.
*Note: A video is the first step but make sure you have all the rest of your press kit ready to send or be viewed at a moments notice.
Clients:
If you are are going 'direct' to clients then you need to find out who they are and how you can contact them.
Contacting clients directly is great as you can cut out the middle man. However, it can be quite labor intensive as you have to contact them individually. It can also be an incredibly difficult task to direct and ensure your video is viewed by the right person. The upside is that you don't need to pay anyone a commission and you can communicate and negotiate much more expeditiously with the client.
Here is an example of the pros and pitfalls involved in directly contacting clients.
My fiance and I really wanted to work in Bali. I had worked there before and loved it. Now it was her turn. The problem was that we did not know anyone in the kinds of resorts and hotels that we wanted to play in. Solution? She made a list of all the resorts and hotels that she would like to play in. We sent emails to 17 hotels, with our details, links to our website, previous work experience etc. We got one response and it lead to a beautiful two month contract at a new resort in Uluwatu, Bali.
Caveat!
What I am trying to say by explaining all of this is that it is not an easy road to book gigs directly. Those people that do it probably already have friends, or business acquaintances in that venue. They may have been performing for many years and during that time they have built up a great network and established a reputation to the point where hotels or clubs are calling them to come back and perform again.
I believe a way to increase your chances of booking gigs direct is to actually call the venue and let them know your intentions and ask who you could speak to that is directly responsible for hiring entertainers. In that way you drastically increase your chances of directing your material to the correct person. Inform them that you are sending an email and they may be able to tell you how to address it or identify it with a specialized subject so it will not be marked as spam or so that it can be easily identified*.
* Note. Many Enterainment managers or staff that are responsible for hiring entertainers may be receiving tens or hundreds of emails on a daily basis. Taking the time to call them before sending an email adds a really nice personal touch and it can be reassuring for you and the client.
Fellow musicians and friends:
Do not overlook the importance of having friends and fellow musicians see your video because you just never know where it could lead. A good friend of mine who is also a fellow musician contacted me and said he had a gig for me in Thailand. He had shown it to a manager that he was working for at the time. My friend's contract was almost finished and the manager was looking for a new act. We couldn't accept that gig because we were contractually obligated at the time but it is a good example and a good reason to let your friends and musical friends know about your video.
Promoters:
Promoters are people that usually specialize in organizing one-off events like concerts, product launches and festivals. They usually work through agents to source any acts they need but it doesn't hurt if you can contact them and provide them with your details. Their realm is not really contract work for hotels and clubs but there is a crossover in certain instances.
Posting to Youtube and hoping for the best!
Ummm, yeah.....this is like pointing a gun up into the air without looking, pulling the trigger, and expecting a bird to fall out of the sky. It may net you a result, but you could be waiting a while for it to happen.
Improve your chances:
Fortunately there is something you can do to increase your chances of bagging that bird.
You have to direct people to it just like leading a bird to a bird bath.
Summary:
Well folks this article concludes "The Greatest Promo of All" series. I hope you have enjoyed reading my articles and I am sure that I will be revisiting and exploring some of the topics that I have covered in this series. Please check over the previous three articles relating to this series if you have just joined today.
Now go and bag that bird!
Now what? Obviously the next step is to get your video seen by the people that need to see it. So for that you need to figure out who that is.
Who should see my video?
Agents:
Using an agency is a very effective way of promoting your video because they have a vested in interest in showing your video to clients. A good video will help you to win a contract and it will help the agency to develop their reputation. An agency can show your video to a wide range of clients in a short time. They will also be able to accurately assess which clients would most likely be interested in what you have to offer*.
*Note: A video is the first step but make sure you have all the rest of your press kit ready to send or be viewed at a moments notice.
Clients:
If you are are going 'direct' to clients then you need to find out who they are and how you can contact them.
Contacting clients directly is great as you can cut out the middle man. However, it can be quite labor intensive as you have to contact them individually. It can also be an incredibly difficult task to direct and ensure your video is viewed by the right person. The upside is that you don't need to pay anyone a commission and you can communicate and negotiate much more expeditiously with the client.
Here is an example of the pros and pitfalls involved in directly contacting clients.
My fiance and I really wanted to work in Bali. I had worked there before and loved it. Now it was her turn. The problem was that we did not know anyone in the kinds of resorts and hotels that we wanted to play in. Solution? She made a list of all the resorts and hotels that she would like to play in. We sent emails to 17 hotels, with our details, links to our website, previous work experience etc. We got one response and it lead to a beautiful two month contract at a new resort in Uluwatu, Bali.
Caveat!
- Of those 17 emails we were never sure how many made it past the spam box.
- We were never sure if we sent them to the right people at those resorts and hotels.
- We were never sure if they could even understand English.
What I am trying to say by explaining all of this is that it is not an easy road to book gigs directly. Those people that do it probably already have friends, or business acquaintances in that venue. They may have been performing for many years and during that time they have built up a great network and established a reputation to the point where hotels or clubs are calling them to come back and perform again.
I believe a way to increase your chances of booking gigs direct is to actually call the venue and let them know your intentions and ask who you could speak to that is directly responsible for hiring entertainers. In that way you drastically increase your chances of directing your material to the correct person. Inform them that you are sending an email and they may be able to tell you how to address it or identify it with a specialized subject so it will not be marked as spam or so that it can be easily identified*.
* Note. Many Enterainment managers or staff that are responsible for hiring entertainers may be receiving tens or hundreds of emails on a daily basis. Taking the time to call them before sending an email adds a really nice personal touch and it can be reassuring for you and the client.
Fellow musicians and friends:
Do not overlook the importance of having friends and fellow musicians see your video because you just never know where it could lead. A good friend of mine who is also a fellow musician contacted me and said he had a gig for me in Thailand. He had shown it to a manager that he was working for at the time. My friend's contract was almost finished and the manager was looking for a new act. We couldn't accept that gig because we were contractually obligated at the time but it is a good example and a good reason to let your friends and musical friends know about your video.
Promoters:
Promoters are people that usually specialize in organizing one-off events like concerts, product launches and festivals. They usually work through agents to source any acts they need but it doesn't hurt if you can contact them and provide them with your details. Their realm is not really contract work for hotels and clubs but there is a crossover in certain instances.
Posting to Youtube and hoping for the best!
Ummm, yeah.....this is like pointing a gun up into the air without looking, pulling the trigger, and expecting a bird to fall out of the sky. It may net you a result, but you could be waiting a while for it to happen.
Improve your chances:
Fortunately there is something you can do to increase your chances of bagging that bird.
You have to direct people to it just like leading a bird to a bird bath.
- Use annotations
- Use links to and from your website or blogsite
- Use tags to ensure that when people do searches that your video has a good chance of appearing
Summary:
Well folks this article concludes "The Greatest Promo of All" series. I hope you have enjoyed reading my articles and I am sure that I will be revisiting and exploring some of the topics that I have covered in this series. Please check over the previous three articles relating to this series if you have just joined today.
Now go and bag that bird!
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