Marketing the YOU
"Making It"
Knowledge, Wisdom, and Guidance for The Talented
by
David Hamilton
Marketing the YOU
"Making It"
Knowledge, Wisdom, and Guidance for The Talented
by
David Hamilton
Smart Questions, Smart Marketing
______________________________
Marketing is a big word that most often results in the sale of a
product. If you can learn what marketing consists of and you can become good at
practicing marketing skills, you will always have a job. Every company has a
product that they sell, so every company has a team of marketing employees that
make it all happen. Here is a smart way to think of marketing, or not marketing
for that matter..... Unless your painting is in brail, you are not going to try
to sell it to a blind person. If you are selling gold, you will never reach that
person allergic to 14 k gold. This is why marketing has a lot to do with
asking questions to get basic information, so you can then sell yourself to the
person that best fits there needs with you.
As I was working for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sales and Media Center,
one of my manager / trainers had a discussion about how to attract the customer
without sounding desperate or needy.
When you are in any form of entertainment you are selling something as well,
and the people you want to attract to your work, that is selling in essence.
This manager spent two hours explaining how asking questions to potential
customers would help you sell them better subscriptions, and she was absolutely
right. By asking someone a question, you are understanding there needs, learning
what they like or don't like, and this will help you decide whether or not you
can get this person's attention with what you have to offer. This is marketing
yourself to the right person for the right reason, to sell yourself.
You may notice the larger marketing firms that operate have groups of people
that go out and take surveys, ask questions, and then report back names and
addresses to different companies that want people to market there product to.
This is called market research, and you are doing the same thing as a future
entertainer, by reading, and always asking questions. Of
course there is more direct forms of marketing, like telemarketing, door to door
marketing, and even music test marketing. Once you get an idea as to what you
are trying to do, you can begin to plan how you are going to market yourself.
Consider yourself a product to society, then begin to creatively come up with
how you want people to buy you. Let's say for instance your an artist
specializing in art deco style painting. Some of the best art deco style work is
in Miami, Florida on south beach.
This might constitute a trip to Miami, Florida to walk the beach and
show some of your work to people. If someone really likes your work, get there
e-mail address, name, and number, and put them on your list. This is one form of
directly marketing your talent.
Same goes for you actors out there that want to audition for casting events.
Make phone calls, get information, ask questions, lots and lots of questions,
find out who the casting directors are, where they will cast, and how you can
submit your package. It might seem out of reach right now, but it is all
possible.
David Hamilton
contact information
www.ezstreetrecords.com/address.htm