LESSON 14 – How to Break into the Market Part 2
HOW TO BREAK INTO THE MARKET PART 2
In the previous lesson, we discussed the necessity of creating promotional material in order to break into the market as an illusionist. We focused on photographs and how to get video footage.
In this lesson, we start of by examining the different type of promo videos you can created.
Types of Videos
There are 3 types of promo videos you can create, depending on the quality and quantity of footage you have.
Teaser Video
This video is very short and showcases your style, type of performance and flavour of your show. A teaser video gives a feel of your show and excites a client to consider your show or access whether it is suitable for their production or event.
If you do not have much footage or want to have some kind of video out first before producing a full promo video, this is a good short video to have.
With minimal good footage and slick editing, you can “cheat” and get away with an impressive teaser video.
Here are two examples of teaser videos I created. The quality of the footage is better in the second one but I wanted to showcase my new show with whatever available footage that I had in the first one.
Intro Video
An intro video is a bit different from a teaser as it should introduce your brand, style and scope of work to you the viewer. You ideally should have a collection of footage to draw on that can effectively introduce you to the audience. Although, it ultimately does depend on your own brand image and target market. It is possible to have a combination of footage, animations, photos and PTCs (piece to cameras) to create an effective intro video.
Here is my current intro video:
Selling Promotional Video
This is the ideal video to get bookings. The key words are “selling” and ‘promotional’. This video should be designed to sell your show and convince the client that your show is the perfect choice for their event.
It should effectively introduce you, be representative of your work and inform the viewer of the shows/ services you offer, all within a short period of time.
Here are some tips when putting together the content of your selling promotional video:
- The video must be representative of your work. The performance material in your video must match your live show routines & acts
- The video should have substance and not just fancy graphics, text and a voice-over but does not actually show much of your act.
- The length of your video should not be more than 5 minutes long, 2 – 3 minutes is ideal.
- The video should show footage of all, if not most, of the acts that you will present in the show. This is so that the viewer can see you in action with a real audience in real time. Positive audience reactions to your act will create an even stronger impression.
I have different selling promotional videos for each show that I offer. If it is a big custom show, I would also edit a custom video to increase the chances of booking the show. This allows the client to know exactly what they are getting in a specific show and makes an agent’s job easier as well. I never want to be in a position where a show is under or over-sold.
Here is an example of one of my selling promotional videos for a simple basic show:
Sometimes, a client wants to see a more than a montage video. In which case, I may provide videos of individual acts, my full show video or a longer promotional style video like the one below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTIoifMLpTo
After creating video and getting your photos, you need to put together a promotional kit. This is basically an information package that you can forward to clients when they want to book your show. Here are some basic components of your promo kit:
Profile/ Portfolio
Your profile or portfolio is your professional resume that should include your personal profile, credentials, milestones, notable shows, client lists, media features and awards, if any.
Be as specific as possible and communicate what makes you outstanding as an illusionist. Try to find a good balance between ‘fluff’ and substance when writing your profile.
It might be difficult if you are a new magician and have not performed many shows yet. So, focus in on what makes your magic different or what you are doing to break new ground in magic. Avoid writing about when you received your first magic set or performed your first show when you were 6 years old.
Show Program/ Information
Your show program/ information comprises of the description of the acts in your show accompanied by performance photos as well as your technical requirements/ rider.
Show Program
The show program should clearly outline the shows you offer and what is offered in your show.
Choose only relevant pieces that relate to the client. There is no point including a write-up of your full evening theatre show program if you are proposing a show for a corporate event. This will only confuse the client.
The show program should include your show structure as well as highlights of the show, if not all the acts in your show.
The style of writing should be concise and clear, typed in a comfortable reading font size.
The information basically should give the client a visual idea of what to expect from your show. So, your writing style should be graphic and colourful. Do not use technical jargon or ‘magic’ names that layman would not understand.
For e.g. do not write: “I will perform a unique version of the Modern Art illusion”. Instead, you should write: “I will cut a girl vertically in half and separate both halves of her body. What makes it unique is that there will be no boxes covering her body at any time!”
Technical Rider
Your technical rider or technical requirements specify all your technical needs in order for you to perform your show. It is important for any entertainer but particularly important for an illusionist where special consideration is needed for props and lighting.
It should be as clear and detailed as possible. Have a look at my sample tech rider for one of my shows in the lesson downloads.
Digital Format & Website
Clients, like anyone else living and doing business in the digital information age, want instant information. Digital and online allows them to have instant access to your promo deck.
Having all your photos, videos, profile and show program in digital form allows you to make instant changes and updates easily. And, in an environmentally-conscious society, going green without printing is a good thing.
This allows you to email the promo kit to a client or store it in a “cloud” or online storage service for a client to download. A cloud service provider like www.justcloud.com offers cloud storage and allows you to make folders that are password protected. You can provide a client with the password so that they can download your promo deck at their convenience.
Honestly, I have never produced a hard copy promo material since 2008. However, if you are going for an important presentation, I can see the value of printing professional-looking collateral. However, this can be print-on-demand digitally printed so you only need to invest in printed material as you need.
Your website is also a digital format that is available online. It is basically a properly designed promo kit that is optimized for user-experience as well as Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Do not simply take your existing promo kit and just “cut & paste” it as a web document. Hire a professional web designer to design a promo website with the photographs, text information and videos that you have.
DOWNLOADS
Make sure your website is search-friendly – The Essential Search Engine Checklist
