Marketing

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Comment by Carolyn Stearns on July 23, 2008 at 11:35pm

Glenda, I think you hit the nail on the head. I understand the concept of marketing but its so like doing laundry, you just keep doing it and the same tshirt is always in the machine! I think coming up with new creative marketing pictures, flyers, brochures, postcards has to be a constant effort. Now to make me do it because no one else cares if we do or dont. Marketing ourselves will take discipline! I need a list of monthly objectives and will start it with the same one I have been waiting on - new photos of quality! With my non exhistant budget I have treied to do some swapping, will have to try harder. Make the calls. Then I need to go over my mailing list both snail and email. Then my old plan of make 5 stops a week to leave a brochure , that fell by the wayside this summer must pick it up again. Anyone else got plans or ideas for my/our objective lists? Carolyn

Comment by Glenda Bonin on July 12, 2008 at 10:19am

This is my marketing confessional.

Years ago, when I worked for others, my jobs were in marketing and communication so this is a subject I should know about and be good at. However, when it comes to marketing oneself things get a bit complicated because it is hard to be completely objective. The other roadblock to doing a great job of personal marketing is taking the appropriate amount of time to plan and execute each phase of a marketing effort. When you are a “one man band,” marketing is often last on the list as it is methodical and seemingly not as creative as learning and telling stories. The fact is that marketing can be creative, but one cannot do a little work in this area and then forget about things for a while. In my experience, marketing must be done all the time – ALL THE TIME. As a storyteller, even though I know this, I rebel and often do less of a thorough job than I should. My left brain tells me to review my mailing list and plan a year’s worth of advertising/contacts (at least) to find new audiences and keep in touch with regular customers. My right brain tells me to find, create, learn and perfect new stories for new audiences. I’m always trying to find the right balance. What I know is that marketing is the key and that I probably need to spend 75 percent of my time marketing and the rest being story creative. In reality, I do the opposite. There. I have finally shared my reality.

So, how are you doing?
Glenda

Comment by Lois Sprengnether Keel (LoiS) on July 3, 2008 at 2:19pm

Hi, Tom, et al,
Tom, I notice that you were a ranger with the National Park Service, so I'm hoping you can tell us if this is the norm for Natl. Park programs or just for the 1 where you worked. It's possible that you only know where you were, but I'm hoping this isn't the usual way they expect storytelling to be done. Yech!

Comment by Tom Carter on July 2, 2008 at 6:09pm

Hi, I just took Buck's ( hope he is doing better) advice and joined. Also, I just quit a job that I'd got that that seemed to offer the chance to storytell in a resort setting (National Park) but I was expected to adhere to a script and not be controversial. My ideas were subject to approval by two entities, the government and the concessioneer and I was starting to look at the money instead of the experience. So, now I'm back home and looking for possibility where I'd decided there wasn't any. I'm in a small southern Utah town where I have organized a festival and had about three appearances, but a town that holds it's stories close as if to share them would be to invite aliens to dinner. Any ideas from folks who have had to work hard to find an audience?

Comment by eija heward on April 30, 2008 at 8:50am

Artists and right-brained people fall into a huge black hole in outer space when it comes to marketing. I've struggled with this area all my life. Besides which I am simply shy. I hope you can help. Since I just joined I will spend some time just reading what others have to say.

Comment by Ramona King on April 29, 2008 at 11:35am

There is so much to cover in the area of marketing. I wonder where does one start? Target audience, I know is the key...then what? Unfortunately/fortunately I have alot of answers to "then what?" The challenge for me is which "then what?" answer do I start with? Did you guys get that?

Doug:

I've attended Burt Dubin's seminar and have been getting his tapes/cds since ~1995. I understand you've done some work with him? I love what you're doing with helping storytellers as does Dubin with Speakers. I look forward to connecting with you. I'm disappointed I missed your teleseminar. RK

Comment by K. Sean Buvala on April 12, 2008 at 3:16pm

It is the decision weekend for the CD Making workshop in Phoenix. If you are thinking of attending, now is the time to register. Thanks!

Comment by Conrad Bladey No award winning teller,, Peasant, National Award winning Cartist and talker on April 10, 2008 at 1:05pm

Before a teller even begins to market they need to inspect the playing field. Is it flat? Fair? Even? Well marked out? and is it open to all equally? Can non-insiders get jobs if they can do them?
Storytellers do a job. That job like all jobs can be described. There are traditional forms for job descriptions. They mention duties and pay. They are generally advertised openly for all. Storytellers are paid and like most other jobs the rate of pay should be offered so that all can compete for that payment. If the playing field is not fair consider playing elsewhere. When you decide to play wonder if all of the finite funds allocated to the employer are being used encourage them to be transparent so that we know that budgets are not being arbitrarily reduced by over zealous administrators. Can the old woman in the shoe down the street who is a great teller compete and get a living wage when she goes in for that storytelling job or will the administrator of funds try to get her for less than is available?

Comment by Helen M. Trencher on March 31, 2008 at 10:45am

I'm at the point where I want to take my performing skills (including, of course, storytelling) to the next level...I have a storytelling/writing coach who makes her living from coaching and performing in and out of state...I know it can be done. I look forward to reading all the great posts and hopefully contributing something of value, too.

Comment by Lynne Pope on March 31, 2008 at 8:35am

I would like to know that most important festival you all would never miss. Further I would like to know any advice on self publishing. Amazon? I have the art. I want to have a book to offer and storytelling together. Finally, any other advice to someone starting later rather than never. This site is a fantastic beginning right when I need it.

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