Time to Promote?

Let's be honest. There are very few of us that actually like promoting ourselves. It feels awkward, forced, uncomfortable. And those are the "understatement" words. I can't tell you how many times we've talked to a artist, and the first words out of their mouths are, "I just don't want to do any marketing. I'll do just about anything else. Just not that."

And yet, if we want to get our stuff out there, promoting ourselves is exactly what we need to do. Interesting conundrum, yes?

The truth is, no one will ever care about our projects as much as we do. If we can't be advocates for our own creativity, how can we ever expect anyone else to?

About now, I imagine there is a lot of screaming happening in a lot of heads. I have a pretty good idea of what they might be saying. "I don't know how!" "I shouldn't have to!" "This is someone else's job!" and my personal fav: "How could anyone expect ME to know how to do that?"

I know those responses because I've had them. After optioning several scripts and producing and directing several more, I realized that we would have to promote them. Yikes! Ouch!

The good news is that there are those out there who can help. If we don't have the know-how ourselves and don't have the time to learn, there are people out there who are willing and able to promote. We're some of them.

What you need depends on your project. But making the first step and inquiring about what you can do should be your first step. We create cover art, press kits, and trailers. We've created trailers for novels, scripts, TV pilots and films. Take a look at our website to get an idea of what we can do for your project. www.zerotosoldtrailers.com. At the very least, it will give you an idea of what can be done to help get your creativity out where the world can see it. You don't have to use our service, but please do take the steps necessary to let your works shine!

You CAN Judge a Book by Its Cover!

I know the old cliche′, but let's be honest... you can get a pretty clear idea of what lurks within the novel (or script, or film, or blah, blah, blah) by taking a gander at the... wait for it... cover art (or poster art for all you baseball-cap- and long-shorts-wearing indie filmmakers. Yeah, I know. They're sooo comfortable, right?).

Here's the deal--what is it that attracts us to a book in the first place? The title? Possibly. The author? Could be. But what makes us stop in the aisles at the nearest mega bookstore Noble Borders or whatever? The VISUALS! What we SEE!

Of course, you say. But that's what the publishing house does for me once I'm published.

Ahem.

I've also got this awesome bridge I wanna sell you.

Yes, of course there will be cover art created for a newly published novel. But getting to that point as a new author is a difficult process. Showing the publishing houses right off the bat that you understand basic marketing can do nothing but improve your chances. The cover art goes up on your website, your blog, your Twitter account, Facebook, you name it. You build yourself a following of potential readers eager to see your soon-to-be-published work.

The publishing houses are doing less and less these days, especially for new (read, untested) talent. If you are lucky enough to get published (and yes, it IS lucky, even if you're the next Faulkner...actually, especially if you're the next Faulkner), you're gonna have to hawk your own wares, my verbose friend. All of these kinds of viral marketing techniques need to be in your arsenal.

And we can help. Take a look at our work and see for yourself. www.zerotosoldtrailerscom. And yes, this is a pitch, but it's not just a pitch for our (we believe superior) products. It's a plea to make sure that you get cover art from somewhere... and use it.

Art = Money

You’re a Writer? Screenwriter? Indie Film Producer? Then congrats because you are the CEO of your company! Yeah, we can hear the wailing denial from here. Here are some tips to make it less painful.

#1 – Accept the fact you are in business.
No, you cry? I’m an ARTIST (and yes, usually all in caps). Money corrupts art.
Umm… It also pays the rent, keeps the lights on and buys you a new laptop.
If you want to make your living from your art, you need to market your company, your brand, yourself.
But wait you say. I’ve got friends. I’ve got contacts, they’re going to help me… which brings us to…

#2 - Accept the fact that no one will ever care about our projects as much as you do.
Period. End of Statement. It’s your project. If you don’t love and believe in it more than anyone else in the world, then who should? You gave birth to this creative child.

#3 – Accept the fact your project is not an actual child though!
Because you are going to shuck this baby like a two-bit whore. Okay, maybe not that bad, but you have got to move past the Gaussian honeymoon, rose-colored glass stage of love. It’s a project you want to make money off of so you can make do another project (and buy the new iPad as long as there is extra cash laying around).

#4 – Accept the fact that you are also the head of Marketing of your own PR firm.
Whatever you think of the singer Beyonce as an artist, in a recent interview she talked about how she acts as the CEO of her own brand. She controls every aspect of it with an intensity and eye for details that surpasses any PR firm. Why? Because she believes in her art (and she wanted to attract a guy like Jay-Z, but that’s a whole other story)

#5 – Accept the fact you need cover art, press kits, and trailers.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, now you roll your eyes and go ‘this is where the pitch begins.’
The only problem with that theory is we don’t care where you get your cover art, press kit and trailers. We only care that you invest in great promotional materials.
What PR firm doesn’t have visuals? How can you build buzz and excitement about your project without something to SHOW people when they finally do come to your website?

#6 – Accept the fact that Zero to Sold is the best company to provide those for you.
Okay, you really don’t have to accept this one, but why don’t you hop on over to our website: www.zerotosoldtrailers.com and have a look around. At the least it will give you an idea of what you might want while you bargain shop around ☺

Blowing a Producer's Mind

Or the best moment in a writer's life!

We are so lucky to have a client experience just such an epiphany.

Producer was looking for a certain type of script. Our writer had pitched a story idea which they kind of sort of were okay with, but, you know, it wasn't written yet. Given it was only a $1,000,000 dollar budget they didn't want to pay to have it written then not be happy with it. Plus, maybe they would look around some more...

Next meeting (regarding another project), our writer says, hey, I've got a script trailer for that other idea, want to take a look?

A fast 60 seconds later the producer was so jazzed, they began negotiations to commission the script right then and there.

Ah, the power of good marketing tool!

Obviously, we can't share that trailer, but here's another one working its magic around the industry.

So even if you don't go with us, get yourself a book or script trailer!

Now. We mean it. Stop reading and go get one :-)

Platforms, They're not just for Politicians anymore!

In the publishing world the first thing an agent or publisher asks a new talent is... what is your platform?

Huh? I mean I wrote a book, I'm not running for office.

These days, it doesn't matter. The publishing world is run by very large corporation who in turn answer to even larger corporations. The world of 'giving a fresh new voice a chance' just to give a fresh new voice a chance is over.

They want to know, how will you make back your advance? How can they cross-promote? Can they spin this off into a franchise?

You need to be able to answer all of those questions.

First off, how will you make back your advance? The best way to prove this is to have a built-in following. That's where social networking comes in. MySpace. Facebook. Twitter. etc.

If you already have tens of thousands of followers, then the bet is at least a chunk of those is going to spend some dollars on you (even better if they already have in the form of an e-book, etc).

You are saying, great, but how in the heck do I develop thousands upon thousands of followers? Isn't that what the publishing house is supposed to do with their marketing campaign for my book?

Oh, you darling, sweet naive writer. Unless you are the next Dan Brown, there will be NO marketing budget for your book. No support. No tour. No ads. And you have to get your own blurbs, so deal with it.

The quicker you accept the fact you are responsible for selling your book, the gentler this will go for you! :-)

Now that we realize it is up to us, how do we get followers?

Okay, once you figure out how to get onto these websites, you are going to need content. You need to be witty, urbane, draw people in. But words alone aren't going to cut it. You need visuals.

Cover art (yeah, yeah, yeah, 'but that's what the publishing house is supposed to do' - and they will, but only AFTER you prove your book can sell) that rocks.

Think about it, why do we have cover art? We didn't used to. Just the title and leather, baby. These days, besides your title the cover art is the most important distinguishing characteristic your book has to sell.

So why not use that philosophy to GET YOUR BOOK SOLD?

And last, but not least a book trailer. Not going to go into deep detail here since the next blog is covering cover art and trailers in much great depth.

Alright, I think we've hit you with enough knowledge. Have a great day and think about how you can be promoting yourself TODAY. Go get a hundred new followers!

Why should that agent crack your manuscript/script?

They are busy. Like wicked, 14 hour days, family complaining they never see them, probably addicted to something to keep them going - kind of busy.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know your work is worth the time. It's worth a million bucks. But come on, let's get real. The number of honestly good stuff is like 0.0001% of the slush pile. And they know that.

And yes, maybe yours is in the very fine sliver of awesomeness, but why should they trust that?

Even with a referral in, that only gets you into the 2%-might-be-okay tier. They have like 98 other things they should be reading before yours.

Even if they do read it and like it, they are probably going to pass.

GASP! How could that be true? Because they already have a full slate of talent. If you aren't the next Hemingway (which who of us really are?) why should they bother?

You have to PROVE to them not only does your work have what it takes, but YOU have what it takes to sell this work. How will you be on a press tour? How much of a built-in following do you have? Do you know how to leverage your following?

Those are the practical concerns they have.

Next blog will be dedicated to being able to answer all of those questions - YES! :-)

Why a Script or Book Trailer?

I mean, you've just written the most awesome piece of fiction or non-fiction ever known to mankind. What else would you need to sell it?

Umm... Yeah. Maybe ten or twenty years ago that would have been enough, but now?

Now publishers and producers want to know one thing from you... How can they make their money back. Fast. And with little effort. And little marketing on their part.

So now you not only have to write the most awesome story ever, you have to SHOW everyone from an agent to the book buyers/studio execs that it has commercial appeal, and at the same time prove you have a viable platform, a winning personality, and the ability to go out there and sell your product.

If you can't get hundreds of people out to a Costco book signing or flub a Hollywood Reporter interview, what good are you for marketing?

Is this crass and the of the artistic world as we know it? Yeah, probably.

But if you want to get your work out there, you might want to learn the game and how to stack the odds in your favor.

And yes, you guessed it, we are going to recommend Book or Script trailers. We don't even care if you get them from us. You just need one. Period.

Imagine which you would prefer. You want to go to a movie. Would you rather read a review? Look at the movie poster? Or watch a trailer?

Duh. The same goes for Agents/Publishers/Producers. How much more engaging is a poster than dry text and a trailer over a still image?

Anyway, we will get off our soap box now and just hope you head on over to our website... www.zerotosoldtrailers.com