VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

RayAnime · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 12:09 am Post subject: Last Minute Marketing!!

I decided to go to Voice 2008 at the last minute (as in yesterday), and since I've only had my demo for a little while, I don't have any current marketing materials . . . no business cards, no CDs, no website, etc.

I quickly realized that I have all of a day and a half to design and print all this stuff. I tend to overthink everything, so I'm forcing myself to keep it ridiculously simple for now, just so I have something to hand out at the conference. Not sure if I'll get around to the website before I leave (which is why it's not on the cards yet--if I construct it in time, I'll put it on the cards).

Do you guys think if I don't have time to put a website together, I should create a myspace page and post my demo there, just so people who take my card have somewhere to go to listen to the demo (I can write a "website coming soon" message on the myspace page), or is that super unprofessional (I mean all the kids are doing it these days, but what do they know)?

Here's the business card I came up with tonight. Yeah, the copy is kind of whatever AND there's a microphone on it, but I actually kind of like microphones (gasp), and I think the watercolor changes it up a little bit from the standard old mic.

And here is the label for my CD:

I'm not sure what I'm going to do for the CD case insert yet . . .

Anyway, I think I still might adjust the copy a bit, but for a last minute effort I don't think it's too bad.

What do you think?

Edo · Guest

If I were you I'd replace the microphone with your current avatar Wink

Yoda117 · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 1:54 am Post subject:

Maybe it's me, but I wasn't thinking of coming with demo CDs.

It just doesn't seem to be that kind of party, if you know what I mean. If someone is interested, I can send it directly via smartphone.

But that's just my own personal proclivity.
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bobsouer · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:04 am Post subject:

Rachel,

A couple of quick thoughts:

1. I'm with Greg on the CDs. I'm not bringing any with me and don't expect anyone to ask me for one.

2. Were it me, I'd concentrate on the business cards and your web site. Get the site launched with your demo parked there for playback and download and put the site address on the cards.

3. You can worry about the CD labels after you get home. Make use of some of what you learn during VOICE to be sure you're really happy with your design before you spend the money on CDs. (Even if you do them yourself, they're far more expensive in terms of both time and money than the business cards are.)

Your mileage may vary, but you did say you want to keep it simple.
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RayAnime · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 7:46 am Post subject:

Yeah, I'm assuming that no one will ask for my demo (and I'm certainly not planning to push it) but I guess I'm one of those "but what if???" kind of people . . . I already have blank CDs and labels at home from another project, so it wouldn't be a lot of extra effort to make a couple just in case.

Are they too stupid looking to potentially give out?

RayAnime · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 7:49 am Post subject:

louzucaro · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:16 am Post subject:

Hey Rach,

I agree that the CDs are likely not necessary.

Also, that mic looks a bit, um, scary. Or something. I don't know what it is but something about the texture of it creeps me out. I'm just saying.

Definitely concentrate on the website and biz cards. And usual stuff re: website applies, such as it's better to use e-mail at your own domain than one like mac.com / other non-personal addresses.

"Location, location, location" still applies online Smile

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"Well, yeah, there's my favorite leaf!"

Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:24 am Post subject:

i'd suggest you take away from the conference everything that's relevant to you ... and i think a lot of it will be.

frankly, i'd bet there won't be many missed opportunities to put your demo in someone's hands, and there's little worse than giving someone something that's not quite complete. this includes a thrown-together demo, business card and/or web site.

just enjoy the show and network with your colleagues. take notes and absorb. learn from others. don't rush the important stuff, such as how you present yourself in marketing materials. an old-fashioned phone call can go a lot further than a poorly-produced demo or a scary-looking mic on a business card.

last year, there may have been opportunities to pass along personal materials, but i found emails as a follow-up to be an excellent way to simply say thanks and pass along hopes to cross paths again.
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RayAnime · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:27 am Post subject:

I'm glad I posted something--the problem I'm running into, and the problem I was worried I would run into, is that my style as an illustrator doesn't necessarily directly translate to VO marketing (in the sense that I usually do things that are kind of dark and a bit "off," hence the weird textures, colors, etc) so even though some of my design friends liked it I was worried that the first thing I came up with off the top of my head was going to be, well, not quite right. ARGH. But I don't really have time to devote to doing something else . . . now I don't know what to do. I don't have time to come up with a whole new idea and then create new cards AND a website (and do laundry, clean & pack for the trip). ratsratsratsrats.

louzucaro · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:59 am Post subject:

I still don't have business cards for my v.o. work. Maybe the best thing to do, as Diane so expertly put it, is to not worry about any of that stuff now and just go and be you. We all like you here, they're sure to like you there. Follow up with what you can when it's good & ready.
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Lou Zucaro
http://www.voicehero.com

"Well, yeah, there's my favorite leaf!"

RayAnime · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:59 am Post subject:

louzucaro · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:02 am Post subject:

I don't want to speak for Diane, but I'm assuming she was talking about the idea of "throwing together" the branding for a demo, in general, and not specifically referring to your demo's audio.
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Lou Zucaro
http://www.voicehero.com

"Well, yeah, there's my favorite leaf!"

RayAnime · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:03 am Post subject:

RayAnime · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:08 am Post subject:

Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:05 am Post subject:

no, no ... the "thrown-together/poorly-produced" was generically applied. really!
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sitting at #8, though not as present as I'd like to be. Hello!

www.d3voiceworks.com