Whether you’re an actor, director, writer, or crew member – you’ve likely poured blood, sweat + tears into your independent film. And, if you do say so, it’s the best darn thing since sliced bread.
So why is it so difficult to get the word out?
As an Actress/Publicist (yup – that’s my other life), I’m a wiz at the nitty gritty details on promoting your film. Here are some of my favorite ways:
Make it Share-able
Nothing is worse than visiting a website – loving what you see – and then having no easy way to share it with the rest of the world. It’s super simple to add share links to your website (if it’s built on WordPress, there are plenty of free plugins to help you do this).
But don’t stop there.
One of my favorite tools is Click to Tweet (http://clicktotweet.com/). You generate the message that you want people to share and offer them one simple link to do so. Here’s an example – if you click the pretty little illustration below, you can “tweet” about this post!
Also, ask everyone in the production to talk about the film on their social media profiles. To make it easier, write up some sample tweets and Facebook posts so they can easily copy + paste.
Tap the Local Media
Your local newspapers, TV stations, radio shows, and magazines love to cover interesting stories. A group of entertainers banding together to make a film will definitely pique their interest.Write up a press release, make a list of media, and personally reach out one by one (if you need help on this, download my free eBook on How to Pitch the Media Like a Pro by clicking here and entering your name + email where it says “free report”).
Create an Email List
If you notice at the top of this website there is a little bar that asks people to sign up for my email list. The people that do officially become my “fans” and I can keep in touch with new projects, helpful tips, and – of course – to promote my films.
Choose an email newsletter provider (I use icontact, but there are plenty of great ones like Mail Chimp, Vertical Response, Aweber, and Constant Contact) and add the link to your homepage where they can opt-in.
Keep your Website Current + Interesting
Besides the normal goodies you have on your site like trailers, cast + crew info, etc – add some fun + engaging items to get people interested. Here are a few ideas:
- Behind the scenes footage
- Bloopers
- Inside scoop from the set
- “10 things you don’t know about” each actor
- Video diaries from actors/crew members
Find where your Ideal Audience “Hangs Out”
Identify who your ideal audience is and where they are hanging out. What do they read? Which websites do they visit? What do they listen to? Are there any message boards or online communities they frequent? Write up a profile of your ideal audience and engage them while they’re in their element.
{ 0 comments }
