by Benjamin Sawyer
Like directing and cinematography, film marketing is one of the most significant determiners for the success of your film. Without it, your film will never go beyond your family and friends. Essentially, you should also always implement effective direct mail solutions. But how do you market your film as a producer? Here is a step-by-step guide on some of the best marketing strategies.
Create a Plan
In the same way you approach making a movie, approach your marketing with a clear plan and a focus on the end goal. Start by determining your target audience by understanding what they want. Build a profile of your ideal audience members in terms of age, gender, social status, culture, and the forms of media platforms they use.
The next step is to build a timeline for your film marketing. As a producer, you want to be smart regarding when to release a particular marketing material. Please do this by employing your marketing to match your audience’s preferences.
Create Useful Marketing Materials
Before undertaking any marketing, write up a list of the marketing materials needed. Do this by first determining your brand, which can be your media’s thematic or stylistic choice, imagery, and so forth. Essentially, this is what sets your film apart from others.
The common branding materials include social media platforms, movie posters, your website, etc. The brand will significantly impact how your audience perceives your film, so you should ensure the materials match the tone and message set for the audience.
As you consider your branding options, don’t forget to explore additional avenues such as branded hoodies, which can serve as both a promotional item and a stylish accessory for your audience.
Build A Website
Having a website is one of the best promotional tools for your film. And as a producer, you can’t afford to miss having one, especially now, when all information that people want is on the internet. With a website, you will be giving your audience and fans a home base for updates on your film. On top of that, gathering email lists from your site can be helpful to your film marketing efforts.
Since your website is a marketing tool, ensure its look and design match your film’s brand. Spice it up and be creative while exploring all the potential options of making it unique. Wondering how you can create such a website? It doesn’t harm to get professional assistance or get inspiration from others.
Utilize Social Media
Marketing your film through a website alone isn’t a guarantee of success. Using social media is also a necessity in this process, and so you should build a strong presence in these areas.
Social media ranks high in today’s marketing efforts as it offers a perfect place to build an audience. It is an excellent way to connect with your audience on a more personal level. In addition, it allows you to maintain interest and relevancy throughout the production process.
The other good thing about social media is that you have endless options to choose from, including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. But don’t limit yourself to only these. Others like TikTok and Tumblr are perfect options to increase your film’s exposure. Feed your social accounts with film release day, behind-the-scenes footage, cast, and anything you find relevant.
Create Press Releases
Generating excellent press is also a fantastic way to market your film by spreading exposure through word of mouth. A press release is an alternative film marketing strategy to ads, promotions, and so forth. It is a perfect way to build the trust of your audience as it allows them to read or hear about the film from others.
But remember that your press release should be newsworthy. It should have something to generate interest and engagement with your audience. You can announce the set date to release a new movie, new partnerships, upcoming festivals, and so forth.
Have Teasers and Trailers
Beyond the internet-related tactics, grab your audience’s attention by creating movie trailers and teasers. These will make them engaged and interested in your film. Make them want more, so be smart with the footage choice and the duration of the footage.
A teaser can range from a few seconds to 30 seconds. In contrast, a trailer can go for one to two minutes. Once set, post them on your website or social media platforms, and it won’t take long before you find a few people requesting more.
Parting Words
Filmmaking is more than just producing films. It also calls for having the right marketing strategies like knowing your audience, creating a website, having a strong social media presence, and creating trailers to spark more interest. For the best results, utilize these strategies with the same passion as when making the films.
