Like directing and cinematography, film marketing is one of the most important determinants of your film’s success. Without it, your movie will never go beyond your family and friends. But how do you market your film as a producer? Here is a step by step guide on some of the best marketing strategies for you.
Create a plan
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 establish a schedule for marketing your film. As a producer, you want to be smart about when to release particular marketing material. Please do this by using your marketing to match your audience’s preferences.
Create useful marketing materials
Before undertaking any marketing, write a list of necessary marketing materials. To do this, first determine your brand, which can be the thematic or stylistic choice of your media, imagery, etc. This is essentially what distinguishes your film from others.
Common branding mediums include social media platforms, movie posters, your website, etc. Branding will have a significant impact on how your audience perceives your film, so you need to make sure the materials match the tone and message set for the audience.
Create 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 one, especially now, when all the information people want is on the internet. With a website, you will provide your audience and fans with a home base for updates on your movie. On top of that, collecting mailing lists from your site can be helpful to your movie marketing efforts.
Since your website is a marketing tool, make sure its look and design matches your movie’s brand. Spice it up and get creative while exploring all the potential options to make it unique. Wondering how you can create such a website? It’s okay to get professional help or inspiration from others.
Use social media
Marketing your film through a website alone is no guarantee of success. The use of social media is also a necessity in this process, and so you need to establish a strong presence in these areas.
Social media looms large in today’s marketing efforts because it provides an ideal venue to build an audience. It’s a great way to connect with your audience on a more personal level. Plus, it allows you to maintain interest and relevance throughout the production process.
The other benefit of social media is that you have endless options to choose from, including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. But don’t limit yourself to these. Others like ICT Tac and Tumblr are perfect options to increase your movie’s exposure. Feed your social accounts with the day of the film’s release, behind-the-scenes footage, the cast and anything else you find relevant.
Create press releases
Generating great press is also a fantastic way to market your film by spreading exposure through word of mouth. A press release is an alternative cinematic marketing strategy to advertisements, promotions, etc. It’s a perfect way to gain 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 spark the interest and engagement of your audience. You can announce the date set for the release of a new film, new partnerships, upcoming festivals, etc.
Have teasers and trailers
Beyond 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 streak choice and streak length.
A teaser can last from a few seconds to 30 seconds. A trailer, on the other hand, can last one to two minutes. Once set, post them on your website or social media platforms, and it won’t be long before you find a few people asking for more.
Farewell words
Making cinema is more than producing films. It also requires having the right marketing strategies like knowing your audience, creating a website, having a strong social media presence, and creating trailers to generate more interest. For best results, use these strategies with the same passion as when making the movies.