Five Major Immediate Marketing Considerations for Indy Producers that Can Make This a Great Year

September, October, and November are generally great months for promoting an independent film.  Here are five major marketing considerations for indy producers to address immediately that can help make this a great year:

Social Media

Do your postings help to expand your audience?  Do they develop anticipation for screenings and DVD / download sales, rather than simply informing of developments that are important to you?


Traditional Broadcast and Web Media

Are you doing regularly scheduled outreaches to traditional entertainment media, as well as media outlets who cover the theme of your film, giving them information that will inform their audiences, and dramatically expand your audience?


Mobile Pages

Is your site mobile friendly?  Your most important website pages must be displayed for viewing on smartphones.  Mobile pages are essential in reaching, building, and informing your audience.


Distribution / AFM 2012

Has your film been submitted for consideration to every possible distributor?  

Are you planning on attending AFM 2012 this year?  In my opinion, every indy producer should attend AFM at least once.  At very minimum, get a one day pass and see what it's like inside, not just downstairs in the lobbies.  I can help you arrive with appointments set.

Or, if you are self-distributing, is your plan in writing, and are your desired results measurable?


Paid Advertising

Do you have an active paid advertising plan in place? Major studios still allocate millions for paid advertising for one simple reason: it gets their unfiltered message out directly to their films' desired demographics -- the audience.


There's no formula for creating a hit film, if there were, everyone would use it, and I'd be living up in the hills of Laguna Beach, CA.  But there are standard professional practices for contacting potential distributors so that you don't register as "unsolicited submission" on their radar.  And there are certainly many ways to help improve the probability that your film will be a hit.

Every film requires its own special, custom marketing plan.  A careful consideration of each of these five elements will give you a better idea of where your marketing is strong, and where you might need some assistance.  You have an opportunity right now to affect the results you will be enjoying at the end of this year, but it's up to you to take the necessary steps to make it happen.  

Over the last eleven years I've helped producers market around thirty films, so if you'd like some ideas on how I can help you make this a great year, contact me and we can talk about what we can accomplish by working together through this year and beyond.

Best of luck to you for the remainder of this year and your future!

Steve Thompson

s t e v e @ c i n e m a n e w s w i r e . c o m

Thompson Communications
Cinema News Wire