This is the second of five parts on how best to manage marketing during this particular time period…or beyond. While Story Crossroads sees “story artists” to typically mean spoken word storytellers, these tips apply to all performing artists or professionals across industries.
5-Tips for 5 Days:
- Tip 1 – Website – REVEALED
- Tip 2 – Social Media – TODAY
- Tip 3 – E-Newsletter & Email Lists
- Tip 4 – Ideal Client
- Tip 5 – Art of Consistency & Branding
With so many choices on social media, have at least one that is “strong.” Yet, you need a website to receive the full benefits of social media…
Your social media needs to drive people away from the hustle and bustle of the constant chatting and texting and voices of everyone.
The goal for any social media is to get to your website so that they can contact you about performance opportunities. Or buy your CDS and books. Or any number of revenue-building activities.
If you allow your people to “hang” on social media too long, they will eventually become distracted by something else. Blogs are considered social media though are part of your website so has the benefit of having people already at your website to explore.
Other forms of social media besides blogs: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram (plus many more icons) as well as picture-sharing, vlogs, wall-postings, email, instant messaging, music-sharing (can be story-sharing), crowdsourcing, and voice over IP, podcasting, etc.
Luckily, you do not have to be on or doing every single social media. Unless you have the volunteer or paid office people to give attention and care to it. Or interns. Ah, love interns–who tend to be up on the latest trends and ever-ready to share their knowledge and skills.
Paying someone at least $10/hour once a week could be worth it…if they can match your “voice” and style in communicating online.
Quick 5-Question Social Media Audit:
- Do you have YouTube and are you using it? Asking for subscribers? Adding material at least once a quarter (once a month, once a week or more is awesome)? Of all the social media, YouTube is on the “required” list to best showcase your art and easier for people to write grants and prove your ability to committees.
- Is there at least one other social media besides YouTube that you could commit regular time/postings? Consider your ideal client (will get more to that for tip#4). Click here for a basic idea from Flint Group – keep in mind this changes all the time.
- Are there any social media you do that you could drop to free up more time to emphasize your best one(s)? Or at least do automatic linkage such as Instagram/Facebook or any other combination? Best to post separately/per social media…but can “cheat.”
- Are you familiar with the up-and-coming platforms? Have you considered Twitch? Tik Tok? Discord? You do not need to be “on” these new ones, but are you willing to test them out? Ponder on what highlights storytelling and your work the best.
- Do you follow and analyze other storytelling, performing arts, and people of other industries and see what is working? What is not? Can you apply this to you?
Story Artists & Organizations Who Know How to Use Social Media to their Advantage:
- Dr. Raymond Christian – Podcasting, “What’s Ray Saying?”
- Better Said Than Done – Facebook Page and Instagram
- Dr. Csenge Zalka – Twitter and Blogs like “The Multicolored Diary” (English) plus “A Tarkabarka Hölgy Naplója” (Hungarian) – major followings, does do Facebook, GoodReads, etc. though these Twitter and blogs are her specialty
- Bill Harley – Facebook Page (7,800+ likes!), plenty other social media but shines here
- Baba the Storyteller – Facebook Page (4,600+ likes!), plenty other social media but shines here
Up & Coming on Social Media Buzz:
- Tim Lowry – YouTube – he put out a goal to have at least 1,000 YouTube Subscribers so he can stream in a more effective way (was at 787 on 7/4/2020) – he will want to customize his YouTube domain name to have his name after “youtube.com” as he reached the minimum 100 subscribers to do so
- Brian “Fox” Ellis – YouTube as Fox Tales International – while in the new stages, he has AMAZING production value and a plan/schedule in place, within 24 hours he had over 100 subscribers (was at 143 on 7/4/2020) – he will want to customize his YouTube domain name to have his name after “youtube.com” as he reached the minimum 100 subscribers to do so
If you want me to give initial thoughts on how you are doing with social media and do not mind well-intended bluntness, I am open to letting you know if you email info@storycrossroads.org. Yes, this is complimentary.
See our already-streamed/recorded The Big Why Panel: Historical Storytelling meets Humanities with three options to watch it featuring our panelists: Dr. Caroliese Frink Reed, Sheila Arnold, Darci Tucker, and Brian “Fox” Ellis. We are grateful to funding from Utah Humanities.
See our 5-video playlist from the Story Crossroads Spectacular by clicking here
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