Short & Sweet Marketing for Story Artists – Tip #4 of 5 – Ideal Client

This is the fourth 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 – REVEALED
• Tip 3 – E-Newsletter & Email Lists – REVEALED
• Tip 4 – Ideal Client – TODAY
• Tip 5 – Art of Consistency & Branding

Who is the one that NEEDS to find you and participate and sign-up for your paid courses or performances? That ideal client…

Do you see how everything is building on each other? You need the website, social media, and the E-Newsletters and Email Lists to get to the Ideal Client. This is more than a favorite audience member.

This is the person who learns that you are doing something–a grand idea, a premiere performance, you-name-it–and automatically wants to sign-up and pay anything to make it happen.

Ah, we love the Ideal Client.

Most of the time, people are marketing to “everyone.”

But “everyone” cannot come. Or participate. Or listen.

Yes, you will have advertising that seems like it is for everyone. Get past that feeling. You have an audience as a performing artist. You have a target audience as a marketer of your small business of storytelling.

For Story Crossroads, our idea client would be a 9th grade high school/junior high teacher (depends on the geography) who has always used storytelling in the classroom. This person believes in enhancing the experience with virtual or live field trips and then wants their students to do a short yet fun assignment in connection to it. This teacher resides in Salt Lake County, Utah. And loves libraries, museums, is an avid attender of performing arts…and loves mango juice.

Are we open to other high school teachers of the 10th, 11th, or 12th grades? Yes. Do the people need to be teachers to work with us? No. Are we adamant about only Salt Lake County people? No. We have done virtual and that breaks borders already. And must they love mango juice. OK. That’s a deal-breaker.

All right, that was a tease. BUT, you want to be as detailed as possible. Then, you think what groups, associations, or other places this person can be found. Can your marketing messages connect there somehow?

Quick 10-Question for Ideal Client Audit:

1. What generation of people do you always wish to work with? What is your historical record of who you have been hired by? Now break it down by the decade this group/generation comes from. Year? Age? Were you able to figure this out within 10 seconds…or do you need to ponder this longer? If needing more time, consider the group you would jump at the chance to have commissioned work/performances, etc.
2. What are favorite hobbies and interests of this person/group? What organizations and associations can you research that these people would love to join?
3. What is the routine like for this person/group? Favorite foods? Favorite music? (think radio stations as well as styles)
4. What are common-held beliefs of this person/group? Feelings on the current events? Feelings of the past? Feelings of the future? Remember that beliefs does not have to connect to religions. Think core standards.
5. What cultures and sub-cultures is this person/group part of? This past blog post of ours delves into Cultural Studies/Humanities if you need ideas of what to consider.
6. What methods of communication does this person/group prefer? Texting? Emails? Phone Calls? Actual Letters/Mail? In-person (properly distanced, of course)? Zoom one-on-one meetings? Other ways?
7. What would you guess are favorite words of this person/group? Do they love “bonus” or “add-on” or “experience” or any number of words?
8. What geographic zone(s) will you find this person/group? Do NOT say everywhere. Really think. Urban? Suburban? Rural? Lives near an active arts community? University-city? Specific cities? Specific states? Countries? Continent? Again, you cannot say every continent. You can be open to all BUT market to the specific Ideal Client.
9. What benefits is your Ideal Client seeking from you? What draws them the most to what you have to offer?
10. How can you apply all these answers into your website, social media, E-Newsletters, Email Lists, etc.?

Story Artists who know their Ideal Client

• Charlotte Blake Alston – www.charlotteblakealston.com – see how she focuses on commissioned works, her skills as a storyteller or West African tradition as well as being a librettist – imagery/pictures chosen reflect what works best for Ideal Client

• Sean Buvala – https://seantells.com/morethanspeaking/ – yes, you can go to seantells.com though this particular web address proves that he knows his Ideal Client…and able to teach people that skill – business/marketing/storytelling is his forte – clear that he works with Chambers of Commerce, businesses of all kinds/mainly small businesses

• Antonio Sacre – https://www.antoniosacre.com/ – he is a split-personality storyteller…and he knows it – he has family-friendly material and promotes his authorship and bilingual abilities while also having space for the older audiences and things that are edgy – this can be hard to represent in a website (almost needs a two-face approach on homepage without scrolling) BUT he knows his Ideal Client(s)

If you want me to give initial thoughts on your Ideal Client (or at least impressions looking at your marketing materials) and do not mind well-intended bluntness, I am open to letting you know if you email info@storycrossroads.org. Yes, this is complimentary.

Find our E-Newsletter and Email List Sign-Ups on our website home page at the bottom, the archive page, etc.

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

If you really want to experiment with us, we have the Story Crossroads Server on Discord with text/vocal/video chat options plus resources and ideas. Click here for the direct invite/link.