Your marketing materials are often the first impression people will have of you and your work, the invitation for people to come see your performance. So you want to make ‘em powerful and provocative, enticing, seductive!

A professional look speaks volumes about the quality of your work, whereas a slapdash flyer can be a turnoff. So spend some time thinking about and creating your graphics.

Think about ‘branding’. Giving your show a logo, or a specific title font and photograph combination allows you to repeat and reinforce your visual message. And having a consistent look on all your marketing materials (postcards, flyers, e-flyers, posters, stationary, program) is sexy and professional. You look good!

I love a 4×6 postcard. They’re relatively inexpensive to make (around $100 for 500 postcards, or less for fewer. Check out www.uprinting.com), and they’re the perfect size: big enough to be memorable, small enough to be easily given away and carried around, and plenty of room for pictures and text. I prefer a matte finish. Those high gloss ones look a little cheesy to me, but that’s just my taste.

Use a great photograph. I suggest creating a photo specifically for your show – something more than just your headshot or a random snapshot. A photo that ‘says’ something about the performance, gives an idea of the emotion or excitement or humor of your show. Perhaps a picture of you ‘in performance’, or you as one of your characters – something that makes people say, “Ooh, that looks cool! Me want to see more!” I suggest choosing a clean, open background and getting wide margins of open space around your body. That way you can easily Photoshop the picture, giving you more options for your graphics.

Include some info about the show, like a synopsis, and about who you are. Include snappy review blurbs if you’ve got ’em. Location, performance dates and times, ticket prices and how to purchase. (Idea: if you leave OFF the dates/times/ticket info, you can use the same postcards for more than one run of your show. Just leave space on the postcard for a sticker/label, and print the variable info on the sticker).

Smart marketing materials make you look smart, and help get more butts in the seats to see your smart work.

Onward!

With great love,
Jonna
www.madlively.com