You probably think the most important thing you do is write, or create nifty graphics, or creatively edit video tape. But it's not. The most important thing you do is sales. Without sales -- though you may have the best equipment and technical skills on earth -- you're broke, and outta business.

Being good at marketing and sales is an indispensable skill. And understanding the difference between them is the beginning.

Marketing is strategic. Marketing is the war. Selling is tactical. Selling is the individual battle. You can afford to lose a few sales. Especially if you lose them for the right reasons. (Like some jerk super-low-balled a bid. Fine. He knows what his work's worth.) You can't afford to lose in your overall marketing plan. That's the whole damn war.

Some of what follows is strategic, some tactical. As you peruse, think about how you can adapt these ideas and build on them.

Getting Your Name Out There
Whatever you do to get your name out there -- pro bono, free PSA production, giving seminars at the ITVA, advertising of the usual kind, press releases, joining groups like your local chamber of commerce, hosting periodic pizza parties at your facility -- whatever: is marketing. It creates personal referrals -- probably the richest source of Quality Sales.

Most referrals are indirect, and often, multistage. This is one argument for always treating people honestly and politely. Mud sticks -- no matter who slings it, and no matter how undeserved it may be. People say, "consider the source"; but in reality they usually don't. So, even if you discover you're dealing with an abusive, cheapskate idiot, always maintain a calm, factual, and professional approach. (As you respectfully withdraw from the project, and leave him to his well-deserved fate.)

Quality Sales
This may seem semi-obvious, but as you consider this over the next few days and weeks, you will rediscover just how vital it is to success. Always conduct quality sales. A quality sale is a sale which:

1. Is a good product. (Maybe not the extreme of super high-end
quality, but certainly not low in quality.)
2. Is sold at the "right" price. (Not a high price, not a low price,
but a fair price to both parties)
3. Is a product understood by the buyer (as much for what it is,
as for what it is not.)

Number three is, perhaps, the most often overlooked consideration. When your brilliant salesmanship has won the job, and the thrilled client expects the moon and the stars, and you can only deliver the moon and a few of the stars in reality, he will be disappointed, and he will feel screwed. Inform and educate as necessary so clients who may have little knowledge of TV always understand the choices, and why you're doing what you are, the way you are.

Sometimes you really hesitate to do this. You remember the wisdom about sleeping dogs and canned worms. But that usually means you're trying to get by with something less than excellence for whatever reason. Don't do it! It'll almost always backfire -- later, if not now. Let your client in on the thrill of whatever crumbly edge of disaster you're solo rock-climbing on. If he's up to speed, and has confidence in you, he'll enjoy the thrill right along with you. And succeed or fail, he'll still be on your side.

If any of these three principles is missing in a sale, a very good chance of somebody feeling resentment now or later exists. It might be you -- if you low-ball something, and begin to hate the client as a pest, and drag your heels the eighth time he calls for that super-cheap quickie dub, for example. He'll feel your growing hostility, and he'll tell people you're bad-tempered. No positive referrals.

Almost every time we've ever accidentally violated one of these principles, we've created a bad situation. I assure you, we feel so strongly about them that we never violate them knowingly. They work. They are absolutely necessary to getting good referrals.

Examine every sale on those three points. Apply remedies where necessary.

Always be prepared to do pre-business. Have cards in your pocket--always. It may sound extreme, but I even have one or two at the beach. With me on the towel. Talk to everybody. Even the garbage man. Even the waitress in the diner on the interstate. Don't be a pushy blowhard, but talk to everybody -- no matter who. They think you're in a very glamorous business. Be cool. Make humor -- -tell 'em about getting up at four a.m. and driving six hours to work sometimes. They'll laugh, but they'll remember you -- and they'll be able to tell somebody else about you. Give 'em a card. Business cards are incredibly cheap -- even nice ones -- and they don't serve you on the shelf. Get 'em in circulation. You have a computer. Get a good laser printer and some card stock from Papers Direct. Make your own. Change 'em often as your business develops and evolves. Nobody cares about raised ink on fancy expensive card stock anymore. The data is all that matters.

Learn To Give Good "Country Club"
Practice being reasonably charming on the people you don't think can possibly do you any good, because they don't matter; and you'll rapidly discover two things. 1. Everybody matters. 2. Everybody knows a lot of homebodies -- and the connections are often surprising.

For example, my nephew, Scott, knows Newt Gingrich on a first-name basis, and sees him to talk with him nearly every single day. Scott's a House Floor Assistant, and works in the well.... He's a kid. He's nobody.... My partner's daughter's fiancee's best friend works in the White House. Knew that FBI file abuse creep, Livingstone. Saw him every day.... She's a kid. She's nobody....

Always Carry Demo Tapes And Lit-Paks
I always carry a VHS demo tape for giveaway and a "literature pack" in my car. Always. I'm never far from my car. So if a particular conversation seems to rate it, I go get the materials for the person I'm talking to. Yeah, Beta is better. But most civilians and their friends have VHS. And big shots have Beta and 3/4" in their conference rooms -- but they also always have The Standard Medium Of Video Exchange, VHS. I hate it, but it's a fact.

Don't ask for tapes back. They're little Permanent Ambassadors. Let them work. (If you really "get it", you'll perceive that you now have an excuse to periodically call people and arrange to "update" your demo reel for them.)

Create Your Own Newsletter
One item in my "lit-pack" is a periodic newsletter we write. We try to make it truly useful and informative, telling people things they didn't know about special effects; but what such newsletters really are is multi-page interesting ads.

You're an expert. Write a newsletter. Keep it short. Mail it out to people you can identify that are in need of your services -- whatever they are. Be sure to put "Newsletter" somewhere in the short title. When mailed, don't put it in an envelope. Fold it title side out. It won't get peremptorily tossed. It'll get read. (What mental process do you go through when you sort your mail?) And if it isn't too very self-congratulatory, it will be saved for a little while. And maybe even passed on. No plain ad lasts more than a few seconds.

You're not an expert? Bull-roar.If that's really true, then go get a job at Mickey-D's, and get out of our business. Everybody's got unique expertise. Focus on, and sell that. Nobody else's got it, for one thing... Are you an avid scuba diver as well as a DP and editor? Hang glider pilot? CPA?

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