Thursday, July 20, 2006
Preparing for the Festival
I designed the new Fringe Fantastic flier for this years Fringe Festival today. This one comes in A4 and A5 but contains more information and advertising lingo. As well as being able to purchase online, I've added a bit about being able to meet me for a signed copy. I'll have to find a suitable place to hangout maybe two or three times a week for a couple of hours and I'll tell people that's where the books can be purchased. I need somewhere central to the Fringe, a friendly barman and somewhere comfortable. I have one or two candidates in mind already.
I also prepared the press release and the letter template I will use to write personally-tailored letters to journalists and editors. These took longer than I thought. Getting the right angle and method of approach to try and hook them in isn't easy. And with all the added competition around, it's all the more harder. But I like a good challenge and I like being part of this.
The 2006 Promotional Plan
200 A4-size posters - for distributing on walls, windows, coffee shops, libraries, pubs, clubs and other Fringe venues.
500 A5-size leaflets - for handing out to the public during the festival.
200 business cards - adverts of same design for distribution to the public and various other venues.
Press release - to all local and national newspapers, magazines, online organs, radio broadcasters and internet press release agencies mid-way through the festival. It will highlight my efforts on the streets and of the connection between the book and Fringe revellers.
Personalised letters - to all media contacts, editors and journalists who have responded in the past or shown the slightest bit of interest. Letters will also go out fresh to try and expand this network.
Associations - already established outlet with B&B in Fife. Plan to approach like-minded independent book shop in Leith.
Signing Sessions - I want to set up a regular 'sit-in' where books can be bought and if wanted, people can have them personally autographed.
Street Performers - many of the performers that were written about or photographed for Fringe Fantastic are bound to be coming back to Edinburgh. I wonder how they would react to seeing a poem written about them? I intend to find out. Albannach have already discovered theirs - could be good advertising.
As you can see it's all coming together nicely. If you're wondering why the press releases and letters won't be going out until the 9th, it's because I will be out of the country until then. There's no point in putting a statement like, "I'm available at short notice for interview," if I won't be able to respond immediately to anyone who comes back.
It's a bit of a bummer missing the first week of the festival, albeit the unofficial week, but there's nothing I can do except make sure I'm prepared for the three main weeks hat it runs for. I'm going to be knackered after it all no doubt, but hopefully I can generate sales and even more importantly, generate some badly needed exposure of the good kind.
I got into trouble off of my wife tonight. Apparently I love the rabbits more than I do her and Laura. I talk about them too much, spend time with them too much and generally give them the run of the house when I am playing with them. She says they will be banned from the living room soon - I disagreed. You can imagine the rest.
The problem is not actually with the rabbits. It's with Gail. She has yet to develop a bond that is as strong as the one I have with them. Where they nip, scratch, piss and shite on Gail when she is holding them, they rest calmly on my tummy and watch the world go by, lick my face and cuddle up to me when they're with me. I think she is actually jealous of this, but as I told her last night, "Give, and ye shall receive."
You can imagine how that one went down.
I also prepared the press release and the letter template I will use to write personally-tailored letters to journalists and editors. These took longer than I thought. Getting the right angle and method of approach to try and hook them in isn't easy. And with all the added competition around, it's all the more harder. But I like a good challenge and I like being part of this.
The 2006 Promotional Plan
200 A4-size posters - for distributing on walls, windows, coffee shops, libraries, pubs, clubs and other Fringe venues.
500 A5-size leaflets - for handing out to the public during the festival.
200 business cards - adverts of same design for distribution to the public and various other venues.
Press release - to all local and national newspapers, magazines, online organs, radio broadcasters and internet press release agencies mid-way through the festival. It will highlight my efforts on the streets and of the connection between the book and Fringe revellers.
Personalised letters - to all media contacts, editors and journalists who have responded in the past or shown the slightest bit of interest. Letters will also go out fresh to try and expand this network.
Associations - already established outlet with B&B in Fife. Plan to approach like-minded independent book shop in Leith.
Signing Sessions - I want to set up a regular 'sit-in' where books can be bought and if wanted, people can have them personally autographed.
Street Performers - many of the performers that were written about or photographed for Fringe Fantastic are bound to be coming back to Edinburgh. I wonder how they would react to seeing a poem written about them? I intend to find out. Albannach have already discovered theirs - could be good advertising.
As you can see it's all coming together nicely. If you're wondering why the press releases and letters won't be going out until the 9th, it's because I will be out of the country until then. There's no point in putting a statement like, "I'm available at short notice for interview," if I won't be able to respond immediately to anyone who comes back.
It's a bit of a bummer missing the first week of the festival, albeit the unofficial week, but there's nothing I can do except make sure I'm prepared for the three main weeks hat it runs for. I'm going to be knackered after it all no doubt, but hopefully I can generate sales and even more importantly, generate some badly needed exposure of the good kind.
I got into trouble off of my wife tonight. Apparently I love the rabbits more than I do her and Laura. I talk about them too much, spend time with them too much and generally give them the run of the house when I am playing with them. She says they will be banned from the living room soon - I disagreed. You can imagine the rest.
The problem is not actually with the rabbits. It's with Gail. She has yet to develop a bond that is as strong as the one I have with them. Where they nip, scratch, piss and shite on Gail when she is holding them, they rest calmly on my tummy and watch the world go by, lick my face and cuddle up to me when they're with me. I think she is actually jealous of this, but as I told her last night, "Give, and ye shall receive."
You can imagine how that one went down.
Colin 10:47 am