11-21-14

Whew! I’m hoping to send out my first press release explaining my Ever Entertainment concept to 27 media I’ve identified after several days of using my “music” Google Alert. Getting them into my press database now. I also decided to create a comparison chart that allows a scan of Ever Entertainment’s features and benefits compared to the other online streaming sites to quickly position Ever E in journalists’ minds:

I’m also going to be identifying music label executives to send the press release and comparison directly to – given the current state of affairs.

But, while this is all part of my marketing plan, we need to get back on task with fleshing it all out. Phase I is to build audience and Phase II is to sell sponsorships – we need to keep moving! We need to remember both phases also need to be simultaneous works in progress ongoing.

I shared my Marketing Plan Schedule last time, which I said was sort of entering through the back door, because it is where we end up, and it is what we actually use to guide all marketing efforts throughout the year.

We now need to work our way backwards all the way back to the marketing plan itself. Just because it is just me, myself and I – I need to acknowledge that might not be the case for you. So, to go along with the more formal Marketing Plan Schedule, here is a Marketing Plan Outline or template to fill in with all of the discoveries you made in your marketing research to share with your team:

Marketing Plan:

Background-purpose
Target Audience-details
Critical Success Factors-goals
Market Research-bullet point summary
Internal Analysis-internal organization positives and negatives
Environmental Analysis-external positives and negatives
Competitor Analysis-details
Marketing SWOT Analysis-details
Marketing Objectives-specific objectives identified
Marketing Strategies-bullet point summary
Evaluation-success measurement defined
Master Timetable and Action List-schedule and delegation chart
Resources-time/expertise/revenue needed

You simply gather together all the research we did and put it together in a document that becomes the Marketing Plan for your overall Sponsorship Plan.

Since you’ve come along on my journey step-by-step to create my Marketing Plan, I won’t reiterate it all here. Suffice it to say I’ve used the above outline to gather up all we’ve worked on into My Marketing Plan.

Let’s move on and dive into fleshing out the Marketing Plan Schedule!

Because media is usually the meat of a Marketing Plan Schedule, with the other strategies wrapping around, the Media Promotion section is usually the first to tackle. In my Schedule, though, you’ll notice it is listed nearly last. That is because I’m showing you a zero, or near zero approach, and unless I manage to broker traditional media sponsorship deals, or unless a brand brings a media partnership as part of their sponsorship, I won’t be doing media promotions! Just a word regarding that: as much as all of the online sites trying to sell musicians advertising would like you to believe differently — unless you can do a significant, ongoing media advertising campaign (and they ain’t cheap!) — don’t waste your money!

Let’s say I can convince select media to be sponsors and partner with me. What would that look like? Approaching the issue as a “sponsorship property” actually gives me an advantage. Whenever sponsorship is on the table, there is a lot you can offer a potential media partner.

One caveat right now: media partners will always try to be your “exclusive” media partner. If you were buying media, you would never put all your eggs in one basket. Remember, even though you are brokering a trade of media promotion for sponsorship benefits, in the end, it needs to be a win-win for both of you. Don’t cut your nose off to spite your face – approach this as if you are buying media, because, in essence, you are. You are trading value for value. I would recommend that your sponsored media promotion plan needs to be at least as thorough, and should be even more, than your purchased plan would be.

Generally, you provide media with co-ownership of the media promotion and sponsorship of your music (providing them with all the included sponsorship benefits) and they provide media value. This can be an extremely effective way for you to gain visibility for your music – and your sponsors.

Before we get into the Media Promotion nitty-gritty, be aware that any media coverage deal you can put together sweetens the sponsorship benefit pot for potential cash sponsors. Also be aware that your planning needs to be flexible enough to tailor for sponsors, once they come on board. Media coverage brings more target market eyeballs, and hopefully, more quality target market interaction. That’s what sponsors are after.

Before you talk to potential media partners – you guessed it, you need a plan! Well, a proposal. After all, they are potential sponsors, right? You are going to try to get them to come on board as an “in-kind” sponsor, since zero, or near zero money is changing hands. Your proposal for media partners serves two purposes:

• It is an outline of your desired media promotion plan
• It is a sponsorship proposal

Your proposal should include:

1) Media Objectives
2) Target Audience/Media Match
3) Unique Reciprocal Promotional Value
4) Scheduling Control
5) Sponsorship Benefits

So, looking back at my Marketing Plan, how would a proposal outline shake out? Although you would customize for each proposal, it would look something like this:

Sere Media Promotion Plan

Media Objectives:
-To build Sere’s audience
-To provide sponsor visibility

Target Audience/Media Match:
General:
-35+
-equally male/female
-computer owners
-US
Specific:
-jazz lovers
-cell phone owners
-cutting edge
-influencers

Unique Reciprocal Promotional Value:
Sere:
-creative promotional ideas to cement Sere’s brand and set her apart (list specific examples, for instance, using promotional tie-ins with “smooth, lush, delicious, smoky joy” “intimate” “enchanting” vocals & music)
Media:
-creative promotional ideas to cement medium’s brand & stand apart (list specific examples, for instance, media personality joins Sere in a song, etc.)

Scheduling Control:
-time slots/placements that consistently deliver ratings and Sere’s target audience. (If media wants discretion, walk away – zero value)

Sponsorship Benefits:
-Create specific sponsorship menu for media to choose from, tailored for each type – radio, television, newspaper, magazine, outdoor.

Target Media Value
To give you an idea of what media partners should be offering you:

Be ready for potential media partners to bring back a counter proposal that includes parting with your cash. It’s up to you – you can either:

1) hold out, hoping to attract a cash sponsor who brings media partners with them,
2) keep looking for media partners willing to do a “straight trade,”
3) or you can negotiate ponying up some cash.

If they do wrangle you into a cash/sponsorship combo that you feel makes sense for you, make sure your Value-to-Cost Ratio is no less than 2:1, and really try for 10:1 (see ratios for media type on value chart above). You should be receiving substantially more value from the media partner than the funds you invest.

Personally, I’m willing to hold or walk, because I believe in the value of my brand and my sponsorship benefits. As far as I’m concerned, they are cash.

If you’re even thinking of considering a cash/sponsorship combo, then you need to create a media budget, detailing your confirmed schedule, total cost and total value, including all the value items listed above for each type of media.

Either way, once you’ve succeeded in bringing media partners on board as sponsors, you’ll then place each specific medium and your agreed to schedule in your Marketing Plan Schedule.

Enough for today.

Sere has her online Vintage Holiday Concert on StageIt this weekend :o) – need to start putting up the concert set in the production studio!

DIY Music Sponsorship Journal 11-21-14  Eliyora Entertainment LLC.  Ever Entertainment®  © Paradunai LLC.  All international rights reserved.  All trademarks property of Paradunai LLC.  All personas, concepts and original songs created and performed by Sherese Chrétien.