When I got to the video I was thinking "no way I'm gonna sit here and watch a 60 minute video, but I'll watch the first few minutes" so I started watching and the content was so good I watched the whole thing.

There is a marketing podcast Dean Jackson does with Joe Polish and one thing Joe Polish says is - there is no long or short, there is interesting or not interesting. Nathan's 60 minute video is a great example of this concept, those who are interested in entertainment business will most likely find this interesting and watch the whole video.

I thought the info shared on posters was excellent, although I would prefer a different style/look and more breathing room on my posters.

And the info on banners was excellent, this is not something I would have even considered doing had I not watched the video but it is a great idea and Nathan covers all the nuts and bolts of what you need to do.

He has good out-of-the-box thinking when it comes to business cards.

One well known marketing concept: What is every person's favorite radio station? WIFM - it stands for "What's In It For Me?" and this is the question potential clients want answered when considering a purchase, yet it is human nature to put our own egocentric agenda first rather than WIFM. Another way of saying it is what is the benefit to the client?

Everything Nathan shares comes at things from this approach, and he does it quite well. It seems simple to just share the concept of WIFM but if you really go back and analyze all your marketing material there is a good chance there are many places you do not apply this principle.

It is great to see a video that emphasizes this concept so strongly and I wish we had more here at the Café that took such a strong Direct Response Marketing approach.

You came in here offering "free" information in the hope of seeking other things.

Am I right or wrong? Are you selling other things and using this as a gateway?

If I am wrong tell me.

T. Durden, thanks for your post. Sorry for my PM box being filled, it’s Monday and I have many PMs from over the weekend still uncleared in the box. I’ll post here since you did, but if you prefer to go to PM just let me know and I’ll PM you so you can get in.

So I think there are several issue at work here at once, some you may be unaware of, which has led to my post and some of the other thoughts you’ve been getting.

The first is the problem we see all too often of someone who is not a recognized member here, who suddenly pops in and immediately begins (or the process of) selling the new, latest and greatest (insert product or offer here) in a blatant attempt to capture emails and push a product on us from someone we don’t know or know anything about. Of course they all do it under the guise of being "helpful" too. It happens far more than you are likely aware and due to the ease of creating such info through current technology, we have had several here that have done something once, and then all of a sudden are an expert or “guru” attempting to push their “release” on the community. Many have gotten to the point of despising it, others just bothersome, and yet a few others don’t seem to mind.

Of course the way you did it without any setup or establishing who you are and what you were doing, makes it quite suspect to some here.

Secondly, I understand the approach and filter you describe. But as someone who has several infomarketing businesses, both in and outside of entertainment, I understand the process and what you are trying to achieve. However as you should well know, you must establish who you are and your experience and credibility before you expect most to take the CTA you desire. It would have been better-serving for you to perhaps have done that establishing in your initial post here. It would let members here know who they are dealing with, establish that you do have actual experience and credibility (unlike other that have attempted the same approach here in the past) and would have greatly eliminated the first problem and perception I addressed above.

I do think your effort had a bit of a long bait before getting the true understanding of what you were going for offering, where a simple “hey guys I’ve created video to…. and if you like what you see or feel this could help your performing business, I will make myself and my services available to help you in your branding and poster and business card design….” Rather than having to watch an hour long video to get to the real offer. It is this that sours many, especially with such a long video. I have done webinars the same length as your video. That could have easily been a 18-20 minute, 30 minute max video. Unlike others, I had to watch in in three different settings, but then again, it was all content I knew and am quite familiar with so perhaps it wasn’t as appealing to me as to others who found it as “new information.” So the point is the often perceived shady approach of “you don’t get the payoff (the real message, point or offer) until you’ve spent an hour of your time is problematic to some. It really was quite long for an opt-in video.

You have to understand that those constant emails you say you hate pitching stuff, always begin with this same magnet enticing, capture process, so surely you can understand what I’m saying and the typical perception many have to this.

I think it’s admirable that you want to help other entertainers. I also appreciate not using a hard sell. I hope it works out well for you now that everything is on the table, I’m betting you get more of your desired response and hand-raising you’re seeking. Also more views of the video.

Now please don’t get to the typical next step we see too often as well, which is when people start to question your motives or process or question it the product in general, then they start flinging and calling out regular-contributing members you know little about or become defensive against. Again, we see it far too often. We are good enough here to promote your product but not good enough when someone tries to question or understand. Stay on the high road. You can’t blame people for being suspect or questionable.

He has already gone down that road with the panties in a knot and Negative Nancy stuff.

Won't be long before the usual look at what people say about you stuff comes.

Mindpro - Thanks once again. And, yes, please shoot me a PM when you have a moment. I'd like to pick your brain a bit.

I should probably go get some sleep while the kid is asleep, but for now, let me update my initial post here:

*****************
Hey guys -
My name is Nathan Allen. I'm a no-name comedy-magician from the Midwest. I'm not famous, but I do work a lot (adult-only shows), and over the past 10 years on the road I've picked up some useful ideas and tactics when it comes to designing posters, cards, banners, etc., the results of which can help you draw bigger crowds, have better shows, and sell more merch in the back of the room after the show.
Not only have these ideas worked for me, but they've also worked for other entertainer friends, too.
I made a 61-minute video about those ideas and tactics, that you are free to use (or not use). Some of you might already be fully aware of this stuff, but others might find a gem (or several) that you hadn't previously considered and just totally "clicks" with you.
You might love this stuff. You might hate it.
It might work for your particular show. It might not.
But it's free, so what's the harm in taking a look?
Go over to www.BrandYourGigs.wordpress.com and fill out the form - you'll get an immediate email response with the secret link and password to watch that full video. And I'll probably shoot you a personal email in a few days to see if you had any questions or feedback. But again, no spam and no hassles. And I'll keep your contact info totally private - it'll never be shared with anyone, anywhere, for any reason.
And if you like my ideas and the design examples I show, and would like some help putting your own stuff together, you'll have my contact info so we can chat. But that's totally not required and completely optional. I'm not gonna pressure you in any way.
Alrighty.
Head over to www.BrandYourGigs.wordpress.com to grab that video - you might get some use out of it.
Or not.
Whatever, lol.

-Nathan Allen

*****************

a little better?
:D

Danny,
I believe Mindpro collects emails by offering a "FREE REPORT". In an effort to keep everything above board and honest, have I missed the post or thread where you questioned his tactics? In light of the OP not posting anonymously, he seems very straightforward.

Please, if you can't answer without attacking me or anyone else, don't answer at all.
Keith

I agree with Keith's viewpoint. Furthermore, a very clear distinction with Nathan's 60 minute video is he generously gives away LOTS of valuable content. I am guessing that individuals who have made posts in the past selling a course or product did not come anywhere close to providing such a valuable giveaway.

When did he come in here and do such a thing? If he did please bring up the thread so I may properly mention how it is a crap practice to entice people with "free" and then hammer them with a sales pitch. It makes one look like a timeshare salesman.

And don't give me the nonsense about not attacking. All you do is stir the pot and attack.

How about if you don't have an actual contribution you don't post?

Bad guess, that is the hook.

And just as a by the way the whole anonymous thing I agree with you on and that ground HAS been covered. I think the use of pseudonyms here is what it is. I dislike it. I think it hurts more than it helps.

But then how did wet get to that subject?

Once again the king of “taking things out of context for his own convenience” has chimed in uninformed. You are wrong on several counts.

First, nothing I offer to the community asks for their email addresses for any reason other than when ordering and for delivery only. There are no collection of email addresses and no one has ever received a single email from me of any kind (solicitation, or otherwise). Sorry you are wrong. And I have certainly never done anything as such here.

For industry products if someone in the industry orders from me, and have gone through the approval and acceptance process, yes they must provide it to have their purchase delivered, duh? And even then, and ask anyone here that has purchased any of my products or services, no one hears from me at all for any kind of solicitations in any way, other than receiving pre-release offers of new releases or appearances. No one has ever been solicited for coaching, consulting or any other reason. Others here are free to verify that.

Again you have no idea of what your talking about.

If you are referring to things for non-industry consumer markets and programs, you are again incorrect as once again the same thing, emails are provided for delivery only, no emails are kept or sent to autorepsonders or data bases. Again, of the thousands that have ordered a free report (again, non-industry), it is for informational and educational purposes only, not a magnet or lead generator. Again, I challenge you to find a single person to state otherwise.

If you have any questions about my businesses or operations why don’t you just ask like everyone else does, rather than doing your poor investigative efforts, listening to others who don’t know what they’re talking about and making your own assumptions?

Keith, all of your posts are always about or towards Danny or myself and a blatant agenda and effort to try to oppose our experience and contributions here. Either contribute to the topic of the thread, add something productive or stop with the agenda. This nonsense is getting old and completely uncalled for.

And Tim, once again be careful who you “agree with,” "Like" and listen to. You seem to have a habit of listening to the ignorant, uninformed or those that think they know more than they actually do.

Oops.

I don't know Keith, just as I do not know you, other than I know you by your posts. I do not understand the issue with collecting emails. It is proven as a highly successful internet business model, and it is nonthreatening because if someone doesn't want it, they simply do not opt in, if they opt in then later decide they don't want it, they can then opt out. No reason to get upset.

I would have thought that more people here on the Café would be familiar with this model, and have a better understanding of the value it provides.

I am familiar with the model. Don't be confused.

But here where the idea is to help others is not the place for it. It is not the place to just pop in and pretend in some way you are helping when in reality all you are doing is selling.

Don't presume you know what we see or don't see. It does not provide value HERE where the idea is helping others as opposed to seeking to sell them later.

I did find it helpful, you could take what is shared in the 60 minute video and use it with another graphic designer, it is a very detailed and very helpful video.

Doesn't change the intent now does it?

And yes I lash out against this because it happens so often by pop in posters.

I have no problems with someone who is selling a product, I am a sales professional myself and believe it is a great profession, and I believe that as an entertainer I am also still very much a sales professional and enjoy the process of selling myself as an entertainer.

Being in sales I do understand that lots of people do not like sales professionals, and there is often a knee-jerk reaction to resist a sales person before it is even known what is being sold, and if it would even help them or not. I have resisted others trying to sell me something for different reasons, but other times I am interested in what is being presented.

Tim, you are missing the point completely. Perhaps you don;t want to see it?

Tag-teamers, I don't take orders from either one of you. You have to lie in the bed that you made just like everyone else here.

Danny, YOU set the context of email collecting. You brought it up. So Mindpro, I'm within context. You just don't like it.

I respond to the two of you because I have seen you both chase off way too many valuable contributors.

Mindpro, I'm happy to post a screen shot. And even links. I'm sure you'll stand behind your words, right? Just like you're asking others to do in this very thread.

I can back up every single word I've ever posted on here with experience and proof. I'll be asking you to do the same from now on. Get used to it as we start welcoming back others that have REAL contributions instead of anonymous attempts to find coaching clients and sell e-books.

Nathan, I thought your posts were well written, with an attitude of sharing, without any pressure whatsoever. In fact you went out of your way to make it so. I appreciate your willingness to bring more information to real professionals and amateurs alike.

Keith this is about what people posted HERE. But you knew that. Just your agreement shining through.