Marketing 101

What does Marketing have to do with magic? A lot, as it turns out. We are ALL marketers in many levels of our lives. In magic, marketing is more than hiring a booking agent. Marketing means having an acute understanding of our very essence. And the classic "Four Ps of Marketing" are a good starting point to help us gain focus.

Product
This is what you're selling. Duh! But think about it...what ARE you selling? What is your product, your brand? Why your product over someone else's? How do you ensure consistent quality? What need are you filling? For more about this, see my earlier post, The Napkin Approach.

Price
What are you worth? What value do you provide (value in the sense of meaning and importance)? If you charge lower than others, is this a smart thing, or does it diminish your perceived value? If you're priced higher than average, why? What is it that you bring to the table? Utimately, does your price do justice to your brand? (Study other brands like Hyundai or Rolex to see how price works into their branding strategies.)

Place
Place typically refers to how the product moves from the factory to the shelf. And are you on the right "shelf?" What does it look like when your perform? What's the ambiance, the vibe? Is it dark and mysterious, or loud and boisterous? Would you do a kid's show, a Renaissance fair, a cabaret act, or a stage show? Why? Ultimately, is the place consistent with your brand?

Promotion
Who wants your brand? What are people saying about you? How are you targeting them? How are you delivering the promise of your brand? What are new trends? How are you tapping into people's interests? Do you focus more on reach (number of people) or frequency (the times of exposure)? Does you promotion adequately reflect the promise of your brand? And how are you ultimately delivering on your promise?