Source: Adult Industry News
By: Rebecca Bardoux
Under the huge umbrella that is labeled Entertainment, there are many different industries. Let’s see; movie, television, music, broadway, comedy. Oh yes and adult. It is part of entertainment, a few billion dollars a part of it.
Adult companies and individuals promote and market the same way any other industry under the entertainment umbrella would.
Let’s look at me for example. I have spend twenty years in the adult entertainment area. However, I had to work and function around mainstream people as well. We are interviewed on radio and television talk shows that are mostly mainstream.
It shouldn’t take a genius to figure out no matter what part of the entertainment business you are involved in reassure if you have any drive and some brains you could be successful. Yes, unfortunately even without talent.
Marketing is marketing and branding is branding. If you understand it and know what you are doing it doesn’t make that much different what you’re marketing and promoting.
As a performer I have had to market and promote myself (back before PR in adult). I had to continue to reinvent myself to stay on top, or near it. Creating an image that would stand the test of time. Getting myself where I needed to be to be seen, networking with people.
There are other adult actors that have done incredible jobs at self promotion. The big name that comes to mind is Lisa Ann. Steven St. Croix wrote and published his own e-book, which eventually went to softcover. There are a lot more of us!
Most of the people I network with are mainstream. They love talking to adult people and I get a foot in the door where a mainstream actor wouldn’t, because I’m from adult. Now the key is what I do when I get that foot in.
Networking is key, if you are not a likable person or have no social skills I would suggest you work in customer service. You should have some business skills. Like knowing how to format a letter and make invoices for billing. You are running a business, you!
My marketing and promoting experience go much further then adult entertainment. I was a counter manager for a major cosmetic company for many years before I stepped in front of the camera at age 28. Talk about pressure, I was planning events, promoting them and getting people in the chairs. My counter was the number one counter in the region. Say what you want about the cosmetic business, but again a billion dollar industry with massive competition.
We are not talking $5 tickets to see a show that would be better suited for your parents basement, but $200 jars of cream for your face. In a pool of twenty other companies with the same thing.
How can you sell your product over another? It’s the same across the board. Present, educate, excite and leave a great impression. If people don’t like you they won’t buy the product from you. They will buy the product from another store or sales person. Or buy it from you, but never come back again.
What I am saying is experience in promoting and marketing has no industry lines. So, whether you have twenty years experience in marketing jellybeans or skin-flixs, if you have been successful at it, chances are you will continue to be successful. Sure it may take a few months to a year to figure out the fine details of each industry, but if you keep your mouth shut and your ears open you will get it.
Oh, one more big thing, Don’t burn bridges, if you want to be in entertainment for a long time. You’re going to see these people again. You’re going to need them for something in the future.
Speaking from personal experience nothing feels better then sitting in the casting chair and have a person come in and audition for a job or a part. You look them in the eyes and remember how they screwed you for no reason a few years back. No matter how much talent they have they’re going home a loser. Fair or not, that is reality.
And that thing called your ego that is probably bigger then your bank account, deflate it. Cuz, everyone has one and no one wants to see yours.
