Hello beautiful people!
This month’s meeting will take place on Wednesday, May 8th at 11:30am PDT at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85965793555 and its replay will live on this page within a day of the live mastermind session.
Reminder: We’re using the same Zoom link for all of our JFDI hotseat sessions. Keep it handy! And keep an eye on my events calendar for any changes to our dates (time will always be 11:30am Pacific). So excited for where we’ll GROW from here!
If you’d like a refresh on any of the JFDI with Bon curriculum goodness without having to comb through alllllllll the content we’ve covered since March 2020, check out this lovely orientation page over here. Yay!
This time — in addition to discovering yet another cool on-screen animation no one asked for (see the replay’s thumbnail for THE moment) — we covered a LOT of territory! Wow, y’all… this is inspiring stuff that has goodies for everyone packed through and through!
~ Sarah’s book is REAL! Next up: the coloring book. And please head back to the comments to continue working out the versions of Sarah’s bio together.
~ Kathi’s in-person course is coming together beautifully. Looking into TOPICS to sell as on-demand instruction, maybe with a layer of interactive gatherings at a higher price point.
~ We dug in on the fine print of pay processors — yes, all the scary stuff is true. AND, don’t let this stop you from offering your goodies! Until WE are the bank, we’ve gotta put up with a measure of the banks’ bullshit.
~ Are your superfans NASCAR sponsors or white label buyers? It’s important to remember that we do a thing called “heart math” and the stuff we would have to TRADE OUT for having more clients/the kind of clients our “competitors” have could make our businesses ones we wouldn’t love anymore. Good to know!
~ I showed off my new created-in-Canva webpages — Expansive Capacity application page; Chart Harmony coming soon page; secret VIP coaching info page. The BizSister templates are here. BizClub membership starts here. And you don’t have to go outside of Canva to find plenty of webpage templates! They’re already available to you there. I just like Amber Chalus’ community, instruction, and less-boilerplate templates, so I pay to have access to all of that. You do you!
~ Should you wish to check out Flodesk for sending emails, creating landing pages, doing opt-in/delivery of lead magnets, or any of the other very cool things Flodesk does for a really reasonable price, you’ll get half-off your first year when you use my referral link: https://flodesk.com/c/BONNIE; and I get $19 for sending you — YAY!
~ Consider creating as a lead magnet or other freebie something that helps your clients become BETTER ones for you. Here’s Dave’s share, in that department: “Here is a slideshow that I talk over to explain How to Save Time and Money. I think the outline may be enough to get people thinking in the direction that works for their projects.” Thank you, Dave!
And there was MOAR. Do watch the replay with your note-taking supplies handy. And of course, we’ll continue having the convo in the comments area. Meanwhile, I’d love to know your thoughts on moving our meeting space to Teachable. Teachable now integrates Zoom right into the course pages, meaning, we could go into Teachable, join the live Zoom meeting from WITHIN a course page, and the replay would auto-populate to that same space once our meeting ends. Cool, right?
You’d still have access to all the JFDI stuff over here in the dojo… we’d just start moving forward at Teachable from here out. I only want to do this if it feels cool, good, yummy, fun for YOU and not just novel, fun, easy on this end. š Weigh in if you have an opinion on it. Not gonna do anything super fast… just wanna know your thoughts since y’all seemed way more interested in this than I expected you might, when I offhandedly mentioned it at the end of our Zoom.
As always, you have all my love and support as you continue building the business that makes you feel GOOD at your core. What yumminess! ’til next time…
All my love,
Well, Iām right in the midst of recital season with TDS. Still have Squirrel blocked, so Iām not seeing his posts, just his name in comments when others ask for recommendations (along with some other low-key competitors… and ppl suggesting AI). Squirrel seems to have a lot of nuts supporting himā¦ ba dum tss. (Not sure how I can get my clients to do the same. But then again, my clients are always lurkers. Trying to influence FB habits isnāt going to be worth the ROI.)
Iām actively posting every day, reminding myself that in groups of 20k+, no one is seeing me enough to consider me a bother. Just effing do it, Steph. Itās a real game changer to have posts pre-written when that resistance shows up.
The one thing thatās concerning me at the moment? So many recitals are the same weekend again this year, and despite my nudging, I havenāt been able to close deals and book my clients early. I know studio owners are on the verge of burnout with competitions and recital planning. I get it, and it’s nothing new. I think I even mentioned it last year, and tried some things we talked about (like VIP reservations) to get an earlier uptake. But, Iāve only been able to close a couple big fans early.
In a way, I believe this is a reflection of clients feeling like VIPs- they feel they can order when they like and be treated as āthe only one in the roomā. Thatās a prestige thing. But, my concern is that Iām going to wind up in a crush of rush orders as a result (or -gulp- have to say no).
All to say, the timing of this harvest is still fast and furious. And thinking about scaling a small business is scary when this is already concerning. But over time, Iāll find better strategies to deal with it. The data Iāve collected so far just hasnāt yielded a solution I like.
Post-season, I intend to revisit the idea of whether I want to offer a canned Nutcracker narration. I’m also thinking about posting old newsletters as blog posts, as well as a couple potential tripwire products- a list of recital themes, finale/bow songs, maybe recital gifts (which could include Amazon Affiliate links or deals with other small businesses to cross-promote)ā¦ All Triangle of Dave things. But thatāll probably be July.
Oh! And one accountability thing for #30- free chapter has been switched to Variations on Variations! Curious to see what that’ll do for me as I promote it.
Ah, just checked on Squirrel. Heās glommed onto my āelevate your recitalā language, so I have to assume my blocking hasnāt stopped much. Maybe (hopefully) it just keeps him from seeing exactly when I post.
Dudeās found a bit of resistance though (muah ha ha), now offering a 2 week turnaround and charging rush fees above his $249. (If you recall, he was coming at me for rush fees last year.) So, at this point TDS is faster and cheaper. Ick. But the truth. He has picked up one of my clients too, using her latest show as an example. (Funny, sheās still on my mailing listā¦)
Iām not spiraling. Thereās just a small part of me thatās still feeling competitive, a little annoyed with this dude, and curious if thereās anything to glean from what heās doing (obvi in a non-asshole way). Anywho, just wanted to follow up. š
Maybe something to discuss — why the squirrels who charge more SEEM to get more customers than those of us (or I’m specifically thinking about DAVE here) who charge a reasonable price. Just wondering and your post brought it to the front of my mind.
Re: pricing – maybe it’s the whole “this thing is really expensive so it MUST be worth it” aspect in the buyer’s mind?
Gonna push my Jiggy/Photog rebrand til next month (maybe) since i still havent had time to focus on it. This book is slowly killing me…. BUT I will have a final* version to show off!
*minor tweaks but essentially the final version, god willing. I can offically say that when I get the printed proof next Monday.
Now I can finally focus on the marketing with an ACTUAL on sale date.
I am going to be late on Wednesday – I should show up around 12:30. I have a grant writing meeting that could only happen during JFDI, and since it’s literally me scaling my business I will take the meeting.
Two updates and a topic to throw into the ring.
1. My spicy series is coming out on Instagram! I have a pretty solid muscle for getting them written and shot in batches and captioned and uploaded weekly. I even did the whole process live last Friday (write to shoot to caption to upload in about an hour) when I felt like I had something timely to say. It’s great to see this being easier.
2. I picked up some instructional design work, some petsitting gigs, a research & synthesizer gig, and the grant writing is continuing apace. So far I have submitted 5, with two more to do this week. Right now we’ve received one award (yay!) and one rejection (aww!). Once we hear back about ten grants I will evaluate what my ratio is to see if it makes sense as a gig and not just a learning opportunity.
Topic: I had a *great* muscle for putting my all into an audition and then walking out the door with little attachment. If it was meant for me it’d be for me. I notice I do *not* have that muscle for grant writing, which is also a lot of effort for nothing if we don’t get awarded the grant. It’s hard right now to feel confident in my abilities, I just don’t have the data that I am successful. Any advice for strengthening this muscle in this situation? I do make sure that whatever my commission from the grant would be is less than the amount of hours I spend on the grant (even if smaller grants do get right up to the line.
Thanks y’all <3
Congrats on being consistent with the Instagram videos. Always easier said than done, in my experience.
As for muscle building advice… all I can think to say is allow time (to do more of them) and find a way to detach from the outcome, knowing another grant is around the corner. From an outsider perspective it seems like waaaaay more work goes into grant-writing than most auditions, so I can see how it might be deflating to get a rejection. How long did it take you to build that muscle with auditions? What would you do after auditions to let it go? Maybe the same tricks will work here? I know for auditions people would say to treat yourself afterwards, so maybe you can find a way to treat yourself after you submit a grant that your really proud of? Worst case, if you ever want to go to a “break room” and smash things to get out your frustration, let me know!
I have been really, REALLY working like a busy beaver over here. Putting my website together for Readyā¢Setā¢Cinema — all the bells and whistles AND all the back channel stuff (meaning the stuff that happens AFTER people sign up or take the class). And I’m still excited about teaching the class.
However, (uh oh… here it comes). No really. Still excited. But I have been wondering so I thought I’d bring it here — is this something that I should EVER think about putting online? I’ve seen a few people lately who are advertising (or in my inbox) classes promoting 6 weeks or 12 weeks to producing your first whatever but it’s all online — like a weekly class or a “do it at your own pace” type of thing. And I certainly could teach my class online… all EXCEPT the brainstorming and outlining of their own, personal project. Somehow I would have to still have some sort of situation where I could do that either in person or in a group setting over zoom or something. I mean, obviously doing it online saves a boatload of $$ in hotel fees and travel expenses. BUT it’s not the same as being live and in person.
I am clearly of two minds about this.
However, I am still pursuing all the stuff (website, etc.) as though I am going to do this in person for right now. So… there’s that.
My two cents: I wouldn’t have access to most of my brilliant, next tier coaches if they didn’t coach online. Your ideal buyer might be halfway around the world, just itching to produce their first piece and needing your guidance. So, I’m going to say yes to considering putting your course online (eventually). It provides accessibility to your awesomeness for those who can’t do in-person, for whatever reason… financial, travel, family/personal commitments, chronic illness, learning needs… Brainstorming can absolutely be done in a group Zoom, and although it’s not quite the same, it’s still WAY more awesome than not having access at all.
Whatever you choose, I’m super excited that you’re excited! Can’t wait to hear about your inaugural class! š
I agree with Stephanie. Maybe it could be something offered both online and in person. Whether the online portion is all on demand (except for the brainstorming one-off meeting) or they zoom in to the in-person meeting is up to you and may be something that evolves after it’s been tried.
I feel like we’re in a 50/50 situation with people who are eager to be back in person and those that still like online access, so I think it’s worth considering.
A format that I’ve seen used effectively (both as a student and when designing for clients) is having pre-recorded lectures and live weekly calls to discuss or reflect on the material or work through original content. That also gives you flexibility of how you want to container your course, whether its up on your website or a course manager or even through email.
There’s also the tried-and-true “film live and then put up online”. It’s also helpful to think about scalably – how much for the online course with live zoom vs how much for an in-person-retreat? OR, have the online course be the funnel for your retreat so everyone comes having done the homework, and then your live retreat is the masterclass.
How many modules slash how long is your course currently?
These are all great ideas. I think I’m going to do what Bonnie suggested (and I was thinking of doing this anyway) — give the “live” class first at least a couple two/three or more times just to get it “under my belt” so to speak. Right now it’s created as a “two-day” weekend class. So, Saturday/Sunday, all-day. Probably start at 9:00 am and go until 4:00 with an hour break for lunch (which Dave would cook). Smaller breaks in between for snacks and such. And even at 2 days I’m not sure I can get through all the material. It’s a LOT!! I’m putting an “introductory” film school into two days: production, directing and writing, with the second half of the second day devoted to personalized attention to each of the attendees (which is why it’s limited to 6, I’d rather it be 4 even).
However, all that said, I think once it goes online the class is going to spread out. Each “day” will most likely be two (or more) modules and each module would consist of multiple “lectures” or video “classes.” I’m just spit-balling here as I haven’t really given it THAT much thought but I’m thinking that this is the type of course that people could take “on their own time” and once they’ve finished the course they sign up for the additional “personalized” coaching and brainstorming session with me where we outline THEIR project, along with several others, in a group setting of 4-6 people over 3 or so hours. But the pre-requisite is that they have to complete the digital course first. That would be the online version. I can see that putting that all together is going to be a LOT of work (heck putting together what I’ve got has been a lot of work) and I have NO IDEA how to price it, but I guess that’s all down the road a bit so I’m not going to even think about it right now. I just need to get ready to deliver what I have. I’m almost there.
This is glorious and wonderful, Kathi. Great work. And YES, I agree: The focus right now needs to be on getting that live/in person version up and running and feeling like it’s working, THEN do more of the math on getting it translated into an online offering, deciding what to leave out, discussing price, and so much more.
With that in mind, I’m going to share about our “Class Rules! to Get A-Listed” journey just to give you some more info to chew on as you’re moving forward with your own curriculum.
When we first launched Get A-Listed, we ran it as a 12-week program (later rebranded SMFA Online). We offered as an upsell/overlay the ability to add “Something More” (that’s what we called it). And the “Something More” was private coaching, with sessions taking place at key moments in the curriculum. We priced it so it was clear it was definitely a “nice to have” (vs. a “have to have”) item AND so not everyone enrolled in the inaugural program would sign up for it. (We decided that IF we sold more than we had anticipated at that price point, we’d have the “quality problem” of too much coaching for me to do… with enough money for us to hire someone to take non-coaching work off my plate during the course. š
I’m really glad we did this overlay. It turned out to be wildly informative as to what was working and what was not so much working, in the curriculum. I was able to learn — by seeing the patterns in what the clients were asking about in these during-the-course private sessions — where stuff that totally clicked in person might need one more/different story/explanation to make sense online. Or where something might be overwhelming and need to be dialed way back.
Now, with the number of in-person clients you’re looking to have in these classes, you’re not going to be able to see patterns even with the non-online version of things ’til you’ve done the offering MANY times. But it’ll get clear over time exactly what tweaks need to happen, both in person and online.
For now, just start thinking about what you cover in person as “stories” (or CHUNKS) and remember that each one can be its own vid… some of them can be audio-only, to cut back on the cognitive load required to take it all in… others can be simply written up and/or created as checklists/worksheets/infographics.
There’s pure magic in being able to change up HOW you present the material online. It adds such richness to the learning experience (obviously, not for EVERYONE; some folks do not do well with online learning, no matter what media you’ve created).
And obvi, you’ve got a secret weapon in our own JFDI member Jaki… instructional design is their jam!
Draft of my official author bio, if people wouldn’t mind taking a look. I’ll probably have a short and long version, depending on edits. Things seem to say 50-200 words.
I have word choice options separated by a forward slash (/) and have surrounded words or phrases that I think could be edited out with brackets ([example]).
Sarah McLeanĀ is an award-winning writer, actor and hall of fame athlete whose work can be seen onĀ NBC,Ā Peacock,Ā Apple TV+, [YouTube]Ā andĀ Amazon.
Her compassionate storytelling takes the reader on an emotionally [powerful] roller coaster ride that resonates to your core. Through unassuming, yet risk-taking characters whose relatable journeys reflect our own deeply held beliefs, Sarah deftly/masterfully/skillfully guides the reader to discover their own self-confidence, resiliency and passion.
Her first [children’s] picture book,Ā āLeah Is A Dragonfly Nowā,Ā is based on her award-winning animated short filmĀ āDragonflyā, [which was honored at the 15th Annual Focus on Female Directors by the American Cinematheque]. Dragonflies symbolize transformation from a physical presence to a spiritual one.Ā Inspired by actual events not long after her friend passed away [from colon cancer], this story is a reminder that we all have someone watching over us, even if we don’t see them. Sarah is inspired by the dragonflies in her life and hopes you are inspired by yours.
When not writing or on set, Sarah can be found with either a camera or bowl of ice cream in [her] hand. Sometimes both. [Sheās an avid hiker, having ascended/scaled Yosemiteās Half Dome, twice.]
You can follow her and the book online at @iamsarahmclean and @leahthedragonflybook.
Ooooh, Sarah, I like so much of this!
I would cut the paragraph that talks about your storytelling (I want them to read the book and come to that opinion on their own) and keep the Half Dome bit! I want to know more about you as a person.
I believe this is the stripped bio you wanted, Bonnie?
Sarah McLeanĀ is an award-winning writer, actor and hall of fame athlete whose work can be seen onĀ NBC,Ā Peacock,Ā Apple TV+,Ā andĀ Amazon. When not writing or on set, Sarah can be found with either a camera or bowl of ice cream in her hand. Sometimes both. Sheās an avid hiker, having ascended/scaled Yosemiteās Half Dome, twice. You can follow her and the book online at @iamsarahmclean and @leahthedragonflybook.
LOVE. Yes. This is bulletproof.
Draft of the book description. This would be the main/long description that is right up by the title on Amazon, where you would click to “read more”. Opening paragraph and quote would be bolded. Thanks! Slowly chipping away it the admin side of things now.
“Based on the award-winning animated short film, this poignant, touching and uplifting picture book about grief reminds us that loved ones never truly leave our side, and that they can even take shape as tiny, little dragonflies.
After Celineās best friend dies, she decides to wear a dragonfly bracelet to keep her close. After Celine and her family escape a car accident unharmed, she realizes she has lost the dragonfly bracelet. Rattled by the scary and unexpected series of events, Celine determines they must have a guardian angel watching over them.
Dragonflies symbolize transformation from a physical presence to a spiritual one. All too often we lose loved ones only to wonder where theyāve gone and if weāll ever see them again. In this true story of life, death and everlasting friendship, Leah Is A Dragonfly Now helps readers cope with the loneliness, sadness and anxiety we may feel after someone we love leaves us. Leah, now a dragonfly, reminds her best friend that she will always be by her side, even if she doesnāt see her, and will always be looking out for her.
āHi, friend. Iām here with you and always will be.ā
A heartwarming gift for anyone who has suffered loss and wants to stay connected to their loved ones, whether it be older children or adults.”
Love it!! My only snag is in the “whether it be older children or adults” ending. I’m not quite sure what this part of the sentence means (is it who we’ve lost? Is it who we are, as the gift-giver? Is it who the recipient of the gift is?) AND it’s a really murky sentence — definitely not powerful enough to be the call to action we want the last line to be.
And, I’m team Oxford comma, so I struggle with where you’ve opted to not use it… but I’ll survive. š Just have to mention it, though… as choosing NOT to use Oxford comma tends to be justified by the maturity/intelligence level of your reader. Especially with this being meant for kids, that’s a point in favor of the always-less-confusing option: Oxford comma. š
Probably just an oversight with the comma.
That line you pointed out also felt weird to me but I was tired of staring at it. The intention is that this book is suitable for older children and adults. I’m taking a break for the week from it and planning on looking at it again with fresh eyes.
Thanks!
This graphic is the best. Just sayin’.
Seriously one of my very favorite old-school internet finds. š Glad you appreciate it too.
Announcement made.
Site is live and… more or less done.
Email opt in with downloadable freebie has been added.
Got my first subscriber! (friend of the story)
A few comments saying “I can’t see where to pre-order” which is nice that people are inquiring. (it’s not technically available online yet, but I figured I wouldn’t let that stop me from saying, “go the website to preorder” because it will be true soon.
One step closer!
Yayayayayayayayyayayay!!!!! Oooooh, I’m so excited for you and for everyone whose lives will be touched by this story and your sharing of it. Beautiful, Sarah. Congratufuckinlations!!!
People are commenting. And sharing. And subscribing. And asking why they can’t preorder. I’m really fighting the urge to say, “lower your expectations for this book!” And part of me is wondering if I shot myself in the foot since it’s not yet available for pre-order and I posted too soon, but I also intellectually know that people will *say* they’ll purchase something but then never actually do so it ultimately doesn’t matter if I posted about it ” too early”. Gotta build buzz and get the word out so the know to look for it later.
You are correct. Enjoy the buzz. THANK THEM for their enthusiasm. Save the best/most enthusiastic/most grateful language you used to answer probably one of the first people and keep using it to answer all the people after that, when you start getting fatigued about their asking AND when your energy about it all is lower because you’re beginning to question your timing. That low enoughness stuff makes its way into our replies to the later people and that’s why it so valuable to have a script ready to go that’s filled with high enoughness for your timing, so people don’t feel like you’re mad at them for being excited to buy. š
Had an experience this week with TDS to share: A studio owner DMed me on FB to ask about pre-shows and pricing. I really had to hand-hold her through reading the info on the webpage, finding the price, adding up what she wanted, showing her to the booking page, etc. After several back-and-forths and a failed transaction, she messages asking whether she would own the recording to use indefinitely. (Note that itās clearly written in my ToS and info pages that recordings are licensed for the one show.)
Iām proud to say I had the courage to explain to her that I understood her desire for convenience, but this is why I donāt sell my voice willy-nilly, gave her info on relicensing, and was able to dismount with a āI understand if itās not in your budget. Please let me know if you’d still like to book, otherwise, I wish you all the best for your show!ā And guess what? She turned me down. Yeah.
Best part? I set a boundary and didnāt die. I was actually totally okay! Big enoughness step marked, here. Plus, I booked another studio barely an hour later, and she couldnāt have been easier to work with.
I definitely saved the wording of these emails for future, along with a note-to-self that those needing this level of hand-holding might be displaying a flag: not my client. (I’m waiting to see if she turns up as Squirrel’s client… That might be how he seems to be getting more clients, by selling outright and not holding rights back.)
Could be. Could also be that she was never a buyer but was a squirrel-nut-spy sent over to waste your time and test out your limits/pricing/offers. Maybe?
No matter what, she definitely gave you lots of flags letting you know she was going to be a lot of work. That old saying remains true. The $10 client will go back and forth with you on trying to get a better deal, not being able to download the PDF, wanting it sent again when they change computers 4 years later, etc., and the $10K client will pay the invoice right away, thank you for the work you did for them, write you a glorious review, and send over a bunch o’ fabulous new clients too.
It’s annoying but true.
Every time I want to remember how silly it all is, I think of how many times Google Alerts notified me that someone had started a thread at Reddit to ask if buying my book was worth it.
Seriously. A whole thread at Reddit to find other people’s opinions on whether spending twenty bucks on a freakin’ book is worth doing… when there are already a bunch o’ other people’s opinions about that in the reviews at Amazon. It’s baffling, the things people will spend energy on rather than just spending the few dollars and getting on with their lives.
LOL
Stephanie, So proud of you. Boundaries are a hard thing when want to be helpful. You know you can do the job. But the clients that take advantage of you WILL NOT HESITATE to push that boundary in the future. You didn’t die. You attracted and booked a new client right away. So happy for you building that business muscle.
Thank you, Dave. The support really means a lot!!
I had a bit of downtime the other day, and starting thinking about what I might do should I be invited back to the Dance Teacher Expo for #30 and/or TDS. (This mind doesn’t stop, lol.)
First time I did the Expo, I was gifted a seminar slot when another exhibitor had to drop. (Thatās the seminar class yāall supported me with as I built it.) Last year, I didnāt have a slot because I traded #30 prize packs for the booth instead. (Not a single prize winner has emailed for their digital components, which I find odd, but that’s a tangent.) Normally you only get a seminar slot if you purchase your booth. This year’s pricing starts at $1100… so Iād obviously still prefer to trade.
Anyway, Iām blue-sky brainstorming about what Iād teach if I had a seminar slotā¦
I could always update the original #30 seminar, which was basically a bajillion ways to use the books to enhance your lesson plans.
I could also do a walkthrough of how to use Variations on Variations (the newest book), literally explaining how I’d choose one for a group of kids, go about prepping it myself, how I’d introduce it to them, all that jazz.
Not sure what I’d teach from TDS… It’d be off-season, too. Maybe how to write a show welcome speech, but I don’t think it’d be relevant in August like it is in May. I’ve got a survey primed for the newsletter to see if I can glean anything from what people would like to see next. But I feel like TDS is more let-me-do-it-for-you, and not really a business for let-me-help-you-do-it.
Any topics come to mind for yāall, for either business?
I like where you’re going with this. All really solid stuff already.
For TDS, I’m thinking maybe a “collect-it kit” or something? Since it’s not all that relevant in August, what sort of things will be important BY MAY that you could help people start “collecting” in the fall?
Like, if I were trying to sell something for actors that’s mostly relevant by pilot season, it could be a kit that helps them collect info NOW in tiny little excursions to the various sites that they could make fortnightly or monthly until pilot season… with the goal being that their master list o’ stuff BY pilot season is way more manageable because they didn’t have to go all-in on the project at the most hectic time for doing so.
Something like that? Like a scrapbook-planning workbook… where they’re collecting “wins” and photos and stories that they’ll use, come May. That way, even if they don’t go DIY style, they’ve built something they can hand off to YOU to help you do it for them. This could also inform that “how to be a better client” prep material we were discussing before. Maybe clients who pre-fill this prep workbook get better pricing with you? (NOT a discount; the current price vs. the higher price you’re now going to charge for people who don’t hand off the prep material to help you make quick work of it all.)
Also, with your survey, remember that every survey is a sales tool! You’re marketing what you could do for them (whether you ever do it or not) by giving them options to choose among! š You see me do this now and then with “what to offer next” questions of my audiences in various places.
Excited for you!
Hmm… interesting idea. I’ll let that simmer for TDS, thank you!
And yes, the survey is thought-out with that in mind. š The options are calculated; each potential response is something I could do relatively easily, would feel good doing, and imagine Heather would go “omg, yes, I didn’t think of that!” We’ll see how it goes!
One win to share: The experiment of offering add-ons to the main TDS pre-show announcement booking is going GREAT. We chatted about this waaay back on a Zoom (where we even went through the Ko-Fi booking page), and I originally tried to survey this, but didn’t get the data. Sales data is way better though! The majority of my bookings are upgrading, and are excited to give me more $$ to do it! I think the checkboxes are working really well as a non-sales-y sales tactic, and I’m not having to do much customer service re: payment/booking.
Sales data is SO much better! YES!!!!!!!! Buyers telling us what they’ll buy? Golden! Congrats, darlin’! This is huge and thank you for sharing with us.
I love the idea of teaching VARIATIONS ON VARIATIONS. It could be so fun for the kids. An exponentially creative experience.
I remember learning my first variation in a summer ballet workshop, and it was so, so fun to get to interact with the history first-hand. (Or first… foot?) That was the impetus for writing this version of #30, and so I think this idea would fly well in an Expo situation… I’d basically just be sharing what I’d already do, and the underlying personal experience/love would make it enticing for others. (Like anything, if you’re truly loving what you’re doing, you’re going to attract more of that energy around you.)
Oooh, a Universe test: I just got a response on an FB post that āI love those dancer speaks, but my goodness they are expensive.ā Loooots of thoughts popping up for me, here!
One version of me goes in and defends why a custom-written and recorded speech is hours of dedicated work for your recitalās benefit. Ahem. One version ignores this woman entirely and doesnāt engage. One throws Squirrel under the bus (so off-brand).
I think my option today is going to be ignore the comment, but be inspired by it for todayās general marketing postsā¦ something to the effect of showcasing āa voiceover professionalās undivided attention on your showā…
IF you (now or in the future) feel you must reply, one I’ve used (in those oh-so familiar moments when my Mars conjunct Mercury in the 10H will NOT allow me to leave it alone… because caring less/knowing they’re not in my third is NOT happening) is along the lines of “Yeah… it’s an upgrade from the non-custom/canned options out there to have a fully-custom, professionally recorded set of tracks for your recital. That’s true! It’s also one of approximately 1234567890 things the studio owner/recital producer is juggling at once and for those who would prefer to have something like this taken off their over-burdened hands, it’s worth twice the price.”
Or whatever your version would be.
My trick for stuff like this is to write a totally dispassionate version of a response and then go to that file I’ve made and use it when I cannot NOT reply. Writing the reply in the moment almost always comes off as defensive and/or way too wordy for someone who’s supposedly not all that emotional about the reply she’s leaving. š
Also, always remember that in spaces like that, you want to think about what your BUYER will think of whatever you reply. You’re never trying to convince the non-buying commenter TO give you a shot; you’re always using that exchange as the place you get to display how completely right you are for folks who are in your third.
OOooh. That is GOOD. Definitely pocketing it for later!
I ended up not responding, which felt like a better “response” than aaaalll the words I wanted to say. Lol. You’re right- I was seeing myself coming off as defensive and bad-wordy in every attempt I made, I could feel the tension coming in (which is precisely what TDS is supposed to alleviate), and I figured, eff it. Better to let it go and pretend I didn’t see it, than to show a potential buyer the off-brand thing. There’s no way she’d ever book me anyway, so no need to attempt to convince her. Successful dismount. š
Well done, babe!
Hello All of You Lovely People. So creative, so inspiring, so deserving of success as you continue your entreprenurial journey.
So, I’ve been offline for a few months since Bon changed things up. I had to go back and find my way to this online goodness.
I had a couple of random requests recently that is going to expand some of my product offerings. A client was requesting clips and commercials that were 15+ years old for her boyfriend. Didn’t ask why. Don’t think it’s for casting. The bottom line … “can you make the footage BETTER than what we are watching/downloading”? Well it just so happened I have been working on a project for a client who worked on Days of Our Lives 25 years ago. She wanted the footage to be sharper and “airbrushed”. WELL … technology to the rescue. After some hours spent doing some research I chose some new software (not cheap). But the results are pretty amazing. And though I am reserved in my endorsement of Artificial Intelligence as it relates to the creative process, it does have amazing capabilities relating to the archival and restoration process for audio and video.
If any of you have something that you would like to enhance some old or blurry footage, I would be happy to fo that for you for free. There is a limitation of 100mb for the file size that I can process at one time. The AI takes some time to create the new footage and sometimes requires additional manipulation to get a workable result. Closeups work best. Dark scenes and scenes with lots of motion do not process well. There is not enough detail to come up with a realistic upgrade.
Please look at a few sample frames that we processed. I am looking to begin offering this service to the public.
https://www.canva.com/design/DAGF7HPHHwg/pN0XMGhfUsIiD4VfTokhig/edit?utm_content=DAGF7HPHHwg&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton
How cool, Dave! I like where you’re headed with this. I think for the 2 guys in the 7-11, I’d like to see that example put on a TV screen, small. Like we’re looking at an old TV in the BEFORE and then we’re seeing the sharp footage for our hero in the AFTER. I can do a mock up of what I’m thinking if you’re not “seeing” it from my words, here.
I think the blonde woman ECU example should be omitted. It looks more like some face-tuning was done than the footage was made clearer. I know the latter is what you did, but because my mind went straight to “some damn filter that erases wrinkles and pisses me off about how vain everyone is” it’s something to maybe check.
The other examples — especially the last one — are fab!
Oh, and OMGlob, your offer — your generous, generous offer — to our JFDI fam is just beyond. You’re so dang cool, Dave!
How cool!! I think it’s a service a LOT of people would love to use.
I’m going to agree with Bon’s setup, the storytelling idea of showing an old TV, then transitioning to a new flatscreen. Communicates so quickly what it is, what you’re offering, and how it improves their lives. I’m also going to agree with the ECU comment- that’s where my mind went, even though I knew that wasn’t what you did.
This tech is only going to get better, and I think when used judiciously as a tool in the hands of a discerning artist-human (i.e. you, Dave), this type of AI can be wonderful. Not all AI is bad, right? š
Thanks Steph, Yeah. Not all AI is Bad.
On a separate note. Kathi and I are “downsizing” and have some classic 40+ year old posters that we would be happy to donate to you for your collection of “offerings” at your events. Email me at demoreeldave@gmail.com and we can discuss.
Steph,
Dave forgot to mention, these are BALLET posters.
One is Baryshnikov.
One is well-worn toe shoes (you may be familiar with that one).
One is a pair of very worn running shoes in the same position as the toe shoes and the caption reads: “Tired and Worn But Worth It”
Steph, I failed to mention the posters are ballet posters. Harvey Edwards photo of Baryshnikov stretching seated on the floor with his legs stretched upward against the mirrors. Also Harvey Edwards photo of a pair of toe shoes. These are 1980’s classic photo/posters. We an mail to you and disassemble the frames (without the glass). IF you are interested.
Oh, thanks for thinking of me, both of you! I figured they’d be ballet posters, lol. I’ll shoot an email shortly, they could be lovely for decoration at events (or just to enjoy in my house).
That part.
Bon, Thanks so much for the suggestion. Yes a retro (vhs era) TV and then the same shot on an HD flatscreen. Then the two side by side. I totally get it. And yes, free to the FAM. Most of us have at least one thing we wish was available in higher quality. Again, closeups work best.
You are THE best. Period.
So, I started working on the ReadySetCinema website a couple months ago and figured it was just in “draft” mode (meaning nobody could see it but me), but lo and behold… apparently not. I got an email FROM THE SITE today. So I guess it’s up. {shrug} Thank goodness it’s mostly done. LOL!
Anyway, the main thing that isn’t done is a short introductory video on the main page. This is of me, talking to anyone who visits, about what it’s all about and who I am. So this is my proposed “script” (I don’t usually read or go directly from a script, but work off of an outline):
“Hi. Iām Kathi Carey. Iāve been making movies and TV shows (and web series) forā¦ well, since the 90s. In fact, the first two movies I made I literally took the actors out on location, looked at who I had with me, and wrote the scenes right there based on who was there and where we were going to shoot. Oh, I had an outline of the movie I wanted to shoot, I just hadnāt written a full-length script yet. And yes, both of those movies were edited and completed. They just werenāt released as the quality wasnāt great ā they were shot on VHS back in the dark ages, you might say.
But Iāve shot a number of films (and web series) since then. Iāve learned a lot. I even wrote a book about it. Iāve coached people and helped them turn their ideas into scripts, turn their scripts into films and helped them figure out where to submit those films onto the festival circuit. And now I want to do that for you. Iāve put together a weekend course that takes you through the basics, soup to nuts, and when you walk out of there I want you to have an outline of what YOUāRE going to go shoot.
Iām keeping the class small ā itās limited to just 6. So, if youāre a writer who wants to actually get a script made or a director whoās tired of trying to get your first project financed and being told ānoā because youāve never directed anything or an actor who wants to take your career into your own hands and finally get to work ā this weekend is for you.”
So, I’m interested in any notes or comments before I go ahead and film that.
The only other thing that’s “not done” is scheduling the first weekend — when you click on “sign me up” or any of the buttons on the home page it will take you to a sign-up page and the info of where/when is “coming soon.” Also, I haven’t linked it to Paypal yet. But that’s easy enough. But everything else is done.
BTW, the page that was visited was my “Free Resources” page. A guy from an organization called alwid.org (Awesome Learning with Irene Dailey) reached out because he and one of his students had found my free resources page — she wants to be a writer and get into film. He wanted me to know that she got a lot out of the free resources that I had there and was very grateful. Also, she had found a writing resource and he wanted to pass it along in case I wanted to add it to the page, which I did.
What a lovely way to learn that it’s accidentally live! You’re already helping people, and energetically starting to draw in your ideal customers. Definitely try to capture the student’s email address if you haven’t already (I’m assuming these resources were just uploaded freely and not behind a email-to-receive thing). Also, if they are your vibe, see if there’s something you can hook into with ALWID as well… perhaps you can run an Alpha module for them at a “discount” (i.e. do a teaser and test some things out) before you run the actual course!
The first thing that came to me as a suggestion for the intro vid was to make sure your film awards are beautifully displayed in the background. It’ll visually give us the “this is why you should trust me- I’ve not only made films for a long time, but they are damn good” without having to say it. (Lol, spoken like a true Prestige Fascinate gal, I know.)
Speaking of which- what are the Advantages you’re playing on for ReadySetCinema? Yours, and your ideal client’s? Maybe we can lace them into this intro video as a bit of omg-yes-Kathi-is-totally-my-person catnip.
Awwwwwwwwww. How very cool! I love all of this, Kathi! So so so so good. And I agree that this is already pulling in your buyers. Brilliant! So so so good!
I wonder if — because it’s gonna be limited to 6 — you could hold off on deciding on the WHEN ’til you have people signed up? Like, give them a RANGE and then find out what works for everyone, as you go. (This could also be a horrible idea.)
VERY exciting, all the way around!