The purpose of this exercise was to write an initial strategy to market the final project.
Key words from the brief:
- How you intend to market your project?
- Identify your target audience and propose a way of reaching them
- Be creative in how you respond to this task and tailor it towards your own practice
- Build some momentum towards the project completion
Summary
The scope of this marketing strategy is meet the objectives I have for sustaining my practice as I complete my course at the OCA and look forward to my work and practice post degree.
It is an iterative document. Content will be added as it becomes known and/or changes. Some sections maybe just placeholders because the project hasn’t developed enough to complete the content in a useful/meaningful way.
Outcomes, objectives & key results
The diagram below shows the outcome that I want to achieve, and how the objectives and key measures link together.
How do the objectives help to sustain my practice?
| Objective | What could that look like when it’s done? | How does that help sustain my practice? |
| Establish my brand | A focused package of information that clearly demonstrates my personal voice as a visual communicator and the areas that I work in | Marketing collateral to approach potential clients |
| Finish my degree | Achieve a first class degree | Provides credibility and is part of the brand story |
| Get a comic published, marketed & distributed | A substantial project completed, distributed and for sale. | Demonstrates commitment. A showcase for quality of work and personal voice. Any sales provide evidence of marketability. A way to open doors to the next project. |
Mission
- Use the process of illustration as a form of enquiry
- Make a positive contribution to the world
- Do interesting work
Purpose
To tell engaging stories and explain complex things when words fall short.
Market analysis
Understanding the market for self-published British graphic novels/comics is an ongoing element of my research.
Market research completed to date can be accessed from links here.
Target audiences
Key to success: Identify a niche and publish for and to it.
Audience analysis to follow.
| Audience/stakeholder groups | Key interests | Information needs | Concerns & issues |
| Comic enthusiasts | |||
| Picture Editors | |||
| Indie Publishers | |||
| Podcasters/Youtubers that review comics | |||
| Journals and/or blogs | |||
| Comic conventions |
Product strategy
There are two products/services:
- Illustration services – NEED TO AGREE WHAT THIS/THESE SERVICES ARE
- Oli – graphic novel
SWOT analysis
Distribution strategy
Graphic novel distribution strategy
Print on demand and aggregators
Print on demand – It gives you flexibility and control. You upload the finished artwork in the right format and that gets held by the supplier until they receive an order. There is no minimum print run. No cash flow problems.
Potential options:
Lulu.com (US company that ships and prints globally)- A one-stop-shop. Their website is packed full of advice and free resources about not only print of demand but also distribution and direct sales. They get you onto various platforms including Amazon.
Ingramcontent.com (UK) – Similar services. Ingram is one of the largest book distributors in in the world, so signing up with them will get the title into the Ingram catalogue and from there into an international database of books in print. This them appears in bookshop databases.
Apple Books for authors – information on the Apple website about how to publish and sell an ebook on Apple Books.
Kindle direct publishing – Self-publish eBooks and paperbacks for free and reach millions of readers on Amazon. There is a section targeted at comics and graphic novels. KDP also offers a print on demand service.
Other options for distribution:
- Personal contacts – personal and via social media platforms
- Face-to-face at comic conventions
- Advertise on learning log
- Other ideas to follow
Communications strategy
Section to be completed as more information about potential audience becomes known.
| Audience | Message(s) | Media/channels | Frequency | Timing | Feedback mechanism |
Communications plan
To follow
Measurement plan
To follow
.
Illustration 