Why are we talking earned run average? Because its a segue into the topic at hand. PITCHING!

Every production company has one major objective. Land the job! But HOW? Well, it starts with Successful Pitching.

The first step is to know your client, your band, the product, the music – and then know how to conceive and pitch a project that will visually compliment said product/song AND connect to the appropriate target audience. Its not an easy task, but research, options and boldness are strong characteristics of a good pitch.

This week has been a great week as the ROCK*iT Music Video page got a nice retouch and we’ve released a couple new videos, but what’s more important is how all these things help out the pitch!

The next step is to show your client you’ve been busy! No one trusts complacent, outdated, sub-par companies or products. Show your clients that you’ve been busy and get them excited to be a part of your momentum. Not only do they want your good ideas, they want to see you’ve had other successful ideas. This proof will help land that deal!

Finally, and most fragile, budget it out. This is really the WORST part for some people. Don’t sell yourself short! But on the other hand, the other guy will underbid you no matter what! So what do you do?! Listen, its a tough economy and we’re all feeling it in the creative world, specifically musicians and freelancers, but there is value in knowing your strengths and your worth. The best clients, the ones you want to work with, won’t run away when they hear an unfavorable number. The right relationship will consist of fair negotiating and assigning a proper value. You’re trying to make a profit, they’re trying to use the material to make a profit. In a perfect world, you both will – so strive for the ideal!

Tips:

• Trust plays a large part in landing a deal, so make sure you exercise open communication and only promise what you know you can deliver.  Give them a reason to come back.
• Be patient, pitch a lot and don’t focus too much on that ONE client you really want…cause you might let others slip right by.

Pitchers in baseball strive for a low earned run average in order to win, pitchers in production, we want high numbers! What’s your ERA?
(RiF defines ERA as: 12(months in a year) x (Number of jobs landed / Number of pitches total)) ex. 12x(1/4) = ERA of 3. 3 is Great!