Marketing 101

I saw a bunch of people asking about these types of questions all the time. Why not bring the people together to get these questions answered in an open forum.

– Byron Wilkins

So, Byron Wilkins decided to chat with TGT about producing a podcast about Marketing 101.

Guests in Channel:
VertigoX, tr1guy, AndyCarolan, ZombieRoomie, DungeonWarden, keithcsmith, ImyComic, Alice Quinn, Samantha, Tim Lai, DonF, Guest 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15

Chat Room Log:
AndyCarolan – Yo Dude!
VertigoX – Those that want to listen and ask questions can log into Skype too
AndyCarolan – coming through loud n clear!
keithcsmith – I feel alienated…
ImyComic – hiya!
ImyComic – I’ll have to log back in so I can put in my headphones
keithcsmith – laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggggggg
AndyCarolan – I should invest in a microphone… you probably cant hear me from there even if i shout
ImyComic – brb
keithcsmith – lalalala
Guest 6 – hey everyone Alice Quinn here
keithcsmith – anyone want to see what the wife is getting for her Birthday?
Guest 6 – I am lame & have no mic
VertigoX – Those that have webcomics, please post them in the channel as well
AndyCarolan – How do we do that VertigoX?
VertigoX – the URLs that is
VertigoX – just type it in: http://tgtmedia.com
VertigoX – like that
Guest 6 – like this? http://tdotcomics.ning.com/
AndyCarolan – ah right… just in the chat-box
ImyComic – helps if I actually plgu my headphones in…
AndyCarolan – http://www.andy-carolan.co.uk (Disclosure Comic)
Guest 6 – hiiii
VertigoX – http://webcomicplanet.com/chat
keithcsmith – http://karmicdebt.net/lost/
VertigoX – Welcome to Marketing 101 with Byron Wilkins
Guest 6 – i don’t do webcomics, but i support them you can post your comics & chat about them in an online comics community & let more people know aout your stu
Guest 6 – http://tdotcomics.ning.com/
Guest 6 – yes\
Guest 6 – I am going to try to join the chat wish me luck!!
ImyComic – ARGh talkshes crashed my FF
VertigoX – ya…
VertigoX – it happens, try Chrome and IE (ShudderS)
keithcsmith – major lack if sound here…….
VertigoX – welcome Guest 6 aka Alice Quinn from http://TDotComics.ning.com
VertigoX – I think
ImyComic – I hear just fine
VertigoX – Anyone that has skype I can add them into the channel as well
AndyCarolan – Yup, sounding good!
AndyCarolan – lol
keithcsmith – brb gonna try IE
AndyCarolan – eek “IE”
VertigoX – welcome all to the show
VertigoX – Project Wonderful question from Andy Carolan
ImyComic – that’s me!
VertigoX – http://imycomic.com.
AndyCarolan – lol
ImyComic – pronounced eeeeemeee LOL
VertigoX – E-ME phone home!
ImyComic – hahahaha
AndyCarolan – yay for lorraine’s physique!
VertigoX – works for me
ImyComic – hahahahaha
VertigoX – http://1977thecomic.com
Guest 10 – I am a solid guest.
VertigoX – similar site: http://www.menagea3.net
VertigoX – welcome Guest 10 make sure that you post your name /handle and your URL
VertigoX – of your webcomic / comic site
Guest 10 – Oh, sure. I don’t really have a handle and my strip is concluded.
VertigoX – which strip was it?
Guest 10 – But feel free to check it. www.permanent-temps.com
Guest 8 – Guest 8 = The Urban Blah at urbanblah.com
Guest 10 – I’m not part of the collective. I just enjoy webcomics.
VertigoX – http://www.permanent-temps.com
Guest 10 – Oh, right.
AndyCarolan – Comic looks good Guest 10!
Guest 9 – if you guys are all on twitter you can follow me twitter.com/TdotComics
VertigoX – Ask away question wise
Guest 10 – I can’t post URLS, I’m a guest. Dang. Thanks for that.
VertigoX – you can if you do http://
Guest 10 – oh.
Guest 10 – I fail so bad at Internet.
Guest 8 – Sorry, forgot the www protocol — http://www.urbanblah.com
VertigoX – its ok we don’t fault you
Guest 9 – meh it is cool 10
VertigoX – it also helps for the show notes as well
Guest 10 – Okie dokey.
Guest 13 – Sorry. It crashed out on me there.
ImyComic – yes Twitter has been the best for me as well
ImyComic – yup.. and that’s why.. the constant interaction
ImyComic – even when it’s not about just he comic
AndyCarolan – I find Twitter has been best for me… Facebook fails for
Guest 9 – damn my phone fails right while i was chatting too
VertigoX – This is a great forum for asking any and all questions about Marketing. What has worked for you?
Guest 9 – w/e twitter is great
VertigoX – that it is, but you can’t just focus on one social aspect
AndyCarolan – sorry, pressed enter too quickly. Facebook wasnt good for me really. I prefer the interaction and feedback of Twitter
ImyComic – Facebook works alright for me.. I have a facebook page with currently 254 fans.. and I don’t have so much back & forth interaction there.. but…
ImyComic – people like to be notified of new things there
VertigoX – That’s what its all about
ImyComic – but I also prefer the interaction of twitter
Guest 14 – Guest 14 = Guest 8 (keeps bombing Firefox)
VertigoX – it’s ok TalkShoe is killing Guests off one person at a time
ImyComic – But we come back! I’m a talkshoe survivor.
VertigoX – In terms of Marketing, what do you feel you need to improve upon?
ImyComic – Kurt where’d ya go!?
ImyComic – ah ok
ImyComic – neither am I.. .I jsut started PW but I don’t keep up with it
Guest 14 – Question: What method do you find most effective for marketing — Twitter, Facebook, paid advertising, linkage from other blogs, etc.
VertigoX – Just had to get something
Guest 9 – there are lots of ways of free marketing, facebook, twitter, etc.. anything else that you guys know of that would be beneficial to market one’s comic
Guest 9 – (or comic site) online ?
ImyComic – Lucas Turnbloom says “hi” via twitter LOL he wishes he could join us
VertigoX – he could if he has skype
VertigoX – whats his twitter?
Guest 14 – We’ve been using all of them, not sure how much is translating into readership
Guest 9 – which convention? (which city)?
Guest 14 – Sometimes we have twice as many facebook fans as daily readers
VertigoX – http://c2e2.com
VertigoX – Chicago is where it’s at
AndyCarolan – grrr… it crashed Boooooooooooooooooooooo
ImyComic – hiya Jarmo!
VertigoX – welcome Samantha Wikan!
ImyComic – hi Samantha!!!
VertigoX – Welcome Jarmo!
Samantha – *wave*
AndyCarolan – Hey Jarmo n Samantha
VertigoX – Heya John Wigger begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting from Zombie Roomie
ImyComic – hey John!
AndyCarolan – How about Merchandising/Cafe Press etc?
Guest 14 – Press release to where? To media outlets?
ZombieRoomie – yo.
VertigoX – We had Antoine Gagnon from The Drunken Fools as well
AndyCarolan – Hey John
ImyComic – good question guest 14 (?) … to where?
VertigoX – Question from Andy: How about Merchandising/Cafe Press etc?
Followup from Guest 14: Press release to where? To media outlets?
VertigoX – heya Tim
Samantha – Want millions…
Tim Lai – Hi.
ImyComic – hi Tim
Guest 9 – want millions of what?
VertigoX – fans, money
Samantha – Guest9: (He said he didn’t get millions of readers… but i WANT millions! Hahaha)
Guest 9 – yes i am paying attention …
VertigoX – Ah yes, StumbleUpon, Digg
Samantha – I *hate* those organized stumble groups though.
ImyComic – I do too samamtha
ImyComic – I gave stumbleupon a shot twice
VertigoX – I tried it and it just slowed up
VertigoX – alot
Samantha – I like being stumbled when someone REALLY likes a particular strip.
Guest 14 – Do you Stumpleupon for every comic or just targeted ones?
VertigoX – Question from Andy: How about Merchandising/Cafe Press etc?
Question from Guest 14: Press release to where? To media outlets?
Samantha – Yes, I have it on my feed.
Tim Lai – I think it’s a better idea to only use it for some comics.
Samantha – You can go back now and see who stumbled.
ImyComic – unfortunately, the one comic of mine that gets stumbled a LOT is not what I want as people’s first impression of Imy… but oh well
VertigoX – “I got stumbled upon and all I got was this t-shirt”
Guest 14 – Thank you so much for taking my questions. Now everyone tell 400 of your closest friends to visit http://www.urbanblah.com daily
Samantha – I have been stumbled on one of THOSE strips, too, Imy.
VertigoX – http://webcomicplanet.com/articles/the-press-release/
VertigoX – About the Press Release and how to Format them and other links
Guest 9 – i want coffee purfume! (http://www.urbanblah.com)
Samantha – *chuckle* at Vertigo.
VertigoX – “I stumbled and made someone famous, and all I got was this T-shirt”
ImyComic – hahaha
Guest 14 – @Guest9 Makes you smell good and wakes you up!
Samantha – Advice rec’d from R. Hicks of Little Vampires: No one loves your characters as much as YOU do…so they won’t buy your character shirts.
VertigoX – Good advice
ZombieRoomie – feh, firefox crash
VertigoX – Unless you have a following that people actually enjoy your series
VertigoX – http://www.lulu.com
Samantha – That’s exactly right, Vert.
ImyComic – My t-shirt wasn’t proftibale.. broke even.. but I love that people are wearing “Imy”‘s t-shirt out there LOL
VertigoX – I think Red vs. Blue has pulled that off because I love that series and have bought t-shirts with quote slogans
ImyComic – *Imy’s ROCK t-shirt
Samantha – And your shirts have a lot of appeal for NON comic readers, tho.
VertigoX – See, I thought that would be an awesome shirt to have
ImyComic – yeah that’s what I was going for
Samantha – Have a con coming up in a couple of wees. I have mostly GIVE away stuff.
Samantha – (Comic samples, etc…
ImyComic – I sold 26 books last year… I was super surprised and excited
VertigoX – Sohmer from http://www.leasticoulddo.com
VertigoX – Awesome!
Guest 9 – i would also recommend a little freebe at conventions – like a sticker with your characters on it something small & fun
ImyComic – yeah I tried to sell my bookmarks and pins and that was a big fail
ImyComic – my books were the best
VertigoX – Good idea Alice
Guest 9 –
Samantha – Have free sample of comic, postcards, etc. I’m only selling little sketch cards and copies of Sugar Ninjas.
Samantha – and maybe mini if I can get it together
ImyComic – I had a sample comic that I gave out for free
VertigoX – http://www.nextdayflyers.com
Samantha – Sample = pamphlet on 8.5.x 11 paper, folded like a brochure.
ImyComic – or Sweden!
VertigoX – or overseas
ImyComic – hahaha you can.. for like 3 vuks a can LOL
ImyComic – *bucks
ImyComic – vuks?!
DonF – svedish bucks?
Samantha – vuks is swedish for bucks
ImyComic – hahahaha
VertigoX – vuks? are those the sweddish equivalent?
DonF – 110 pounds?!
ImyComic – hiya “Don” !
VertigoX – Georgia Pacific – 110lbs … heavy paper and needs a Body builder to lift
DonF – hey “Imy”
Samantha – Can by it by the ream at Office Depot, Tr1guy!
VertigoX – heya Don
Guest 9 – i love cardstock – it is great for papercraft
Samantha – I always keep it here. Kids use it for their stuff a lot too.
AndyCarolan – Talkshoe is screwing things up here… – i may keep disapearing lol
Samantha – bookmarks should have collective info on the back, btw.
VertigoX – TalkShoe said taht the REASON why people are getting disconnected is because they are switching people to different servers
Samantha – If someone comes to your table and obviously doesn’t like your stuff, you can always say, “Maybe one of the other comics in my collective is more to
Samantha – your liking.
ImyComic – I had Tall Tale Features postcards to hand out last year
Samantha – Yea, I think that’s great.
Samantha – Sometimes you have to nudge collective members to do stuff like that.
Samantha – Contests.
Guest 9 – i am actually in the process of creating postcards to hand out at cons – pretty stoked
ImyComic – yeah Tom Racine sent them to me a few weeks ahead of time and it was a GREAT idea.. I wouldn’t have thought of it
AndyCarolan – Tattoing your comic on your ass is probably a bad idea right?
Guest 9 – ha
ImyComic – haha! well.. it would be interesting!
Guest 9 – we want pics
ImyComic – the opposite cheek to the Paul Stanley star
Samantha – <–has a g-rated comic. That would be ..er.. interesting impression to make! HAHAHA
AndyCarolan – lol
ZombieRoomie – I push pg, pg13 ish.
VertigoX – Had a guy tatto the Cock Bite aka Rooster Teeth had it tattooed on his butt as well
Samantha – I love Dawn
VertigoX – http://zfcomics.com
VertigoX – Zorphbert and Fred
VertigoX – Get out to a convention
Samantha – Just say, check out these comics at Webcomic Planet, too! hahaha
VertigoX – Get your name out there
VertigoX – that’s the general idea http://webcomicplanet.com
Samantha – <—2nd convention coming up next month. *nervous*
Samantha – But excited
Guest 9 – i do that all the time & it works for promoting epically to other artists
VertigoX – This is totally going to be my first convention and as Press at that
ImyComic – cool!
Samantha – That’s Great, Guest 9
ImyComic – my 2nd comes up at the end of April *gulp*
Samantha – Also, it reinforces you as an ‘expert” in the field.
AndyCarolan – Im waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off doing a convention… no merchandise etc. and too few comics so far. Maybe 2011 though
ImyComic – being in Sweden makes it difficult tog et out to a lot of conventions LOL I’m lucky I have the one!
Samantha – Love Antoine. he’s hilarious.
VertigoX – He’s a great guy I’m glad I’m working with him in that writing aspect
VertigoX – Anymore questions about Marketing?
Samantha – Imy, next time you come to the states to visit family.. look for cons you can zip over to while you’re down. I’d fly somewhere to meet you if I could!
AndyCarolan – Irma, i think theres only real convention in the UK – Webcomix Thing http://www.ukwebcomixthing.co.uk/
Samantha – Ideas for contests, Vert!
VertigoX – AHH!!! that’s it
VertigoX – http://zfcomics.com Dawn does it as a post on her website
ImyComic – Mike Witmer is going ot be at the NYC one in october.. and I contemplated going to visit my mom then, and going up to see him at the con
VertigoX – Caption Contests
ImyComic – but I don’t know yet
VertigoX – I think I need to get another Hat made with TGT Comics since I have that domain as well.
Samantha – I want to do a FB contest too. That’s be great
VertigoX – Name all ten songs
VertigoX – FB would be cool
VertigoX – Figure something that would tie in with your comic
Samantha – How about drawings?
ImyComic – I’m going to go a contest and give away one of my watercolors… but I haven’t decided on the contest yet
DonF – Contests in general… people love to win stuff!
Samantha – Like raffle, not doodles.
Samantha – I won that one!
VertigoX – Raffle off sketches? interesting stuff
ImyComic – I recently had a comic where Imy was making a rock playlist to send out to Aliens
VertigoX –
Samantha – I did the coppertone girl.
ImyComic – if I was smart I could have had some sort of “what’s Imy’s playlist” contest
Samantha – I remember that one, Imy
Guest 9 – Samantha that is wicked cool do you have a link ?
Samantha – yeah, Guest 9.. hold on.
DonF – Also, you don’t have to script your strip
ImyComic – ha!
ImyComic – 400?!?!?!?!?
VertigoX – Any other suggestions for personal marketing?
ImyComic – I’m so glad it’s all free over here
AndyCarolan – *boing* and there I went again… Im sure talkshoe is made of rubber :/
DonF – twitter contests combine attraction by the contest itself and it “forces” people to RT you
ImyComic – good point
DonF – that sentence doesn’t make much sense, but you catch my drift…. like some software companies do for free apps via twitter-mass-RTs
Guest 9 – before you splurge on a table go to a con & see what other tables are like & what the artists are like – you need to decide whether the con is right 4
Guest 9 – for you & is worth your time & money
tr1guy – Yes.
DonF – I’m no comic-creater, just a fan…
VertigoX – A reader is still a great person to be, that’s what I am
DonF – … with horribly spelling, sorry.
VertigoX – bah its ok
DonF – argh! horrible even
Guest 9 – me 2 no worries
AndyCarolan – good spelling is optional
Samantha – Guest 9: Here is my entry for ZF: http://www.zfcomics.com/comics/true-identities-contest-8/
VertigoX – ya that was awesome
Samantha – I loved doing that!
Samantha – I am still getting hits from that
Samantha – I printed out my entry on canvas and it looks GREAT
Samantha – Selling it at con.
Guest 9 – that is so good, hilarious & cute
Samantha – Manga Studio is great on twitter and fb, too.
VertigoX – I have to follow them on Facebook
Samantha – Guest 9: <3
ImyComic – 6pm already
DonF – Maybe create some sort of questionnaire on the site “which [insert comic here] character are you?!” … requires some programming skills of course
DonF – people on facebook seem to go crazy about this sort of stuff
Samantha – DonF, that’s a great idea.
ImyComic – ha that’s true
VertigoX – ya that is awesome, I did a Shadowgirls one
ImyComic – I’ve had a lot of “Kats” and “Imys” and “Zoes” tell me that
VertigoX – Imy! You need to have a character as the guitar that attacks people
DonF – hehe
Samantha – I think my audience is non-comic readers, though. HARD to get a webcomic out that way.
ImyComic – LOL
VertigoX – Samantha: But you have to find something that people find interesting
Samantha – 2 second pitch for quick meetings, 5 minute pitch for one-on-one meetings.
Guest 9 – how often do you guys do these live chats? this is pretty ballin’ but i need to go eat breakfast…
tr1guy – TGT is weekly.
VertigoX – that it is
Guest 9 – cool thanks
Samantha – Guest 9, these are reasonably regular.check out link to TGT website.
VertigoX – http://tgtmedia.com
AndyCarolan – That would be superb! – I will buy a mic lol
Samantha – Guest 9, I follow lots of webcomic podcasts! Look them up.
tr1guy – http://www.1977thecomic.om/
Samantha – http://witchytech.com/lifesawitch
ImyComic – http://www.imycomic.com
ZombieRoomie – http://www.zombieroomie.com
tr1guy – http://www.1977thecomic.com/
DonF – http://don-f.com … no comic, just rants in english and german
AndyCarolan – http://www.andy-carolan.co.uk
ImyComic – gotta go make dinner.. see you later guys!
AndyCarolan – ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Samantha – DonF: Hahahahah!
AndyCarolan – seeya Imy
Guest 9 – http://www.tdotcomics.ning.com/ once more
Samantha – Bye, Imy!
Tim Lai – http://lauguyscomics.com/lemoninc
Samantha – Vert is this your new mic?
DonF – thanks you guys, this was fun!
VertigoX – NO no non nono ononon
AndyCarolan – cheers guys!
Samantha – Oh good!
VertigoX – not at all Samantha
Samantha – I didn’t want tell you that you were still a bit garbled.
ZombieRoomie – I’ll have to pick up the download, I missed most of the beginning and I had some crashes.
Samantha – I know. *whew*
tr1guy –
tr1guy – http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AS6OYC/ref=pd_luc_hashrec_04_03
Samantha – Do a review of it. I want to start doing audio posts and you KNOW how my mic is.
Samantha – yes, came through several times.
VertigoX – I will totally do that.
VertigoX –
Samantha – Enjoyed it all!
Samantha – Byeeee!
Guest 9 – buh bye
AndyCarolan – byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
VertigoX – Later all

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Host(s)	Byron Wilkins ("tr1guy")
Co-Host(s)	Kurt Sasso ("VertigoX")
Discussion Topic(s)	Marketing 101