Keeping Your Social Media Alive During Edinburgh Fringe

We know you’re busy – August is nuts for anyone performing. If you’re not touting your show on the Royal Mile, performing or having a well earnt post-performance beer, the last thing on your mind is probably tweeting, updating your Facebook or even (heaven forbid) posting a blog.

Who has time for any of that?

Well…

You do.

Why it’s important to stay active

Edinburgh Fringe creates a lot of its own buzz – people are excited to be there, they’re excited to see new shows and they’re wandering around looking for something new. Even those not at the Fringe will be following what’s going on, whether that’s through something like the BBC or through the Instagram and Facebook posts of their mates who are there.

So this is no time for a social media blackout!

You don’t want to be the person that misses a great reviewer because they’ve tweeted something about having a free slot and you’ve missed it, do you?

No.

So listen up.

What you should be doing

If anything,  you need to be more active than usual. Remember, social media is a key tool in your arsenal for promotion. And that means:

• Tweeting stuff about your show (back stage pictures, images of the queue, boomerang videos of the cast/yourself making silly faces – LITERALLY ANYTHING that’s not “hey, come see my show, promise it’s awesome.” – People will see how much fun it is from all the other content you’re posting, you don’t have to labour the point.
• Retweeting literally anything that mentions you/your show/your venue. You want people to know who you are, where you’re performing and when. So if someone gives you a shoutout with a tweet – give them a shoutout right back! Retweeting shows your follower list (and a wider pool of people) just how awesome you are, straight from the audience’s mouth
• Replying to people who are at/coming to the Fringe. Set up some searches on Twitter (here’s one I made earlier, with the location for Pleasance Courtyard) and here’s how where set up an advanced search and get down to replying to people. “Hey, if you’re hanging around [VENUE] come and see [SHOW]! We’re on at 8pm!” is a very basic example of the stuff you can send back.
• Asking one of your mates to take a few shots during your show and live-tweet it (if you’re allowing phones/images, otherwise it’ll encourage other people to succumb to the blue screen of death)
• Chasing reviews. Now if you’ve already had a tonne of reviewers in, then bully for you – but if you haven’t you need to chase. them. down. Tweet them, FB message them, email them, send a darn pidgeon if you have to – but be active in trying to get your reviews coming in. Not only will it help this year, but it’ll stand you in good stead next year when people see your awesome review and think “oh no, I missed [your awesome show], I’ll have to make sure I catch them next year.”

Getting a little help 

Now we’re not saying every second of your spare time needs to be spent on Twitter or Facebook. Here are some things you can do:

1. Set up some rules on IFTTT – such as “whenever someone mentions you in a Tweet, send them a thank you as a reply”

2. Schedule some Tweets/Facebook posts using Buffer so that you’re never silent (more on how to do this here)

3. Schedule a blog post to drop in the middle of the Fringe, and then go in and add some news images just before it posts. You might want to write something like “Having an awesome time” or “best night ever so far at the Fringe,” or even “Funniest moments of my Fringe so far” – you’re scheduling it, so you’re going to need to get *cough* creative *cough* with the content, but reason images will add authenticity. You can change this where it says ‘Publish Immediately’ on WordPress, click the arrow and select ‘Schedule’.

All of these things will help you be active on Twitter, Facebook or your blog during what’s going to be a very, very busy month!

 

---

Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing is a group of creatives with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping our way into the arts industry and helping other creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact us any time for penguin chats via email:info@penguinintheroom.com or Facebook.com/penguinintheroom or waddle over to our website: www.penguinintheroom.com

3 Tips for Promoting Your Edinburgh Fringe Show During the Countdown

It’s very nearly Fringe season, and if you’re a performer or a freelancer working with one, chances are ‘promotion’ is pretty high on your agenda right now.

But what should you have wrapped up and sorted before you move into August and the feet-slapping groundwork begins?

We’ve created a handy list to help get you started.

1. Create some quirky social media chatter around your show

July is a great time for some publicity stunts, guerilla marketing, and the like. The Fringe is close enough for people to have it in mind, and this is when the media starts to really ramp up their coverage. So why not create some quirky social media chatter around your show?

No, we’re not saying send out the time-old “Make sure you get your tickets to @myshow in time for the Fringe”

We’re thinking:

• Jump on trending hashtags with something hilarious (just make sure it’s not a hashtag for something deadly serious where a joke will go down like a lead balloon)
• Tweet some big names to see if you can get a response
• Start a funny (but related) competition
• Start a Twitter treasure hunt
• Preview some jokes (or some jokes that didn’t make the cut in order to save the spoilers) in a conversation between you and your other cast members tagging random followers

Temple Newsam House in Leeds, UK brings its characters to life in a staged Twitter show

2. Get your printed ducks in order

Flyers are vital for the Fringe, as well as the lovely friends/boyfriends/girlfriends/distant third cousins once removed who will be helping to hand them out. Make sure you have the following ticked off your list as sorted this month:

• Flyers (A5 normally, or DL size)
• Posters (A3 is more common, but some A2 might be good as well.)

Think about how long your show run is and how many people will be touting for you when you’re considering quantity. If you run out, you can always order more, so make sure you use a local printer (and check the price of reprints).

3. Make sure you have all your press shortcuts sorted

When your show takes off as “the next big thing” people are going to want to know who you are, what you’re doing and why it’s so awesome.

So here’s what you need to prepare in advance:

• A short bio of your troupe (& individual cast members if it’s a trio or smaller group)
• A short press release that’s catchy, with high-quality images to run alongside it
• A blurb of your show that’s short and tailored for the general public. Basically: why your show is unique, why people should care about it and where they can go see it.

If you have this all prepped in advance it means you can respond quickly and in a timely fashion when people need it, which is a BIG priority for journalists.

For your full guide, hit up the Edinburgh Fringe promo pack here.

---

Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing is a group of creatives with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping our way into the arts industry and helping other creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact us any time for penguin chats via email:info@penguinintheroom.com or Facebook.com/penguinintheroom or waddle over to our website: www.penguinintheroom.com

What The New Data Protection Laws Mean For Small Businesses, Individuals and Freelancers

This May, new Data Protection laws will be coming into place, specifically, the Data Protection Act will be replaced by the General Data Protection Regulation.

What’s the difference? The GDPR will have new rules around the storage and handling of personal information and there will be stricter punishments in place for those who fail to comply.

Why the new law? The short answer is because hackers are more easily able to access data from small to medium businesses than they are to hack huge, well-protected corporate networks.

Changes in Consent

At the moment it’s sufficient to ask someone to tick or even to untick a box in order to consent to the storage of their data.

Under the new laws, consent means active agreement. This means you cannot pre-tick a ‘subscribe me’ button.

Not only this, but companies need to be able to show a clear audit trail of consent, including screen grabs or saved consent forms.

Individuals also have the right to withdraw consent at any time, and it has to be effective and efficient. When someone withdraws consent all of their personal data must be immediately and permanently erased. It is not enough to remove them from the mailing list.

If you are subject to a data breach, you also have to inform the relevant authorities immediately and you must notify all individuals affected within 72 hours of the initial breach.

What does this mean for people that use e-mail marketing (and am I one of those people?)

If you have a newsletter that people subscribe to, or if you send e-mails to a database of people on whatever basis, this concerns you.

And it doesn’t just concern all the new data you might collect. It concerns all the data you currently have.

Any kind of personal data you keep has to follow these rules and you and you alone are responsible for being able to prove that someone has consented to have their data kept on file by you.

This means you can no longer capture e-mails through a competition and then add them into your mailing list, or you cannot auto-subscribe (for example) people that have bought a ticket to your show to your newsletter.

Does the GDPR apply to my personal blog?

The GDPR applies to all enterprises. So if you run a business from home, or if your blog/website is engaged in “economic activity” i.e. you use it to make money – this applies to you.

It does not apply to people processing personal data in the course of a purely personal or household activity. I.e. if you have your plumber’s email address on file, that’s fine. If you’re sending your plumber an email telling him that you have a new kind of product available for sale, that’s not fine.

So what do I do now?

For every e-mail address in your system, you need to go back and seek explicit permission from the person to continue to send them whatever communication you are sending them.

If you cannot provide evidence of consent, you cannot send them emails and you must delete their data permanently.

This means you will need to launch a re-permission campaign and bring your entire database up to GDPR standards.

What are the consequences of non-compliance?

Fines. These are tiered based on the level of non-compliance and the severity of the violation, and they are capped at 4% of an annual turnover of €20million.

Ouch.

Check out our next post on how to run a GDPR compliant re-consent campaign.

Disclaimer: None of the above constitutes legal advice. If you are in doubt, we recommend you seek professional legal guidance.

Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing is a group of creatives with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping our way into the arts industry and helping other creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact us any time for penguin chats via email:info@penguinintheroom.com or Facebook.com/penguinintheroom or waddle over to our website: www.penguinintheroom.com

5 Things You Need To Know About Pinterest

Thanks  to client Tangled Feet for this image of their Pinterest profile

Pinterest began in 2009 and is a social media network that is image based! Hurrah and hurray for creative people who work in visual mediums. Pinterest isn’t just for discovering wedding ideas, it can be used for your career too. Here are five things you need to know about this social platform

1. It’s FREE

Like almost all social media networks it is free so just go to www.pinterest.com to set up an account. Why wouldn’t you?!

2. It’s easy to use

You create online pin boards, you know like the cork ones we had when we were kids. You then pin images from the internet to you your online pin board. You can have an “inspiration board” where you can pin images that inspire you (does what it says on the tin) and wonderful work by other artists/creatives and this can be useful when pitching projects or devising your own work. You can also create boards of your own work perhaps labelled by the year or theme. You can also follow other peoples boards (and they can follow you) and you can use snazzy images from other people’s boards and pin them on your own board to share the love. You can even comment on other people’s images to tell them how wonderful they are.

3. It’s useful 

It is a great way to promote your work visually – we can see images of all your artworks/performances/make up in one place. Just think of the impact! You can also promote the link to your board via your website and other social media to engage with followers.

It’s a wonderful tool for raising awareness of your work and gathering an online fan base, as other people can comment on your images and re-pin them to your their own boards ie. sharing the image with their friends and followers.

4. Some things are private

A couple of years ago Pinterest introduced private boards. Private boards mean that you can create a mood board for a new project and keep it to yourself until the work is finished. After completion of your product you can publish the inspiration board behind it so your followers get an insight into your process. Cool, huh?

5. Copyright?

It is definitely worth putting your copyright in the title of the image or adding your watermark/logo to the image so that others cannot reproduce it. This also means that when other profiles pin your images they are also promoting your brand and logo.

Enjoy promoting your work and please do tweet or facebook us the links to your boards!

 

Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing is a group of creatives with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping our way into the arts industry and helping other creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact us any time for penguin chats via email: info@penguinintheroom.com or Facebook.com/penguinintheroom or waddle over to our website: www.penguinintheroom.com

Not Now Mum! Theatre for mothers.

Introducing Notnow Collective

 

 

We are very excited to be working with new theatre company Notnow Collective on their first tour. Their show is inspired by motherhood and includes relaxed performances which parents can bring their babies to.

 

 

 

Wonderwoman: The Naked Truth

 

A hilariously funny and brutally honest look at motherhood. Theatre by and for mums. 

“Everyone needs to see this show, especially parents working in the arts.” – Audience member

Mothers and theatre-makers Tina Hofman and Kristina Gavran are staging a revolution and they are getting their kids involved. Inspired by Lyn Gardner’s article entitled ‘Parents in the arts need to stage a revolution”, these passionate women are answering the call with their new show Wonderwoman: The Naked Truth. Originally from Croatia, these women have drawn on their own experiences as mums who miss their own mums,, mums who are raising bilingual kids and mums who are feeling guilty as they dream about success.

With three children between them the working environment can be a struggle which means kids in rehearsals, dressing rooms and even kids in meetings (which Professor Robert Kelly understands all too well from his recent viral interview gate-crashing incident.)

Wonderwoman; The Naked Truth is a physical exploration of the trials and superhero like moments motherhood can stir up and Notnow Collective use their trademark fusion of physical performance and playful new writing. Parents will recognise their own experience and marvel at the efficiency in which Tina and Kristina can simultaneously rap, change nappies and drink wine. #mumskills

Notnow Collective are also passionate about championing baby-friendly matinees, believing theatres should address better how to be truly welcoming to their audiences with caring responsibilities.

Kristina said: “Often new parents stop seeing themselves as theatre-goers: your life becomes baby classes and soft play areas. We found this both lovely and very lonely – I would have really loved to see some adult theatre to which I could freely bring my baby.

“Not only was the show relatable, but also it was great to be welcomed to a space where my little baby could also come.” – Audience member

Notnow Collective are Associate Artists of the prestigious artists development platform In Good Company at Derby Theatre and their work has been commissioned by Midlands leading venue mac, Birmingham. In June and July Notnow Collective will introduce themselves to wider national audiences at the acclaimed Pulse Festival and Departure Lounge Festival, with the sequel to Wondewoman: “DadMan- The Bathtime Warrior”, focusing on fatherhood.

 

 

Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing is a group of creatives with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping our way into the arts industry and helping other creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact us any time for penguin chats via email:info@penguinintheroom.com or Facebook.com/penguinintheroom or waddle over to our website: www.penguinintheroom.com

The biggest mistake new theatre companies make…

We loved leading marketing workshop for Tangled Feet’s young theatre company mentees this month. Off the back of our discussions in the workshop here is the biggest mistake new theatre companies tend to make.

DON’T THINK IT’S ALL ABOUT THE ‘THEATRE’

We know that sounds disappointing but actually it’s brutal but useful advice! Your company has been brought together because of a love of performing and a similar collective spirit and of course you want to make amazing theatre but you need to think outside of that too.

You can make brilliant work in your living room but if no-one ever sees or is exposed to the work that is where it will stay.

It’s very important to thing about the aims and objectives of your theatre company which all feeds into your brand.

• Why have you come together as a collective?
• What type of work do you want to make?
• What makes your work different from other theatre companies?

These questions will not only inform your marketing they will inform your work!

Break a leg!

Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing is a group of creatives with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping our way into the arts industry and helping other creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact us any time for penguin chats via email:info@penguinintheroom.com or Facebook.com/penguinintheroom or waddle over to our website: www.penguinintheroom.com

Kicking and Screaming with Tangled Feet

We loved working with physical theatre ensemble Tangled Feet on their latest show Kicking and Screaming, which went on tour around the UK.

Kicking and Screaming

“Highly original…Kicking and Screaming will leave a stamp on your heart long after you leave the theatre.” 4 STARS – http://www.thepublicreviews.com 

Like a tiny bomb exploding in the middle of your life, the baby arrives – and suddenly the world you knew becomes a different place entirely.  

Two couples negotiating the first year of parenthood are guided by our playful narrator, Laura. A baby is more than Natasha bargained for – and she’s also wondering whether boyfriend Jay will ever grow up. As a flood of plastic balls and children’s toys is unleashed in the middle of their marriage, Sam and Ronnie struggle to stay afloat despite their careful plans.

How do our priorities shift when we become parents? How do we adjust – and what happens if we don’t?

An honest, funny and touching show with a live score played on children’s instruments, Tangled Feet take a sideways look at how we cope with our children – and how our parents coped with us.

 

Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing is a group of creatives with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping our way into the arts industry and helping other creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact us any time for penguin chats via email:info@penguinintheroom.com or Facebook.com/penguinintheroom or waddle over to our website: www.penguinintheroom.com

Writers: what are your goals for 2016?

Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing are some penguins with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping our way into the arts industry and helping creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact us any time for penguin chats via email: info@penguinintheroom.com 

 Facebook.com/penguinintheroom 

twitter.com/prartsmarketing

or waddle over to the website: www.penguinintheroom.com

Perform with Tangled Feet in Leeds!

Photo from Tangled Feet show One Million

by Nathan Curry

Being a volunteer performer in a large-scale outdoor theatre production, performing to thousands of local people, in the heart of the city where you live is an exhilarating experience. People often describe these moments as ‘a once in a lifetime experience’ but there are now more opportunities than ever to be involved in large-scale mass participation events. A very brilliant production manager I once worked with gave some excellent advice to a young production placement student “life is better when you join in” – and it’s completely true – it is. As a people we yearn for opportunities to be part of a community, to meet, to celebrate, to connect; and the performing arts is the perfect place to do all of these things. We’ve been making up stories and playing in groups since we could learn to talk and move – why should it stop once we grow up?

Tangled Feet have made a number of shows featuring performers who aren’t trained working alongside young performers in training and professional performers to create theatre that is truly unique. Our show All That is Solid Melts into Air featured a flash mob of 50 young people for the finale scene and One Million featured 100 young people authoring the entire show. For our next mass participation performance we are looking for 300 performers, of all ages, in Leeds and the surrounding areas.

Our new show, Collective Endeavour, commissioned by Dep Arts and Leeds City Council to celebrate the arrival of the Rugby World Cup in Leeds will be an epic celebration of the power of community; of strength in numbers and of the idea that great things can be achieved when you work as a team. Echoing these sporting themes, the show places community at its heart as volunteer performers will help create a giant structure in front of the audience’s eyes. Volunteers perform simple movements evoking the physicality of rugby as well as ensemble work to create images and atmosphere en-masse.

Being a volunteer performer isn’t just about making big images. There is something fundamentally important and exhilarating about a regular, local person performing a story that resonates with them with and for their local community. It is about embedding art at the very heart of the community – made, performed and watched by a group local people. And brilliant. We want Collective Endeavour to be brilliant, highly accomplished and memorable for all.

We make theatre that places volunteers are the heart of something excellent, epic and hugely exciting. If you are reading this and think you’d like to be involved, grab a friend and sign up. Here is a video to tell you more…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cQifoz8uPw

More details and sign up here….

http://www.departsltd.com/projectproduction/tangled-feet-collective-endeavour/

10 Top Life Coaching Tips for Success and Happiness in 2015

Penguin in the Room spoke to top life coach Carole Ann Rice for top tips for your road to success in 2015. We will be following some of these too.

Carole’s top tips for 2015 are:

1. Be “responsibly selfish”

We often put our needs last on the list but now its time to carve out space for YOU to relax, take up new hobbies, eat well and invest in your wellbeing and development.

2. Have Goals

When we feel we are working towards something life takes on a new dynamic. Find some top tips on goal setting here.

3. Stop Controlling

There are very few things we can truly control – other people, our future, the now. Learn to live in the more, after all it’s all we have.

4. Act ‘as if’

Act confident, in demand and successful and people will buy into it and treat you that way.

5. Celebrate the day

Stop saving your best dress, shirt, earrings, perfume for special days. Seize the day and loo and feel your best and lavish yourself with all your best stuff right here and right now.

6. Don’t put life on hold

Happiness and feeling great is not something outside of you or over there. We often think “I’ll be happy when…” but happiness is something you ‘be’ not wait to become. What if you had everything within you right this minute to be happy and complete?

7. Learn to ‘let go’

Life delivers knocks, blows and setbacks to all of us and it is our ability to “let go” of negative experiences which dictates our happiness and wellbeing. Make peace with your past and move on.

8. Don’t sweat the small stuff

Declutter your life of extraneous, tiresome or useless things. That includes your home, thoughts and community.

9. Look for silver linings

We are hard wired to go to the negative, to be vigilant and expect the worst to happen. Try to train your brain to see the positive and look on the bright side. As yourself “What’s the best that could happen?”

10. Smile

You can find Carole Ann Rice at Real Coaching: www.realcoachingco.com

Penguin in the Room @prartsmarketing is some penguins with an arts marketing dream: penguin stepping our way into the arts industry and helping creatives flourish! Specialising in online marketing, social media, branding, copy writing, media coaching and web design for actors, artists, casting directors, agents, production companies, theatre companies and creative individuals.

Contact us any time for penguin chats via email: info@penguinintheroom.com or Facebook.com/penguinintheroom or waddle over to the website: www.penguinintheroom.com