The Four 'P's every creative should ask themselves

Some advice that every person with a product or business can consider applying to make their event experience better!

After completing a show / event, #TeamINSYM does what we call a ‘Postmortem’. We’ll discuss the memorable occurrences, positive takeaways, and most importantly, the areas of potential improvement. We try to be introspective and honest with ourselves, because while the economy is horrid (and purse strings are tight right now), simply blaming that for a performance below expectations is shortsighted. Even if the event was incredible, there’s ALWAYS room for improvement.

Here are the four P’s we ask ourselves after every show:

* Can we improve our PRODUCTS?

Do we have the right titles / covers / support items for that show? Some IPs might be right for a certain audience, some might not. Case in point - we did a pop culture show, followed by a horror convention, on back-to-back weekends. For the former, Misfitz Clubhouse was worthy of a bigger display, at the horror convention, it was subdued.

To take this a little further, do you have the right products AT ALL for the event? You might have those around you making money hand over fist, while the only thing stirring in your money pouch is flies… but is it the show’s fault, or yours for attending a show that is mismatched for what you offer?

* Can we improve our PRESENTATION?

Is your booth or table easy to navigate? Do you display prices clearly? Do your banners and marketing help to draw potential customers in? A smaller show / condensed space might need a certain type of setup, while a 10x10 booth with a high-ceilinged venue might need a much more grandiose display.

We’ve done shows with STABBITY BUNNY creator RICHARD RIVERA, and his simple black banner with a white rabbit sitting on a bloody smiley face grabs attendee attention more than any other we’ve seen. It basically sells itself.

You might not have anything in your current offerings that grab attention like STABBITY (and to be honest very few people do), but that doesn’t mean that your back banners and displays can’t evoke curiosity and intrigue in your own unique way.

It’s also really tough when you have a LOT of items that you think are great and want to get them out on display so that the fans can enjoy them as well, but too much can become overwhelming. The more you have, the cleaner and tighter your setup must be so that it doesn’t become a confusing, jumbled mess. We might LOVE all of our variant covers, but to the average attendee, they might see six covers for a single title and think there’s a giant investment to be made if they want to get into the story, when in reality they’re simply all versions of the same single issue. Make sure that how many releases in a series is CLEAR, and which items are variants of the same issue.

This point even applies to your table coverings. Something simple, solid, or brand specific to you is what we’d always suggest. Throwing a loud birthday party tablecloth (causing confusion and white noise), or even worse, no table covering at all (looking like your setup is unfinished), can dissuade people from stopping.

* Can we improve our PEOPLE?

WHO you are and WHAT you say are just as important as the products you put on your table.

Are you PITCHING correctly? Are they short and concise? Are you assessing the potential supporter at your table and making sure you’re giving them the info that they’re looking for and not exhausting them with too much info? Just because you know every in and out of a title’s characters and plot doesn’t mean your initial sales pitch needs those details. Quickly assess what their interests are and try and guide them to the most likely fit.

Whether it be a brand-new title or one you've had on your table for years, you can always work on and improve your pitches. Top level athletes still practice. You can do the same. Record yourself. LISTEN to your pitches. Assess your speed and tone.

To wrap up this point, are you DRESSED professionally? Does your attitude at the table bring people in or repel them? You might have the most amazing setup, and your titles could be life changing, world altering volumes of amazingness, but if your attitude at the table is unbecoming, that might kill the sale.

As my late brother Mark would say: “You don’t want to be in the sales prevention department’. These are sage words I try and live by. I don’t want to be in that department, and neither should you.

* Can we improve our PACKAGING / PACKING?

Lastly, this is an area that, as you grow, REALLY becomes key. You may not think this is important, but for us at #TeamINSYM it’s HUGE.

When doing local shows, or events where you can transport everything in your own vehicle you can potentially overpack, but should you? Unless you think you're going to be selling 50 copies of issue #2 of a title you already have a trade for, why bring so many? It just adds weight to your load in / load out, unnecessary bulk to your setup, and most importantly, physical wear and tear on you. You only have so much energy on any given day. Why waste ANY of it on unnecessary lifting, packing, etc...?

One thing we learned the hard way this summer was to make sure that you have the right BINS / SUITCASES / TRAVEL CASES for a show. We did a show where we were flown to the event, and we absolutely did NOT have the right travel gear. We had stuff shoved in every corner of every bag and suitcase and it was a complete stressful disaster. Immediately after, we decided we needed some gear that could be checked (just like suitcases) that will hold our gear and we’ve started to acquire that.

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You might do EVERYTHING right. You might feel your PRODUCTS, PRESENTATION, PEOPLE/PITCHES, and PACKAGING/PACKING are exactly as they needed to be for an event, but you STILL might’ve had lackluster sales. It happens. You can only control what you can control, and you can’t FORCE consumers to buy.

Isn’t it better to KNOW that you did all that you could? Just be real with yourself and make sure you are assessing your OWN performance at the event and make sure ANY problem areas you are willing to address.

Hopefully these tips can be applied and help you!

DON’T FORGET: INDIETOBER’S ‘QIDO’ DAY is TWO DAYS AWAY (Friday the 13th)!

On Friday the 13th, ‘QIDO’ is the character of the day for INDIETOBER! We first met QIDO in HEIRS OF ISILDUR, but he's about to get his own full graphic novel, I AM QIDO!

We've decided to spice up the 13th a bit and give you the opportunity to see YOUR fanart included within the book itself!

So how does this work?

* JOIN the INDIETOBER group on facebook.

* When Friday the 13th rolls around, post your I AM QIDO fan art in the group!

* Anyone who posts art concerning I AM QIDO will get, at minimum, a digital PDF copy of the book when it's released!

* Everyone who posts an I AM QIDO drawing will get their name listed as a 'thank you for participating' in the book

* SOME will see their creation included in a collage in the back appendix of the book itself!

* ONE lucky person will also get a signed physical copy of the book, and have their art featured!

WHERE CAN WE FIND REFERENCES FOR 'QIDO'? Here's a link to our INSYM SAMPLER where there is a nine page excerpt from the story, including QIDO himself. We'll also include some images in the Indietober group!

BUT WAIT - THERE'S MORE! We're giving you the option of FOUR different characters from I AM QIDO to submit: QIDO, his friend TATSUMI, the Dark Konquestor BLAZZOK, and CORDEYLIA DIVINA! And if you see another character you'd like to take a crack at - go for it!

We look forward to seeing whatcha got - but most importantly - don't wait until the 13th to join the INDIETOBER group. There are some AWESOME characters and drawings already! Come take part and show your love for ALL the characters that you can!

And don’t forget: if you MISSED the I AM QIDO campaign or weren’t able to participate for some reason - you’re in luck!

We are currently in the process of getting many of the items from the campaign up on our #INSYMSHOP - we're even considering other avenues to for you to get involved as well. Here’s the link to the I AM QIDO items on our webstore:

https://www.insymmetrycreations.com/shop?Category=I+AM+QIDO

We currently have the issue preorders up there right now and we’ll be adding other items soon!

AS AN INCENTIVE: If you place a pre-order in any way, prior to the book being finalized for print, we'll get your name onto the THANK YOU LIST, just like our KS backers, inside the book. How cool is that?

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That’s all for now - back to working ourselves to the bone to get titles finished, scripted, and created for you!

Matt & Steph
#TeamINSYM
www.linktree.com/insymmetrycreations