Can Marketing Skills Boost Script Sales?

Boost script sales by implementing these marketing strategies. Learn how to position your scripts effectively and increase your chances of getting noticed by producers.

By tailoring their stories to fit specific brands and tones, and building a solid sales pipeline, writers can significantly enhance their script’s appeal and marketability. Here’s how.

Writing a compelling story is just the first step in a screenwriter’s journey. In today’s competitive market, writers must also embrace the role of a marketer to ensure their scripts get noticed and ultimately produced. Here’s why and how you need to pivot from just writing to marketing your work effectively.

Script Sales: Understanding Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Every great story needs a hook, something that makes it stand out. This is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Ask yourself: what makes your story different? Is it a fresh spin on a beloved theme or concept? For instance, consider the movie “Where Are You Christmas?” by Timothy Kuryak.

The premise—an app makes people forget about Christmas, and those who remember are in full color while others are in black and white—offers a magical and clear idea that stands out. (keep a look out for Timothy’s episode will be released soon on the Christmas Movie Screenwriter podcast.

To find your USP, compare your movie idea to similar ones. Who bought those scripts? What manager or agent represents the writer? Understanding the market for your genre saves time and increases your chances of success.

Script Sales:  Product Positioning

 Knowing the brand and tone of networks and platforms that produce Christmas movies is crucial. Tailor your scripts to fit the specific requirements of these networks to increase the likelihood of acceptance.

Hallmark Channel – Brand and Tone

• Family-friendly and heartwarming.
• Focus on traditional values and feel-good stories.
• Often features small-town settings, romantic plots, and happy endings.
• Examples: “Mystic Christmas” and “The Santa Summit”

Action Steps:

• Focus on creating warm, romantic, and wholesome stories.
• Ensure a happy ending and incorporate elements of traditional Christmas celebrations.

Lifetime – Brand and Tone

• Similar to Hallmark but with more diverse storylines.
• Slightly edgier, sometimes incorporating real-life issues within the festive context.
• Mix of romance, drama, and comedy.
• Examples: “A Cowboy Christmas Romance” and “Mom’s Christmas Boyfriend”.

Action Steps:

• Develop diverse and relatable characters.
• Be open to addressing contemporary issues within the festive context.

Netflix- Brand and Tone

• Wide variety of tones, from lighthearted and whimsical to mature and complex.
• Willing to take creative risks and explore unconventional narratives.
• Includes elements of fantasy, adventure, and diverse character backgrounds.
• Examples: “The Christmas Chronicles” and “Christmas as Usual”.

Action Steps:

• Explore unique and creative storylines.
• Consider incorporating fantasy elements or unconventional plots.

UPtv- Brand and Tone

• Focuses on uplifting and inspirational stories.
• Family-centric with strong moral lessons.
• Clean and wholesome content suitable for all ages.
• Examples: “Yuletide the Knot” and “Christmas Lucky Charm”.

Action Steps:

• Write inspirational and morally uplifting stories.
• Keep content family-friendly and focus on positive messages.

Freeform – Brand and Tone

• Targets a younger audience with contemporary settings.
• Features coming-of-age stories, modern romance, and light-hearted comedy.
• Mix of traditional Christmas themes with modern twists.
• Examples: “The Nine Kittens of Christmas” and “The Truth About Christmas”.

Action Steps:

• Aim for modern, relatable settings and characters.
• Infuse humor and contemporary themes appealing to a younger audience.

Script Sales: Verifiable Audience

Scott Kirkpatrick, in his book “Mastering the Pitch: How to Effectively Pitch Your Ideas to Hollywood,” emphasizes the importance of a verifiable audience. This is a legitimate audience you can bank on, like movies made from books with established followings. For original stories, look at the average movie in your chosen genre—what was it made for? Where does that audience watch it? Work backwards to figure out what movie you need to write.

Stick to Gold Mine Genres

Scott also wrote the book “Writing for the Green Light: How to Make Your Script the One Hollywood Notices”. He advises to stick to genres that are always in demand. Luckily – Christmas movies – Christmas movies are popular and only growing in appeal.

Script Sales: Certain Genres Are Always in Demand

1. Action films with a known (aging) male talent.
2. Young Adult content with a family/fantasy hook.
3. Female-driven thrillers.
4. Christmas films.
5. Movies with animals.
6. Creature features.

Avoid genres that are hard to pitch like horror, drama, comedy, religious and faith-based, and coming-of-age stories.

Script Sales: How to Know What Studios Want

Publicly traded companies often publish 10K or 10Q reports on their websites. Skim the first few pages for a letter from the CEO and a marketplace breakdown. This will tell you their goals and challenges, providing insights into what types of scripts they might be looking for. Reach out to their suppliers – smaller production and distribution companies that feed that platform’s pipeline. The smaller companies are more open to newcomers.

Script Sales: Create a Sales Pipeline

Creating a sales pipeline is essential. Keep track of who you reached out to, when your last contact was, and when your next contact should be. Building industry relationships is crucial. Actively connect with producers and companies specializing in Christmas movies. Use social media for networking by engaging with industry professionals on platforms like TikTok and Twitter.

Script Sales: You Need A  Call to Action

 Always end your emails with a call to action. For example, include a link to read the synopsis or set up a call to discuss next week. Here’s my Calendly link.

Script Sales: Tracking Your Close Rate

Track your leads to see your average hit rate. If it takes 50 emails to get one script request, double your output or niche down on better targets. This data helps you understand how many leads you’ll need and the average number of outreach emails it takes to close the sale. Check your stats to see if you haven’t contacted enough companies or need to adjust your approach.

Script Sales: Social Proof

Having social proof can greatly enhance your credibility. Have you won any contests? Have you been optioned? Do you have a letter of interest (LOI) from an actor?

Conclusion

Embracing the role of a marketer is essential for any screenwriter looking to succeed in today’s competitive market. By understanding your USP, positioning your product effectively, knowing your audience, and leveraging existing scripts, you can increase your chances of success. Creating a sales pipeline, building industry relationships, and tracking your close rate are crucial steps in this process.

Script Sales: Get Expert Tips Here

For more tips from industry experts, listen to experts on The Christmas Movie Screenwriter podcast.

See these other titles in our library for helpful tips

Podcasts

01: Expert Shares 6 Strategies to Sell Your Christmas Script

17: How to Market Your Script For Success

Blogs

The Magic of Christmas Movies: Exploring Their Marketability and Demand

6 Steps To Selling Your Screenplay To Hallmark