Post
by silentmovies742 » Sat Mar 21, 2015 11:11 am
Ok, this is hardly a positive post, but comments were asked for, so here goes.
Firstly, there are only so many people out there who want to buy these films. Sadly, many of the films you offer are available elsewhere, from better-known companies, and often at cheaper prices. That, therefore, considerably reduces the amount of films you have on offer that people are likely to buy from you. If both yourself and the British Film Institute offer the Chaplin Mutual films, as an example, I know which version I am going to buy.
The same goes if you are offering a film also offered by another public domain company. If you and Grapevine offer the same film, which would I go with and why? Well, Grapevine send me monthly newsletters, thus reminding me of their existence and telling me of their new films. Their website is considerably more professional (not perfect, but better). And their prices are cheaper. Not only are the actual discs around $4-5 cheaper, but so is the postage and packaging. It costs me $16 to pay for shipping to the UK from Reelclassics, and only $9.50 from Grapevine. In fact, it is only if I order 4 or more discs from Grapevine that P&P reaches $16. So, buy ordering the film from Grapevine, I save around $10.
What the above means is that the only films that people are likely to buy from you are those that are not available elsewhere, which narrows down your amount of titles a lot.
The website is a big issue, not because it's awkward and cumbersome, but because it doesn't project professionalism. It's great that you provide clips from your films but, as has been mentioned, a website that looks like it hasn't been given a makeover in fifteen or twenty years is not one that customers are likely to trust. As far as I'm aware you don't comment in the various film groups on facebook or try to sell your wares on there - or even a great deal here. And while this forum has a certain amount of members, there aren't actually a huge amount that contribute on a regular basis. To my knowledge, you don't have a twitter handle either.
I don't mean the above to be unkind, but simply honest. To move forward and garner more sales, you have to publicise your business more, make it look more professional so people trust it, and make sure your prices compete with other similar businesses. Sitting back and hoping people will come to you doesn't work in 2015 - you have to go to them, wave at them and remind them you exist, and tell them why they should spend their money with you.
Hope that helps.
