How best to COLLABORATE with your Distributor to Market your Movie

The Distributor’s job is largely to make your film available for sale, and set it up in such a way that people are likely to buy it. Some will work to market your film, but most won’t.  Even when they do market your film, you helping market your work will make the marketing your distributor does much more effective.  However, there are some basic rules that you should follow to make sure everything goes as well.  

Quick disclaimer: This assumes that they'll work with you on it.  that's not always a safe assumption, although it should be something you talk about when you're in negotiations with your sales agent and distributor. 
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1. COMMUNICATE with your distributor.

If you want your relationship with your distributor to be effective, then you need to lay out what you would define as success.  You should listen to when they need something from you, and work towards making it happen as quickly as possible.  Do what you can to help them promote your film. 

A lot of the communication with your distributor will likely be at the beginning of your relationship in closing the contract.  You can learn a lot about them through this process, but the most important thing to do before you sign is call 3 of their previous clients.  Here’s a link for more information about doing your due diligence. ​
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Related: 5 Rules for vetting your Distributor/Sales Agent

Also, you might want to understand what a film distribution contract looks like to better facilitate that communication.  The blog below may help.
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Related: The 7 Main Indiefilm Distribution Deal points

2. Make sure you ONLY sell the OFFICIAL links

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Unless you redline the ability to sell your film through Vimeo through your own website, you should ONLY post the official sales links for your film that your distributor will set up.   Even if you have the right to sell the film through your own website, you should still at least occasionally post the distributors sales links.  Not only does it help keep your distributor happy, it also makes your film look bigger since its available in more places. 
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3. Take as many interviews as you can, and seek them out where appropriate.

If you want to build a career in film, you will need to build a brand for yourself as a filmmaker.  A brand will help you engage with your community, find work, get more sales for the work you produce yourself, and can even help you finance your next project.  Getting Press will help you expand that brand.  It also helps raise awareness of your film, which in turn will help move more units or get more views and can create a positive feedback loop to help you build your career.  In essence, it’s the very definition of a win-win.
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4. Keep your social media up to date!

If you’re building your social media right, then you’re going to have an engaged following interested to hear about progress and release updates for the film.  As such, whenever you have reason to update your community you should.  Not only does it help you move units, but it can also help you deepen the relationship with your community and customer base that can in turn help you make future projects more easily. 
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5. Use Affiliate programs for better tracking and analytics

As something of a workaround, I use Amazon Affiliates with every film that I have on Amazon, primarily so that I can get more analytics more quickly.  If you see amazon banners on my sites or links from amazon on my social media, it’s likely an affiliate link.  While I don’t see who bought the film, I do get an idea of through which channel the film was purchased through.  This lets me hone the message for each platform as I can see what works and what doesn’t.  I might write a blog specifically about this, if someone requests it in the comments or on twitter.

Thanks so much for reading!  If you want to know more, you should join my mailing list for blog digests of blogs just like this one.  That button is below on the left.  I don’t just write about film distribution, I also do it.  If you still need distribution for your film, you should consider submitting it.  That link is on the right.

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