Entertainment Licensing, where a seller uses the name, image or likeness of an entertainment personality–such as an actor, singer, children's character (Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck)–for promotion purposes, is booming today. Why is this? Because:
- Entertainment is more widely available than ever before. Result? More people are familiar with entertainment figures.
- Wider knowledge of entertainment personalities means they can be more powerful in promoting suitable consumer products or services to the general public.
- The greater familiarity of customers with licensed entertainment figures can result in larger sales of your client's goods or services at lower cost to them.
So how can you get in on licensing entertainment personalities to clients? You take these easy steps:
- Decide which entertainment personalities to license.
- Pick personalities that are keeping with your prospective clients' business.
- If you're not sure what type of clients you'll have, pick personalities that fill a large number of clients needs. For example, a Popeye character can convey strength, dependable seaworthiness for boating products, or use of healthy food products. So if you licensed him you'd have a variety of clients to approach. These clients must be the type you want to work with.
- Contact the group licensing the personalities you're planning on using. Ask what commissions they offer to Licensing Agents such as yourself who find new clients for their entertainment personalities. REMEMBER: All commissions are negotiable! Don't be afraid to negotiate!
- Prepare a list of potential clients. Do this by reviewing local, and distant, firms whose products or services have a logical tie-in to the personalities you're planning on promoting. Thus, a singer of romantic songs might easily promote a tropical cruise line because the melodies suggest faraway romantic places and trips.
- Contact your potential clients by phone, fax, e-mail or postal mail, offering your entertainment personality for licensing purposes. Point out the advantages of your personality over others, giving the positive image the personality will create for the client company.
Tyler G. Hicks, the president of International Wealth Success Inc., is the author of many wealth building publications, including the Finder's World Business Kit and the Financial Broker/ Finder/ Business Broker/ Business Consultant Kit.