The Background:
At the end of the free lessons on Learn-Ventriloquism.com, if people don’t join, an automated email goes out. It asks them why they didn’t join. What information did they need or want to buy the course?
That is a simple sales technique to learn what people are looking for. And it is often eye-opening.
Here is a recent response:
“Because I already know how to do ventriloquism and all the letters of the alphabet. And I am definitely good enough to impress people.”
Not to knock the writer, but there are a few things I find wrong with this reply.
Ventriloquism is much more than knowing how to say the letters of the alphabet.
- Do you understand modification of sound to actually produce the sounds of the labials B, P and M rather than using a substitution?
- Do you know the techniques to keep your characters alive during a presentation?
- Do you know how to develop a character profile rather than just have a puppet telling jokes?
- Do you know how to isolate areas of performance and what to look for when you review a video of your act to help you continuously improve? (Every pro I know does this.)
- Do you know what a chunk is?
- How to create a chunk and why they are important?
- Do you understand the difference between practicing and rehearsal?
Second, ventriloquism isn’t about impressing people.
Ventriloquism is about entertaining them.
You can impress people all day. But entertaining people is what gets you steady shows.
There are so many facets of the artform that folks overlook because “they know”. And this is an art. An art requires an open mind and willingness to improve and grow.