A while ago, a senior research analyst at a national research firm invited me to join a trade show panel discussion on "Marketing Your Post-Production Company" and asked me what my topic would be. When I said I wanted to talk about indirect marketing, he asked, "What is indirect marketing, and why do you want to talk about it?"

I replied, "There are lots of traditional approaches to marketing, whether in post-production, film distribution, or the proverbial widget industry. Most in our audience will be aware of the textbook methods, but I think they ought to know more about the indirect ways a company markets itself."

"For example," I continued, "if you knew of a facility that did fabulously creative work, but whose staff never returned your phone calls, would you use them? Or if the paperwork side of their work was sloppy, would that make a difference even though they had the best high-tech tools?

"Indirect marketing is the ‘vibe’ your company gives off to clients, and it can have as much of an influence on your business as an expensive ad campaign or a flashy Web site. Those examples were negative, but it works the other way, too. What about a post house that does excellent work, has spotlessly neat offices, and always submits invoices and pays its bills on time? Wouldn’t you keep on using them?"

I could tell he was intrigued. "Isn’t the only thing that matters the end result? If the work on the screen is great, isn’t that enough? Who cares how they run their company?" Now he was pushing my buttons!

I said, "Good work and traditional marketing can help in obtaining work, but the indirect side determines the level of customer satisfaction and is key to whether the customer returns. Effective indirect marketing is vital for long-term success."

Case closed. I spoke about indirect marketing on the panel.

Everyone knows the direct approaches. They bring in the work, assuming, of course, that the facility does good work. Used in varying degrees by all businesses, they include:

• Advertising
• Direct mail, including e-mail
• A strong Web presence
• Good collateral materials
• Trade shows
• Public relations
• Obtaining favorable media coverage

Indirect approaches are a bit more nebulous, since there are many factors that give the impression of a well-run company. Companies that understand that everyone in the organization is involved in marketing stand a better chance for success.

Indirect marketing includes such factors as the responsiveness of the production team, the way the receptionist greets visitors, and the way phone calls are handled. It also includes behind-the-scenes areas, such as the way the business affairs or accounting departments perform their functions.

How often have you had to practically beg someone for an invoice so you could close your books on a show? Wouldn’t you think most companies want to get paid promptly?

Customers will not always tell you to your face that although the final product was great, getting the job done was a hassle and a half. Why not have someone not directly involved in a project make follow-up calls to ask customers if the work met their expectations, if they were satisfied with the overall results, and where there might be room for improvement the next time?

Mail-in cards that can be returned anonymously can be a useful tool. Use multiple-choice questions or a one-to-five level of satisfaction rating scale. When replies are sent to a third party, with or without names attached, those surveyed are more likely to be frank, knowing that their specific comments will be kept confidential. Of course, room for "other comments" should be a part of any survey.

I have done a number of customer research surveys to help companies better understand where they stood in the marketplace generally and, more specifically, what their customers were thinking. My approaches have included combinations of face-to-face meetings with current, former, and prospective customers, and surveys by mail, fax, and e-mail.

In doing such research, I have seen all kinds of negative comments that reflect on the indirect marketing effort. Below are some of the responses I’ve seen.

• Doesn’t anyone do their homework any more? We sent them the script/storyboards in advance, but at our first meeting it was as if no one had bothered reading them, let alone thinking about them.
• I have left several messages for her. I was told that she was out of town and would call when she got back. Don’t they have phones in [city]?
• They want to be known as a technologically oriented company, but they still don’t have e-mail!
• They usually suggest lunch meetings, but scheduling them is difficult. I would just rather get to the point and have a simple meeting. Lunch devours my day!
• I call customer service to ask a simple question and I get blabbermouth Bob. Bob’s an OK guy, but I do not need to know some of the things I hear.
• Why can’t they ever admit they made a mistake?

Consider these responses, and ask yourself if there are any lessons you could learn from them.

In the end, successful companies will implement a combination of direct and indirect marketing efforts. Making follow-up with customers a regular practice will also pay dividends. What approaches work best for you?