#standupcomedian | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

laurafaritos · 3 days ago

Text

HDMS038. What Are You Actually Selling? Where Should You Be Selling It?

Everyone says it—especially in creative industries: “You have to sell yourself.”

But after going through Module 3.4.3 Channel Selection and Value Proposition on value propositions and channel strategy, I realized most of us are selling... vibes. Maybe a personality. Maybe a dream. But rarely a clear promise.

We post on Instagram. We run a Facebook ad. We make a poster and hang it in some café. But are we actually asking: What exactly am I offering? And where does it make the most sense to say it?

In this blog post, I want to unpack what this module taught me about:

Clarifying my value proposition (it’s not just “I’m funny,” babes)

Choosing the right channel based on who I’m trying to reach

And how other comedians and creatives can stop wasting energy on platforms that aren’t aligned with their message

Because the truth is—if nobody knows what you’re really offering, no amount of paid media will save you. Soooo let's fix that!!!

I. What Harvard Taught Me: Value Propositions Aren’t Just Buzzwords

Before this course, I used to treat “value proposition” like a fancy way of saying aesthetic. I figured my brand spoke for itself—colorful posters, good energy, a mic in hand. That’s enough, right?

Wrong.

Harvard broke it down like this: A value proposition is a clear, focused promise about what you offer, how it’s different, and why it matters. Usually, you anchor it around two or three benefits—real ones, not just vibes.

In OOFOS’s case, they made a bold decision: Instead of just marketing their shoes as “comfortable,” they positioned themselves as a recovery brand. Their foam tech wasn’t just about softness—it was about science-backed relief after workouts.

Problem was... no one even knew what “recovery shoes” were. Comfort? Sure. But recovery? That took explanation. It took storytelling.

And suddenly, I saw myself in their marketing dilemma. I’m not just selling stand-up. I’m not just selling jokes.

I’m selling emotional catharsis. I’m selling a feeling. I’m selling a very specific kind of post-show buzz that leaves people thinking about ghosts, breakups, or immigration paperwork—but somehow laughing.

So why was I running ads like a generic comic with a mic and a date?

If OOFOS could teach their audience what “recovery shoes” were... Maybe I could teach mine what my kind of comedy really offers.

II. The Struggle of Selling Something New (When Nobody Knows the Category Yet)

Here’s the thing about selling something unique: if the audience doesn’t have a name for it yet, they don’t know they need it.

That was OOFOS’s biggest challenge. They weren’t just competing against other shoe brands. They were introducing a whole new category—recovery footwear. Most people don’t wake up thinking, “Wow, I need a shoe that helps me recover from leg day.” They think, “I want something comfy.”

That gap—between what people are looking for and what you actually offer—is where the marketing has to do real work.

To bridge that gap, OOFOS invested in top-of-funnel channels like linear TV, OTT streaming, and video. Platforms that could tell a full story, not just flash a headline. Their goal wasn’t just clicks. It was education. Familiarity. A slow drip of “Hey, this is a thing now.”

And it made me think about my own work.

What I’m creating—a live comedy series that blends stand-up, podcast interviews, and immersive themes like ghosts or sex education—isn’t something most people are actively searching for. There’s no keyword like “haunted comedy storytelling show” pulling traffic yet.

So if I want people to understand what I’m offering, I need to show them. With video. With stories. With campaigns that set the tone before I even ask for a ticket sale.

Like OOFOS, I’m not just trying to market a product. I’m trying to CREATE a brand new category.

III. Real Talk: What I’m Actually Selling

If you’d asked me a year ago what I sell, I’d have said: “Comedy shows. Jokes. Content.”

But after sitting with this module, it hit me: that answer’s surface-level. People don’t pay for jokes. They pay for the feeling they leave with. For the way a show shifts their mood, unlocks something, makes them feel seen.

So I sat down and asked myself: If I stripped away the posters, the branding, the mic, the laughs— What is it that I’m really offering?

Here’s what I came up with:

Emotional Catharsis – Whether it’s through a bit about ghosts, heartbreak, or Brazilian immigration forms, I create space for people to laugh at the stuff they usually cry about.

A Vibe-Checked Community – My shows are for people who’ve felt like outsiders: neurodivergent, queer, culturally displaced, romantically confused. I sell belonging.

The Unexpected – It’s not just stand-up. It’s stand-up followed by an interview. A themed deep-dive. A mini podcast. A moment you didn’t see coming.

And once I understood that, the marketing puzzle shifted.

I couldn’t just say “funny people doing jokes.” I had to market the transformation. How someone feels walking in vs. how they feel walking out. How they come for the comedy but stay for the connection. How they laugh at a vampire joke and leave questioning their ex.

And thaaaaaaat is what I’m selling!!! And when you finally know that—like, really REALLY know that—that's when you start making much better choices about how, where, and why you advertise!!!

IV. Matching the Message to the Media

Once I knew what I was selling, the next question became: Where do I say it???? And how????

OOFOS taught me this: not every message belongs on every platform. You don’t try to explain “OOfoam technology” in a 5-second banner ad. You don’t drop an emotional recovery story as a Google Search headline.

The same is true in comedy. Some platforms are built for discovery. Others are built for depth. Some grab cold audiences by the eyeballs. Others remind warm audiences to buy tickets.

So here’s how I’m thinking about it now:

Search Ads – Perfect for the people who already know me or are looking for something like me. That’s where terms like “Toronto comedy shows” or “live podcast events” come in. The messaging is simple: dates, ticket links, location. No fluff.

Display Ads – These are for planting seeds. A spooky image. A tagline like “Would you perform stand-up in a haunted theater?” This is where I get attention—not conversions. And that’s okay.

Social Video (Reels, TikToks) – This is where I explain the category. Where I show people what “Haunted Comedians” or “Failed by Sex Ed” actually look like. Where I let a vibe do what a paragraph never could.

Email Marketing – That’s for the people who already get it. People who’ve been to a show, watched an interview, or read a blog post. These folks don’t need to be convinced—I just need to keep them close.

Every channel has a job. But none of them work if I don’t match the right message to the right moment in the audience’s journey.

V. Advice for Other Comedians: Know What You're Selling Before You Buy the Ad Space

If you’re a comic reading this thinking, “Okay cool, but I’m just trying to get booked,”—listen up. Because this might be the thing that changes your approach forever.

Too many comedians throw money (and time) at the wrong channels. We boost Instagram posts without knowing the goal. We drop show posters into Facebook groups full of strangers who don’t care. We hope someone, somewhere, magically finds us.

But marketing without a message is just noise. And marketing without a strategy is just stress.

So here’s what I’d suggest, friend to friend:

Figure out your value proposition. Not just “I’m funny.” What’s your angle? Do you offer dry deadpan with a twist? High-energy crowdwork? Is your comedy smart? Absurd? Deeply personal? Figure out what makes you memorable—and then sell that.

Map your channels to your goals. Want new fans? Use top-of-funnel content (like reels or podcast clips). Want bookings? Optimize your site, your LinkedIn, and your search presence. Want repeat attendees? Build a newsletter or a text list.

Don’t copy other comics blindly. Just because someone else is blowing up on TikTok doesn’t mean that’s your route. Match your strengths to the platform. Some people need a mic. Some need a camera. Some need a blog. Pick your lane and drive.

Start small but smart. You don’t need a $1,000 ad budget to be strategic. You just need clarity. Test one message. On one platform. To one audience. Learn from it. Then grow.

This stuff isn’t about “selling out.” It’s about being findable. And when you know what you’re offering—and where to say it—everything gets easier.

TL;DR What Are Comedians Selling???

This module reminded me that marketing isn’t just about making noise—it’s about making meaning. Harvard’s breakdown of how value proposition affects channel strategy helped me zoom out and see my comedy career through a marketer’s lens.

Here’s the TL;DR:

OOFOS chose “recovery” as their value prop, not “comfort.” That meant they had to educate the market, not just sell shoes.

That education required top-of-funnel channels like TV, OTT, and video—where you have space to tell stories, not just deliver punchlines.

They used authentic storytelling through athletes and coaches to build credibility and awareness. It wasn’t about selling a product. It was about sharing a transformation.

I realized I’m not just selling comedy shows. I’m offering catharsis, connection, and a very specific kind of “emotional recovery” through laughter.

So my strategy has to reflect that. My messaging can’t be generic. My media choices need to match my goals, my audience, and the stage they’re in.

And if you’re a fellow comedian? Please don’t sleep on this. Know what you’re selling. Know where your audience hangs out. And don’t waste money on ads that don’t move the needle.

I hope the lesson was as helpful to you as it was to me!!!

See you in the next one. Tchau tchau <33

0 notes

everywherewithernestine · 2 years ago

Text

This took a while ...to just get started on this new journey of showing out and showing off my travels. I have been traveling for some time now for years even, mostly in the states. I noticed that my travels usually aren't very tourist-y because I tend to travel for stand up comedy. I am pretty funny I like to think 😁 the most touristy things I do is check out different restaurants. I am a foodie And you will find food reviews here, attending events and concerts what life on the road looks like and plenty of travel photography.

Stand up comedy can be very hit or miss because comedy is subjective. On the other hand funny is funny.

Well heres a little about me ....

My first plane ride was from California to Atlanta

In this picture ☝️I was 18 back then in 2012 since I have been to about 31 states and 1 country since this the internet that number may not be impressive. Well it's not impressive to me either because I want to finish traveling the world. I got my passport and 2021 and we have a lot of traveling to do.

I started out traveling to protest. Power to the people.

I was a professional protestor for about 3 years or so

That passion started out with the injustice of Mike brown murder 🤎 I was in school a struggling artist a poet. Poetry had opened my mind to so many different ideas when I heard about Mike brown. I couldn't just sit still I had to act I had to do something.

This pic below was in NY 2015, That I Marched with Cornell West

Now this is not a political vlog

it's a travel vlog I promise 🤞🏾

But this is how I became the traveler I am today.

Most of these political driven trips were in groups

Shown below 👇 this picture is from 2015 Columbia, South Carolina

Around this time there were a lot of arguments about getting rid of the Confederate flag and the different monuments.

I mostly travel Solo but every now

But again every now and again someone else is tagging along with me😅

This was my birthday road trip to Florida 👇

We stayed in Panama City right off the beach

It was extremely cold but nothing less then eye gold

2017

I love flying far and wide road trips long or short boat ride train trips I just truly enjoy the journey.

if I'm not traveling somewhere

I'm extremely sad 😭 traveling is life. Life seem boring in one place.

But do live in the now

I know the best time is the present 🎁

I do enjoy every moment of everyday. I do like being at home cooking and reading books, skating and spending time with my family and friends too.

I truly "try" to stay in the gym

But I enjoy it the most new experiences with new people and places the most My goals are to be that rich auntie 🌎 by means of passive income and other adventures to create wealth and ways to pay the bills.

Welcome to everywhere with Ernestine!

ernestenergy

ernest_energy

0 notes