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laurafaritos · 3 months ago

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HDMS026. Stop Posting & Praying: The Marketing Funnel Every Comedian (And Creator) Needs to Know

Aiaiai!!! She's back, baby!!!! With more knowledge to share!!!!

So yeah, I assume you've read the title and you already get the gist: this post is about marketing funnels, why comedians should care, and how tracking the right metrics can completely change your career. But before we get into all that… I NEED to talk about where my life's been at, and why it’s been so long since my last post.

🚨 BIG NEWS: I FINISHED THE HARVARD DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGY COURSE!!!! 🚨

As of right now, I don’t have my certificate in hand yet -- Harvard takes roughly 30 days to evaluate my assignments and make sure I met all the criteria. But once that’s done, I will officially be a Harvard-certified girl, babyyyyy!!!

And let me tell you... finishing this course changed me. I can't stress it enough. I am not the same person!!!! I don’t know if it’s because this is the first time I’m studying while fully aware of my autism and ADHD and actually building systems to accommodate my learning process. Or maybe it’s because I was finally studying something directly relevant to my career. Either way, this wasn’t just another course I took and forgot about. This rewired my brain.

Now, I see so many untapped opportunities for comedians and creatives to be self-employed—to actually make money doing what they love without burning themselves out. And I’m hell-bent on making that happen, not just for me, but for every comedian and creative who feels stuck.

🚨 Which is why I DIDN’T STOP THERE!!!!!! I already signed up for another Harvard certificate... this time in ENTREPRENEURIAL MARKETING!!!! It literally starts at the end of this month!!! If this first course completely transformed how I approach my career, I can’t even begin to imagine who I’ll be by the end of the next one!!!!!!!!!

So yeah. I need to finish these HDMS posts so I can start the new course with a clean blogging slate and share it with you!!!

As for today's lesson, this blog post is pretty important and packed with valuable and actionable advice -- because if I’m going to take everything I learned and actually teach comedians how to market themselves like professionals, I need to start applying it now.

So today we’re talking about marketing funnels. That's right. Marketing funnels. I've been hearing this term for over a decade, and not ONCE has it occurred to me how I, as a comedian, need it. Now that I understand how marketing funnels work, let's talk about:

Why comedians need them;

How metrics can help you book more gigs & sell more tickets;

Why just “posting and praying” is NOT a strategy;

Let’s rock and roll!!!!

I. Why Comedians (And Creators) Should Care About The Marketing Funnel

Alright, let’s get real. Most comedians and creatives “market” themselves by just… posting and praying. They throw clips on Instagram, post show flyers last minute, maybe drop a Tweet about their next gig, and then cross their fingers hoping people show up.

But I'm gonna hold your hand and say it: hope is not a strategy!!!

The reason this doesn’t work isn’t because social media is useless or because you’re “not good at marketing.” It’s because you’re only focusing on one part of the marketing funnel—conversion. You’re only thinking about the end goal: selling tickets, booking shows, getting people to buy into what you’re doing.

But marketing doesn’t start at the bottom of the funnel. If your posts aren’t getting engagement, if your shows aren’t selling out, if bookers aren’t reaching out to you—it’s not because you suck. It’s because your marketing strategy is missing key steps.

The good news???? There’s a fix for that!!! Woohoo!!!!

Today, we’re breaking down the marketing funnel—what it is, how businesses use it to make money, and how comedians can steal this strategy to get booked more, sell more tickets, and actually grow an audience that sticks around.

By the end of this post, you’ll know: ✅ The three main stages of the marketing funnel and how they impact your career ✅ What metrics actually matter at each stage (so you stop stressing over the wrong numbers) ✅ How to track progress like a business, not just a creative ✅ Why the "post and pray" method is setting you up to fail

This is the kind of thing that separates comedians who struggle to get stage time from the ones who sell out their own shows. So, if you’re serious about turning your comedy career into something sustainable—keep reading!!!

II. What is the Marketing Funnel & Why Does It Matter?

If you’ve ever spent hours crafting the perfect show flyer, posting it everywhere, and then getting three likes and zero ticket sales, congratulations—you’ve just experienced the harsh reality of skipping the marketing funnel.

The marketing funnel is the journey people take from "never heard of you" to "here, take my money." It’s how businesses (and now, you) turn strangers into customers, aka how comedians turn random Instagram scrollers into ride-or-die fans.

Here’s the breakdown:

1️⃣ Awareness – People discovering you exist. 2️⃣ Consideration – People deciding if they actually like you. 3️⃣ Conversion – People spending money to see you perform.

Most comedians only focus on conversion (aka "buy a ticket," "come to my show," "watch my clip"). But you can’t convert people who don’t even know who you are. That’s like proposing to someone on the first date. Too soon.

Let’s break it down further:

🟢 Awareness (Top of Funnel)

This is about getting in front of people for the first time.

It’s why businesses run ads, influencers do viral content, and why every brand is obsessed with "reach."

For comedians, this means posting relatable, engaging, sharable content that doesn’t just scream “buy tickets!”

Your goal here isn’t to sell—it’s to get seen and remembered.

🟡 Consideration (Middle of Funnel)

Now that people know who you are, they need to decide if they like you enough to care.

Businesses nurture leads with emails, retargeting ads, free trials, and testimonials.

Comedians nurture fans with consistent content, storytelling, behind-the-scenes stuff, and engaging with their audience.

If you ghost your followers for three months and only pop up when you’re selling tickets—they’re not gonna buy.

🔴 Conversion (Bottom of Funnel)

Finally, this is where people decide to spend money on you.

Businesses track conversions like sales, subscriptions, or sign-ups.

Comedians track conversions like ticket sales, Patreon subs, merch purchases, or show attendance.

If no one is buying, the problem probably started earlier in the funnel—not enough awareness or weak audience engagement.

🎤 Why This Matters for Comedians

If you’re only posting about your shows and ticket sales but not growing an audience first, you’re skipping the entire top of the funnel.

If you’re struggling to get engagement, your consideration phase is weak.

If people like your posts but don’t show up to shows, your conversion strategy needs work.

Most comedians jump straight to the end, wondering why no one is showing up. But marketing is a process. If you learn how to nurture an audience from start to finish, you’ll never struggle to sell tickets.

III. How I’m Applying the Marketing Funnel to My Career

So, now that we know what the marketing funnel is, let’s talk about how I’m using it in real time. Because listen—learning about marketing in theory is cute, but if you don’t apply it, what’s the point?

🔹 Awareness (Getting New People to Find Me)

For the longest time, my biggest mistake was assuming that people would just “find” me. I’d post something funny, get a few likes, and then wonder why I wasn’t gaining more followers or selling more tickets. But here’s the thing: if you’re not actively growing, you’re stagnating.

💡 What I’m doing now:

SEO-driven blog posts (like this one!) to get discovered by the right people—comedians, neurodivergent creatives, and anyone trying to go full-time in entertainment.

YouTube-first content strategy. YouTube is a search engine. Instagram isn’t. If someone searches “how to build a comedy career,” I want my content to pop up.

Repurposing clips and content for different platforms. Instead of posting once and calling it a day, I’m learning how to stretch a single idea into multiple formats.

🔹 Consideration (Building a Relationship with My Audience)

Once people find me, the next step is giving them a reason to stay.

Here’s what I realized: people don’t just follow you because you’re funny. They follow you because they feel like they know you. If they don’t feel connected to you, they’re not coming back.

💡 What I’m doing now:

Sharing my personal journey in comedy, marketing, and self-employment (hence this blog series!). If people relate to my story, they’ll keep coming back.

Making my content interactive. Asking for opinions, responding to comments, creating content based on what people actually care about.

Building an email list. Because social media algorithms are unreliable as hell, but emails go directly to my audience.

🔹 Conversion (Turning My Audience Into Paying Fans)

This is where most comedians start (and fail). They push ticket sales before they’ve built demand.

Before, I used to just post a ticket link and hope for the best. Now, I’m learning that selling requires strategy. People don’t buy just because you tell them to—they buy because they’re already invested in you.

💡 What I’m doing now:

Tracking which content drives the most engagement. If something gets a lot of saves and shares, that means people care about it. That’s a sign to double down.

Using storytelling to sell. Instead of just saying, “Hey, buy tickets,” I’m giving people a reason to care about the show. Behind-the-scenes clips, funny promo content, personal stakes.

Creating a long-term game plan. Instead of throwing random promo out there, I’m mapping out content that builds hype over time.

🎯 Key Takeaway: If you’re trying to build a career in comedy without a marketing funnel, you’re basically throwing darts in the dark. Understanding where your audience is in their journey makes everything easier. And for the first time, I actually have a system to follow—so I don’t burn myself out guessing.

IV. How I’m Doing This Without Burnout (An AuDHD Perspective)

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from this whole process, it’s this: marketing yourself is a full-time job. And if you’re neurodivergent like me (AuDHD squad, stand up!), that can be a fast track to burnout if you’re not careful.

For the longest time, I felt like I had two speeds:

Hyperfocus mode. Where I’d spend weeks obsessing over a new idea—writing, designing, strategizing—only to wake up one day and feel like I physically could not function anymore.

Executive dysfunction mode. Where I’d completely shut down, unable to do anything because my brain refused to cooperate.

It was all or nothing. And for a long time, I thought that was just how I operated.

But now that I’m actually structuring my work around my brain, not forcing my brain to fit into “normal” productivity methods, things have started to change.

🔹 Step 1: Breaking My Work Into Cycles

I no longer try to “pace myself” in a traditional way. Instead, I work in intentional cycles of hyperfocus and recovery.

💡 What this looks like:

Batching content when I have energy. If I’m in the zone, I’ll film multiple videos, write multiple blog posts, and get ahead while my brain is cooperating.

Scheduling rest before burnout hits. Instead of working myself into the ground, I plan recovery time. This means low-effort tasks (like editing or scheduling posts) after a big creative push.

🔹 Step 2: Externalizing Everything (So My Brain Doesn’t Have To Hold It All)

My brain is a chaotic place. If I try to hold everything in my head, I WILL forget things, and I WILL spiral. So instead of relying on memory, I’ve built systems to offload my mental load.

💡 What this looks like:

A marketing calendar that tells me exactly what I need to post, when, and where. No more decision fatigue.

Automated workflows for things like emails, scheduling posts, and reminders. If it can be automated, I’m automating it.

A running ideas bank. So when inspiration strikes at 3 AM, I can dump it into my system and not lose it forever.

🔹 Step 3: Protecting My Energy (Because Social Media Will Eat You Alive)

Social media is designed to keep you on it forever. And when you’re building an audience, it’s easy to fall into the trap of over-consuming instead of creating.

💡 What this looks like:

Muting notifications and setting boundaries. I check social media on my terms. Not whenever a dopamine-hungry algorithm demands my attention.

Focusing on output over input. Before I start scrolling, I ask myself: “Have I posted today? Have I created something?” Consumption comes second.

Unfollowing anything that makes me spiral. Comparison? Gone. Negative energy? Muted. If it drains me, I’m not letting it take up space in my brain.

🎯 Key Takeaway: Marketing myself is a marathon, not a sprint. And for the first time, I actually have a sustainable way to keep going. No more all-or-nothing burnout cycles. Just consistent, intentional growth—at a pace that works for my brain.

V. What Comedians Get Wrong About Marketing (And How to Fix It)

If there’s one thing comedians love to do, it’s roast influencers and social media “gurus.” And sure, a lot of that hustle culture, “just post every day and manifest success” nonsense deserves to be mocked.

But here’s the reality: if you’re a comedian, you are already marketing yourself. You just might not be doing it intentionally.

🔹 Mistake #1: “I’ll Just Post Clips and Let the Algorithm Do Its Thing”

A lot of comedians treat marketing like a slot machine. They post a clip, cross their fingers, and hope it goes viral.

But marketing is not gambling. It’s a system. And if you’re not guiding people through a journey—awareness → consideration → conversion—you’re just shouting into the void.

💡 The Fix:

Instead of randomly posting clips, think about your funnel.

What do people need to know about you first? (Awareness)

What kind of content makes them want to see more? (Consideration)

How do you get them to buy tickets or follow your work? (Conversion)

Your content should walk people through this process, not just exist in isolation.

🔹 Mistake #2: “I Don’t Need a Niche, I Just Want to Be Funny”

Look, I get it. No one wants to be pigeonholed. But the reality is: you are already a niche.

💡 The Fix:

Find what makes you memorable.

Are you the comic who does wild crowd work?

The one with insane personal stories?

The one who breaks down relationships like a therapist?

Once you figure out what makes you stand out, double down on that.

Because if everyone is funny, but you’re funny AND unforgettable, you win.

🔹 Mistake #3: “I’ll Start Posting More Once I’m Bigger”

A lot of comedians think social media comes after success. But in 2024, social media is what makes you successful.

💡 The Fix:

Stop thinking of social media as extra work and start thinking of it as part of your comedy career.

Posting doesn’t take away from your craft—it gets more people to care about your craft.

🎯 Key Takeaway: Marketing is not about selling out, it’s about getting your work in front of the people who will love it. And if you’re not doing that, you’re making your career way harder than it needs to be.

VI. The Marketing Funnel for Comedians (A.K.A. How to Actually Get People to Care About You)

Most comedians don’t think about marketing like marketers. They think, “If I’m funny, people will find me.”

Unfortunately, that’s not how the internet works.

People are bombarded with content 24/7. If you want to stand out, you need a system that moves people from strangers → fans → paying audience members.

That’s where the marketing funnel comes in.

🔹 Stage 1: Awareness (Who the Hell Are You?)

Before anyone buys a ticket to your show, they need to know you exist.

✅ What Works Here?

Viral clips (crowd work, strong jokes, podcast moments)

Relatable content that makes people go, “Omg, I love this person!”

Collabs with bigger creators (get in front of new audiences)

🚨 What Fails Here?

Posting random content with no clear identity

Not posting at all (if you’re invisible, you don’t exist online)

🔹 Stage 2: Consideration (Why Should They Care?)

Okay, they’ve seen you once. But why should they stay?

✅ What Works Here?

Posting consistently (they should see your name again and again)

Behind-the-scenes content (rehearsals, writing process, life as a comic)

Engaging with comments & DMs (show them you’re real, not just another faceless account)

🚨 What Fails Here?

Only posting once every few months (out of sight, out of mind)

Expecting one viral clip to turn into long-term fans (it won’t)

🔹 Stage 3: Conversion (Will They Show Up?)

This is where most comedians fail. They build an audience, but never ask them to do anything.

✅ What Works Here?

Clear calls to action (ex: “Follow for more,” “Grab tickets now”)

Email lists (social media algorithms will betray you—emails won’t)

Exclusive content for your biggest fans (Patreon, merch, special access)

🚨 What Fails Here?

Assuming people will automatically buy tickets without a reminder

Never selling yourself (people won’t guess how to support you—you have to tell them)

🎯 Key Takeaway:

Marketing is not just about going viral. It’s about moving people through the funnel.

If you don’t give people a reason to follow, they won’t. If you don’t keep them engaged, they’ll forget you. If you don’t remind them to buy, they won’t show up.

📌 Every successful comedian today has mastered this. If you want to make a living off comedy, it’s time to start thinking like a marketer.

VII. Avoiding the "Post & Pray" Trap

Most comedians post content randomly and then pray that something will happen.

“Maybe this will go viral!”

“Maybe someone important will see it!”

“Maybe Netflix will email me out of nowhere and give me a special!”

Spoiler alert: That’s not a strategy.

The biggest mistake comedians (and most creatives) make is hoping for luck instead of building a system.

🔹 Why "Post & Pray" Doesn’t Work

✅ The Algorithm Doesn’t Care About You

It rewards consistency and engagement. If you only post when you feel like it, the algorithm won’t push your content.

✅ One Viral Clip Won’t Change Your Career

I’ve seen comics go viral, gain 50k+ followers overnight, and then… nothing. Why? They had no plan to turn that viral moment into long-term fans.

✅ Your Audience Needs a Path to Follow

If someone sees a great joke from you today, what’s next?

Do you have more content for them to binge?

Do you have a way for them to support you beyond social media?

Or will they see one great clip and never think about you again?

🔹 How to Build a System That Works

Instead of just throwing content into the void, start thinking like a marketer:

1️⃣ Map Out Your Content Funnel

Awareness: What gets new people to notice you?

Consideration: What makes them stay?

Conversion: What turns them into paying fans?

2️⃣ Post With Intention

Every post should do something.

Make people laugh? ✅

Show your personality? ✅

Remind people about an upcoming show? ✅

Direct them to your Patreon, email list, or website? ✅

3️⃣ Repeat, Track, Adjust

What’s working? Double down on it.

What’s flopping? Adjust your strategy.

Consistency beats randomness, always.

🎯 Key Takeaway:

Most comedians are waiting for luck. The ones who succeed are creating their own.

You don’t need to be a marketing expert. You just need to be intentional. Stop posting and praying—start building a system that brings people in, keeps them engaged, and makes them want to support you.

VIII. Metrics That Actually Matter for Comedians

Most comedians focus on the wrong numbers.

“How many likes did I get?”

“How many views did this reel get?”

“How many followers do I have?”

But those numbers don’t mean much if they’re not leading to actual results.

🔹 The Metrics That Make a Difference

Instead of obsessing over vanity metrics, comedians should focus on actionable ones—numbers that show real audience engagement and growth.

✅ Audience Retention: Are people actually watching your full videos, or are they scrolling away after 2 seconds?

If they’re dropping off early, your hook isn’t strong enough.

If they watch the whole thing, your content is keeping their attention.

✅ Engagement Rate: Who actually interacts with your content?

Comments > Likes. Comments show that people care enough to respond.

Shares and saves are even better—they mean people want to come back or show someone else.

✅ Dwell Time (How Long People Spend on Your Page):

If people are clicking your profile and staying to watch more, you’re winning.

If they bounce immediately, your profile isn’t pulling them in.

✅ Click-Through Rate (CTR): If you promote a show, do people actually click the ticket link?

A high CTR means your audience takes action.

A low CTR means you need a stronger call-to-action.

✅ Conversion Rate: Are your followers actually turning into ticket buyers, Patreon supporters, or email subscribers?

If not, your content is entertaining—but not making you money.

🔹 Why This Matters

📉 A comedian with 100,000 followers but no ticket sales = a struggling artist. 📈 A comedian with 5,000 engaged followers who buy tickets = a working professional.

Your goal isn’t just to be seen. It’s to turn viewers into real fans.

If you start tracking these numbers, you’ll stop wasting energy on things that don’t matter—and start building a career that actually lasts.

IX. How I’m Tracking Metrics Without Melting My AuDHD Brain

Tracking metrics sounds like a nightmare for someone with AuDHD. Numbers, dashboards, data—ugh. I get it.

For years, I resisted anything that looked like “business stuff” because I thought it would suck the fun out of comedy. But the truth? Not tracking my progress was actually holding me back. I was just throwing content into the void and hoping something would stick.

Now, I’ve found a way to track my metrics without overwhelming myself or burning out.

🔹 The AuDHD-Friendly Approach to Metrics

✅ Pick ONE metric to focus on at a time.

Trying to track everything at once = instant executive dysfunction.

I pick one thing to improve (like audience retention), track it for a few weeks, and make small adjustments.

✅ Automate everything possible.

I use Meta Business Suite & YouTube Studio to check insights once a week.

I set up a dashboard (Google Sheets) where numbers update automatically, so I don’t have to do the math.

✅ Turn data into a game.

Instead of dreading analytics, I frame it as an experiment.

Example: “If I change my video hooks this week, will my watch time go up?”

✅ Use pattern recognition instead of raw data.

Instead of obsessing over numbers, I look for trends.

If a post gets way more comments than usual, I note what worked and try it again.

If my audience drop-off is high, I tweak my hooks.

✅ Check data in SHORT bursts.

I schedule 15-minute data check-ins, once a week.

That’s just enough time to see what’s working—without getting lost in the numbers.

🔹 Why This Works for Me

I’ve learned that data isn’t the enemy—it’s just feedback. It’s like doing open mics: if a joke bombs, I tweak it. If a post flops, I adjust.

Now, instead of panicking over numbers, I treat them like clues that help me get better, faster.

And the best part??? I don’t feel like I’m running on a hamster wheel anymore. I have a system that works WITH my AuDHD brain—not against it. Boy, does that perspective shift make a difference!!!!

X. The Biggest Mistake Comedians Make with Marketing Metrics

Most comedians don’t even look at their numbers—or if they do, they focus on the wrong ones.

I’ve seen it over and over: comedians post a clip, check the likes, feel good (or bad) about it, and move on. But likes don’t pay rent. Neither do views.

The biggest mistake comedians make? They don’t connect their content to actual career growth.

🔹 What This Looks Like in Real Life

🚫 The Wrong Approach:

“I got 50,000 views on this video! I’m killing it!”

But… did it lead to ticket sales? New followers? Email sign-ups? Nope.

✅ The Right Approach:

“This clip got 2,000 views, but 10 people bought tickets from it.”

That’s a win. That means this kind of content is working.

Most comedians focus on virality. But virality without strategy is just a dopamine hit. What actually matters is whether your content is turning into real fans and real income.

🔹 How to Fix This

1️⃣ Track how many people take action after seeing your content.

How many people click the link in your bio?

How many people buy tickets after watching a promo?

How many new email subscribers do you get each week?

2️⃣ Pay attention to what kind of content actually converts.

If your personal stories get more comments than crowd work clips, lean into that.

If your longer clips get more shares than your short ones, keep posting longer clips.

3️⃣ Stop obsessing over what doesn’t matter.

If a post gets low likes but high link clicks, that’s a win.

If a reel gets fewer views but brings in new followers, that’s a win.

🔹 Why This Matters

Most comedians think social media success = career success. It doesn’t.

Success is getting booked, selling tickets, and building an audience that actually sticks around.

If you start tracking the right numbers, you’ll stop stressing over random internet clout—and start building a career that actually lasts.

TL;DR: Stop Posting & Praying—Start Tracking & Thriving

So, what’s the big takeaway here? If you’ve been blindly posting your comedy clips, show flyers, or hot takes on social media and just hoping something goes viral—you’re basically throwing spaghetti at the wall and praying it sticks.

That’s not a business strategy. That’s just luck. And luck isn’t sustainable.

If you want consistent growth, sales, or bookings, you need to track what’s working, identify the weak spots, and adjust accordingly. That’s exactly how businesses like OOFOS refine their marketing plans—and it’s exactly how comedians and creators can refine their approach to building an audience.

Let’s break it down one last time:

🎯 Set Clear Goals – Are you trying to grow your following? Sell more tickets? Get booked at bigger clubs? Your marketing should be focused on these specific outcomes.

📊 Track Your Metrics – Look at impressions, engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversions. If you’re just focused on “likes,” you’re missing the full picture.

🛠 Fix the Bottlenecks – If people are seeing your posts but not clicking, change the call to action. If they’re clicking but not buying, make your ticketing page more compelling. Find the problem and tweak your strategy.

🚀 Keep Iterating – Marketing isn’t a one-time thing. You have to keep adjusting, testing, and improving. That’s how you go from hoping for success to engineering it.

At the end of the day, great marketing is just as important as great jokes. A hilarious set doesn’t matter if no one is in the audience to hear it.

So, stop posting and praying!!!!!! Start tracking and thriving!!!!!!

See you in the next post <33

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