jewel cases vs paper sleeves

[don aday]

I've just read an article by an expert concerning marketing vo demos, stating that the thing to use nowdays is not the jewel case but the paper sleeve for sending a demo to a prospective client. I'd like to get some input from anyone who has experience with this. Which is better to use now, the jewel case or the paper sleeve?

[BobbyH]

Can you link the article? I would like to know the source and reasoning for sending CDs. Personally, I haven't sent a CD in almost five years. As for sending out demos, MP3s have been the way to go. As a matter of fact, the only time a CD has been requested was from Sunspots. That blew my mind.

My marketing drives potential clients to my site. For me, it's a lot more effective and cost efficient. But, the best way to move forward is still to be great at what you do and extremely easy to work with.

[Jon Morss]

Don -- My suggestion would be to contact the person(s) you would send a demo to first and find out which they prefer. From my experience, most agencies and clients prefer an .mp3 or a link to a website that has your demos on it instead of an actual CD. They will more than likely use the CD as a coaster or file it in the circular file if it is received unsolicited. Contact them first though.

[FLZapped]

Common sense tells me that if I am personally handing someone a CD, a paper sleeve is fine; but if mailing, a jewel case offers needed protection.

-Bruce

[don aday]

Locally, here where I live, I send a cd upon request, and links to one's demo online are also used. But if a demo on a cd is to be sent out, it's always seemed to me to be a nicer package with a jewel case. but if that is over doing it, and it really makes no difference, then why bother with the case? I'll just use the sleeve.

Jon, here is the link to that article.
Voice Over Xtra

[Jon Morss]

I think Bobby asked for the link, but thinks for providing it. As you mentioned, it depends on the client, so a call is always good. If it is requested to send an actual CD, then I would ask how they wanted it. But, as far as whether or not to use a sleeve or a Jewel Case, using a Standard Jewel Case allows your name and contact info to be visible if printed on the edge of the Jewel Case when it was packed on the shelf with the 100s of other VO demos. Otherwise it is at risk of being hidden from view and left out of sight. Sleeves take up less real estate, but when its on the shelf or packed in a box with other CDs it may be over looked. At least this is what I have seen.

[Mike Sommer]

If you want to be effective you need MP3 files and CD's.

CD's are you calling card and a full production jewel box is the only way to go, with artwork and professionally printed CD's. CD's tell people who you are and what you do.

Presentation is everything!!!!
If you send out your demo CD in paper sleeve you'll look like a newbie hack. That is, if you don't feel that you're not worth spending time and money on, then why should and agent or client invest the time to listen to you?

Paper sleeve get lost on the shelf, Jewel cases do not.

CD's are how you solicit for representation, and cold mailings to production houses, radio and TV stations, commercial agencies; everything and everyone who can use VO talent. Proactive advertising is how you get noticed and work. You can't hope that someone will just happen to find you on the internweb.

You also need to keep CD's with you wherever you go. Who wouldn't want to listen to you when you hand someone your demo CD? These everyday happenstance meetings are what get folks gigs.

[Greg Houser]

I liked the security conscious part of the article, but having a phone number (even a mobile) isn't much more security conscious than not including your address (which I agree shouldn't be done).

2 minutes online and I can have your address if you have a mobile number on your CD. Unfortunately, most people don't use a PO Box or dropbox address when they set up these accounts (and many phone companies won't accept them).

People, it'd do you good to actually chat with a security person before stating such things (though there other VO articles out there which are much worse when it comes to statements regarding personal safety).

As for paper sleeve vs. jewel case argument. Most places I work with on the East Coast either keep their library in digital format, or use jewel cases to keep them organized. That makes the decision pretty easy for me. Mike mentioned the presentation value of a jewel case, and I agree with it so long as you've actually taken the time to do something with it (I'm amazed at the lack of presentation and forethought some people put into their demos).

A paper sleeve says many things to me. Some are good, some not so much, but none say "professional" like a properly thought out jewel case does.

To each their own, but I've never seen anyone with a marketing background send out something in a paper sleeve unless it was a draft or had little value to them... perhaps it's the experience of working with people like that which has me apprehensive when it comes to using one for my own work.

[Greg Houser]

Originally Posted by Mike Sommer

You also need to keep CD's with you wherever you go. Who wouldn't want to listen to you when you hand someone your demo CD? These everyday happenstance meetings are what get folks gigs.

Sorry for the double-post, but let me quote this. You never know who you'll run into on the street. Over the past year, about half a dozen of my repeat clients came into my life because I ran into them while leaving a studio, on a train, etc. Having a demo handy made life easier, but having a digital format which I could instantly e-mail to them made it even easier (one guy literally had me e-mail it from my smart phone and listened to it from his iPhone while we were both sitting in an airport terminal; I was glad to be flying commercial that day ).

Chance favors the prepared...

[danhughes]

Originally Posted by FLZapped

Common sense tells me that if I am personally handing someone a CD, a paper sleeve is fine; but if mailing, a jewel case offers needed protection.

-Bruce

I used to run a radio station, and we had hundreds of promo CDs sent to us, and I'd estimate that 20% of them arrived with the jewel case broken.

If you're going to mail a jewel case, be sure you have enough protection in the packaging to prevent your client from ending up with a lap full of plastic shards.