Thursday, February 7, 2013

5 small marketing tips for actors

When clients come to me for coaching, I'm ready to give them everything!  A full, comprehensive plan-of-attack for their career.  I want them to leave with a full set of plans on how to make every aspect of their career HAPPEN!

Then, when they come in, I remember that everyone only has a finite amount of resources.  Not just money and time, but patience, energy and mental head-space.  So, often I leave them with a few small things they can do.  And once they put these good practices into place, we add more.  The results they see add confidence (and sometimes money), and we just keep building.

So, here are a few small things that you can start doing right now, which are simple, but can lead to huge dividends.


1 - The number one most important thing to do is send postcards.  (Even if you're in a smaller market. ) Go to a cheaper website, like isgophoto.com or vistaprint.com, and order 100.  Make a list (maybe a spreadsheet) of the CDs, Agents, and Managers who you may have met or auditioned for.  Send them a postcard every 4-6 weeks with what's going on with your career.

Postcards create and maintain relationships.  Until the industry changes this is how most people prefer to be contacted.  Again, the NUMBER ONE best marketing tip.

2 - Pick 3 friends/colleagues who have careers you admire and buy them coffee.  I did this a while back, and it way a huge eye-opener.  Firstly, actors are collaborative by nature, and they love to share ideas.  Actors are generous that way.  Secondly, besides concrete marketing ideas, they give you an understanding of how to be.  By that I mean, what kind of attitude do they have that draws success and happiness toward them?  Thirdly, these people can be friends and collaborators for the rest of your career.  You have to make a community, or this business is really lonely. (Also, coffee is tax-deductible in this case.)

3 - Volunteer!  If you contact and agent or a manager and say, "I'd like to work in your office a few times for FREE to better understand what you do," they will say yes.  Volunteer to do the same for a casting director, or even better!, offer to be a reader.  The worst that happens is they say no.  The best that happens is that you learn a lot, at the same time as making a connection.

4 - Facebook and twitter.  "Like" and "follow" anyone you can find.  Agents, casting directors, managers, actors, marketing coaches, acting teachers, producers.  You'll not only get casting notices, but you'll also get to know what they are about.
Some casting directors do mostly modeling.  Some agencies work with kids only.  Some managers only have clients who are Asian.  It's your job to know the landscape.  And the worst thing that happens is you get a little spam.

5 - Sign up for one class that is out of your comfort zone.  If you've never had a class with a TV casting director, sign up for one.  Maybe Actors Green Room or Actors Connection.  Sign up for a VoiceOver coaching, maybe Shut Up And Talk.  A monologue class.  A musical theatre class.  An improv class.

Just do one of these things.  Just ONE.  And if it feels good, do another.  Take your time, build your confidence, and I promise you: you'll get closer to the career of your dreams.

11 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. What has your government done to help save you from your financial instability? you strive to survive and yet you hear stories of how your leaders have become terror in your entities... is time to make a different. for will have made money, and we have also come to help you out from your long time of financial suffering. clearing of credit card is made available, software for hacking ATM machines, bank to bank hacking and transfer, change your school grade and become something useful in the society. we also have other form of services such as Facebook hack, whats-app hack, twitter hack, i cloud hack, tracking of smart phones, hacking CCTV, installation of software on desktop and PC, snap-chat hack, Skype hack, wire wire, bitcoin account hack, erase your criminal record and be free for ever. database hack and many more. e-mail: cyberhackingcompany@gmail.com for your genuine hacking services and we shock we your findings.  

      Delete
  2. DEVELOPE YOUR REAL ESTATE WITH THE BEST SERVICES OF US ,PLEASE CONTACT :- In attendance homes for sale in mamaroneck ny builders imminent up so seeing that to it has absolutely obtain off homes for sale in larchmont ny anywhere it was not present. The work of fiction union which will exist cooking the meaning will be situated because well as with the intention of immediately right homes for sale in rye ny be the innovative neatly that will offer new consequence a right technique to learn brewster real estate stage.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your blogs and every other content are thus interesting and helpful it makes me return back again.siege-marketing.nl

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have checked this link this is really important for the people to get benefit from.http://www.publishacademybonus.com - Anik Singal

    ReplyDelete
  5. Very insightful article! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  6. was a great assignment. Even better that you produced a active podcast out of it. Enjoyed it very much

    ReplyDelete
  7. submit startups

    Here at StartupInspire, the possibilities for your new business ventures are endless. We know how hard it can be to get your ideas up and running in a super-crowded market, whether it is due to a lack of start-up capital, lack of technical know-how, or just not having the required inspiration to go on.

    StartupInspire is an international community where the world’s finest talents and cultures assemble to seek crowdfunding, exchange ideas, and share tools and tips to help each other achieve their goals.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thank you for the inspiration. This article is very helpful and informative.


    Tax Profesional

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great advice, I will definitely try it! If you want your email marketing to deliver better results, maybe check if your email list is good enough? If it's not, just take a look at correct.email tool, which is going to help you get rid of the invalid addresses. It's awesome!

    ReplyDelete