Archive for January, 2010

Clean Up, Clear Out, Get Creative

Monday, January 25th, 2010

CreatePART 1

With the beginning of a new year, I’d like to talk about this word completion.  I had a career coach named Suzanne Lyons years ago who instilled this concept in me.  Suzanne basically shared that as human beings, we often avoid a feeling of completion because it takes us into uncharted territory and if we’re not complete in our lives, it’s easy to get stuck in our stories and easy to avoid a high level of accountability.  For artists in particular, it’s essential that we tap into a feeling of completion in order to be able to create everything we’re capable of.

Completion essentially means being at peace with how things are.  You don’t need to fix it, improve it, or dwell on it, but how do you know if you’re complete? You feel satisfied; you’re looking forward, not backward, and the feeling in your stomach is a feeling of excitement and perhaps gratitude versus regret.  What completion allows for essentially is rebirth.  When we are complete, it allows for creation.  When we’re not complete, there’s no room for something new, and we’re bringing baggage along with us.

Start by considering where in your life or in your career you feel incomplete, and write that down.  Perhaps you have an agent that you’re uncomfortable calling.  Perhaps you have some regret about dropping the ball on a project.  Where in your life do you experience guilt, regret, or hesitation?  That’s probably a sign that you’re incomplete in that area.

Next, think about what action can you take or what decision can you make in order to get complete.  Create a realistic strategy by getting back to basics.   Remember, you can always do extra credit, but this way, your goal is manageable and not overwhelming.

Finally, and this is where completion comes in, I want you to decide today that you are exactly where you need to be.  Every setback thus far is water under the bridge; it no longer exists. In the past, you may have struggled, but today, moving forward, you start your action plan with a clean slate. Just remember that this is an ongoing process and you can decide for yourself when you’re complete and when you’re not complete.

Be sure to check out Part Two of this series next week.

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Three Agent Tips

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

One of the most common complaints I hear from actors involves finding the right representation.  Snagging a solid agent or manager can be tricky, time consuming, and expensive.  A lot of actors experience the old catch-22:  “I need an agent to get work and I need work to land an agent”.  What’s an actor to do?

Whether you feel like you don’t have enough time or money to grab the attention of an agent, or you question whether or not you’re ready for representation, you can begin planting seeds with prospective agents easily and inexpensively.   All you need to do is commit to these small steps.

Apply a Laser Beam Focus
I’m a big believer in “doing less more often”, so narrow your agent list to a manageable target group of about 10 agencies.  Ask for recommendations from fellow actors and any industry connections, such as casting directors, producers, acting coaches, etc.  Do you have a peer with representation whose career you admire?  Research their agency.  The Hollywood Creative Directory, available as a reference book in many libraries, and IMDB Pro are good resources to help locate names and contact information for anyone in the industry.  Don’t forget to plug in to online forums such as the Hollywood Happy Hour Yahoo Group.  You will be amazed by how easily you can access up to date information about any agent you may be researching.

Reach Out On the Cheap
People often think good marketing costs money, but there are numerous effective ways to get in touch with agents without breaking the bank.  You might market to your target agents by emailing, calling the office, sending a fax, dropping off a headshot, or asking a friend to make a referral call on your behalf.  Not only are each of these steps free or inexpensive, but they’re also highly effective.

Remember, you don’t have to knock an agent’s socks off with your fancy marketing package.  You’re better off applying the Rule of Seven and sending out small, inexpensive touches on a regular basis.

Make It Personal
I’d say the most effective way to secure good representation (other than booking great work) is to rely on referrals.  Think about who you know that might be willing to recommend you to their agent.  Do you have a teacher or friend who could provide a solid recommendation?  If so, ask them to lend a hand in your agent search process.

If you can’t get any referrals, then be your own best referrer.  Show up to your prospective agent’s office and drop off your materials.  Ask for a meeting and share why any agent would benefit from working with you.

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Getting Back to Basics

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

basics01

With a new year under way, I thought it might be a great time to get back to basics.  So, lemme give you a quick reminder of what I feel is the number one marketing rule every actor must know.  It’s called The Rule of Seven, and it’ll change your life.

I work with an actor named Becky who has been pursuing an acting career for three years.  Currently, she’s got a handful of indie film credits on her resume as well as a couple of co-starring roles on television.  Becky has worked with a couple of ineffective agents and cultivated a handful of relationships, but she can’t seem to figure out why her big break eludes her.

There is a simple reason why Becky is not where she wants to be.  She hasn’t been consistent in any of her marketing or relationship-building attempts.   She’s tried dozens of things at one time or another and met a handful of people, but never followed up and never developed a solid marketing strategy.  Becky is a dabbler.

I can relate to Becky.  During the first few years of my business, I was so eager to get the word out and to become successful that I was willing to try anything.  And I did try just about everything.  I would advertise here and there, but never really see immediate results.  So, I’d change my strategy and try something else.  I would join a networking organization, but not meet the right people right away.  So, I’d quit and move on to another networking organization.  I was all over the place.

The trouble was I was touching the surface of a lot of different avenues without ever really taking consistent and persistent action toward the success I yearned for.   I too, was a dabbler.

In order to truly become successful and enjoy your journey to acting success without going broke or crazy, you must do less more often.  You must target fewer people more frequently in order to see real results.  You must focus on fewer projects more regularly so you can finish what you start.

Rule number one for every actor and creative entrepreneur is this– DO LESS STUFF MORE OFTEN.  Release the pressure of needing to do everything and replace it with a few specific and consistent actions.  Send out consistent and specific ships on a regular basis so you can garner accurate and measurable results.

Successful advertisers understand an essential rule in marketing called The Rule of Seven.  Basically, the average consumer won’t absorb an advertiser’s message until they’ve received it seven to a dozen times over the course of a few months.  This is why Coca Cola spends over 85% of their money on advertising and why you often see the same Geico commercial three times in one hour.  That’s just the rule of seven working its magic on you.

Bed Bath and Beyond masters The Rule of Seven.  Boy, if I had a dollar for every one of those blue 20% off coupons I’ve received!  Even though I often roll my eyes when I retrieve the mail and see yet another coupon, I’ll be honest with you, every time I need to buy some house wares, curtains, fans etc., I remember those coupons and happily make my way over to Bed Bath and Beyond.  Though I don’t use every coupon, (I mean, really, who could?), I think of Bed Bath and Beyond first when I need something.  Pssst… guys, if the Bed Bath and Beyond analogy doesn’t work for you… how about Guitar Center?

If you want to become known in this business, stop trying to meet everyone and focus on a specific short list of target people and market to them consistently.  That’s how you become remembered. That’s The Rule of Seven.  Embrace it.  It’ll make your marketing easy and even enjoyable.

I met an actor named Josh who had been trying to break into the commercial world for over two years.  Josh had done his research and created a large list of commercial agents and casting directors along with a list of commercial advertising agencies.  After his research was complete, Josh mailed a very handsome marketing package to all 260 people on his list.

Then, he waited.  And he waited.  Nine months later, Josh still lacked a single response and he was feeling really down.  The trouble is that Josh did only one touch.  He spent a lot of money mailing off one package to an enormous list of people and did nothing more.  Josh assumed that the quality of his marketing package outweighed the quantity of his marketing touches.  Josh was wrong.

So, I shared the Rule of Seven with Josh. I explained that marketing is a process rather than a single event.  If Josh really wanted to see results, he had to trim his target list and market to the same people consistently for months.  One beautiful marketing package to 265 people will not have the same impact as seven simple marketing touches.

Josh took my advice and ran with it.  He cut his target list in half and devised a simple marketing plan to touch his target list twice per month.  Josh mailed postcards, made phone calls, faxed, emailed, and had a lot of fun.  Guess what… he also produced great results.  In less than six months, Josh signed with a great agent, met with two advertising execs, and booked his first national commercial.  Pretty cool, huh?

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