Looking to crack into the acting scene? While this career is considerably rewarding and lucrative once you get there, it is going to take some work to put yourself in the position to be successful at this trade. Here are five ways that you can market yourself as an aspiring actor so that you can make a big time.
Put Together Your Marketing Materials
You cannot expect to market yourself effectively if you do not have professional materials to provide to talent scouts. Regardless of the genre of acting that you want to jump into, you need to have a few key items at the ready to give to hiring managers, agents, and other professionals who request more information about you and your talents.
A few of the key elements that you need to successfully market yourself are a professional headshot, an official resume detailing your past work experience, skills, and relevant education, and a demo reel. While many prospective actors have beautiful headshots and a professional resume, they neglect to put together a good demo reel to showcase their talents. Do not make the mistake of not having this compilation ready to go if asked.
Jump Into Facebook Groups
It is not unusual to score gigs through Facebook groups. These communities offer places for people to gather and exchange ideas, share job postings, and make connections that may lead to a new job.
There is no shortage of performing group pages that you can join so that you can connect with other like-minded professionals. Do not be shy about putting yourself out there. You should also be the type of group member who helps others along in their journey. This karma will likely pay off for you in the end. If your fellow actors see you as being helpful and supportive, they will be more likely to return the favor when you need it.
Make Your Own Social Media Accounts
In addition to joining Facebook community groups, you also need to be intentional about creating your own dedicated social media accounts. This type of account should be different from the personal profiles that you use for family and friends. Your dedicated professional social media account should be curated to showcase your abilities in the field.
Be sure to indicate on your profile that you are an actor. This will increase the traffic to your account. It is also important to tag as many people, organizations, and locations as you can. The more that you are able to tag, the more visibility that you will get as a result of your account.
Network, Network, Network
As with any profession, you cannot discount the power of networking. When it comes to making connections to lead to jobs, you will always be well-served by networking. This form of social connection is vital to your success because it gives you the opportunity to meet peers and those in leadership roles within the profession. You may even find a mentor who can guide you throughout your career.
Attending social events, signing up for conferences, and putting yourself out there at professional networking events are all good ways to meet other people in your field and possibly get your foot into the door for your dream acting gig.
Start a Blog
Even if you do not consider yourself to be a writer, you should make an attempt to launch a blog. While social media profiles are great ways to introduce yourself to others in your field, they do not provide for a wide enough space to divulge more about yourself. Starting a blog will give you a place to talk publicly about your talents, your wishes for your career, and the challenges that you have overcome.
A blog is also a place for you to provide relevant content that will keep visitors coming back. You never know what jobs may spring out of people who are dedicated to reading your blog. At the end of the day, the most important thing when trying to land more jobs is visibility. This is where a blog can really elevate your standing within the acting community.
These five ideas are the just start of the ways that you can market yourself as a serious actor.
