OMM #2 - Do Less More Often - The Actors Business Blueprint

If you're like me, an actress or an actor in Hollywood or elsewhere, you are constantly trying to figure out how best to market yourself. I had the opportunity recently to attend a Dallas Travers workshop, which was all about How to Do Less More Often when marketing ourselves to the masses.

Dallas is a very well known consultant here in L.A. and beyond actually, who very effectively (the best methods I've heard of so far here in L.A.) provides actors with a very well thought out system that is sustainable, highly successful and powerful.

Here is a blurb from her teachings:

"Whether you're an emerging actor looking for a solid career plan or you've been acting for years and need a new strategy, I want to share what I feel is the most important principle you can apply to achieve acting success. This simple rule will help you discover how to increase your auditions, build stronger relationships, and manage your time effectively. Finally you'll have a measurable and manageable plan to take your career to the next level."

Does that make sense? We have to be more than just a headshot to them. We have to come at these people with a unique spin....one that they don't see very often. That's what I love about Dallas' methods. Even though a postcard, or a newsletter doesn't seem very unique, the way that Dallas presents them, provides us with creative and unique ways to present an old tool in a new way.

She wrote a great book called The Tao of Show Business - How to Pursue Your Dream Without Losing Your Mind, which I highly recommend you check out. Her book was one of five books honored with the 2009 National Indie Excellence Award. The Tao also won first prize in the How To Category at the London, Hollywood, Nashville and New England Book Festivals. She's good, really good.


It dawned on me as I was sitting in her workshop that day, that I have been spinning my wheels, worrying about marketing, *trying* to be consistent, and sadly NOT being consistent....rather than creating a system, or in this case, using a tried and true system, that takes the worry away, and allows me to consistently stay in touch with those that I want to make an impact on: Casting Directors, Agents, Producers, Directors and Fans.

Her system involves spending 30-90 minutes per day, 5 days a week focusing on a *short list* of favorites in each category that I've listed above. The secret then is to only focus on these short lists, sending them a marketing *ship* every month, and getting in front of them numerous times, through workshops, telephone calls, short one on one meetings, and so on. By the way, a ship is just a marketing tool - a postcard, a Castability Sheet, a newsletter, a press release....well you get the picture. I'm really only scratching the surface of her system - but I just wanted to share it, and let you know that I've already started the process, and I feel better about my marketing already - it feels manageable now!

Her motto, which is also the motto of people in sales - The Rule of 7 - you must get in front of your customer between 7 and 10 times before they really come to know who you are. Which is what helps us book jobs. They not only have to know who we are, but they have to know who we are.

Finally, Dallas is a great teacher, full of realistic, valuable and solid information. Check her website and her book out if you get the chance, and keep me posted on your successes with the system. I will too!

Now go market yourself! The world is waiting.......


Cheers until next time,

Victoria