Few other things can have as big of an impact on your acting career as what’s contained in this report...
Recently we talked about your management and we discussed whether or not it makes sense for most actors to even have a manager.
In case you missed that report, here’s the rundown...
Every actor should have a manager. However, bringing on a manager is all about timing and finding the right fit.
The same goes for signing a PR rep. it’s something that most actors mistakenly think will come way down the line, once they’ve “made it.”
The truth is that successful actors think about this from the very beginning and they put a PR plan in place as soon as possible.
Just like bringing on a manager, getting a PR rep is all about timing and finding the right fit. In the early stages of your career, it makes sense for you to do it on your own.
One way or another it’s something that has to get done, so you can build your career as a professional actor.
It’s actually a pretty simple thing for you to undertake, even if you don’t have a lot of credits or any industry contacts whatsoever.
In fact, I’d say that even makes things easier. Here’s why...
When you are starting from scratch, there’s nothing to undo. If you had to explain away a few flopped projects, or a certain industry perception, a PR rep would have their work cut out for them.
Chances are, you don’t have to worry about that, so being your own PR rep is actually pretty simple.
Actors tend to overcomplicate this, mainly because they have a big misconception about what a PR rep actually does.
They usually think that PR is all about getting you on front pages, into parties and red carpet events. On the surface, PR does call for some of that but like everything in the industry there’s more to it.
A good PR rep will help to build your network with quality connections and expose you to new audiences.
That’s really their main role.
See why having a PR strategy in place is something professional actors do from the start?
PR is more about making you visible to the industry, than it is about red carpets and front pages.
That’s why it’s totally something you can (and should) do yourself in the beginning. I’ll give you a shortcut for this in a bit...
First let’s go over one of the most impactful things a great PR rep can do for you. They can create a narrative around you, even when there isn’t one.
One of the strategies used by PR reps is to deny certain things that can create opportunities for their clients.
At best, it’s a grey area so I want to be clear that I’m not telling you this is something you should do...
I’m just letting you in on what PR reps do for their clients.
For example, let’s say that an up and coming actor’s representatives publicly deny that they are going to be involved with James Cameron’s new project.
They would probably issue a statement that goes something like “James Cameron’s projects are always legendary and while not participating in this one, Susan remains open to working with James Cameron in the future.”
Let’s break down what happened there.
Susan was likely never involved in any discussions about James Cameron’s new project. No one said she was either. They simply stated that she wouldn’t be participating.
That taps into a few basic human emotions that draw people’s interest to the story. For one, who is this “Susan” that caught James Cameron’s interest?
That also brings up the question of “who in their right mind would turn down James Cameron?”
All of a sudden, people who would never think of Susan have a reason to dig a little deeper and see what she’s all about.
If she was being considered for that project and turned it down, that must mean she’s available for other projects.
As crazy it sounds, this causes Casting Directors and industry decision makers to take an interest in Susan.
When done correctly, this little publicity stunt will make Susan the talk of the town and she’ll have projects presented to her left and right, that she wouldn’t have dreamed of before.
Why do stunts like this work?
Several reasons, the most powerful one of them is probably FOMO. If Susan is the next big thing to hit the industry (and if she turned down James Cameron she must be) no one wants to be left behind.
Everyone wants to be the first to put her up on screen, in a big way.
If you’re mentally screaming about how unethical this is, I’ll remind you that I said it was a grey area at best.
But, because there was no harm done (to James Cameron or his project which in fact was pushed into the spotlight along with Susan) stuff like this happens all the time.
In fact it’s often orchestrated by everyone involved.
While this can be extremely effective, you don’t have to try this exact scenario yourself. In fact, I discourage you from trying it because there are so many ways that you can generate a buzz for yourself.
Get creative and have fun with it.
Start by coming up with a strategy for being your own PR rep, even if you don’t have any meaningful industry connections right now.
Make it a point to work on actively expanding your network and your influence, everyday. A lot of that will happen off set.
There are many ways you can go about it. The key thing to remember is that you are after building connections and building an audience.
So, that might mean that part of your PR strategy revolves around getting access to industry events, but not as an actor.
Here’s what I mean...
If you were to start an industry blog or a movie review YouTube channel and grow an audience of a decent size, the invitations to cover premieres and other industry events would start to come to you.
You would then leverage that to grow your network, and use it to create opportunities for your acting career.
It seems backwards, but that’s why it works. If you build an audience, the industry will come to you because that same audience will also be interested in seeing your acting work.
It becomes the X factor that not many others can bring to the table.
A big mistake almost all actors make is thinking that their talent will speak for itself, but that’s simply not the case.
That’s why what we talked about today is so important to your career.
Good PR can take a zero and build the perception of them being a hero.
Imagine what could happen if you combined good PR with someone talented and worthy of the opportunities set before them. This is something you can get started on right now. Here’s the shortcut I mentioned earlier.
Without a proper PR strategy in place you will be making things a lot harder on yourself.
Remember, if the industry doesn’t know you they can’t hire you and that’s what you want to accomplish through your PR strategy.
When you implement it correctly you will make yourself visible and unforgettable to the industry. Just remember to focus on places where they are already looking. Here’s how I can help with that too.
Of course, it always helps to have a solid industry reputation. Your PR efforts will help you build that and I gave you a shortcut a moment ago.
The industry loves to help a rising star so make sure that your reputation matches your goals.
You want to be seen as a professional, not just another struggling actor, because it will help legitimize your PR efforts as well.
So what ideas do you have in mind for your PR strategy? Let me know in the comments below or shoot me an email.
I respond to every one that comes through and I’m happy to help however I can, because I truly want to...
See you at the top,
Scott