entertainment industry coach question 743:How can you get yourself known on the web, without seeming annoying or cheesy?

Sometimes the way y'all phrase your questions, cracks me up! Let me address the later part of that question since it's what's helping me fill my laugh quota for today...

If you are not annoying or cheesy, you will not be perceived that way. I'm going to go out on a limb, and guess that you're neither of those. Because if you were, you wouldn't recognize the annoyances and cheesiness of others, and therefore, you wouldn't recognize the need to NOT be like them. So, go easy on yourself, and don't do anything that you find annoying or cheesy.

Ways to get yourself noticed on the web that are professional, effective and a smart way to market:

1. Create a website that honestly represents what you do professionally, makes it easy for people to find the information on you that they want, and showcases your best attributes.

*NOTE: if you are not website building savvy, and will spend a lot of time learning as you build, I suggest what my mentor Loral Langemeier says, "Strengthen your strengths, pay for your weaknesses." It's better to spend money on a professional web designer, so you can spend YOUR time generating money with your professional strengths. I recommend Kathy Hoffman athttp://www.hoffmansites.com. Tell her you're my client. She's very reasonable and very reliable.

2. Get on Social Networking Sites like: Facebook, Twitter, Linked in. Make informative or inquisitive posts on people's walls.

For example: a camera operator needed an AC. He posted his request on my wall and on my Greenlight Coach Group wall, and found his AC through my friends network. (hint, hint, if you're reading this you should be friend requesting me on FB, joining my fan page, LinkingIn with me, and following me on Twitter.

3. Write an informative blog or create a podcast.

4. Post videos of yourself (demonstrating /teaching/ working) on YouTube. No dancing to a montage of music from the 80's... that's cheesy (the only exception is: if you're a professional dancer).

5. Post informative comments AND success stories on other people's blogs, like this one! Or www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com. This gets you recognized as an expert in your field, in a community of like-minded people.

If you have more detailed questions about any of the above, post it on my comments section and I'll answer it as a separate question.

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entertainment industry coach question 715: I've been in the biz for 35 yrs how can you coach when every thing's changed?

I imagine in your 35 years in the business you've seen many periods of change, including multiple strikes, runaway production, ever-changing technology. With all of these changes how can I not coach? You see, the new people breaking in, haven't been through what you have, so they are going after their careers like "this is the way it is." For them, I coach them on the basic business tools to grow their business that EVERYBODY needs, no matter the climate or changes of the industry.

I do my best to keep up with the changes by speaking to Centers of Influence in the Industry and communicating what I'm hearing and how you can prepare for changes. For people like you, who've been in the industry a long time, I must (pardon the expression) "teach old dogs new tricks." Most people don't like change and resist it too long, hoping that the "money-spenders" will come to their senses and keep things as they were. By the time they realize that's not going to happen, a new crop of ____________(insert your classification) have jumped on the "change" bandwagon, and are getting hired on the jobs that used to be yours.

So I coach people who want to embrace the changes, move with them, and keep working. I also coach people who are starting from right now, empowering them with tools that will help them through future changes which they will encounter. As a coach, I change with the times too. Do you think a decade ago I was coaching clients to market themselves with social media? No. The people who are resisting the change, "fighting joining Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, & YouTube" are losing out on massive opportunities and losing work because of it!

If you are resisting change, and frustrated that things aren't what they used to be, I suggest you change your attitude and start looking for ways to be a part of the change.

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entertainment industry coach question 655:Is it worth it for me to create and produce a web series?

Only you can determine if it's worth it. Web series have been extremely valuable tools for talented people. Are you talented? Have you tested your concept? With sites like YouTube and festivals like ITV, there's a lot of potential for getting noticed with a web series... if it's good. If it stinks, save your time and money and don't waste other people's time either.

You have to believe in your work. You have to have passion that fires you up about it and therefore fires up others to want to work with you. Is investing in a project a risk? Always. That's the nature of our industry.

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entertainment industry coach Question 511:How do I get my own cooking show?

Other than trying out for Food Network's "The Next Food Network Star?" If you have a really strong hook and no connections at all, I would suggest getting yourself a cheap video camera (like a Flip) and shoot 3-7 minute webisodes. The Flip camera plugs right into your computer and directly uploads the videos to YouTube. You can create your own You Tube Channel and then promote it on social media. Create buzz and who knows...

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For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

To stay current on The Greenlight Coach's speaking engagements, recommendations, and work success articles, sign up for her free newsletter at the top of the page and get a great bonus 1-hour MP3 on creating powerful business partnerships when you do!

entertainment industry coach Question 494:Kathy Griffin had a career before she got her reality show. How would an unknown do it?

This question was stemmed from yesterday's blog about how well Kathy Griffin has branded herself.

Personal branding in our industry is different for all classifications, yet has similarities. The person who asked this is an actress, so I'm going to address actors since they have a very specific and public way to brand themselves.

Use Kathy as a model. If you watch her show, she has branded herself, her friends, and her mother, each in a specific way, the same way characters are created in scripted television. The best way to follow Kathy's lead is to determine where you fit in casting. Assemble a cast of your "friends and/or family" around you who are unique and entertaining and create either a video or photo essay blog and/or YouTube channel. For an example of a photo journalistic story see: www.bethdubber.com (Beth is a photographer, so another example of how personal branding is similar between different classifications).

Once you've started, you have to market it. It's much easier than marketing a headshot because it's actual work that you're proud of.

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entertainment industry coach question 365:How do you do anything (business related) for 365 days straight?

WELL OF COURSE I HAD TO CHOOSE THIS ONE! Thank you everyone who contributed your questions for the 365th day of my blog! I will answer all of them that came in. You have to admit, this person was savvy. He knew I was going to choose his. Why? It's timely, it ties into the theme of today, AND he specifically put in "business related" so I couldn't remind him that he eats, drinks, and possibly showers every day. So, well played, my friend. YOU are the one-year-anniversary question.

How do you do something business related for 365 days straight? Here's how I did it and will continue to do it...

1. I made a decision to commit to the business related task

2. I built in MAJOR accountability

3. I knew people needed my help and were counting on me

Let's take each one individually so you can apply it to your career:

1. Make a decision to commit to a daily business task that you KNOW will improve your business. It can be committing to 1 business phone call or email/day, saying a daily power statement, posting on business contacts' walls on Facebook, a daily business tweet, etc.

These are easy examples. You can commit to more complex daily business tasks, like committing to 1 power hour of focused business work, posing a daily video on YouTube branding you as an expert, etc.

2. Building in accountability was KEY for me. As you may recall, there were about 3 blogs that I posted after midnight, dating the blog for the next day. I would write, "Because I haven't gone to sleep yet, this still counts for Tuesday." As a career coach, I am setting the bar. To miss a day, may have been human, but I prefer to be a superhero for my followers. My readers are important to me and I didn't want to disappoint them.

Whose opinion is important to you? Who can hold you accountable for your daily business task. Can you post a status on a social media site daily so you know people are watching and seeing how consistent, dependable, and professional you are?

3. What's bigger than you? On those nights that I was falling asleep after speaking for 11 hours straight after my Greenlight Your Career Bootcamp, a voice would pop into my head and say, "wake up, you forgot to blog!" I could have answered the voice, "it's just one day, they'll understand." But it wasn't about me and it wasn't about how understanding everyone would've been. It was about making a commitment to something bigger. Sleep could wait a few more minutes.

Who do you care about so much that letting them down is not an option? You may not know them personally. They may be the people who need the message of the work you want to produce. How can you get your work out there if you're not doing the "business work" it takes to get your work seen?

Or maybe you do know them. Maybe it's your family; parents whom you want to see you succeed, children whom you want to be a role model for, a spouse who always believed in you who you want a better life for.

How can I blog everyday for 365 days straight? How can I not? I'm committed to your success, and as long as you're out there reading, and sending me questions I will stay committed to you for as long as I'm physically able. SO KEEP THOSE QUESTIONS COMING!

It's been a pleasure to serve you this past year and I look forward to the many blogs to come...

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

entertainment industry coach question 330: Why are the singers on American Idol SO bad and I can't get on because I'm 29?

Well, I must point out that the guy who sang, "Pants on the Ground," was 62 and DID make it onto the show. Look, it's a game show. There are rules and you can't be older than 28, apparently.

However, keep in mind, that the first few weeks of auditioning are entertainment. They have 10,000 people or so per/city. The judges are not seeing all of them, which means that screening pre-judges are deciding who the final contestants are to see the judges. They send through the really good and the really... unusual.

BUT, if you truly are better than the American Idol contestants, there's a nifty website called YouTube and YOU can let the world decide how good you really are.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

entertainment industry coach question 293: Is it worth it for me to create and produce a web series?

How am I supposed to know if it's worth it for YOU? Web series have been extremely valuable tools for talented people. Are you talented? Have you tested your concept? With sites like YouTube and festivals like ITV, there's a lot of potential for getting noticed with a web series... if it's good. If it stinks, save your time and money and don't waste other people's time either.

You have to believe in your work. You have to have passion that fires you up about it and therefore fires up others to want to work with you. Is investing in a project a risk? Always. That's the nature of our industry.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

Question 105: How are all of these people getting themselves seen on YouTube?

I put myself on YouTube...

It's actually quite simple. You set up an account and then upload your video material. Some people put a lot into the production of web series, others just use a home recorder. A Flip camera makes it REALLY easy. You shoot, plug in to your computer, and the software is in there to upload it straight to YouTube or you can edit it first. 

Then, you want to kick in "viral marketing techniques." Look up articles on Google for more information on that. Also, use social networking sites. Post your YouTube links on your Facebook page, etc. 

If you are creating a character or a webseries, consistency is really important to prove that you're not a "one-hit-wonder" and that there is room to grow as well as building a following.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.theGreenlightCoachBlog.com 

Question 61: If I make projects with friends or want to sell an idea for a script or project, how do I go about selling it to someone to produce?

I’m going to answer this in 2 parts because a finished project is different than an idea. 

 

Part 1: How do I sell a project I made with a group of friends?

There is no one way to do this.  Here are some ideas:

1.    Submit it to a festival (film festival for films, ITV.org for tv or webseries)

2.    Put it up on YouTube and create buzz

3.    Screen your project for decision makers

4.    Create a website and sell corporate advertising space

5.    Submit pitches for an article on your project to papers & magazines  

 

Part 2 How do I sell an idea for a script or project? Tomorrow...

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry coach, The Greenlight Coach, visit www.theGreenlightCoachblog.com