Question 70: Would you represent me? (asked at the agent panel I spoke on tonight)

Even though this isn't my typical format (taking a question someone asked a panel of agents as opposed to submitting directly to me), I felt compelled to address it, so that you will learn from this mistake.

The actress who asked the question, prefaced it with a little history about her past agency and how it was closed and then asked... and then there was the "uncomfortable pause..." you know the one-- when you've just put someone (or in this case a panel of experts) on the spot and he/she doesn't want to say yes, but doesn't really know how to say no politely... 

This is no different than meeting someone at a networking event, talking to them for an hour, and then suddenly asking for work. It's that same "wall" that goes up. The hour that you just spent, building a relationship, just went down the drain.

Resist the urge to ask a new contact for work. People need to know you, like you, and trust you, before they will hire you, or take you on as a new client. If you're talking business, they know you're looking for work, if they want you, they'll ask you. If an agent sees something in you during that first conversation, believe me, they'll approach you.     

Before asking for something, put yourself in the person's shoes and think, is this something they can say YES to? Remember, people's jobs, reputation, and paychecks are on the line. It's not personal, they simply have to 

KNOW YOU, LIKE YOU, AND TRUST YOU..

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