DUMP before Kissing

Acting Career FAQ - DUMP Before KISSingbyBob FraserOne of the most familiar business principles around is - K.I.S.S. - which stands for Keep It Simple Stupid. I'm sure you've heard it and wondered, can I apply that to my acting business?The answer is; you CAN apply the K.I.S.S. principle ... AFTER your business is up and running. But, until you've established exactly how your acting business is going to be marketed - K.I.S.S. is the cart before the horse.First, you have to know exactly what kind of business you are in - and most actors don't understand exactly what kind of business they are in, when they start. (Some actors never figure it out and are forever labeled "struggling.") Do you know what business you're in?Here's an excerpt from You Must Act! that may help:"In the final analysis, show business is two words. "The show part is important - but the business part is critical. "You must understand how to run your business in order to be successful. Here’s the first important question:"What business are you in? "As an artist in show business ... you will always do business by contracting your “services” to other companies. "This is a just a factual matter. “Contracts for services” are the only kind of deals you will make in this business. "That’s how things are done in show business. "Which means ..."YOU ARE NOT AN EMPLOYEE! "YOU ARE NOT A WORKER! "When you talk about getting a “job,” you are really talking about landing a contract to perform services for a show - a movie, television or stage productionand, therefore ..."THIS IS IMPORTANT..."YOU ARE A CONTRACTOR."Think about that. The first distinction you must make in order to be successful in show business, is this: The business you want to succeed in is the contracting business."This chapter from You Must Act! goes on to explain how this one distinction can change your approach to your career. The important part, for most actors, is the understanding that since you are a contractor, advertising your services is a fairly complex undertaking. So keeping it simple is probably not the place to start.D.U.M.P. is where to start building your business. This stands for Delineate Unique Marketing Position.In English that means that it's easier to sell a specific product than to sell a generic one. This is particularly critical in a competitive field like acting.Most actors make the error of trying to sell themselves as "actors" - when observable reality is that producers don't buy actors - they buy "characters."To make your marketing more effective it is crucial that you define for the buyers precisely what you're selling."I'm a serious actor" does not work."I'm a talented actor" does not work."I'm an actor with range." does not work."Get me an actor type!" Is a phrase you will rarely hearcome out of a producer's mouth.None of these "marketing positions" solves the buyers' problems. They are looking for solutions to story-telling issues - not "serious actors."In other words, producers are looking for characters - "I need a smart biker, a vice president of sales, an innocent girl, and a violent street criminal." So back to the marketing message ..."I'm an educated derelict." works."I'm an uptight corporate weenie." works."I'm a virginal seeker of wisdom and truth." works."I'm your worst nightmare on a dark night." works.Well, I'm sure you get the idea - the more specific anduseful your marketing message is, the more likely you are to get that call to "come in" and "show your stuff."And when you're a contractor, that first call to "place your bid" is always the most important call your business receives. After you've worked out your specific product and really delineated your unique value to the buyer - then you can start applying the K.I.S.S. principle.So, DUMP before KISSing.=============================================Bob Fraser is an actor, writer, director, producer/show-runner and the author of You Must Act! The Acting Career Course On Your Computer - and - Headshot SecretsRevealed - How To Get A Great Headshot That Gets You Called InBob's in-person seminar - Show Biz U - is available every so often. The next session is Saturday August 12 in Burbank California. Go here to find out more:=> http://www.showbizu.com