It's an age-old question, that we often find difficult to answer, "What are you selling?"
I've been in the industry above 30 years now and I still, at times, am not sure, what I am selling. What I do know, however, is that whatever it is, it's clear to most casting directors, because my profile on Spotlight, on IMDB, on FB, on Instagram, on LinkedIn, all matches. It looks like me...and if you watch the first few frames of my showreel, it looks the same also.
My shop front is not neutral. It's clear as to what I am selling- even if I am not quite sure myself. Anyway, it's a subjective industry. I could be 10 different things to 10 different casting directors, but at least when they see my profiles, they are current, clear and all matching.
This lady here is clearly selling bread!
Imagine entering into business, selling bread, and we don't show any of the products that we are selling to 'potential' customers. Or even worse, we show things that we don't have, don't stock, or that nobody wants.
We are encouraged to think of ourselves as a business', but how often do we think of behaving like a business? How would we survive as florists, if we knew nothing about flowers, where to get them from, how to store them, cut them, present them, sell them... we'd be pretty bad florists. What if we opened a florists, because we thought we would like to do that, despite not knowing the business, not having any customers and then invested heavily in premises, artwork, stationery, devices, counters, shelves, stock and had NO CUSTOMERS?
Question is, therefore, if you are in this industry, just how far in are you?
What are you selling? How much do you know about the industry and how much do your customers know about you?
Who are your customers?
It's obvious, isn't it?
Anyone who wants us to provide a service...
Casting directors, agents, directors, producers- they all want, because none of them are selling. They are buying!
When we think of them as our customers, we realise that they WANT choice. They won't just come to us. They want the BEST deal. They want the BEST Product. When they enter 'shopping' mode, they may know what they are looking for, or they may be browsing and if it's not clear as to what you're selling- you're not helping yourself.
If you want to move forward, make a list of the customers that you already have. Is it a big list? Is there anyone missing off your list? Would they even be interested in you, or would they be confused by how you are presenting yourself?
KNOW WAHT YOU'RE SELLING! Or at least... look at how you're presenting whatever it is!
19th January 2023
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