Marketing Tips for Actors: Learning When to Say No

I once had a very powerful agent at a major agency with movie star clients. At the time, I was a “soap star” client making a hefty six figure income. He stopped me one day and asked if I wanted to move on, get to the next level. I thought he was talking about leaving the agency and HIM. No I said, things are going well. He took me aside in his office and we had a heart-to-heart.

“If you want to get to the next level in your career you have to finish your Soap contract and never do another soap!” I was stunned. “Tell them –the agency- that you’ll turn down any future offers. You only want to do Primetime TV and Film roles. You have to say NO!” At the time, I didn’t see it clearly. I thought he was crazy.

“But I’m making good money- a six figure income! You don’t walk away from that, do you? And I’m enjoying the roles I’ve gotten-I’ve been nominated for Emmy’s!” He smiled, shrugged and let it go. Obviously I wasn’t going to be a movie star. He chalked me off his short list. He promoted another actress similar to me for a starring role in a film that I wanted to do. When the call came in for the audition/screentest, I was stuck on the set of the #1 Daytime TV series until 8PM. The other actress went to the audition in my slot, got the role and became very successful, a major star. Then I understood where he was coming from.

Sometimes it’s wiser to stop what you’re doing, re-evaluate your goals and say NO. You have to move on in your acting career. Although there’s nothing wrong with staying on a Soap Opera as a contract player or in any satisfying role be it on or off-Broadway or in a Resident Theatre Company, you may be missing greater opportunities for growth and professional recognition by NOT BEING AVAILABLE FOR THE HIGHER LEVEL JOBS! A more dramatic example? A lot of my actor-clients accept student films, low-budget indies with not so great scripts or roles in summer stock, national/bus & truck tours and dinner theatre, even print jobs. They’re not excited about the offers but accept them anyway because they have the fear of being out of work, being poor or struggling forever! And while they’re out of town or on the set of a student film THAT CALL comes through for a major audition for a MAJOR job. Oops! By continuing to accept jobs that don’t offer career growth OR by staying in one area of the business as I had in Daytime TV, you could be making yourself unavailable for that special opportunity that will propel your career! The same is true for staying in a relationship with a particular agent when it’s obviously not working. Being stuck is no fun. How to move on?

What’s needed here is a change of MINDSET. Courage! Just believing that you can succeed and that your career will go forward can make a huge difference. We’ve all heard of the power of positive thinking and visualizing what you want in life to manifest it. Where do you start?

Well, you could join a “MASTERMIND” GROUP- not just a chat room or a social network but an actual LIVE monthly teleseminar where you can interact, discuss your goals, learn techniques for networking and marketing, share your vision and TALK about it. (Why not sign up for ours? It’s FREE, a 90 minute monthly teleseminar). Or you could find a Career Coach, a mentor to guide you through the steps of developing your career. Whether it’s one person or a group, brainstorming works. Two minds or 200 minds are better than one. Discussing your situation with a knowedgeable mentor or professional group is the first step to re-evaluating your dreams, the vision for your life which then can lead to creating the practical ACTION steps to make it happen.

NO can be a great word- releasing you from past decisions, feelings and attitudes. “NO, I’m NOT accepting that sort of work ever again.” NO can be the stepping stone to “YES, this is My vision of the future.” NO forces you to end the pattern of behavior that created your current and past career. By having the courage to say NO you’ve opened the door to the possibility of something NEW, something better, maybe something you’ve wanted all along. Try it! What have you got to lose?

Successful Marketing!

Gwyn Gilliss is the Executive Director of TAM, The Actor's Market (www.theactorsmarket.com) a marketing firm for actors. They provide monthly FREE seminars/teleseminars, FREE weekly marketing tips as well as access to top photographers, graphic artists and videographers (www.sizzle-reels.com) who provide every marketing tool an actor needs. Gwyn's acting career spans several decades during which time she appeared on and off-B'way, in classical roles in American Repertory companies in over 18 contract and recurring roles in Daytime/Primetime TV, Films and dozens of network commercials/V.O.'s. As a Career Coach she is available to work One-on-One with actors at all levels.