When I was studying theatre at Carnegie-Mellon there was a classmate who had a famous father, an opera singer well known in Europe. He was very talented and had a huge following. I heard this story about one of his opening nights while performing in a Wagnerian Opera.

Always friendly and outgoing, the tenor was chatting with someone backstage when the orchestra started playing and in the darkness the curtain went up. Obviously, he was pre-occupied with telling a joke or some story when there was a hush over the audience, total silence. Then the orchestra stopped and suddenly- hilarity. Everybody was screaming with laughter. Looking out at the almost empty stage, he realized too late that he had missed his entrance on the back of a HUGE SWAN. Without missing a beat he turned to the stage manager and asked, “When’s the next Swan?”

Often when I speak to actors I mention our upcoming NY or LA “ActorMarathons or our Sitcom, Film, Commercial bootcamps taught by celebrity guest directors I’m always amazed that so many have to think about it for a while or they ask the question, “When’s the next one?”

I wonder if they really WANT to be successful working actors or if they just want to keep doing the same old, same old- having a day job and putting off attaining their real career.

What is it that keeps good talented actors from achieving success??

Not lack of talent or training. There’s plenty of that out there. Is it fear, poverty mentality or just the disbelief that a specific opportunity would really make a difference? I don’t believe its fear. If somebody really wants something they overcome the fear whether it’s asking someone out on a date or cutting off their long hair. And it’s not lack of funds. If someone really wants something, they’ll find the money. I’ve even had actors tell me that they couldn’t afford good headshots because they had booked a vacation to the Caribbean. Somehow they found the money for the trip but not for necessary marketing tools. Gee! Priorities were off there!

I think the reason that good actors are not successful is a perception that they have a lot of time- that opportunities are plentiful and that they’ll stay young forever. PROCRASTINATION. “Oh, NEXT year I’ll go to LA to get work on a primetime show.” “I’ll get a demo reel in six months when I save some money.” “I’ll get around to taking that class next semester”. There’s an assumption that everything is on hold for them, that nothing ever changes. This is an incorrect assumption. It’s also the assumption of people who never get what they want out of life. Somehow they just miss the boat or the swan because they don’t make a COMMITTMENT.

Winners are able to make decisions FAST. They can see the “possibilities” in every opportunity so they get to that audition, hop on that plane, get there-they find a way! They COMMIT. And they have their lives set up so they can go forward. In short, they have their ducks in a row.

How do you set up your life so that you can be a winner? What “DUCKS” did you need to get in a row?

These are the 6 things WINNERS seem to have in common:

1- A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE that’s pleasant, clean, NEAT, and SAFE. Create an office, a place where you can have a computer, database and marketing tools. You are your own one-person business.

2- A SYSTEM of consistent communication with the Industry. That means that every week you DO something to further your career: a class, a professional meeting, a self-submission, updating your tools, shooting a new demo reel. WORK daily at building a career.

3- A CONSISTENT INCOME from a day or evening job to pay for marketing tools, classes and still allow the availability for auditions. If you’re broke and desperate when you go to an audition, you’ve already lost the job.

(I can’t begin to tell you the number of actors I’ve met who are always broke, can’t afford to get the tools they need or meet the top agents who could change their career/LIFE! What are they thinking??)

4- Good PERSONAL HABITS- staying physically and mentally healthy-being happy and optimistic: daily exercise, eating properly, getting enough sleep. Maybe your 9-5-er friends are able to party all weekend and show up at their offices Monday morning tired, hung over. It may not make any difference to them- they have a guaranteed weekly check. But you may have the audition of a lifetime! Looking great for that audition and having energy to spare may make the difference between a major career break and unemployment. You can’t afford to blow it. You need to COMMIT to yourself to always be in top form.

5- A MENTOR – someone to advise, encourage and inspire. Absolutely no successful person got there ALONE. Everyone needs encouragement and advice.

6- A PLAN- goals for the short term and long term and a schedule to carry them out. This includes further training, networking with industry contacts, auditioning for everything you can, developing as an actor by getting into as many shows and performance groups as possible whether you’re paid or not. Revise your plan monthly. If a market or goal isn’t working change it or change your location, tools, approach. Get advice!

OK! Here’s to hoping you get your ducks in a row so you won’t miss the boat!

Meanwhile,

Successful marketing!

Gwyn

If making money as an affiliate marketer were so easy more people would do it. Although the number of people earning money in affiliate marketing is increasing there are still many people who never make a penny.

Here are 5 affiliate marketing tips to help you make money.

1. Choose the niche you want to be in carefully. It is always better to sell affiliate products to people who are currently spending money in a smaller market. This way you do not have to try to create a market and you have always got potential customers to sell to.

2. Try and start out in a niche that you have a passion for, an interest in, or an expertise on. Because you will enjoy what you are doing This will make it more fun and you will see the money come in faster.

3. Start a blog and host it yourself. Never use a free blogging platform as your blog could be canceled at any time without explanation. There are many people who have gone through this with Google’s Blogger.com blogging platform.

By hosting it yourself you can control the content going into it. You can also add new products and programs whenever you feel like it.

4. Create your own land landing pages and use those to build an opt in email marketing list. By developing a list you will make more affiliate sales in the future to people who do not want to buy today.

This is an important tip because most people do not purchase on their first website visit. If you do not have a way to get back in touch with them you are wasting that traffic.

An email marketing list is a good way to sell products at any time. When you have somebody’s name and email address you can email them whenever you have something new to offer.

Your list is also a great way to build relationships with people. This long term approach to affiliate marketing is an asset that will pay you back many times in the future.

5. Purchase the product before you try to sell it. Then create a review page to talk about the good things and bad things of your product. Use your review page as a way to pre sell your prospective customer before sending them through to your affiliate sales page.

This approach has been responsible for millions of dollars in affiliate sales. People use the Internet to research information and your review page can help them find the information they are looking for. Then when they are ready to buy they will purchase from you!

In network marketing the key to success is building relationships.  Most people miss the most important ingredient to this mix.  It’s the follow up.  Then they wonder why they aren’t having success.

Talking to people, building relationships and finding out what others are involved in is very important when you are building your business.  Why build relationships if you don’t have any intention of speaking with them again!  This is something most people miss altogether.  This is how you can stand out from the crowd.

By following up with your prospect this will put you above 95% of your peers.  It’s the key to success in any field you are in.  Making sure you made a good impression or that you were able to provide the information they were seeking is so important.  

No matter what type of setting you met someone in, wait between twelve and twenty-four hours before you follow up with them.  Send them an email or give them a call just to say hello that it was nice meeting them.  Let them know that you are there to be of service if there is anything you may be able to help them with.  Never be pushy!

Here are some tips that may help:

*   Put their information in your database and set your calendar to remind you to follow up with them again in another month.  Just to keep in touch to let them know you are still here.

*   It’s crucial that you remember that you are there to help them and not the other way around.  Give them a reason to stay in touch.

*   During your contact, be sure to share something of interest with them; perhaps some humor or shared interests.

*   If a commitment was made, be sure you reaffirm that.

*   Be brief and to the point.

*   If emailing or writing a note, always address them by their first name.  It’s a wonderful personal touch if you can use them both.

*   If you two met in person, immediately mail them a thank you note expressing your appreciation for their time.

*   If you were introduced to your prospect through an acquaintance, be sure to thank them as well and be sure to let them know how the conversation went as well.

*   Always express your gratitude

If you start today by making follow up a habit, you will have much more success and a much greater outcome.  When you implement this into your life, remembering people’s names and them trying to remember yours will be a thing of the past.