Leave 'Em Wanting More (or the Lost Art of Wooing)

Ah... single life in NYC. Strangely (or sadly) it’s a lot like you see on “Sex and the City” -- except without the huge apartments and amazing shoes. Being single in the city means that there’s an opportunity for connection around every corner. Thus, even a trip to the grocery store or laundromat is pressure-laden, requiring clean clothes and sparkling wit. The result is that there are a lot of lonely people vying for the one last guy or gal who hasn’t been snatched up yet.

It occurred to me the other day, as I marveled at the industry contacts I’ve made in social settings... just how much building a promising career is like trying to find a promising relationship. Stay with me. The analogy will hold up, I promise. I mean, look at the paragraph above. Pull out the word "single" and insert actor, and we’re dealing with the same thing. So, I theorize that the success of both single-dom and an acting career hinge on this unspoken golden rule: Leave ‘em wanting more.

Don’t believe me? Think back to the last time you had a first date. On that first date, you don’t want to tell your whole life story. You don’t want to rehash past relationships or open up old wounds. You want to engage your listener and make them so enraptured that they can’t think of anyone but you. You want to leave ‘em wanting more so that they are inspired to call you again for that second date, and the third, and so on.

So, how do you do that in your meetings and auditions? How do you leave ‘em wanting more (and how does dating relate even in the slightest?)

1) Choose Your Objective
To start, you have to make sure you’re clear on the objective of the encounter. You might think that when you have that first meeting with an agent that the objective that day is to be signed. However, unless the agent is a one-person operation, getting signed that day will most likely be impossible. There are many hoops to jump through when signing -- getting approved by other agents in their office, the perusal of your materials, seeing your work, etc. Therefore, the objective for this encounter should be (drum roll please...): To get to the next encounter! This means that for an initial agency meeting, your goal should be to get to the next meeting. At a first audition, your objective should be to get a callback. By keeping your eye on the step that’s right in front of you, rather than 5 steps ahead, you’ll have an easier time creating an experience that makes them want to see more.


2) Relax (aka Don’t Try So Hard)
So, if we agree that the best way to approach an encounter is to think only one step ahead, this should go a long way in helping you achieve step 2 -- RELAX. You don’t have to win someone over completely in that first meeting. You simply have to wow them enough that they want to see you again. By relaxing, you allow the other person to relax too.

In my private coaching and courses I often use the first date analogy when talking about relaxing. This relates a lot to how much info to give and how much to hold back on. Imagine this: you’re on a first date, and your date asks, “So, tell me a little bit about yourself.” And you say:

“I’ve been dating since I was 16 years old (including 4 years of intense dating in college), so I really know what I’m doing in the dating world. In fact, I think you might say that I’m one of the best undiscovered daters in the city. I’m looking for a relationship that is passionate and thrilling, but also calm and steady. It also has to be romantic, but not too romantic. I don’t want to get tied down to one specific way of dating. I know I am going to be an amazing mom, and I think that right now I want to have 3 kids. No, wait 4 kids. No, wait, I mean 3 kids. Actually, it doesn’t matter because I know that I have what it takes, and if I can just find the right guy who can see me for “me” I’ll be able to start having kids right away. I am amazing at keeping my apartment clean, paying bills on time, and shopping. I’m an incredible cook. I don’t have much money right now, but I know I’ll be able to make tons more money in the future if I could just find a stable partner. All I want is to be a good wife and parent. I mean, is that so wrong?”

(crickets)

You cringe, but this is what actors do every day in agency/CD offices around the country. In an effort to show how much they WANT this, they spew up every last little detail about their desires and endless positive traits, and leave the agent/CD to clean up that verbal diarrhea.

“Well, I’ve been acting my whole life but I’ve never been able to find an agent. I’m really good at comedy and drama and want to be able to do TV and film and theater and musicals and commercials and print. Oh, and voiceover -- my Aunt says I have a really good voice for radio...”

You see my point? Relax! If you wouldn’t do that on a first date, you really shouldn’t do it in a meeting or audition. I promise, if you think of the dating analogy you won’t have trouble censuring yourself. Just withhold... a little. Keep something of yourself close to the vest, while still remaining open. It’s difficult, but definitely a skill you should cultivate.


3) Take control and make it about them
The more you can take control over a meeting and make it about the other person, the better you’ll be about creating a mystique about yourself. Face it, we all have egos and like talking about ourselves, especially when someone is genuinely interested. It makes us want to be around that person more and more. So, take every opportunity to inquire about the other person. What makes them so right for you, anyway? If you think of your meetings and auditions as business exchanges, it will help you think of yourself as an equal who is there with a job to do.

Also, consider than with the amount of anxiety that actors naturally feel, agents & CDs tend to have to take care of actors a lot. Imagine how enticing it would be to have you take care of THEM for a change? The more control you have in the meeting, the easier it will be for them to relax in YOUR hands.


4) Leave “while the iron is hot”
One of my favorite jokes about quitting early has been, “I want to go out on top, like Seinfeld.” Seinfeld was a classic TV sitcom at the top of its game when the series was ended. This made the buzz and desire for the show hotter than ever. One key component of leaving folks wanting more is if you end the encounter before things get stale, before you both run out of things to say. I’m convinced that some of wonderful first dates that people have do not become second dates may have been because the first date lasted too long. If you spend a large amount of time with someone, you may be thwarting your attempt to get a second meeting. Cutting the time a little short creates a sense of loss, a loss than can only be re-won by them bringing you back again. So, honestly, don’t worry that you only have 5 minutes in that audition room. That’s plenty of time to intrigue someone. This holds true for the amount of time in the room, and also the length of your audition materials. Make them call you back to see the rest of your goods. Trust me - a 2-minute monologue or 32 bar song is plenty of time to show them your stuff, but also short enough to leave ‘em wanting more.

What other dating analogies can you infer from this article? Shoot me an email and let me know your thoughts- I’d love to know ways you have left people wanting more! Or, if you need some support on how to handle any of the above 4 ideas, let me know. Perhaps it just a little pep talk you need, or perhaps your career would benefit from a little bit of coaching. I always offer a free consultation so we can get to know each other and you can see if this kind of coaching would be right for you. I would be honored to be a member of your team.

Have a comment or question? Leave it by clicking below!

Erin Cronican's career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. To learn more, check out http://www.theactorsenterprise.org.

Great Podcasts for Actors and others in the Performing Arts

I’ve taken months curating some of the best podcasts in our industry and beyond. Take a look, and if you have suggestions about things to add, please put them in the comments section below!

Note: Some of these podcasts are no longer producing shows, but Player FM has all of their episodes archived. 

Interviews

The Actor CEO - The Actor CEO Podcast airs interviews with actors and industry pros to help actors feel more in control of their career by learning how to manage it like a business. Be the boss. Be an Actor CEO.

The Actor’s Diet - In each episode of The Actor’s Diet Podcast, I chat with people in my community – artists and foodies – about their history with eating, body image, and current culinary obsessions.

ATW’s Downstage Center - The American Theatre Wing presents Downstage Center a weekly theatrical interview show, featuring the top artists working in theatre, both on and Off-Broadway and around the country.

The Connect Podcast - This is the moment where a meaningful connection is made. In today’s world of digital overload and human disconnect, we need these simple yet rare moments more than ever. It’s Aaron Calafato’s podcast mission to create these connections with diverse guests through a wide-range of entertaining conversation.

BroadwayCon - BroadwayCon The Podcast brings you through the stage door to be part of the excitement that happens onstage and behind-the-scenes.

Broken Legs - Broken Legs is an evolving project that strives to promote innovative artists and their work while exploring what it means to live a full life. Created by Austin Mitchell.

The Dramatist Guild’s In The Room - The Dramatists Guild of America invites you In the Room with some of the most celebrated playwrights, composers and lyricists in the American theatre discussing craft while sharing their influences and experiences when creating their most celebrated work.

The Ensemblist - The Ensemblist is an inside look at the experience of being a Broadway performer- from the first rehearsal through performing eight shows a week and beyond.

Headset - Headset is the podcast for people who work backstage, where different guests discuss all aspects of technical theatre and share some of their stories.

The Honest Actors - Created and hosted by Jonathan Harden, The podcast launched in September 2015 and after quickly gaining the support of Equity, is now the UK’s #1 acting podcast, recommended to students at RADA, LAMDA and as far afield as New York University.

Inside Acting - Inside Acting is a weekly show dedicated to demystifying the inner and outer game of success in the entertainment industry – for actors, and by actors.

Masters of the Stage - A podcast by the Theater Development Fund and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Workshop Foundation, with interviews of directors and choreographers

Maxamoo - A roundtable podcast about theater and performance in New York City

Nothing Shines Like Dirt - Elise Sievert & Lesley Shannon invite you to be a fly on the wall while they jump head first into unpredictable dialogue about creating your own work with guest artists in the entertainment industry. They will slide into conversations about work, creativity, and the art of storytelling. And don’t worry, they promise it will be full of playful insights into the little and not so little idiosyncrasy of ​day to day life. Let’s get started empowering and connecting our fellow artists!

Off and On: A NY Theater Podcast - With Playwright Bernardo Cubria - this podcast was named the top Theatre Podcast by American Theatre Magazine.

Off Script - Offscript is the official podcast of American Theatre, containing conversations with critics, playwrights and the editors of AT.

TheaterCast - Run by Nick Cusamano (@edtech4theatre on Twitter), this is a podcast where theatre teachers and professionals share their passion for theatre.

Theater People - Interviews with Tony Winners, Broadway Legends, and Today's Hottest Theater Stars. Brought to you biweekly by Patrick Hinds and Mike Jensen.



Podcasts outside of New York

KCRW’s Opening The Curtain - Musings on what theatre is - and can be - in Los Angeles.

National Theater, UK - These podcasts provide the latest round-up of events at the National Theatre, featuring interviews with actors, directors and creatives.

Off Stage and On The Air - Off Stage and On The Air focuses on Theatre around the country. We are a lively and funny bunch who love theatre and love to talk about it. We also feature guest from and around the Austin, TX theatre scene (yes, there is LOTS of theatre in Austin).

Stage Talk - A weekly conversation about stage events in the Anchorage metro area with a calendar of events. Hosted by Mark Muro and Kristina Church and broadcast each Friday on KSKA FM 91.1 in Anchorage, Alaska.

Talk Theater Chicago - A weekly podcast about Chicago's Theatre scene on Chicago's Premier Theatre Podcast Network - Talk Theatre in Chicago



Reviews, Performances, and Features from Theaters & Production Companies

Broadway Radio - with James Marino and Peter Filichia

Go See A Show - The Off Off Broadway Podcast

Let Me Ascertain You - Let Me Ascertain You is a podcast that investigates vital questions of the present. The show draws from live performances at the premiere nightclub Joe's Pub, where the Civilians' artists perform the real words of various ordinary and extraordinary people, proving that truth is indeed stranger and more wonderful than fiction. The show also features original songs, also taken verbatim from interviews, and created by some of the leading musical theater and downtown cabaret talent in New York

Listen with Patty and Emily - Comedy and Opinions from Two Broadway Fans!

NPR - This is a master list of any program tagged with “Theater” in NPR, but there’s also information from the film, comedy and opera worlds.

Off Off Podcast - A podcast celebrating the indie spirit.

Reduced Shakespeare Company - Backstage drama. Touring trauma. Famous Guests. Infamous quests. Literary analysis. No urinalysis. All this and less – on the Reduced Shakespeare Company Podcast.

The Set List - A comprehensive collection of the best cabaret performances in New York City, including the works of Musical Theater composers, classical favorites, and new musical readings.The Set List features live recordings of Off Broadway concerts as well as behind the scenes interviews and conversations with select artists.

Something New - Join award-winning musical theatre writer Joel B. New as he interviews the savviest singers he knows! Each guest brings multiple talents to the theatre industry, from photography to teaching to massage therapy, and their careers as performers have only been enriched by them.

Steppenwolf Theater - STEPPENWOLF THEATRE COMPANY is a Chicago-based international performing arts institution committed to ensemble collaboration and artistic risk through its work with its permanent ensemble, guest artists, partner institutions and the community.


Business/Producing Skills

2AMT - From the people behind 2amtheatre.com comes the 2amt podcast. Sometimes an interview, sometimes a roundtable, 2amt’s first podcast talks about ideas for theater companies at every level, from the tiniest storefront theater to the largest regional theater. Thinking outside the black box.

Access to Anyone - Access to Anyone is the podcast that explores how you can get to know anyone you want to in business and in life using everything from the latest technology to the most time tested principles. Hosts Michael Schein and Michael Roderick cover topics such as the Art of the Ask, how to use online content to make power players clamor to meet you, and the technique of “leveling up”.

Duct Tape Marketing - Interviews with authors, experts and thought leaders sharing business marketing tips, tactics and resources hosted by one America's leading small business marketing experts. With John Jantsch.

National Arts Marketing Project Radio - NAMPRadio, the official podcast of the National Arts Marketing Project is a monthly 45-minute show covering marketing and technology trends of interest to the field. Each episode also features a special guest artist who is connected to the topic. The shows have featured in-depth discussion on relevant topics such as online ticketing/CRM, CMS websites, Working with the Press, Arts Administration Degrees, and a variety of other topics.

The Producer’s Perspective - Ken Davenport’s popular blog, TheProducersPerspective.com, is now a podcast! On each episode, Tony Award Winning Broadway Producer Ken Davenport interviews a Broadway industry professional to get their perspective on The Great White Way.

Social Media Marketing Happy Hour - The Social Media Marketing Happy Hour Podcast hosted by Dawn Marrs Ortiz & Traci Reuter is designed for the network marketer, small business owner, entrepreneur, mlm professional, mompreneur, wahm, wahd, who is tired of the grind and ready to learn to leverage social media marketing sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more to get a bigger list, more leads and recruit and sell more products. Each episode is 15 minutes long, 5 days per week, jam packed with success tips & nuggets to help you succeed in your entrepreneurial journey.

Theatre Geeks - Theatre Geeks is a podcast and website focused on community theatre, featuring episodes and articles on acting, directing, technical and business issues, as well as other news and feature topics. Whether you call it community theatre, amateur theatre, or amdram, we've got it covered.

Unmarketing’s Unpodcast - Experts are constantly telling us what we need to be doing to improve our businesses. “TheUnPodcast” tells you what not to do first, so we can discuss what you really need to do to succeed in the new world of business marketing. Easy to digest, easy to avoid. Includes real-life examples along with tips and guidance on experts, human resources, marketing/branding, networking (in person and online), public relations, and customer service.



Inspiration, Culture & Comedy

Coaches Corner - On Coaches' Corner, Coach Andrew has a conversation with leaders from the worlds of business and personal coaching, transformation and personal development who touch, move and inspire people to action in their lives. Listeners who participate during the live show will have an opportunity to ask 1questions of his guests.

Freakonomics Radio - Host Stephen Dubner has surprising conversations that explore the riddles of everyday life and the weird wrinkles of human nature—from cheating and crime to parenting and sports. Dubner talks with Nobel laureates and provocateurs, social scientists and entrepreneurs — and his Freakonomics co-author Steve Levitt.

Happier with Gretchen Rubin - Gretchen Rubin is HAPPIER, and she wants you to be happier too. The #1 bestselling author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before gets more personal than ever as she brings her practical, manageable advice about happiness and good habits to this lively, thought-provoking podcast. Gretchen’s cohost and guinea pig is her younger sister, Elizabeth Craft, a TV writer and producer living in Los Angeles, who (lovingly) refers to Gretchen as her happiness bully.

Here’s the Thing - Here’s The Thing is a series of intimate and honest conversations hosted by Alec Baldwin. Alec talks with artists, policy makers and performers – to hear their stories, what inspires their creations, what decisions changed their careers, and what relationships influenced their work. Produced by WNYC Studios.

The Jillian Michaels Show - Jillian Michaels, America's Health and Wellness guru, brings you the Jillian Michaels Show. An entertaining, inspirational, informative show that gives you tools to find health and happiness in all areas of your life.

Louder Than Words - Louder Than Words delivers the creative inspiration you need to be a more successful entrepreneur, writer, designer, or creator in general. Every week I sit down with a special guest to provide a glimpse into the lives and creative process of the most remarkable people you know.

Ronna and Beverly - A comedy series about fictitious authors Ronna Glickman & Beverly Ginsberg who write books like “You’ll Do A Little Better Next Time: A Guide to Marriage and Re-marriage for Jewish Singles” (“It says Jewish in the name — but it’s for everyone!”). These outspoken fiftysomethings from Boston, who can be seen regularly at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in LA, dispense their unique brand of relationship advice while interviewing/interrogating celebrity guests.

Slate Culture Gab Fest - Listen to Slate's critics Stephen Metcalf, Dana Stevens, and Julia Turner, plus their guests, discuss what's happening in movies, books, TV, and more.

Ted Talks (Audio) - Here is a complete list of audio Ted Talks, in every subject imaginable

This American Life - This American Life is a weekly public radio show, with a different theme to each episode and a variety of stories on that theme. From their website: “Most of the stories are journalism, with an occasional comedy routine or essay. There's lots more to the show, but it's sort of hard to describe. Probably the best way to understand the show is to start at our favorites page, though we do have longer guides to our radio show and our TV show. If you want to dive into the hundreds of episodes we've done over the years, there's an archive of all our old radio shows and listings for all our TV episodes, too.”

Two Dope Queens - Join the 2 Dope Queens, Phoebe Robinson and Jessica Williams, along with their favorite comedians, for stories about sex, romance, race, hair journeys, living in New York, and Billy Joel. Plus a whole bunch of other s**t. Produced by WNYC Studios.

WTF - Marc Maron is tackling the most complex philosophical question of our day - WTF? He'll get to the bottom of it with help from comedian friends, celebrity guests and the voices in his own head.

Get my brand new online course, Mastering the Art of Relationships, and others at courses.theactorenterprise.org

Have a comment or question? Leave it by clicking below!

Erin Cronican’s career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. She is the Founder/Coach of The Actors’ Enterprise, co-founder and Managing Director of The Seeing Place Theater, and writes an “Experts” column for Backstage. To learn more, check out www.TheActorsEnterprise.org and find her on Twitter @ErinCronican.

A New DIY Course - Just For You!

I’m excited to announce that I’ve created an affordable DIY Course to help demystify the entire process of networking: my new program MASTERING THE ART OF RELATIONSHIPS. In the course I go over the three major segments of building a great relationship: Planning, Sharing, and Tracking.

The course will be offered starting September 9 on my website: courses.theactorsenterprise.org. To be notified when it will be launched, make sure you’ve joined my newsletter. You’ll receive a special announcement when it is uploaded, and you'll also be eligible to get the Bonus - a 45 Day Networking Challenge that comes with free coaching via Facebook Live. I hope to see you'll take advantage of this amazing course, put together for you with love.

I'm launching this course in tandem with the NY Actor's Pro Expo, which is happening this weekend!

I’ll be giving free mini-coaching sessions at the Expo on Saturday, September 8 - from 10am-4pm this amazing trade show for actors will be packed with people to network with, which is a wonderful kick off to my course. One lucky person who leaves their business card will receive the DIY course free of charge (a $293 value.) So make sure you come on my and drop your business card in the bowl for your chance to win!

Here are more details about the event:

Actors Pro Expo will return to New York in September 2018! FREE ENTRY tickets are limited so grab yours by clicking here now!

Actors Pro Expo is a trade show to help creatives DEVELOP and SUSTAIN their career and to CREATE new opportunities for themselves. Attendees get to meet exhibitors from a wide range of services.

Actors Pro Expo also offers exciting workshops and information-packed seminars led by a range of top industry professionals. Plus there are a limited number of expert 1-2-1 career building sessions to book on the day.

But wait, there’s more! In addition to all these great offerings there will also be not one but TWO exclusive OPEN CASTING CALLS for a range of roles in film and theater!

BUT HERE’S THE BEST BIT………

General admission is FREE, the open casting call is FREE (audition slots offered on a first-come-first-served basis), even our Seminars with leading industry-professionals AND expert 1-2-1 career building sessions will also be FREE! For those wanting to get to the next-level in their careers, our Workshops with leading industry experts will be available for $30 each and can be booked online in advance here along with your FREE ENTRY tickets, which are limited, so make sure you GRAB YOUR TICKET BY CLICKING HERE NOW!

Have a comment or question? Leave it by clicking below!

Erin Cronican’s career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. She is the Founder/Coach of The Actors’ Enterprise, co-founder and Managing Director of The Seeing Place Theater, and writes an “Experts” column for Backstage. To learn more, check out www.TheActorsEnterprise.org and find her on Twitter @ErinCronican.

Writing the Perfect Follow-Up

You’ve done your preparing and targeted the perfect industry folks for the kind of career you wanted. You managed to get an audition or signed up for one of their classes, during which you charmed them with your ease and talent. And now that you have their contact information, you’re wondering just exactly what you should do with it. You’ve been told that postcards are the way to go, but what is the best way to write those follow-ups with the same ease and talent you shared in the room? How do you make sure the postcards get read? And how can you do so in a way that doesn’t waste a lot of your time?

There are three kinds of communications you can make via postcard after you’ve met someone in the industry:

• Thank you (to establish the line of communication). This is sent after seeing/meeting industry in-person and the postcard will now be your "proxy."
• Update (to keep them posted about what’s going on in your career). This is sent on a regular basis, every 1, 2 or 3 months - your choice. 
• Invitation (sending them information about a project where they can be your guest). This is sent on an occasional basis, as screenings/shows pop up. 

A few things about creating content:

When sending written communications it’s very important that the purpose include only one of the above - by choosing one intention, it makes it easier for the reader to easily get your message without becoming overwhelmed. Example: If it’s an update, don’t also include an invitation. If it’s a thank you, don’t also include an update. Each one should be separate and succinct.

Always start your communication with how you’re acquainted, so that the industry person can more easily remember who you are. And then tell them what the communication is about. Think of it like a phone call - when you call someone you don’t just say, “Hi, I’d really like to work with you.” That's a little intense and off-putting. You would ease into it with an introduction, “Hi, we met at the audition for the film 'Crazy For You.' I’m sending you an update on what’s been happening with my career.”

You then move on to the main portion of the communication, which is the meat of what you want to say. Think of this section as “solving their problem” - what do they need when reading your communication, and how can you provide that? For a thank you, you’ll want to tell them what resonated with you about your interaction. For an update you’ll want to give them relevant information that they need to know about your career. And for an invitation, you would include the vital information about your project (including how long it is and who else it involved - very important!)

The final section is the sign-off, or what I like to call, “Ask for what you want.” Let them know what you want them to do when they put the postcard down - do you want them to call you for a meeting? Keep you in mind for future projects? Invite you to become a reader for them? Really think about what it is you’re asking for, and then sign off with your contact information so that they can easily reach out to you.

It bears mentioning that it may not be obvious that postcards are “working”, but rest assured that they are! Think of them like commercials - when you see a commercial you don’t automatically get up and buy the product on the screen. But when you are ready to buy something, those commercials will come front of mind and be a part of your buying decision. This is what happens when you help industry folks keep YOU front of mind with your consistent updates.

Finally - you probably notice that the same thing can be said for sending thank you’s / updates / invitations via email. If email is the only contact information you have and you cannot find an address, then email is fine! (The main concern about email is that it can easily get lost in the shuffle of day to day life of the industry member.) But all of my advice holds true for email - the only thing to add is making sure you attach a small version of your headshot to the email so that they can remember what you look like.


Did you like this advice? Great news! I’ve debuted my brand new DIY Course “Mastering the Art of Relationships” which includes video and worksheets designed to help you dive deeply into your communications to make networking easy, painless, and fun. Sign up for the course here: courses.theactorsenterprise.org

Have a comment or question? Leave it by clicking below!

Erin Cronican’s career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. She is the Founder/Coach of The Actors’ Enterprise, co-founder and Managing Director of The Seeing Place Theater, and writes an “Experts” column for Backstage. To learn more, check out www.TheActorsEnterprise.org and find her on Twitter @ErinCronican.

The Importance of Following Up

Imagine that you go on a solo vacation and while on your travels you meet an interesting person with whom you share an afternoon exploring. You have a fantastic time and want to stay in contact so that future travels might be possible. You exchange contact information and your fellow adventurer implores you to keep in touch. But after the trip you start to worry that maybe they didn’t mean it. Maybe they meet lots of people on their travels, so your time wasn’t that special. Before you know it you’ve talked yourself out of keeping in touch. A year passes and it’s time for travel again, and your mind falls back to your traveler friend who you met a year ago. Is it appropriate to reach out to see if they’d like to travel again? Will they even remember you? Will they be upset that you didn’t reach out sooner? And now you’re kicking yourself, because had you kept in touch to begin with you might be able to skip all of this anxiety and have another fun filled adventure. But instead, your relationship stopped short of developing and now you’re left to start all over. 

I’m sure you can see how this relates to our work as actors. We all know that consistent follow up with industry is key, but we somehow talk ourselves out of it for a myriad of reasons. I took some time to examine the concerns most frequently raised by my students and came up with the top 4 reasons actors avoid the follow-up.


“They probably get updates from hundreds of actors”

Surprisingly, this is not true. Most actors send an initial follow up after meeting someone and then avoid sending follow ups thereafter. Even if industry people did get hundreds of updates, a well written update is always appreciated when your recipient knows you and your work. Note that I said “knows you and your work” - I firmly advocate against sending updates to industry professionals who do not know your work. Updates are too personal if they have no context, so I’d focus on getting in the room with them first, then sending updates after that.


“When they say ‘follow up’ they don’t really mean it”

This is a really common fear, but we really do mean it. I run a theater company, and I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve had to say no to an actor purely because of circumstances out of their control. I request for these people to keep in touch, because there is a good chance I will be able to cast them next time around. But actors often have their eyes on the short game - they get frustrated and avoid following up - instead of playing the long game and using the initial audition as the introductory part of a longer relationship.


“I heard follow ups just go into the trash”

This might be true for some people. But more often than not, a well-written, authentic follow up is deeply appreciated by industry folks. And you’ll certainly never build the relationship beyond the first meeting if you don’t take that extra step to keep in touch. I call that effort “the cost of doing business.” You’ll get enough of a benefit even if efforts are wasted on some people.


“I never get anything from it”

Think of follow ups like commercials. When we see/hear commercials, we almost never get up from what we’re doing and go out to buy that product. Instead, we file the information away for when we need it. So you’ll never know for certain how it’s working, but you have to have the confidence that it is. The hope is that when the industry person is in the market for someone like you, your follow ups help you be front of mind. I have a friend who just got called into a major casting office a few days after randomly passing a casting director in the hallway at an event. Just that little reminder was all it took - no conversation even took place! Your follow-up can be like that casual sighting in a hallway.


In a future post I will go over what a “well written” follow up will look like. In the meantime, if there are other reasons you don’t follow up with people you’ve met, leave your thoughts in the comments below and I’ll help you work through your concerns!


Did you like this advice? Great news! I’ve debuted my brand new DIY Course “Mastering the Art of Relationships” which includes video and worksheets designed to help you dive deeply into your communications to make networking easy, painless, and fun. Sign up for the course here: courses.theactorsenterprise.org

Have a comment or question? Leave it by clicking below!

Erin Cronican’s career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. She is the Founder/Coach of The Actors’ Enterprise, co-founder and Managing Director of The Seeing Place Theater, and writes an “Experts” column for Backstage. To learn more, check out www.TheActorsEnterprise.org and find her on Twitter @ErinCronican.

5 Ways to Turn Off The Noise

I want to talk today about something that’s really getting in the way of my students who are trying to increase their focus in their acting career.

An actor will sit down to put their mind on a specific goal, and immediately their attention is pulled to something other than their work. They might check social media and then get caught up in social (or political) drama. Or they get so wrapped up in the researching of a task that the task itself never gets done. In the end, no work is completed and the actor is left feeling like they’re just spinning their wheels with no traction to show for it.

I can imagine most of you are nodding your heads in recognition.

If you’re committed to treating your career like a true business, these little distractions are a dangerous form of self sabotage. I call these distractions NOISE.

Noise creates a chatter in your head that make it practically impossible to focus on this tasks at hand. Noise forces you to abandon what you’re committed to in service of something else less important.

Now, noise can happen for a lot of reasons, and oftentimes we feel like we have no control. But there are a couple of things you can do to eliminate the noise - even for a brief time - that will make your work much more successful.


1) Create a workspace where distractions are minimal.

This might mean clearing a place in your apartment where work is most easily done. Or it might mean taking yourself on a coffee date and working remotely. (I love Le Pain Quotidien - they have wifi and big tables!)


2) Turn off your phone.

Believe me, you can handle being inaccessible for an hour or two.


3) Pay attention to what kind of work-flow works best for you.

Most people work best for about 55 minutes, with a 5 minute break at the end of the hour. But some people prefer to work longer stretches with a longer break in between. Test out a few different types of work flows and see what’s best for you.


4) Digital or Analog?

Not everyone likes to work in the same medium - some love pen to paper and others love their digital devices. Figure out which of the two - or what combination of the two - works best for you. (This is especially useful when creating “to-do” lists! Try Todoist for digital track management, and the Passion Planner for a paper planner.)


5) Create a mini goal for your work session.

What would you like to get done in your first hour? Focus on doing NOTHING ELSE until that hour is complete. You may notice your mind wander, and that’s ok. Just don’t give into the wandering, and put your focus back where it belongs.



I’m really curious to find out what “noise” means to you and how it’s been getting in the way of having what you want. Leave a comment down below and let me know which of the above tips worked best for you to clear the noise!


Did you like this advice? Great news! I’ve debuted my brand new DIY Course “Mastering the Art of Relationships” which includes video and worksheets designed to help you dive deeply into your communications to make networking easy, painless, and fun. Sign up for the course here: courses.theactorsenterprise.org


Have a comment or question? Leave it by clicking below!

Erin Cronican’s career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. She is the Founder/Coach of The Actors’ Enterprise, co-founder and Managing Director of The Seeing Place Theater, and writes an “Experts” column for Backstage. To learn more, check out www.TheActorsEnterprise.org and find her on Twitter @ErinCronican.

Feel Adrift? Create Your Personal Mission.

I’ve worked with hundreds of actors as a career coach, and one similarity keeps popping up no matter how much experience, training, or passion each actor has. They all feel adrift in some way and need something to get them back on track and keep tethered.

The difficulty occurs when attentions are split between ones acting career and the family, friends, day jobs, health/wellness, and hobbies that are also calling their attention. It’s especially difficult when trying to figure out when and how to say, “No” when feeling overwhelmed.

I imagine more than a few of you are nodding your heads in recognition!

More often than not, the advice I give to actors in this situation is to: Create Your Personal Mission.

Your personal mission is an agreement you have with yourself that governs the kind of life you want to lead. Which activities will give your days meaning and which can you let go of? How do you know which projects to embrace and which to decline? And how can you balance all of the good things that come your way?

Creating a personal mission is similar to the missions created by non profit organizations. It’s a simple statement that outlines what matters to you, and it is the central theme that governs the things you do. The good news is that your personal mission has probably already been set - you just have to uncover it and bring it to the forefront.

I’ll give you an example from my life.

I took an afternoon and wrote down all of the things I did in my daily life - coaching actors, producing with an actor-driven ensemble, being a mediator in my family, being on the board of a singer’s open mic, being a connective resource for friends in need, and acting in professional theater (to name a few.) I then took a moment to write down all of the things that those activities had in common, and I split them into two categories: Things that give me energy, and things that take energy away. I then looked at what gave me energy and I started to see a pattern - this is the basis for what my personal mission ended up being.

I noticed that most everything that gave me energy involved empowerment, and it involved bringing people together. And everything related to “jobs” were artistic in nature, or creatively based. This helped me craft this mission:

My mission is to inspire and empower as many people as possible, and to live creatively with empathy and love.

Once I had my mission, I could create a plan around how I was going to achieve that mission in my daily life. Each time I am offered some sort of project I hold it up to my mission to see if it fits. Do I feel inspired and empowered? Do I get to create with empathy and love? And does the project allow the same for others? If my answer is no, this tells me that it might not be the right project for me.

This doesn’t mean that I can’t choose projects because of money or exposure. Far from it! In those cases I ask myself - how will more exposure or more money help me be more creative, inspired and empowered? (I’ll tell you, being able to pay rent easily is VERY empowering!) Again, you take what is being offered and hold it up to your mission, and that will help you to know what action to take.

And we can take that into the day to day things that aren’t project based. Each morning I wake up and ask myself, “What things can I do today that are in line with my mission?” And then I do those things, because... #motivation.

I would love to hear what your personal mission is - take some time today or tomorrow to create it and then leave it in the comments section. It would be wonderful to get to know you, and see how you might be able to inspire others! (See? That’s my mission at work again...)


Erin :)


Did you like this advice? Great news! I’ve debuted my brand new DIY Course “Mastering the Art of Relationships” which includes video and worksheets designed to help you dive deeply into your communications to make networking easy, painless, and fun. Sign up for the course here: courses.theactorsenterprise.org

Photo Credit: https://www.kuder.com


Have a comment or question? Leave it by clicking below!

Erin Cronican’s career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. She is the Founder/Coach of The Actors’ Enterprise, co-founder and Managing Director of The Seeing Place Theater, and writes an “Experts” column for Backstage. To learn more, check out www.TheActorsEnterprise.org and find her on Twitter @ErinCronican.

Your "To Don't" List

Good news - you’ve decided to be an actor! You’ve started an independent business where your art is your product and you are your art. You’re living the dream and making things happen, weathering the ups and downs with optimism and drive. Your motto is “YES I CAN” and you wear it proudly.

Never mind the uncertainty of the business. Never mind the exhaustion of pounding the pavement. You’ve got your to-do list and you’re going to stay motivated to the very end. Right?

But there’s something missing. Because there’s one little word that needs to be present in your career in order for you to get everything you want.

That word is NO.

In our quest for optimism we forget that it’s important to say no to things that are harmful to our spirit. We’re convinced that until we have the career we want, we have to say yes to everything. So I’m here to encourage you to learn how to say NO by creating your very own “TO DON’T” list.

Everyone’s TO DON’T list should be individualized to address the concerns in your particular business. In other words, no two people will have a TO DON’T list that’s the same. I highly recommend writing it in the 1st person so that it feels personal and immediate. To get you started, here are some of my favorite TO DON’Ts that make a huge difference in my career.


Don’t...

Be too hard on myself.
Compare myself to others.
Forget to do at least one thing for my business each day.
Ignore self-care.
Let someone else define my type for me.
Let someone else define success for me.


Don’t...

Say yes to everything.
Worry about what others think.
Compromise myself.
Underestimate myself.
Take on projects that I know won’t be good for me.
Let anyone else define my worth.


Once your list is written, put it somewhere visible and read it every day before you start your workload. When you have a tough decision to make, look at the list and see if either choice falls on it. Remember that the list can grow and change as your career grows and changes. I’d suggest revisiting the list twice a year to see if there’s anything to add or take away.

I’m curious to hear what items you would add to your TO DON’T list. Leave a comment here and let me know what TO DON’Ts you’re taking on for your career, and then check back in and give me an update!


Did you like this advice? Great news! I’ve debuted my brand new DIY Course “Mastering the Art of Relationships” which includes video and worksheets designed to help you dive deeply into your communications to make networking easy, painless, and fun. Sign up for the course here: courses.theactorsenterprise.org


Have a comment or question? Leave it by clicking below!

Erin Cronican’s career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. She is the Founder/Coach of The Actors’ Enterprise, co-founder and Managing Director of The Seeing Place Theater, and writes an “Experts” column for Backstage. To learn more, check out www.TheActorsEnterprise.org and find her on Twitter @ErinCronican.

The Allure of Being "Busy"

I’ve started to notice something recently.

Every time I see friends of mine, I ask them how they’re doing and they always say with an exasperated sigh, “Agh. I’m sooooo busy” or “You know, I’m just going and going and going, never time to rest!” or “Ugh. I’m exhausted. So much to do.” It’s often said with an equal mix of angst and also a little pride, so happy to be able to report that things are happening but being overwhelmed by what it's taking to get there.

I’ve been a guilty of this too. I mean, it’s harmless, right?

The short answer is no, as evidenced by a situation one of my students went through recently.

This actor was a part of several developmental readings of a film, creating great relationships with the producing team in the process. Each time the actor spoke to them he excitedly talked about all of the projects he’s been a part of and how busy he’d been, hoping they would see how in demand he was and that he was a viable, working actor.

He finally saw a breakdown come out for the filming of the project, and noticed that the role he had read was pre-cast...with someone else. Hurt and embarrassed, my student reached out to the filmmaker to find out what happened and why he hadn’t been contacted about the role. The filmmaker apologized profusely, and then said - “With everything that you’re involved with, I assumed you were too busy.”

RECORD SCRATCH

Yep. My student lost an opportunity because he had made it seem like he was too overloaded to take on more work.

This really made me think - how often have I done the exact same thing, unburdening myself with “busy-ness” when someone asks how I’m doing? So I started an experiment. For one week I tracked how often people asked me how I was doing, and how often I felt the need to say, “I’m really busy,” as a response.

Interestingly, I felt myself wanting to say, “I’m so busy” almost all of the time. But I noticed something even more interesting. The conversation stopped there. Very few people asked, “What’s making you busy?” It’s almost as though “I’m so busy” is a back-off answer - something we say when we don’t want to talk about what’s really going on.

Let me say that another way.

Much like we reflexively say, “Fine” when someone asks “How are you?”, we may say, “I’m so busy” as a reflex that encourages people to back off. The conversation never moves on from there - no further inquiries about what we’re up to or what it was like to be so busy. Saying, “I’m busy,” is a roadblock to real conversation.

So I took my experiment to the next level. Whenever I was asked what I was up to, rather than saying, "I'm busy" I chose one thing I was really excited about and shared that instead. I also banished any talk of “busy-ness” from my social media pages.

It was magical.

By being so open and focused on what inspired me, I no longer needed to share my anxiety. Instead I got to make a real connection about something that mattered to me and let another person into my world. And I began to wonder, what would be possible if actors owned what made them busy and saw it as a benefit rather than a curse? Would my student been offered the film role if he had been focused on the quality of the work he was sharing rather than the quantity?

I invite you to try the same experiment - see how many times you’re compelled to say “I’m busy” rather than really engaging with your peers. Catch yourself each time you try to unload your “busy-ness” and see what’s really there for you to share. And let me know how the experiment goes and what you learned. 


Did you like this advice? Great news! I’ve debuted my brand new DIY Course “Mastering the Art of Relationships” which includes video and worksheets designed to help you dive deeply into your communications to make networking easy, painless, and fun. Sign up for the course here: courses.theactorsenterprise.org


Have a comment or question? Leave it by clicking below!

Erin Cronican’s career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. She is the Founder/Coach of The Actors’ Enterprise, co-founder and Managing Director of The Seeing Place Theater, and writes an “Experts” column for Backstage. To learn more, check out www.TheActorsEnterprise.org and find her on Twitter @ErinCronican.

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I'm Not Playing

Today’s blog is going to be a little incendiary, but something’s gotten me ruffled and I want to talk about it. Today I want to talk about GURU MENTALITY.

You know the mentality I mean - the one that says that if you just dream big enough, and you put all of focus on one process/ ideology/ viewpoint, you can have your hearts desire with very little work. That all you have to do is follow one person who will give you all the answers, and your dreams will come true. THAT guru mentality.

Look, I know how alluring it is to think that if you DREAM your way through life that everything will work out for you. But will and desire and passion is not nearly enough, and no one person has the magical elixir.

I think we all know that deep down inside. But when we’re confronted with real, honest effort it seems easier to pay a lot of money to people who will make the kinds of promises we want to hear.

I get a lot of coaching clients who come to me with a guru mentality - they ask, “If I coach with you consistently will I have everything I want?” And they often want that success with very little effort on their part. But any career coach who tells you YES is lying - yeah, I said it. LY-ING. Because there is no one perfect route to success, and it certainly doesn’t come without some kind of effort. There are too many factors out of our control to say that there’s one true way to succeed.

So I’m stating, here and now -- I’m not playing that game.

I’ll say it now, loud and clear: There is no magic to having a career as an actor.

First and foremost, my job is to teach you the business. Business is simple - there are industry standards to be aware of and it’s my job to make sure you know where those boundaries are.

Second, my job is to teach you how to approach the business creatively. There are many loopholes and grey areas, so this is where we can play a bit and let your personality (aka type) shine through. It’s this creativity that makes the business full of infinite possibilities. And it makes it FUN.

Third, my job is to help you navigate the challenges and difficulties between the two, often referred to as mindset. There is so much perceived rejection in this business that much of what we do in coaching is help the actor find ways to deal with the disappointments.

What a career coach can’t do: Guarantee anything other than the above. I can’t “get” you an agent, “get” you on that TV show, “get” you the Broadway audition you’ve been dreaming of. No one can guarantee those things. Getting there is a mix of all of the three things we CAN do (listed above) combined with perseverance, good timing, connections, and a lot of luck.

So the next time anyone promises anything other than helping you DO THE WORK, be wary. Guru mentality will not help you get to where you want to be - the results will be hollow, and you deserve more.


Have a comment or question? Leave it by clicking below!

Erin Cronican’s career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. She is the Founder/Coach of The Actors’ Enterprise, co-founder and Managing Director of The Seeing Place Theater, and writes an “Experts” column for Backstage. To learn more, check out www.TheActorsEnterprise.org and find her on Twitter @ErinCronican.

Special Tips for Beating Facebook's Algorithms

From time to time I'm going to address student and reader questions via video instead of the standard text. It's an exciting way to take advantage of all of the wonderful digital resources out there!

This week I talk about the sometimes frustrating, "How can I make Facebook better for my networking?" There's one quick tip I give that will make all of that time on social media bearable - and it's fast! Without further ado...

If the video has trouble loading, or you'd like the link, go here:

https://youtu.be/Uf3yOb-bPBc

Have a comment or question? Leave it by clicking below!

Erin Cronican’s career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. She is the Founder/Coach of The Actors’ Enterprise, co-founder and Managing Director of The Seeing Place Theater, and writes an “Experts” column for Backstage. To learn more, check out www.TheActorsEnterprise.org and find her on Twitter @ErinCronican.

How To Follow Up After Networking

Welcome to my brand new video blog! From time to time I'm going to address student and reader questions via video instead of the standard text. It's an exciting way to take advantage of all of the wonderful digital resources out there!

This week I talk about the ever elusive, "What do I say when I follow-up after meeting someone at a networking event?" There's one quick tip I give that will make all of those follow-ups simple and effective - and will make you feel great in the process! Without further ado...

If the video has trouble loading, or you'd like the link, go here:

https://youtu.be/KDsLSBethY0

Did you like this advice? Great news! I’ve debuted my brand new DIY Course “Mastering the Art of Relationships” which includes video and worksheets designed to help you dive deeply into your communications to make networking easy, painless, and fun. Sign up for the course here: courses.theactorsenterprise.org

Have a comment or question? Leave it by clicking below!

Erin Cronican’s career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. She is the Founder/Coach of The Actors’ Enterprise, co-founder and Managing Director of The Seeing Place Theater, and writes an “Experts” column for Backstage. To learn more, check out www.TheActorsEnterprise.org and find her on Twitter @ErinCronican.

The Definition of Success

We’re in the midst of awards season, so naturally it’s a time actors begin to daydream about achieving that ultimate success in their career. We watch acceptance speeches with a mix of envy and awe, and we fervently wonder what it will take for us to launch our career to that level.

The truth is, only a fraction of the A list actors will ever be nominated for a major award, let alone win an award (here’s looking at you, John Barrymore and Marilyn Monroe.) So it wouldn’t be reasonable (or mentally healthy) to use “winning a major award” as a litmus test for success.

If that isn’t a standard to live by, then what is an actor to do?

You want to start looking at other measures of success for your career, and they can be any number of things based on the kind of career you want to have. Success is simply defined as, “the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.” So what are you aiming for? Some examples:

DO YOU WANT...
• An agent
• A guest star role
• To be called in directly for a regional/Broadway show
• To build relationships with all CDs in a specific office
• To make more than 50% of your income from acting
• To balance you work and home life
• To get a more flexible/lucrative day job

The key is: make sure that the measures can grow and change over time as YOU grow and change. You should have a sense of what “success” means for your current year, and also have a 3 or 5 year plan so you can see what success might look like in the future. Any of these examples above could be year-long goals, or could be mini-goals in service of a greater goal.

As you probably know, I’m also an actor so I’ve created my own measure of success just like I’m advising you to. In 2017 here’s what this looked like for me:

My measure of success (goal) for 2017 was to pay my rent only using acting income. To achieve that, I created a bunch of mini goals each quarter. I started by aiming to attend at least 30 EPAs in the first quarter of 2017. The next quarter I focused on networking and making sure my self submissions were strong, in addition to going to EPAs. In the 3rd quarter I focused on self-producing my own projects and taking on projects that I was referred for. And by the end of the year I found that I had achieved my overarching goal - I had gotten two long-term singing gigs (one as a stand-by in an open-ended Off Broadway musical) that are now paying my rent. And I was able to feel especially successful because I had achieved all of those mini-goals in between.

So what is your measure of success for this year? How about this month? Or this week? Leave your ideas in a comment below so that I can help give you some free accountability!


Have a comment or question? Leave it by clicking below!

Erin Cronican’s career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. She is the Founder/Coach of The Actors’ Enterprise, co-founder and Managing Director of The Seeing Place Theater, and writes an “Experts” column for Backstage. To learn more, check out www.TheActorsEnterprise.org and find her on Twitter @ErinCronican.

Building Community Through Social Media

I’ve noticed something recently when talking to actors about their needs. My theater held auditions in December and we asked everyone why they were interested in joining a year-round theater ensemble. Almost every actor said the same thing: they wanted a community. Acting, as you know, can be a pretty lonely endeavor. Unless you’re lucky enough to be acting in a project, there are very few places you can consistently mix and mingle with actors. Furthermore, the “business” size of our business is almost always done alone. So actors are left feeling isolated and hungry for meaningful interaction.

So I find it funny that one of the most dreaded aspects of the business for actors seems to be social media. I’ll tell ya, when I interview prospective students and I ask them how their social media is going, I get a reaction somewhere between an eye roll, a regretful sigh, and a pained grimace. So if we as actors are all yearning for community, why is social media so scary?

In order to make social media work for you, there are two things to focus on: you have to be active, and you have to cultivate your tribe.

Being Active: 

It’s a vicious cycle - so many actors barely post and then when they do only a few people comment, which proves to them that social media doesn’t work and so they barely post. See the cycle? But in order to get the benefit of social media you need to be active. This doesn’t mean that you need to post what you had for breakfast every day, but find a way to meaningfully engage with people. This can include posting a new status, liking someone else’s post, or sharing/RTing someone’s post to give it a virtual shout-out.

You’ll also want to follow the 80/20 rule: spend 80% of the time providing some sort of interest or value, and only 20% of the time promoting yourself. This will keep you from being one of “those” people (we all know who those people are.)

Cultivating Your Tribe:

You’ve probably heard social media referred to as a hive mind or echo chamber, and that’s for good reason. Social media can often be be more enjoyable if the people you’re interacting with are folks you feel good about being around. After all, you’re reading their posts all day long - it makes sense that you focus on following those who you respect and care for. So don’t be afraid of unfollowing people who make you feel icky, or refusing to engage with someone who is being an internet troll.

And if you’re on Twitter or Instagram, you have the added benefit of following people you don’t know, which means your world has a chance to become more diverse and full and you can grow your tribe exponentially. That can even include casting directors, producers, writers, and other industry pros (like me!)

In Conclusion:
What this all boils down to is that social media can provide the most amazing, heartfelt, loving community you could imagine. When I went through a recent illness and couldn’t socialize, social media allowed me a connection with the outside world. It also let me share a part of myself that helped others understand what I was going through. When I was able to come back into the real world, the love from social media made the in-person connections all the more vivid. It was as if social media had amplified our relationship to something even more special. That’s what having a tribe is all about.

I invite you to give it a try - be more active and cultivate that tribe so that social media is a place you feel comfortable being. I promise that you’ll see results.

Have a comment or question? Leave it by clicking below!

Erin Cronican’s career as a professional actor and career coach has spanned the last 25 years in New York City, Los Angeles and San Diego. She has appeared in major feature films and on television, and has done national tours of plays and musicals. She has worked in the advertising & marketing departments of major corporations, film production companies, theater magazines, and non-profit acting organizations. She is the Founder/Coach of The Actors’ Enterprise, co-founder and Managing Director of The Seeing Place Theater, and writes an “Experts” column for Backstage. To learn more, check out www.TheActorsEnterprise.org and find her on Twitter @ErinCronican.