Easy PRIf you're a model, you want exposure and you need exposure. Using that as our starting point, we'll review some effective strategies that will help you achieve your goals. The first step is the name of the product, or your brand name. Who are you? As mentioned in What's In A Name, you need to pick a name and you need to stick with your selection. Once you've made your choice of names, exercise consistency. Don't put up one profile as Jane Muscles, another as Fit Diva and then post on a forum as Buff Mommy. If you've selected Jane Muscles, then stick with Jane Muscle as your brand. Your forum persona will be Jane Muscles. If you have a website, it will be Jane Muscles. That is your product. Promote it and get your name out to the world. Next, create an email account specifically for business and keep it separate from your personal email account. This is the address you'll use on your business card and the address you'll give out on your website, profile, etc. Again, promote your brand and select an address that will do this, such as JaneMuscles@(hotmail, Gmail, etc.). Now you're ready to grab some attention and make some connections. Your tool of choice is the most powerful marketing instrument available to you, the web. Between the web and print, it's no contest: the web wins hands down. Unless you make the cover of Playboy - and even long term I wouldn't bet on it - you'll receive more PR from the internet than any form of print. If you can get both, even better, but if you can only get one, it's the web. AMG-lite or Andy's Muscle Goddesses, is the gold standard for PR, particularly if you're a physique competitor. For 99.99% of the women who compete, more people will see them on Andy's over time than will ever see them in most any print publication in the world. Get your profile up there and update it at least quarterly and you've virtually guaranteed yourself more PR than you will ever receive from print. Even better, it's free. MySpace and Facebook, two social networking sites, can help you connect with others in the business. Model Mayhem is a great site to tap into the modeling business outside of the muscle model world. Another freebie. OMP is similar to Model Mayhem. I prefer Model Mayhem, but give OMP a look. Maybe you'll want to go with both sites. Muscles of Dee Kay offers various sections where you can add a link to your site. Bodyspace offers you a profile with accompanying photos. Buff Bunnies is a top 100 site that allows you to setup a reciprocal link to your site and drive traffic your way. These are just a few of the sites out there that can help you make connections and gain exposure. Don't forget forums, as that's another vehicle for exposure and contacts. Create your brand; be consistent in marketing that brand; get the brand name out to the public; make the brand easy to find. You can have all the exposure in the world, but if no one can find you, it's almost useless. |