putting that modeling compcard to use and getting ahead

Here are some tips no matter if your live in a big city or smaller town on how to get active with some modeling and put your compcard to use!

If you live in a small city, mail print modeling agencies or talent agencies your compcard or headshot by postal mail, already being prepared with marketing material can get you ahead.

If you are very new to the word model then get ready to get active and become a good researcher, research local colleges research their photo department or a fashion schools who might need a model, try to reach local ad agencies creative department who might need a model for small jobs locally, mail your photo and resume and modeling interests and assets to marketing companies. And most important if your live in a smaller city don't think there are NOT opportunities there. Modeling is everywhere these days so you've got to get on it and be ready to take advantage of what might be in your town. Also many large brands are base in smaller cities where rent is cheaper so research to find out what brands, companies are based right in your city. Approach aspiring brands with your compcard, their might be a craft fair, tradeshow, a street full of boutiques, stop in, stop by, pitch yourself, and drop off your compcard. Be sure to write your phone number or email on the card but stray from exposing any amatuer modeling website profile links, (i would skip those all together) and only show professionalism no matter the size of your town.

In a bigger city such as LA, NYC, Miami, or Chicago, I would mail by postal mail 50 compcards, by doing so you are bound to hear back from at least one agency. The more your market you the better, of course you need quality compcard and photos and a portfolio for castings but the more you try the more you get. These days there are many smaller size agencies that have been around for many, many, many years, and who are professional to work with but just smaller in size. In a competitive city you must work really hard and be prepared for it. The magazines, top brands, and many agencies are found in bigger cities but a lot more girls these days want to be models and are working as models. Let it be inspiration but be prepared to work hard. You could and shoul submit to agencies of all sizes, the top commercial print modeling agencies, but also the ones that are smaller in size. Getting some experience by working with a smaller boutique size agency is not a bad idea, it is a GREAT idea, get some real professional modeling experience modeling for products or in a magazine and use that experience to beef up your compcard and pitch other agencies you might want to work with. IT really is a marketing game for a shorter print model. You should be active as well pitching your self to aspiring brands and designers: Currently in Union Square and also Bryant Park there is a Holiday tradeshow craft fair and MANY designers are there, if you do not have any experience working with a product, go on, pitch yourself and compcard to some of these designers maybe? Get some experience it leads to more opportunities. And actually getting the experience often means getting off your ass and getting out there, and not relying on the internet to make you a model. That route is typically the road to amatuer land and doesn't lead to real modeling jobs.Showing an agency you can model does involve hands on work of yourself. So get out there! Aim to work with professionals!

Here is an episode on my radio show Model Talk on why you need a compcard and how working non-exclusive with an agency is how it usually is for print modeling, despite reality tv and what you might hear about getting an exclusive contract, it is not the end-all, and many,many,many print models work non-exclusively with print modeling agencies. In fact for print it is very normal.

4 things that count as a model

Modeling is a build, it is a process. It is not an overnight success. The more your give the more you get, and also here are some things that count:

1. What are your assets? Do you know what is marketable about you? Could you picture yourself in an ad or editorial in a magazine? What type of product could you model realistically? What type of magazine editorial realistically? What would an agency would think of your photos you send them, and again what types of jobs come to mind that you could do when you look in the mirror and show your personality? If you do not know, then you should think about this stuff before you pursue modeling.

2. Being available, it can mean getting a modeling job or not. Agencies want to know you are available for castings and bookings. Agencies will give you castnigs a week before, a few days before or on the day of.

3. Being prepared. Having your compcard, portfolio, yes, even in this digital age counts. At a casting you MUST leave a compcard and if you don't have these tools you might as well not even show up to the casting. Saying "go to my website" doesn't play out with professional modeling jobs. Also to get a modeling agency interested in working with you, you should mail your compcard through the postal mail. Then if the agency is interested they will ask you to meet them, or send them more compcards, which they will market to their clients, the agency might also ask you to email jpegs of more photos. HOWEVER, it is suggested to mail by postal mail your compcard or photos for the very first submission. Don't be a lazy model and think electronic submissions are best, they are not. We might live in a digital-age, internet-age but mailing your compcard in postal mail is best still for professional agencies.

4. Keep the spirit. Just because an agency wants to work with you doesn't mean all is perfect and done. No way! Most shorter girls will NOT get an exclusive contract and many print modeling agencies freelance or work non-exclusive with their models... working non-exclusive with an agency is a good start for aspiring non-fashion models, but it doesn't not mean the phone will ring every 5 minutes- you must keep working to improve your photos, and portfolio, and strive to gain more opportunities to build your portfolio. Having 'someone to work with' doesn't mean all is done and set. It isn't just about "Who you are with" but also about "what you have done" --- It isn't just about 'the contract' it is about "the right thing for you" and if you ARE getting work as a model with that agency. Focus on getting professional experience as a model. The more experience modeling for 'something' you have the better, and the more you can get. Keeping your positive spirit, energy and drive is a major part of getting opportunities.

MODELING is ALOT OF work, it is not easy, there is no short-cut, and many girls give up. Be realistic and ambitious and get more of what you want.

****ALSO BE VERY CAUTIOUS WHEN IT
COMES TO ONLINE CASTINGS******
***********AIM HIGHER ***********

Exclusive and Non-Exclusive modeling agreement Podcast segment: which is best for your modeling pursuits?

Isobella answers questions from Facebook friends on what non-exclusive and exclusive modeling means and the future of working with modeling agencies. She shares how to know what type of agency agreement is best for you.

She will give tips on how to make a modeling compcard and why a non-fashion model needs one. Isobella is the author of Almost 5'4"- her modeling memoir, and her graphic novel "Model Life: The Journey of a Pint-Size Fashion Warrior, both can be found on BN.com or in stores, or on Amazon. For more on Isobella visit her website: www.isobelladreams.com.

Tune in here at 1PM EST live or listen to the archive anytime, along with other segments:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/isobellajade/2009/12/09/modeling-agency-exclusive-and-non-exclusive-101

Does a short model get signed to a modeling agency?

A girl on Facebook recently asked me: How does someone try to become a sign model? People are telling me I need a portfolio. Isn't that something an agency provide? (Like the direction in which the agency want to market you.) I have a polaroid camera should I get someone to photograph me and just go to an open call?

I wasn't sure of her height, so assumed she was short. I told her:

Many times a shorter girl does not get signed by an agency right away, infact it might not happen all together. Or at all.

Don't worry though, getting signed is not the end-all and not having a modeling contract doesn't mean you can't model. You can model while working non-exclusively with commercial print modeling agencies. A commercial print modeling agency works non-exclusively with many models, so it is usual.

For a shorter girl, especially, it is all about you knowing how you can be an asset to an agency and targeting your photos around that. You, as the model, creates your photos which can come as a shock to many shorter girls that email me,message me, facebook, myspace, twitter, me, etc. There is real work involved for a shorter girl to work with agencies. Real work.

Commercial Print modeling should be your focus.

To work with a commercial print modeling agency you do to make your own compcard and portfolio too. An agency for commercial print modeling does not make it for you. Do don't expect this. Also you might be surprised to learn that there are no open calls either for commercial print modeling. You mail your photos by postal mail to the agency. Mailing a compcard is best.

It is how I did it. Sort of like a painter needs his paint and paint brush, you need to make your compcards and marketing tools to give to the agencies to market you with. It might sound different from what you hear in the media and on reality Tv but commercial print modeling involves these things:

1. Creating photos that have a commercial print appeal, happy, smiles, energy, think of print ads for cell phones, fast food, smiles, upbeat energy. Here is a sample of photos you need to create.
http://petitemodelingtips.blogspot.com/2009/08/commercial-print-photos-with-smile.html

2. You need to make a compcard from the commercial print photos you make.
Here is insight on making a compcard and why you actually do it yourself and why you should:
http://petitemodelingtips.blogspot.com/2009/07/modeling-compcards-do-it-yourself-to.html

How a compcard can help your modeling pursuits:
http://petitemodelingtips.blogspot.com/2009/07/why-having-compcard-helps-models.html

3. Mail the compcard to commercial print modeling agencies. Put your number on your compcard and mail 2 cards. Here is insight.
Sending your photos to agencies and how to do it:

And this is insight about why you don't really need a cover letter:
http://petitemodelingtips.blogspot.com/2009/08/cover-letters-and-model-compcard.html

This is insight on what to put on your compcard and what not to put:
http://petitemodelingtips.blogspot.com/2009/07/making-modeling-comp-card-phone-number.html

4. Next comes mailing, mailing and more mailing of your compcard to commercial print modeling agencies.

5. If the agency wants to work with you, they will call you.
Here is insight for the agency meeting, after you mail your compcard to the agency:
http://petitemodelingtips.blogspot.com/2009/08/meeting-modeling-agency-interview-tips.html

And this is insight on how I started modeling despite being so darn short :)
http://petitemodelingtips.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-do-you-model-being-petite.html

Meeting the Modeling Agency interview tips

A girl on Facebook asked me:
2morow I have an interview with a modeling agency..what should I do if they ask me to describe myself? And what should I wearing 2morow?

Here was my reply:

Agencies want to hear that you have personality and that you are easy to work with, likable, friendly, and capable of being on time, confident, and able to get the job done. Think about situations that interest you maybe by saying something like “I enjoy learning new things, or being around creative people etc,” Whatever it might be. Also modeling involves pressure and deadlines on set, I shot a shoe campaign and we had a certain amount of hours that we had to shoot a certain amount of shoes, and even me, as the model came up with a few ideas for some shots when the crew got stuck on the next shot concept. I think being a model means being creative as well if asked on the job and having an upbeat personality, "we can do this" attitude is liked.

Here is also a videos on:

Modeling Agency meeting tips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvB52_tZDvs

What to Wear when meeting agency tips:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3ilUOlolmA

Here is a tip on amatuer modeling agency scams and things to avoid:
http://petitemodelingtips.blogspot.com/2009/07/they-say-you-can-model-but-is-this-scam.html

The type of photos you will need to work with a print agency:
http://petitemodelingtips.blogspot.com/2009/08/commercial-print-photos-with-smile.html