Actors tend to ask for a lot of things.
What do you think of my headshot?
What do you think of my reel?
Can you refer me to your agent?
Can I come in and audition?
And on and on.
I get it: You must ask for what you need and want.
However, you have a choice –
You can be a thoughtful actor who is remembered or a needy narcissist who they immediately forget.
The difference is gratitude.
Gratitude is a huge part of your acting career and your life. Thank people for their time, energy, feedback, introductions, gifts, etc.
I’m a big fan of Thank You Cards.
You could send a thank you card after auditions to thank them for calling you in—especially if you’re new to that office and just building the relationship. After callbacks, wait a week and send one to just say thanks.
If you end up going into a casting office a lot, especially commercially, sending a card after each audition or callback will be a bit much. Send those offices a card once a quarter thanking them for always calling you in.
Send one when a friend refers you to a job or a contact in the industry. Honestly, you can never really go wrong with sending thank-you cards.
When writing a thank-you card, simply say “thank you.” Don’t ask for anything. I repeat, don’t ask for a darn thing!
Please refrain from this –
“Thanks so much for your feedback on my scene in class… and keep me in mind when there’s a role that’s right for me.” Or “Thanks so much for calling me into the office. It was great to finally meet you face to face! Check out my reel!”
Just thank people. That’s all.
And know this – a postcard is NOT a thank-you card.
I’m talking about an actual card here. Make sure that your thank-you card is representative of your brand. Consistency is key!
Thank-you cards also get to have your headshot inside. Never send out something that isn’t branded. If you don’t brand all your correspondences, you’ve missed an opportunity to be remembered and to connect.
Why a thank you card over a postcard?
A thank-you card will almost always be opened by the person it’s addressed to— not the assistant or an intern.
Think about it, what is the first thing you open when you get mail? Unless it’s a check, typically you open any cards first! Well, casting directors, directors, and producers are people, too. They’re going to open up their cards first as well.
I have a client, Jessica, who had taken a class with a prominent casting director in LA. After the class, she sent a thank-you card. She kept in touch with this person through email and postcards. She sent another thank-you card a few months later, thanking her again for the class and how it had changed her audition life. Well, about a week later Jessica was asked to be a reader in their office. #boom
Thank-you cards work! ☺
So…..how will you incorporate them into your acting business life?
