- Oct 8, 2023

Branding with Mary Scott of BusinessRiff

An actor's take on how and why you need to brand your business ... or yourself.

So what's an actress doing talking about branding? Shouldn't that be discussed with, oh let's say, a marketing specialist?

Yes and no. Marketing experts, and particularly those who specialize in branding businesses, do know a great deal about the subject. Presumably much more than someone who works in the entertainment industry. But think about it for a second. Which profession requires instantly recognizable branding to even be considered for work? Actors. And not the famous ones. We already know what to expect when we work with them.

It's the vast majority of actors who aren't famous who need strong branding the most. When a casting director is trying to find the right person for a role, they don't have a lot of time to research each job applicant. Each role, even the smallest ones, attract hundreds if not thousands of qualified actors. The casting director has limited time to determine which ones to ask to audition and has for each actor only a headshot and a performance reel (which may not even be watched) to make the decision. If that headshot and first moments of a reel don't immediately cue the casting director as to that person's essence and if that person could be right for the role, they're rejected and the casting director is immediately on to the next possibility.

It's fast. It's brutal. It's branding. And it's essential.

What did we talk about?

Clearly identifying what you and/or your business are all about
Showing potential customers what you have to offer them
Demonstrating the benefits your customers will receive from working with you

Thanks, Mary Scott, for having me on your BusinessRiff podcast! We only had nine minutes, so Mary told me to go for it, which I did. Lots of info in a short segment.