Here in Chicago we have one of the most famous talent agencies in the world in the John Robert Powers agency which has been here for over 100 years. For John Robert Powers Chicago was home and this is why he set up the agency which has seen greats like Grace Kelly come through its doors. The team at the agency know exactly how to make a star and we were lucky to catch up with some of the team to talk about modeling and how you can make it in this industry. Let’s review some of the tips which they shared.
Know Your Market
So you want to be a model but who do you plan to market to? What kind of model do you want to be? Much of this will depend on the particular look which you have but most importantly it will depend on what people want. In business they often tell people to smell what sells in terms of finding the right product to sell and this is no different in the world of modeling. Research the market and find out what kind of looks or brands are most popular and then play to those strengths.
Good Agency
Despite the success of social media if you want to be a career model then you must find a great agency to work for. There are so many agencies out there who do not look after their models and who do not actively try to get jobs for their models, these are of course the agencies which you need to avoid. Even if you are the next Kate Moss or Cindy Crawford, a poor agency will make sure that you never find the success which you deserve. Research the modeling agencies to avoid and try whatever you can to get into some of the better agencies which we have.
Keep Your Values
There may be a temptation to sell your soul to the devil in the marketing industry in order to find the fame that you want so much but the best way to survive and thrive is to maintain your values. Unfortunately this is an industry with some very dark corners and it can be easy to sacrifice your values in order to move up the ladder. If you don’t believe that you are with the right team then by all means change, but don’t ever change who you are.
Understanding the Chances
It is vital that you understand just how likely, or unlikely in this case, that you will be in forging a career as a model. For everyone one successful model there are thousands of wannabe models who didn’t make it. This is why you shouldn’t put all of your eggs into one basket when modeling, and always look to have a back up plan. There is nothing wrong with being optimistic and ambitious, as long as you also understand the reality.