Have you been trying to break through or be discovered? If you’re in the gig economy, you know that getting that first job is often the hardest part. What goes into getting a job or being known as a go-to source for the product or service you provide?
Mental real estate.
With attention spans being what they are, getting inside the head of people in positions of power is even harder to do. That said, harder doesn’t mean impossible.
Here are 4 tips you can apply to help increase your odds of getting on the radar (and staying there) of influential people in your industry.
1. Be You
Something we all discover at some point or another on our personal growth journey is who we are. Identity is a vital because we draw so much from what identity means. Who we are, what we believe, why we do the things we do… they all combine to create a unique person able to contribute to the world around them. No one else is like you! Each human being has its own set of fingerprints, voice print and by virtue of our humanity, has his or her own intrinsic value.
Self-discovery starts when you look inward.
The foundation for who I am and why I am here is faith-based.
Additionally, doing a Myers-Briggs personality assessment hugely impacted my personal and professional development. My faith, in combination with better understanding myself, has made me a better person and clarified my purpose. Once you know who you are, you’ll be more confident and make choices reflecting your values while meeting your goals.
2. Be Memorable
Whatever you do, whether large or small, do it with excellence. People will remember the work you produce.
Think about how you want each interaction someone has with your brand to go. Are you in the habit of putting in a 100% effort?
If you’re not there yet, get there (because people will remember half-hearted gestures or performances). Do your work with excellence. Why stop there? Network with excellence. Be part of the community and add value to it.
To get on the radar of an influencer, you need to be popping up with some regularity. Not in an intrusive way, mind you, but in a friendly and thoughtful way. You want them to remember you for being a contributor, not a taker.
3. Be Relevant
Being relevant means doing life with purpose. Part of knowing your purpose is understanding who you are and what value you can add to others. When you clearly communicate your brand and offering, people immediately understand how they can interact with you. They also have more reason to remember who you are and assign relevance to you.
There are people I remember over the years for specific reasons. They are also the people who usually come to mind with lightning, almost involuntary speed when I come across a need that they can meet. This happens all the time for me, and I can only imagine how often it happens for other people who are in a position to refer, hire or recommend others for a role, be it for casting a production or something as significant as a career move.
4. Be Energizing
Everyone likes people who are likeable. Do you bring people up, or do you drop them down? Part of being memorable and securing real estate in someone’s mind is the kind of real estate you are associated with. People do business with people they like.
Similarly, people avoid people that drain them or otherwise turn them off. Be enthusiastic about your work and respectful of others. When you do that, you stand a much better chance of gaining the positive real estate that you wish to have. If you’re easy to work with and add value to others, they will notice. Being likeable means being a student of others and flexing to their personality types. If you’re rigid and set in your ways, there is no room for growth or change. Having a positive outlook on life is one step you can take toward shaping how you are perceived through the eyes of others.
Knowing Yourself is a Powerful Way ‘In’
As you can see, there’s a lot that goes into gaining mindshare in an influencer’s brain, whether that individual is a casting director, an agent, creative producer, studio owner or an executive in the C suite. Knowing who you are, what you’re good at, and why people should work with you, as well as being the sort of person that people want to work with, will get you well on your way to owning the prized real estate you’re looking to gain.
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