Successful musical artists build audience profiles to understand their fanbase and cater their music towards them. Knowing their fan demographic enables them to make better decisions about which social platforms to spend the most time on, how to best communicate with them, where to play more shows, and choose what songs go into an album. When fans feel connected to an artist, they are more likely to market an artist’s music to others, buy their merchandise, and drive concert ticket sales.
“It’s always been a really big part of the show to me, making sure the audience feels connected, and that carries through to the album.” ~ Joan Jett
“My audience was my life. What I did and how I did it, was all for my audience.” ~ Cab Calloway
Creating an ideal artist fan profile involves asking:
- What is your fan’s average age and gender?
- What are your fan’s interests?
- What other artists does this fan listen to?
- Where does this fan live? (country, state, city)
- Where online does this fan spend the most time?
- Where in person does this fan spend the most time?
Using their fans’ data to make better business decisions helps music artists grow and engage their audience. The same approach goes for preparing for a job interview:
- What skills and experience does the company values as provided in the job posting?
- Who are the key players of the organization and what are they saying on LinkedIn and Twitter?
- What is the latest news and recent events about the employer in its press releases?
- 43% of hiring professionals believe that cultural fit is the most important quality job seekers can have during the hiring process so what’s written on the company’s website and in social media about its values and mission?
- Who are the company’s clients and what are its products and services?
- What can I find out on LinkedIn about the person I will be interviewing with?
Those insightful words are from Al Pacino and they can be equally applied to job interviewing. Here’s how actors prepare for an audition:
- Do Your Research: Know who the main characters are, where the show is set, how the dialogue flows, and what the director’s style is.
- Read the Material for Your Acting Audition: Pay special attention to your role but don’t forget about the other people in the scene. You’ll be interacting with them on stage and you want to be able to do it smoothly.
- Dress the Part: Show them you belong in the play or on the show.
- Practice Live: Try practicing your scene with a “live” audience.
- Be Confident: The most important thing to bring with you on audition day is your confidence. Carry yourself with confidence by keeping your posture straight and watching your body language. Make eye contact and don’t fidget during the audition. It distracts your viewers.
- Don’t Build It Up: Sometimes, your mindset can sabotage your acting career. When it comes to your acting audition, don’t let nerves keep you from performing. Remind yourself how much you enjoy your work and just go for it. You never know what might happen!
The tips for actors preparing for an audition parallel job interviewing tips:
- Practice good nonverbal communication
- Dress for the job or company
- Listen
- Don’t talk too much
- Don’t be too familiar
- Use appropriate language
- Don’t be cocky
- Take care to answer the questions
- Ask questions
- Don’t appear desperate
About Garrison Leykam, PhD:
- Certified Business Coach (Expert Level)
- Certified Remote Work Professional
- Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC)
- Certified Professional, Résumé Writer (CPRW)
- Certified Employment Interview Professional (CEIP)
- Certified Life Coach (Expert Level)
- PhD Marketing, MA Psychology
- LinkedIn profile in Top 25 MA, PhD profiles in U.S.
- Top 1% LinkedIn Industry Social Selling Index
- Author, Audacious at Any Age and Design You
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator Expert