Open Letter: Your MicroBlog Can Turn Into a TV Deal

Still wondering how microblogging can benefit your career? Perhaps your tweets will become a TV show, book deal, or feature film...

Dear Creative Person,

Almost everyday I meet an actor, singer, or small business owner that has big dreams of the small screen. This dream might just be a concept, treatment, or an actual script, but either way the desire is there to see their vision turn into an actual TV show.

What hinders most of them (and most anyone who just has the dream) is money, connections, and lack of an audience. That last one, an audience, can equal money and connections. After all, TV shows, films, endorsements, and book deals are offered everyday to people who have fans or loyal followers that want to hear them, see them, and know more about them. That’s the cornerstone of celebrity.

I, like many of my colleagues, encourage the avenue of free social networks for anyone looking to grow a following. But it’s easy for PR pros and brand geniuses to recognize the endless possibilities of an online audience. So what if I told you that Twitter or Facebook account could be your ticket to a TV show, endorsement deal, book, or film?

Use Justin Halpern as an example. When Justin moved back in with his parents, he began to tweet all the funny and often off-color gems that spilled from his 73 year old father’s mouth such as "Sometimes life leaves a hundred-dollar bill on your dresser, and you don't realize until later that it's because it fucked you," and “You need to flush the toilet more than once... No YOU, YOU specifically need to. You know what, use a different toilet. This is my toilet.”

Justin’s popular @shitmydadsays has acquired over 700,000 twitter followers, sold book rights, and now has a development deal with CBS for a TV show executive produced by Will & Grace creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick. By the way, the account has only been online since August 3, 2009!

Actually, this is the second Twitter account to be picked up for TV. TextsFromLastNight is in development at Sony with Adam Sandler’s team.

Bottom line, TextsFromLastNight and Shit My Dad Says are hilarious. I doubt that they started with the intention of forming ancillary markets, but these possibilities exist because they put something unique out into the world and gathered a following.

We Have a Winner

The Personal PR Plan Contest that I announced on Savvy Job Seeker has ended and we have a winner. The announcement is coming soon!

Meanwhile, I'd like to thank Roxanne Ravenel of The Savvy Job Seeker radio show and Employ Me Today for helping to spread the word.

Giveaway!

On October 21, 2009 I announced a big, big giveaway while being interviewed by Roxanne Ravenel on the SavvyJobSeeker radio show.

Roxanne and I discussed how to boost your career with a powerful personal brand strategy. If you missed the interview, it's not too late. Listen to the archived show to find out how you can enter to win a free 3-month Personal PR Plan valued at $9,000.00!

Hurry! Offer ends at Midnight EST October 31, 2009. One (1) Winner will be announced and notified by November 2, 2009.

BOOST YOUR CAREER (& JOB SEARCH) WITH A POWERFUL PERSONAL BRAND
10/21/2009 TheSavvyJobSeeker on Blog Talk Radio

Source: www.BlogTalkRadio.com
Learn how to use the power of PR and personal branding to boost your career and catapult your job search. This week's guest expert is Joy Donnell CEO of 720 PR, a boutique PR and branding firm. Joy will discuss how to define your personal brand, pitch yourself, and distinguish yourself from other job seekers or career professionals ...

3 Questions: Benu Mabhena's Global Movenment

Benu Mabhena made her big screen debut in Warner Bros.’ BLOOD DIAMOND. The African beauty spent months performing opposite Oscar-nominees Djimon Hounsou and Leonardo DiCaprio and Oscar-winner Jennifer Connolly. For the role of Jassie Vandy (Hounsou’s character’s wife), Benu had to embody the fear of a woman on the run with her children, terrified that someone would kill them or kidnap her son and force him to be a child soldier.

What virtually no one knew was that Benu brought a personal story to her moving character. When Benu was a child, a change in Zimbabwe’s political climate forced her family to flee and remain uprooted for years while staying where they could with family and allies in South Africa.

Though now residing in the states, Africa is still near and dear to Benu. She recently recorded “Wake Up- It’s Africa Calling” with Mopreme Shakur, brother of legendary Tupac Shakur, and world artist Youssou N Dour. The song is raising money for malaria treatment and education.

Benu paused for a moment to answer our 3 questions about international fame, publicity, and American film productions:

GP: As an American who was born in the UK and partially raised in South Africa, how does public perception of you change from country to country and how do you keep your message clear internationally?

Benu: I was fairly young when I lived in Africa and when I was in the UK. I really wasn’t in the public eye until I was here in the US. I think people are really surprised when they hear me talk– I pretty much have an American accent, so they have this questionable, puzzled look on their faces. LOL. Most people back home and my family didn't have a clue of what I wanted to do with my life. If I wasn't becoming a doctor, Nurse, or anything in business, I was just out of my mind and I needed to get focused. My message is that you can follow your dreams and your dreams can eventually support you. That message is easy to keep clear no matter where I go.

GP: Did you find it difficult to share your personal story with the press while promoting BLOOD DIAMOND?

Benu: I did find it difficult... because my family and I have always been very private and I know that our life story is a very unusual one and who knows what telling it might bring. I wasn't quite ready to talk about it.

GP: What did red carpet events teach you about promoting yourself and your film?

Benu: First of all, I think when you step on the red carpet you’re never as prepared as you think. If you think you’re prepared, prepare for the “unpreparable.” That’s not a word, but you get my point! When I got started in the business I was very shy and I couldn't talk to people. Now, I can and sometimes I feel like a different person when I'm in public. I’m able to talk to fans and network with professionals... it's kinda cool. I find that it's really an amazing tool that we have red carpet events to introduce projects to the media and make these projects (and ourselves) accessible for the public.

*Originally published in the July/August 2009 issue of 720 PR's GOINGPUBLIC [ Read ]

In the Spotlight But Not Shining?

I recently got an email from a woman who got anointed "spokesperson" by her company and is utterly miserable. Secretly, she had always dreamed of a gig like "spokeswoman" or even "spokesmodel," but the reality has left her feeling boring, robotic, and dull. She's vibrant off camera and away from the crowd... there's some sort of disconnect.

Even though you're brilliant off camera, you may find yourself shell-shocked in front of the media or during an event. The culprit can simply be personal fear and self-consciousness. It's been my experience that fear is alleviated through preparation. Training yourself on the speaking points until they become second nature is crucial if you want them to flow and not seem robotic.

It's also helpful to concentrate on the aspects of the business that fascinate you and ignite your passion. For instance, if you're particularly passionate about the staff and have personal stories about certain workers, try to incorporate these stories into your speaking points. The media and onlookers will respond to your sincerity.

Another possibility is incorporating your outside interests into the campaign wherever you can. If you love golf, involve yourself in a golf fundraiser and then use the press from that activity to further your message and your image.

Being your authentic self during your public appearances will help the experience seem less alien and stressful while helping you be genuine and interesting.