Lessons from Nick Cannon
written by iDalis De Leon
The entertainment business has experienced a major shift in the last ten years. Although there was a short resurgence of record profits during the “Vinyl to CD conversion ERA”, entire album purchases have been on a steady decline for quite some time. Record companies had fair warning and even opportunities to take advantage of the new and promising marketing landscape that was the wild wild web. Their indifference echoes the corporate arrogance of the American auto industry who’s gross negligence of customer satisfaction went on for more than forty years. How else could you describe the blatant disregard for distracting new threats like Napster, Blue Ray, and the final blow and casket pall bearer… the invention of iTunes from The Evil Empire APPLE INC.
When I was in music in the early nineties..there was an abundant amount of money floating around. I mean we were literally swimming in it! The music business looked very much like a cool frat house. Every convention I attended, every Radio Station, was abuzz with lots of smiles, lots of excitement, and lots and lots of MONEY. Payola was king and it seemed there was an endless number of possibilities and opportunities in signing or becoming the next MADONNA.
My oh my..have things changed..I recently visited a friend radio jock at one of the top radio stations in NYC, I think it was WKTU. Gone was the receptionist who earned top dollar keeping the station running smoothly, checking badges and screening all visitors. This time no receptionist. My friend jumped from her seat and ran out of the booth to let us into the station.
Her co-host and one lonely intern (who was running the board and looked well…bored) were the only faces to see. Yes. The music business, which bank rolled so many careers and decadent parties was swallowing a fierce reality pill. Downloading was killing record sales, “The party” was over.
The music business decline, cable expansion, and Internet video have all contributed to erosion of roles on television but nothing has done so more than the insidious rise of REALITY TELEVISION. Networks are noticeably sweating, Casting Directors are teaching classes, and being on television is looking more and more like a pipe-dream.
There has NEVER been a harder time for TALENT to succeed. Well maybe in the FIFTEES if you were black….although that didn’t stop SIDNEY POITIER.
Times are really hard. Now more than ever you must push and market your talent like an aggressive Company Planning an Acquisition. In my day-(I know I am aging myself) it was really, really tacky to market yourself as talent. You could not do it. Now it’s completely a different game.
It’s all about Self Promotion and as cheesy as it may feel its a technique that is imperative to your survival in show business.
This is where we take LESSONS from Nick Cannon. He surely used the techniques below to acquire a steady flow of work. He was recently chosen as the new host for ”America’s Got Talent”, replacing Jerry Springer… among a slew of other projects he has going on. So you think “America’s Got Talent” is a stupid show? Well. Maybe. But Hosting it- is anything but stupid. Nick Cannon will be smiling a devilish grin all the way to the bank, knowing full well its time to collect on his branding efforts.
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A Brand is everything you are say and do.
Lets talk about:
THE ART OF BRANDING YOURSELF ….as a MARKETABLE TALENT
Nick Cannon Style
The Unsung Hero
Nick Cannon knew one thing when he took on the job of warming up the audience at Nickelodeon Sound Stage when he was sixteen that he should not look at this job as drudgery but as an opportunity. Being a “Warm Up” for a studio audience is not easy. It’s quite often the most thankless talent job out there. You are required to hype up the audience to see other talent in a show. Sort of a Court Jester. However in my opinion, its one of the most important jobs in production. An incredible way to get paid and hone your comedy and hosting skills. Nick also knew another thing. Clarity of Brand. He chose comedy as his route since he was six..and started working the circuit when he was eleven.
He had CLARITY OF BRAND from a very young age.
He knew what his strengths were and he systematically, while honing his skill, made sure everyone else knew as well. He also made music at the same time but make no mistake…Comedy took the lead. He fired that baby up first and then tacked in his other passions in his spare time. But the Comedy..that was his ticket to ride. That was his strength. Where he yielded his most power. Where there seemed to be a natural force of energy.
Then he took on The HUSTLE. Got to pay your dues. Got to pay the tolls.
Momentum is one of the keys to Show Business. Did you hear what I said? I just gave you the key to THE Golden CITY. MOMENTUM is the key to maintaining a thriving career. If you are finding a stall in your career plan…take a look at how, when and how often you’ve been feeding the MOMENTUM MACHINE. Momentum shows up in all kinds of ways but it always starts with YOU. If you are not working… there has been probably a few moments when you decided you were not going to do certain things for your career.
Nick could have EASILY turned down Nickelodeon “Warm UP JOE”…I personally know many comics who have turned down jobs like that….dumb. But he knew he had to get moving…he needed to get that momentum stirred up anyway he could.
Do you have your HUSTLE on today?? Well if I needed it- in my day….my God I certainly hope you read the first paragraph of this blog and realize YOU DEFINETLEY NEED IT TODAY!! It’s HUSTLE OR STARVE.
YOU WILL NOT MAKE IT UNLESS YOU HUSTLE. Gone are the days you could make a living pursuing this. There aren’t enough gigs to go around. Consider it a hobby…until you begin to make some real money.
Once you have your HUSTLE AND FLOW….then its time to position yourself with leverage and out market your competition.
You must create a “perfect synergy” circle of activity that feeds into one goal. For people to recognize what your strengths are. And to be reminded of you in as many ways possible. Don’t focus on your weaknesses. That is the mistake talent usually makes. They dwell on their weaknesses. Focus on your strengths. Your strengths will extinguish your weaknesses.
You must identify what makes your brand so unique and capitalize on it. Find ways to showcase it and shine a blinding light on it. But you have to hustle for it. It’s not going to be easy. Not at this time. Especially if you’re not ready to go for broke.
Then I suggest you sit down. Some else will steal your thunder ..because they only let one type in at a time you know?….And if you don’t step up now, make compromises, throw all of your weight and your undying commitment to this goal as if you’re a mad man….then you should really take a seat.
Watch as someone else does it.
Keeping in mind Clarity of Brand, Persistence, and Endurance will win the race. Continue to knock on the door…continue to call….they will take your call…sooner or later they will take your call…keep calling until they take your call.
Nick Cannon is clearly not taking ANYTHING FOR GRANTED.
How do you get that Brand Machine going???
1. Build a Powerful Internet Presence
Online Presence: Make sure you have a powerhouse online presence. Spend as much time and money as you need to. Get this incredible marketing machine going and let the Internet do the hard work for you. The initial set up is the hardest but once that is done you have positioned yourself ahead of your competition. And if you think that working actors and celebrities don’t really do web sites, blogs ,YouTube, etc then you need to check out Nick Cannon.com.
R&B star Cassie and Dane Cook both built their careers online.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5034153
Make it easy to download your photos and resume and to see your work and even buy your merchandise online. Casting Directors are busy and decisions go down fast.So make it easy for people to find your work and brand.
2. Creating Momentum: Contribution & Live Event Work
Where can we see your work? Live event work can be… a stand up routine, an imrov show…or a seminar. It could be hiring a camera man and covering Fashion Week in Los Angeles downtown. You have to think of it! You can’t tell me you are doing all you can, if you are NOT working. You are NOT doing all you can! You are resisting doing the “Warm Up Guy” work. Look at your schedule. You’ve either taken on something that has nothing to do with your brand and is eating up your time or you are not committing and or thinking outside of the box…and by that I mean the box you PUT YOURSELF IN. Don’t let your ego make decisions in your career. If you are not working don’t ask what is it from show business you’re getting…. but what it is to show business your giving!!
3. Networking
This is vital. You must be moving and grooving and talking and handshaking and repeating your brand everywhere you go. Over and over again. Its like running a campaign. And if you are doing all the networking you can… I would invite you to look at the networking diagram you created for yourself and see where this type of networking has run its course in a certain area. For example if you had joined the Junior Association of Broadcasters and have already met everyone and used their resources and seem like your plateau-ing then its time to join the National Association of Black Journalists and do a fund drive…um I don’t know. Feel it out…go with your passion. Make sure you give of yourself. I know times are tough but… Give….I promise it will come back in ten-fold.
Once you’ve done all that you will be LIVING YOUR BRAND.. which is key.
Nick Cannon made very well thought out calculated steps with unstoppable tenacity and vigor in order to LIVE HIS BRAND whether it was being The Nickelodeon Warm Up Guy or……being Mr. Mariah Carey…. It’s a pleasure to love what you do….and DO what you love……just ask Lenny Kravitz.
iDalis De Leon brands talent to optimize career opportunities and create brand awareness and leverage. iDBroadcast Studio: 310-402-0707
