Q&A: New Fitness Model… Where do I start?

A question from a fitness competitor:

Hi Natalie,

I have been following you for a while and really love your stuff. You are amazing. 

I wanted to write you and get some advice. I did some modeling almost 20 years ago now and boy has the industry changed. I had no interest in getting into fitness magazines, eventhough I have been competing for the past few years, until this year. I really just didn’t have time to embark on a new adventure. I started competing with the WBFF this year and received pro card and now I feel like if I don’t do it now I will regret that I didn’t even try when I get older.

So, I am writing to get some advice from you…I have friends that have agents, I have friends that have submitted themselves, and I have friends that photographers have submitted them. I have had agents contact me and ask me to represent me but they have given me the heeby jeebys….

Where do you suggest I start.

I want to thank you in advance for even reading my msg to you.

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NM: Thanks for the question. The first question I have for you is what is your fitness modeling goal? Magazine features? Infomercials/Commercials? Subject matter expert?

From a general perspective, I would say what has worked for me is to establish an internet presence with a website, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blog.  You’ll need to get some professional pictures of yourself so start investing your time in doing photoshoots (both practice and end product are the benefits). Once you have a portfolio that shows that you are capable of doing professional work, companies and like will start taking you seriously.  Get your business cards and comp cards together as well so that when you are networking in person.  Write a 2-3 paragraph introduction about yourself, what makes you stand out, and how you can benefit companies that you are pitching yourself to (think of this as your cover letter).

I believe that the best agent is yourself, especially when starting off.  No one is going to believe in you, promote, and know exactly how you want to portray your brand as well as yourself.

Keep in touch with the photographers that you work with, become their friends, and they will forever remember you when the right opportunity comes and you are a fit.

Pay to work with top professional photographers so that you have magazine ready images in your portfolio and are able to network with them directly.  The photographers are likely to either use these photos for their magazine or other photo submissions and share on their social network.

Start connecting to magazine editors with your story, images, links to your internet presence and offer an opportunity to work together.  Do you have writing skills? Attach a sample article to the message.

The point I am getting at is that talent agents, media, business people are interested in a candidate pitching to them if they are able to stand out from a crowd, interesting story/background/look, displays a very professional exterior, friendly personality.  Give them all of this, coupled with all of the information that they need when they start researching you on the Internet, and I promise you that doors will start opening.

Check out my work here:  Natalie Minh Photography.