What you should do at the end of every promo modeling job.
What to do when once you’ve finished working a trade show or promo modeling event.
As a promotional model, there are a few key things you should do when you complete every trade show or promo modeling gig. These things will leave a lasting impression with the client, will help keep you organized, and will lead to future bookings. Here they are:
1. Leave the client with a good impression.
Talk to the client and ask them questions about the overall event. Did they achieve their goals? Was the overall event a success for them? Remember that the client hired you specifically because they felt that you would be an asset to their brand. Make sure you invest a few minutes in conversation with them before parting ways. Showing them you care about the success of their event will demonstration your professionalism and desire for them to succeed! They’ll be likely to remember you for future events.
2. Collect all parking receipts and expenses that your agency has pre-approved.
Every agency that you work with will almost always include a detailed report of the expenses they will cover for each event. Whether you’re receiving a per diem or a reimbursement, you need to make sure you collect all parking, meal and transportation receipts for expenses that are reimbursable. You should also take a picture of all the receipts immediately after you receive them so they’re easier to keep track of.
At the conclusion of each event, you should submit an invoice or any other form of time sheet to your staffing agency. This assures that you will be paid in a timely manner. Also, along with that invoice, you should submit any and all photos that you took during the event. Agencies will always appreciate good photos that they can post on their social media accounts.
3. Provide feedback and testimonials to the agency that hired you.
This is another very important habit that I believe has earned me a good reputation with agencies. After every event, I always make sure to reach out to my agency and thank them for bringing me on board. Seriously, agencies get so many submissions for the same events but they chose to hire you! Make sure you show them your gratitude. Give the agencies feedback about the overall event. Similar to the client, the agency representatives aren’t always on the field and their only way of knowing the turnout of the event is by the feedback they receive from you and the client. You don’t need to write an essay but, send them highlights of the event.
A few things to include in your feedback… What do you think the agency should know? Did the client give you any personal feedback on your work performance? Agencies will remember you when you take the few extra minutes to share thoughts about each event and include those photos we mentioned above.
I would even say, take the extra step and connect with your hiring agency on their social media channels and share the photos there as well, tagging yourself and the agency. This is a great way to get visibility, and agencies like Vantage Advertising love to share photos of their models on social media.
4. Log all of your personal expenses and mileage for tax purposes.
You should be doing this after every event to better organize yourself. I cannot stress the importance of this for your peace of mind. We are more often than not 1099 employees which means that at the end of the year we are responsible for paying the taxes. I would recommend creating an excel spreadsheet that allows you to log every event worked and expenses for that event that you could use as tax exemptions at the end of the year. This is one of those things that will save you a lot of time and energy.
5. Update your resume and model profiles.
Keeping your profiles and resume up to date is super important. Add new clients you’ve worked for to your portfolio. Refresh your event photos to show current and recent events. If you work events weekly, maybe you don’t need to update your resume that frequently, but be consistent with how often you are making updates. When applying for new gigs, your most relevant and recent experienced should be included in your resume and on your profiles.
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