Setting Up Your Performer Accounts

Step 1: Set up your free Gmail account

You’re going to want to keep your performer email separate from your personal email for a few reasons.  Producers are not going to remember your real name and you want them to be able to quickly find your email etc. Keeping them separate also ensures you see timely casting emails or show info and it’s not getting lost in your inbox. You can use Mac Mail, Outlook, Spark or a variety of other mail apps to be able to access multiple emails in one place.

-Choosing your email address – This is not the place to get creative. You want your email to be easy to remember and associated with you. The last thing a producer wants to have to do when emailing performers is try and figure out who Sexygirl69@gmail.com is. Ideally your gmail address should be your name – Veronica.voss@gmail.com, of if that’s not available add dance or burlesque to the end – GwenRubyBurlesque@gmail.com. Be sure to think about possible misspellings for instance missspentyouth@gmail.com is too many s’s that’s just begging for someone to mistype, so I opted for ms.spentyouth and since that was already taken I added a 13.

Step 2: Set Up Your Facebook Account

Now that you have your new email address I suggest you set up a performer facebook account as well. I know not everyone likes facebook but there are several groups that you may want to be apart of The LA Burlesque Community group, the LA Burlesque Swap and Sell Group, The So-Cal Burlesque industry group etc. Plus producers like to create facebook events and this way they can tag you and you can share etc. You’ll be expected to promote shows that you are in, so having a separate Facebook account allows you to do that and keep it separate from your work friends etc and block people you may not want to see it such as your boss or parents.

-I don’t recommend making a page at this point as it does not allow you to interact in groups the way a personal profile does.

Once you set up your account start friending performers in the LA area so you can start to grow your network.

Apps such as Friendly allow you to switch between different Facebook accounts without having to sign in every time.

Step 3: Set Up Your Instagram

Luckily Instagram makes it easy to switch back and forth between multiple accounts with in the app. Linking your new Facebook and instagram will help you gain more followers in both places. Instagram is great for show promotion and sharing photos after shows.  Performers and fans will want to connect with you on instagram so make your  handle easy to find if they search your name.  @LAburlesqueBabe818 sounds cool but if I am searching Lux Deville, I’m never going to know that’s her to follow. Remember people will want to tag you in posts but if they can’t find you they will get bored and quit and you won’t get the promotion. Use the same tips you did for choosing an Email when choosing your IG handle.

To create a new account open the IG app. Click on your photo in the bottom right corner. This should take you to your profile. Click your name at the top then scroll down to add instagram account and follow the on-screen instructions to create new account. All your linked accounts will show on that dropdown so you can easily switch between them.