5 ways to set yourself apart in our crowded industry

Several years ago when the Florida Marlins radio play-by-play job opened, the team received 250 applications for the position. That is still the largest number of applicants I have ever heard of for a sports broadcasting position.

How do you stand out in a crowd that big?

Very few things in your career will ever be more frustrating than repeatedly getting passed over for jobs when you know you are just as good as the people who are landing the positions. How many times have you said to yourself, “If only somebody would just give me a chance?”

Talent alone isn’t enough in today’s sports broadcasting job market.

You aren’t just a personality. With the growth of the Internet, YOU are a brand. Like it or not, if you aren’t building your brand, your career is already dying on the vine.

Fortunately, you control your own destiny online.

One of the speakers at STAA’s One Day Ticket to Sportscasting Success seminar next month in North Carolina is Gail Sideman from PUBLISIDE Personal Publicity.

Gail teaches sportscasters (and athletes) how to market and publicize themselves – how to build their brand.

Here are five ways to set yourself apart online from Gail’s blog:

1. Improve your social media game
   For starters, remember that nothing you post on social media is ever truly gone. Know that some of the things you share won’t sit well with your bosses. Remember what your mom used to say, “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it at all.”
2. Share some smart stuff
   There’s a whole world that exists outside of sports. Prove you know that it exists by sharing links to information or thoughts about a great book you’ve read. It will help you add depth and context to your broadcasts.
3. Scrub your social media
   Read through past social media posts and delete ones with pictures of you partying or ones featuring colorful language. Partying hard makes you look irresponsible and too many expletives can damage your credibility as a sports news source.
4. Resist lashing out
   Keep your social media posts positive and encouraging. It’s cliché, but haters will hate. Ignore those people. Don’t ever get into petty online fights with social media followers.
5. Start a blog
   Blogging is a great way to increase your relevance and profile while also demonstrating your knowledge about, and passion for, the sportscasting industry. It’s an opportunity to show off your entertainment skills.

Social media has been one of the most challenging things for me to grasp while building STAA. What should I post and how often? How far can I go to speak my mind? What are the preferred social media sites and tools?

Gail will address all of these questions at ODT15. She’ll also be sharing why sportscasters need to brand themselves and how to create their brand.

I’m excited to hear what she has to say!