This week I’m going to post something old school….remember the SPOTLIGHT ON segments?  Ashley started them as a way to introduce you to the CMT crew.  Well, we have a new guy on board.  Justin.  And he is awesome.  So, in keeping with tradition…

SPOTLIGHT ON!

Name: Justin P. Carlin

Position within CMT: Booking agent

Favorite thing about working at CMT: I enjoy meeting new people and the close knit environment of our office. I come to work with Murphy’s Law in full anticipation.  This is a fun and exciting business and I learn something new each and every day.

Likes: Going to the Movies, Video Games Music & Sports (Football, Basketball).  I am big fan of “The Office” and watch it religiously.  I like to work out and enjoy going out in Atlanta on the weekends.  I try to do something different every time.

Dislikes: vegetables

Hobbies: I am a writer and I plan on picking it back up in my free time.  Be on the lookout for me in a sports blog nearest you! I also plan on learning the guitar at some point in my life.  I plan on teaching myself how to make beats once I get all of the equipment I need as well.  I also want to improve my golf game, like the other 98% of people who play it, only I desperately need the help!

Hidden Talent: If I haven’t found it by now, I don’t think I ever will LOL.                                                                            

Favorite Quote: Phil 4:13

Brief Bio about yourself: 

I was born in Augusta, Ga and lived in California for 3 years, before moving to Marietta where I have lived since 1988!  I am a former Division 1 student-athlete.  I competed in Track & Field while in college.  I am a fun-loving individual who enjoys writing, watching TV, shopping and naps.  I am a Libra so I like everything to be balanced and evenly flowing.  I love my family and friends and meeting new people.  I enjoy going to concerts and sporting events, but can appreciate the cool, laid back settings of a lounge or bar.  I am usually hanging out with friends on the weekends either watching sports or going out.   I like to travel and hope to have seen Europe or Africa sometime within the next 5 years

The Talent Awards

As a follow up to last week’s “Talent Cancellations-Why We Fear and Loathe Them”, we would now like to reward all of our FABULOUS talent (who do not cancel) and who go above and beyond to represent CMT .  Starting right now, we are going to  feature the very best talent we have, talent who has risen above, exceeded our expectations AND our client’s expectations.  For this, we say “THANK YOU!”  Each booking agent has selected a talent that has recently done an outstanding job.  So…drumroll please…

My Pick- Diana, Los Angeles

Diana totally went beyond the call of duty for my Las Vegas 007 event.  If you remember from my tweets , it was an event muddled by talent cancellations and costuming disasters.  Just when I think I can’t take any more, Diana calls and says her car has broken down….BUT, she thinks she has a ride there.  Mission Accomplished.  The next time I spoke with Diana, she was already at the venue….and early.  In true Bond girl style, Diana hustled and represented CMT fiercely as Jinx, that’s the Bond girl played by Halle Berry in Die Another Day( for those of you who are like me and have never seen a 007 flick).  Thank you Diana!

Kimi’s Pick- Toi, Atlanta

She’s always on time, eager to work, fills in at the last minute, never complains about picking up POS and all of her recaps and photos are emailed on time!

Mike’s Pick- Jennifer, Savannah

I picked Jennifer in Savannah for helping me out with my gin promos.  I never have to worry about her, she finds girls to work for me sometimes and is clearly my Savannah life saver.

Justin’s Pick- Hana, Maryland

Hana is super professional.  She took on leadership responsibility to the fullest for the Acorda “I Walk Because” event in Reston, VA.  The other talent liked her as well.</

Talent Cancellations-Why We Fear and Loathe Them

TALENT CANCELLATIONS…DUH DUM..I hope that reads as the sound of impending doom.  Because that is what I feel like when a talent calls/emails/texts (which, btw, email and texting are NOT acceptable ways to cancel for an event) to back out on their scheduled event.

 So, what’s the big deal?, you ask.  Can’t you just find a replacement for me?  And what if you really are sick (and I’m not talking about the common cold, allergies, a “headache”…these don’t count.  For these I say hightail it to your local drugstore and get yourself some OTCs) or, what if your car DID breakdown…maybe there really is a family emergency…. Well, this does not apply to you.  We are not monsters. We do understand that things happen.  This blog is for the talent that calls their booking agent only hours before the event, moaning that they have been vomiting all morning due to a serious and sudden stomach virus (aka a hangover) and cannot possibly work.  Booking agents are like your mothers.  We know if you are lying.

The big deal is this: our client wants you.  They have carefully hand selected you from the competition.  They pored over talent profiles until they conceded that your unique qualities were a perfect match to their product and services.  They do not want a replacement.  And anyway,  do you know how stressful it is to find a replacement only hours before an event?  It involves many, MANY tedious phone calls. Usually, when you would like to be spending time with your family, or watching America’s Next Top Model, or even sleeping …for those middle of the night, event starts at 8am type cancellations (which, coincidentally, Justin just received one of these calls last weekend.  ACTUALLY, it was a text message -please reference the aforementioned “text message”- AND it was at 2 am for an event that started at 7 am.  Not cool.)  And then, after the many, many tedious phone calls, there is the waiting.  It is like chinese water torture.  Will somebody call back?  Is somebody, anybody, PLEASE, available?  And when your phone rings, and it is that awesome girl who randomly has the day off from work and lives right down the street from the venue and would love to help you out….when she calls, there is relief. 

Really, you are  just hurting yourself when you back out on your job (now I really sound like your mother).  These cancellations are noted in your profile (or, if it was an extremely offensive cancellation, we may just go ahead and make your profile inactive and never book you on anything ever again)  Now, when booking agents view your profile to consider you for a job, they can see that you have a blemished record.  And then we don’t want to book you anymore.  It is not because we think you’re a horrible, unreliable person who is not to be trusted… but because we don’t want to deal with even the slightest possibility you will do this again.  We don’t want even the slightest chance of something going wrong.  We need it to go right.  We are in the business of customer service, and our livelihood depends on things going right for our client.  And quite frankly, we don’t want the extra stress or the extra work that comes along with a cancellation.  You don’t cancel=you make my life easier=me like you.  And then, I book you on jobs.  Like the old adage, you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.  Talent and booking agent, in perfect harmony.

I ♥ T-Mobile

 I actually heart T-Mobile AND the NBA.  We rocked out another T-Mobile /NBA promotion for them Saturday, April 18th, right down the street from the big chicken. And yours truly, was one of the brand ambassadors. We got to demo the new T-Mobile G1 phone(GREAT phone, btw), while shooting hoops and making friends with ex New York Knicks player Bernard King.  I had so much fun and I took lots of pictures!

 

CMT Brand Ambassadors

This customer won a T Mobile G1 phone, and all he had to do was play a little b ballThat's Bernard King. He is SO tall!

Me and Joseph, cutest T Mobile customer of the day!

Shelly and Kelly-Adventures at Exhibitor

Convention Models and Talent CEO Shelly Justice and PIC (partner in crime) Kelly Day headed off to Vegas for a bit of business AND pleasure at Exhibitor 2009 ( March 23-26,  Mandalay Bay Convention Center) .…. THE tradeshow all about tradeshows. Need I mention that CMT talent was also there?  Who else but CMT to supply the talent for a tradeshow that showcases everything inspiring, innovative and cutting edge in tradeshows today.  This time, what happened in Vegas did not stay in Vegas.  We have pictures!    

Diane for Tradeshow Week

 

Sara for Alluvision

 

Celeste for Expotechnik

Shelly and Kelly with the Elements Girls- Danielle, Sarah and Carly

but it wasn’t all business,

 

 

 

  

CMT, Big Fans of the NBA All Star Jam

 You may be asking yourself, wasn’t the NBA All Star game in Phoenix WEEKS ago??   I realize I am a little late on the blog.  I blame it on my aversion to all things sports. (Sorry sports fans)  Luckily, Mike (Twitter Mike), our resident sports fan, has absolutely no aversion to the NBA, so he jumped at the chance to take part in this coveted, exciting game and flew out to Phoenix to fiercely represent CMT as the lead for the T Mobile brand ambassadors.   Check out our video of CMT brand ambassadors doing their thing for T Mobile at the NBA All Star Jam… 

Booth Babes, Hot or Not?

 I am enjoying my morning coffee while reading Exhibitor Magazine and I come across this in the “Ask Dan” column:

   “My company has always used booth babes, but I think they send a negative message-especially since our audience is about 80% female.  How can I persuade upper level management to reconsider this approach?”

 Uh oh, I think….opinions such as this certainly don’t bode well when you are in the business of supplying, well… (must I use this archaic term?)… booth babes.    I use this term loosely.  We prefer to use the term, booth hostess.  And so what if your booth hostess just happens to be a babe too?  Is this such a crime?  Apparently, to some people it is.  E3 recently issued a crackdown on the scant wardrobe of the booth babes, banning the ladies from showing any skin.  This a supposed reaction to a sexual harrasment scandal occuring at the tradeshow, which is known for its overabundance of booth babery.   And the internet is laden with booth babe haters claiming to be offended by a “girl in a bikini trying to sell them something.”  (It should be mentioned that the majority of booth babes do not wear bikinis)   So, is booth babery barbaric?

I don’t think it is the existence of the “babes” that should be controversial…the real controversy is in the language, “booth babe”.   To the woman who feels “booth babes” are alienating her predominantly female clientele… consider the impact a tradeshow model  or “booth hostess” has on your business.  Please read a typical job description for a booth hostess (aka booth babe):

 “Trade Show Models make a company’s booth more visibly distinguishable from the hundreds of other booths with which it competes for attendee attention. Also, Trade Show Models are articulate and quickly learn and explain or disseminate information on the company and its product and service, and can assist a company in handling a large number of attendees which the company might otherwise not have enough employees to accommodate, therefore increasing the number of sales or leads resulting from participation in the show. Trade show models can be skilled at drawing attendees into the booth, engaging them in conversation, and at spurring interest in the product, service, or company. Trade show models may be highly skilled at screening the mass of show attendees for target consumers or at obtaining attendee information so that they may be solicited after the show.”    

 If you hire the right booth hostess, one who fulfills her job description*(hire the right booth hostess at cmtagency.com)*all of those things just mentioned above will  happen, and that to me, seems like a good thing.  And as I said earlier, if she accomplishes all that and just happens to be a babe too… then more power to her.

PS.  E3 welcomed back the booth babes for 2009, due to their much protested disappearance.

 

 

 

 

Celebrity (?) Impersonator

Kimi is calling my cell phone.  “Did you tell Rich we could find him a Mark Twain impersonator?”   I can’t tell by the tone of her voice if this is a good thing or a bad thing.  But I’m guilty.  I figured we could find an older gentleman, get him a great costume and voila! Mark Twain! (I am confident Mark Twain is not a man commonly impersonated)  “I tried to sell Rich on Tina Turner” I defend.   (A celebrity who I thought might be a little more recognizable)  But “No, no, he said.  I definitely want Mark Twain.”  I slowly exhale, Sure. No problem.  We can find Mark Twain. 

 

You would be amazed to see how many Mark Twain impersonators actually do exist.  I am pleasantly surprised and relieved.  And honestly, a little bit confused.  Why Mark Twain, I wonder?  Maybe it is my age (30)….I know Brittany Spears and Paris Hilton impersonators….we can book you a dead on Jack Nicholson(, or Lucille Ball….but Mark Twain?  I wouldn’t exactly call Mark Twain a celebrity.

 

I was lucky enough to be referred to George, a gentleman living in Mark Twain’s actual hometown of Hannibal, Missouri.  George’s resemblance to MT is uncanny. (See photos below)  It is as if he is not merely an impersonator, but Mark Twain himself, reincarnate.   He quotes him freely and I had a hard time distinguishing George from the character he was playing.   He even shares the same quirky humor of Twain …or maybe, he so innately embodies the persona of Twain, that I cannot tell when he is himself, or when he is acting.  I asked him to tell me his story.

 

He explains it is as if Mark Twain found him, instead of him finding Mark Twain.  When George’s wife was recuperating from an illness, the couple decided to move to Hannibal, Missouri, for a little R &R.  George was told he had a striking resemblance to this small town’s most famous resident, Mark Twain.  Donning a turn of the century style suit and bow tie, (he needs no makeup, no wig and no funny pieces of hair glued to his face,) George stepped into the streets of Hannibal and was an instant local celebrity

 

In the end, Rich was right and knew exactly what he needed to make his event a success.  I don’t think Tina Turner could have brought the same humor, history, warmth and charm as George/ Mark Twain.  Could she have made the ladies blush and the children’s faces squish up in laughter?  Maybe.  And if you think she could, and that she would be perfect at your next event, well, you know who to call. J   

To book celebrity impersonators at your next event, please contact us at www.cmtagency.com

 

                                      

“And the times, they are a changing…”

New president, a new economy, a new hope for our country?   I can’t help but hear that old Bob Dylan song in my head, “Oh the times, they are a changing…”

 

Even though Bob Dylan wrote that song in the 60s, it seems to have a sudden relevance to America’s current state of affairs. Could we possibly be experiencing a renaissance?   Is now the time for a rebirth of MLK’s “I have a dream” sentiment, a sliver of the 60s protest generation and their declaration of peace and love?  We should all believe in the hopes and dreams of our nation, and good times will most certainly be ahead.

 

We are definitely feeling the changes at CMT!  Even our blog has a new voice! Me! I’m Lauren and I’m thrilled with my new post at CMT.  Ashley, our marketing extraordinaire, has moved on to pursue other career ambitions.  Ashley and Picabo are missed (things just don’t feel the same without them!), but we wish them all the best.   We have a new outlook, a fresh perspective and we feel good times most certainly are ahead!   We have reprioritized our mission and reorganized our team.  We are building new relationships and strengthening old ones.  We even have our own stimulus package to propose:  Let our top rated talent stimulate your business in 2009!  We guarantee you will generate more leads, increase interest and buzz about your products and services, communicate your message more efficiently and leave a lasting impression for your customers.

 

 

Come gather round people wherever you roam
And admit that the waters around you have grown
And accept it that soon you’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth saving
Then you’d better start swimming or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times, they are a changing

-Bob Dylan

 

 

 

 

How to shine in 2009…

On behalf of all of us here at CMT, we want to wish you and yours a Happy New Year!

2009 has arrived. We have a lot of jobs already on the books. In order to maximize your chances of getting booked on an event/tradeshow next year, please make sure all of your photos and resumes are up to date!  

Some things to note when updating your profile:

• In order to login and update your profile, go to http://www.cmtagency.com. Once there, select the “Talent Login” button located in the upper right-hand corner. If you have forgotten your password, click the “Forgot Password” button for a new temporary one to be sent to your e-mail address.
• If you are talent, such as a magician, celebrity impersonator, fire breather, etc., please make sure your main photo is of you performing your skill. This allows us to distinguish between talent types existing in our database. (See below for an example)

• If you are sent job invitations, PLEASE login and let us know your availability as soon as you are able to. Otherwise, be expecting about 9,273,640,765 phone calls from us to find out whether or not you’re available.
  • PLEASE NOTE: the quicker you are to respond, the more likely your chances are of being booked. Clients typically request to see choices within 24 hours, so if you do not log into your dashboard and select your availability within the job ASAP, your chances of being booked decrease significantly.

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  • Don’t forget! You may also apply for jobs on your own by utilizing the worldwide job search located in the panel to the left of your dashboard.

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  • When we do searches for talent to send job invites to, we utilize the responses you put for zip code, live city, and work city the most. Make sure all of these are up to date and reflect every place in which you wish to find work.
• We will not be able to book you if photos and ALL stats aren’t accurate. See below for an example profile to model yours after. (One is that of a standard model/staffer and the other is that of a specialized talent)
  • When updating your profile, be sure to correct ALL spelling and grammar mistakes. Your photos AND resume will be seen by clients, and you will want to make sure you are presenting yourself in the best light possible.

 

Please comment on here with any questions at all! We look forward to working with you soon!