Quick Summary
Breaking into commercial modeling requires more than a strong look—it takes digital savvy, skill development, and industry networking. Here's how to get started:
- Build a Professional Modeling Portfolio
Include high-quality headshots, lifestyle images, and brand-friendly poses that highlight your versatility and appeal to a broad range of clients. - Leverage Technology and Social Media
Create a strong digital presence on platforms like Instagram, and stay informed about trends like AI, AR, and VR to stay ahead of industry demands. - Develop Acting and Communication Skills
Take acting or public speaking classes to enhance your expressiveness, follow direction better, and convey emotion in product-driven campaigns. - Network and Attend Industry Events
Build connections by attending fashion expos, brand launches, and networking with creatives—referrals often lead to unexpected opportunities. - Adopt a Model-Ready Lifestyle
Maintain healthy habits with balanced nutrition, sleep, exercise, and mindfulness to meet the physical and mental demands of commercial work.
Commercial modeling is an appealing choice of job field as it offers a wider range of job opportunities across various industries, including beauty, food, technology, and lifestyle. Learn below about the key things required to become a commercial model.
How to Build a Strong Portfolio for Commercial Modeling
First things first, every aspiring model looking to make a big splash toward commercial modeling has to start with the very basics of getting a job within the industry - build a professional modeling portfolio. As the model has already decided about the pursuit of breaking into commercial modeling, the portfolio should serve as a convincing representation of the respective performer's abilities to succeed in this field to attract the right clients.
A modeling portfolio should showcase not only the previous experience and skill set but also the variety of poses and styles possible. Professional quality images of the model, including headshots, body shots, lifestyle shots, and fashion shots, are the key for any portfolio, as they capture diverse options available if working with the performer, thus giving an objective idea of the model's capabilities to effectively represent various brands and products. The versatility aspect is very important in commercial modeling as it allows the model to appeal to a broader range of campaigns and clients. Models should aim to include up to 20 of their very best and most diverse images in their portfolio.
As the modeling portfolio is done and ready to be applied to casting calls, it must be updated as regularly as possible with the newest information available, including recent modeling gig experiences and new skills gained.
How Can Technology and Social Media Boost a Modeling Career?
We live in the digital age where even 9-to-5 office workers can benefit from having a considerable online presence. As a performer is looking to break into commercial modeling, utilizing the various digital and technological tools can be key in further developing a professional career and attracting new job opportunities.
Of course, social media platforms can serve as an exceptional tool for promoting a model. Through a consistently strong social media presence within various popular platforms, aspiring commercial models can showcase their work to an audience beyond just industry professionals and peers. It can ultimately lead to not only building a model's personal brand by showcasing their work and personality, as well as the ability to directly engage with followers but also a whole new set of job opportunities by attracting attention from potential clients looking for new faces for their brand and product campaigns.
Knowledge about the basics of various increasingly important technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, and Virtual Reality can also give models a competitive edge over their peers. In general, being a well-informed individual about the newest and biggest trends can help models to better align their portfolio to the current market demands.
What Extra Skills Do Commercial Models Need to Succeed?
While traditional modeling mostly revolves around the fashion industry, including appearances in runway shows and designer campaigns, commercial modeling is based on promoting services and products to the general public. This means that the models appearing in marketing campaigns have to be able to convey specific messages or emotions without, in the majority of cases, saying a single word.
The ability to resonate with the audience in such a way comes naturally to only a select few, so aspiring commercial models should seriously consider developing their basic acting skills. If a model knows how to express themselves through body language and facial expressions confidently, they will be able to perform better in order to try to ultimately achieve the desired promotional results from their work. Experience from acting classes and other similar training also can help in following and executing the directions of clients and production staff more efficiently.
Another thing that can help with it behind the scenes is strong communication skills. Models can work on their communication skills in various workshops and courses that focus on public speaking. Besides learning to understand the instructions given better by fully focusing on listening and how to block out the various distractions on the production set, it can help performers to also express their own thoughts and ideas in a clear and concise way to the various other professionals involved with the work process.
Why Networking Matters in Commercial Modeling
While searching and applying for new casting calls is the day-to-day focus for any type of model looking for work opportunities, there are plenty of doors that can also open up by also being actively involved in the outside of the work scene within the industry.
By attending various relevant occasions, such as trade expos, fashion shows, brand launches, and other promotional or directly modeling-related events, models can not only learn more about the most relevant trends but also meet their fellow industry professionals, including other models, photographers, creative directors, and many more.
Willingness to network regularly can help spread the word around about the respective model in an industry where competition is tight so professional connections can really help open a whole new set of job opportunities.
How to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle as a Working Model
As with most creatively fulfilling jobs, being a model goes beyond the working hours - it is a lifestyle choice! While the physical requirements for commercial models are typically quite inclusive, so can vary widely in height, weight, and body type, they still have to commit to taking significant care of their looks. This includes nourishing the body by staying hydrated and keeping a balanced and nutrient-rich diet that provides essential minerals and vitamins. It will help to maintain healthy-looking skin, which is essential to any model, and also provide plenty of energy to be able to perform at the highest level.
While commercial models are not necessarily also fitness models, a balanced active lifestyle is still essential to be able to work in a physically demanding profession. Physical recovery is also something to take very seriously, as models should aim to always get 7-9 hours of sleep every night to keep stamina levels high.
A good night’s sleep also helps to rejuvenate mentally, which is very important as the modeling job can get stressful at points. Models should consider including activities like breathing exercises and meditation in their daily routine, as they promote mental well-being, thus enhancing focus and boosting confidence.
