As a pageant director, I have been extremely lucky to have titleholders that are committed to the vision of our program and committed to winning.
From my own experience and through other directors, I've learned (and still learning) ways to make my year and our titleholders' year enjoyable and successful. I understand that sometimes a titleholder may not have a director that's a good fit for her goals, some titleholders have priorities bigger than pageantry, and others have a different agenda altogether. I get it. Every situation is different.
Regardless of your situation, if you are willing to be a great titleholder you will create a working environment that is conducive to winning. More importantly...you have the opportunity to leave a legacy, to be welcomed back year after year, and have one of the most memorable years of your life.
Interested? Well here are 10 Ways to Be a Great Titleholder.
1) Set Expectations
Discuss with your director what is expected of you. This usually happens early in your year during your first official meeting, contract signing, etc. All directors are different and may have a certain set of rules or guidelines that have worked for them over the years. It may range from explaining standard procedure for appearances to suggestions on managing boyfriends, parents, social media, etc. Simply meeting these expectations is 99% of being a great titleholder.
2) Communication
Learn it. Do it. Consistently. Promptly. Not 5 days later. Instagram likes are not considered communication.
3) Commitment
Commitment is crucial. If you commit to something you must do it. It doesn't matter if your bff has backstage tickets to Bieber Timberlake, you must fulfill your commitments. Just remember that it's not only your director that you are letting down, instead it's all the people that have committed their time and made sacrifices for such event. Breaking a commitment is the #1 way for your director to lose confidence in you.
4) Punctuality
Never be late. If you are on time you are late. Arrive at least 5 minutes early. "Fashionably late" are excuse words are for divas. You are not a diva...you are a titleholder.
5) Closure
You have 365 days to make your time as a titleholder one of the most life changing, impactful, and unforgettable years of your life. Get the most out of each day, because your year will pass by quicker than you'll realize. And remember -- win or lose -- always complete your reign. Your reign does not end after the completion of your next pageant. Especially if you didn't win. Don't let the bitterness of a pageant loss prevent you from enjoying the opportunities of being a titleholder for the remainder of the year.
6) Sponsors
Work with sponsors. They may be incredible. They may be terrible. But give them respect for sponsoring the pageant you now represent. Understand that pageants are a business.
7) Humbleness
Stay grounded. Remember how stoked you were when you barely cracked the Top 15? Keep that humble spirit as a titleholder at appearances, in competition, in everyday life. The crown may now be on your head, but remember to keep your feet on the ground.
8) Gratefulness
Personally, I think the most attractive quality in a lady is gratefulness. Genuine appreciation is a rare commodity these days. The word "title" is present in both titleholder and entitlement, however they are remotely far from having similar meanings. As a titleholder, be grateful everyday for your opportunity, express gratitude to your team, and leave any sense of entitlement for those wishing to be in your shoes.
9) Do work
Some titleholders may only have one opportunity to compete at the next level. So in preparations, do not be outworked. Either by your competition, sponsors, your mom, and especially your director. If you truly want to win, be prepared to make personal sacrifices, adhere strictly to your team's game plan, and most importantly, be passionate about reaching your goals. Nothing will ever substitute a passion for winning. It will show in your preparations...and on stage.
10) Win
Winning your next pageant doesn't automatically make you a great titleholder. In fact, you can win and still be an awful titleholder. Of course, winning plus being a great titleholder will help secure a permanent place in the memory of your pageant peers. But if you want to be remembered, if you want to be great, if you want to be legendary -- to those that actually matter -- you don't always have to win. Just be a great titleholder.
-Will the Pageant Guy