Congratulations. You’ve won the pageant title you’ve worked so hard for. Woo Hoo! Now what? One choice would be to do very little and show up the following year to crown your successor; or you can make the most of your opportunity leaving a lasting legacy. You can be either a crown “holder” (passive) or a crown “doer” (active). The choice is totally yours. I understand people do pageants for different reasons. If you’ve won a title, you have a finite amount of time to enjoy it. Perhaps you don’t know how to make the most of it or how to schedule appearances that serve on multiple levels.
Because I am a person of “purpose”, I almost always have plans A, B and C mapped out before I do something. My time is the most precious gift that I have been given by God, and I don’t intend on wasting a minute of it. You and I have the same amount of time. How we choose to spend it, however, can vary dramatically. Each person needs to decide their priorities and level of engagement.
Life has a natural ebb and flow to it. There will be times when we need to walk-take it easy to recharge our batteries. Then there will be times when we need to sprint-fitting in as much as we can. Your year as a beauty pageant queen is a sprint.
Making appearances serves three purposes. First, there are appearances that are just plain fun. Enjoying the various events within your community and state while building relationships with your sister queens is priceless. Secondly, making appearances on behalf of the pageant is great public relations for the system you are representing. This PR will bring public awareness and new contestants into the system. Finally, it is an opportunity to make an impact and serve in a bigger way by working, speaking and interacting with people at the events you’re attending. The best appearance is when you accomplish all three at the same time.
Let me give you an example of what I did as Mrs. Ohio when I scheduled my appearances.
First, I had a full supply of business cards, headshots and a media kit printed and ready to go. Next, I would look in the paper (or online) for the listing of the upcoming community events. I would look months in advance. Let’s say there was a big home basketball game coming up in a neighboring town. I would call the school to see if I could sing the National Anthem at the beginning of their varsity game. Most of the time, I received of course you can.
Since I was going to be in town for the evening game, I would then proceed to call the schools in that town to see if I could deliver my signature talk to the student body during the day. I always found at least one or two schools that welcomed me with open arms to speak. Once I had the speaking engagements arranged, I would contact the local paper to notify a reporter so they could cover the appearance. My goal was to make the most of my time in that community while I was there.
Seldom did I drive the distance to just ride and wave at people in a parade. If there is a parade taking place, there are always other events along with it that you can volunteer your time and services at. It just takes time and planning on your part to find them. I’ve emceed luncheons, been a flag bearer, guest speaker, entertainment, awards presenter and hostess for many events. By interacting with people, I always booked an appearance from an appearance. The possibilities are endless. Be creative and know the types of events you enjoy the most.
As a pageant winner, any appearance you make is good; but why settle for good when it could be great. The more involved you become, the richer your experience will be.
