If you’re an artist who’s in the process of developing their career, you will reach a point where you can’t do everything by yourself. Hence, you will need to consider hiring an artist manager.
So how do you know if hiring a manager is the right step to take? How do you find one in the first place? Follow these tips when looking for an artist manager for your career.
What You Should Do
1. Know What You’re Looking For
Artist managers are not magicians who will fix your problems by simply waving their wands. Your career won’t progress justbecause you have a manager. You need a good, suitable manager who can help you address certain needs and help you achieve your goals. Maybe you need a manager to help with your finances or creative side. Be specific on the type of help you need so as to get the most appropriate manager.
2. Ask for Recommendations
If you’re wondering where to begin your search for a manager, start with fellow artists and other people around you. Talk to your peers who are making it in their careers and see who they would recommend.
3. Find Someone You Will Be Comfortable With
If this is the first time, you’re looking to engage the services of an artist manager, you probably have a low budget and that might not do much for the manager when it comes to money. Therefore, your relationship with your manager is of vital importance. Look for someone that you will get along with easily, and one who understands what you’re trying to achieve.
4. Contact the Manager’s Other Clients
If you have someone in mind, do some research and find out which artists they work with. Then get in touch with those artists to learn a bit more about their manager. You can write them and say that you’re considering working with that particular manager and you would like to get an idea of their management style, and their overall experience working with them.
5. Make Authentic Music
Artist managers look for music that’s original, real and resonates with the audience. If your music comes from deep within your heart, your chances for successfully getting a good manager will improve. On the contrary, writing a song about a specific item for the purpose of placing it in a commercial, might not get you very far.
6. Make Your Presentation Unique
Artist managers receive several pitches from other artists and entities via email or post. Most of the time, these emails and letters are never opened and end up in the bin.
When reaching out to our potential manager for the first time, try something different to grab their attention, like sending a box of donuts along with your letter or writing a personal email header. Do whatever you can to set you apart from other artists seeking the manager’s attention.
7. Be Persistent but Polite
The general rule here, is to try to get in touch with artist manager for a maximum of three times. After sending that email, reach out again and ask if they received it and whether they would be willing to work with you. But don’t overdo it. If you’re persistent but polite but don’t land the deal immediately, the manager will keep you mind for future opportunities.
What You Shouldn’t Do
1. Don’t reach out to artist managers who don’t want to be contacted.
Always check if they have a policy. Some managers don’t have time for spontaneous submissions.
2. Don’t Cold-Call an Artist Manager
As much as cold-calling works for certain business, it will not work with your search for a manager. No one likes calls out of the blue. An artist manager might be working on multiple projects and managing other artists. They could also be waiting for important calls.
Use another way of making your introduction such as via email, social media or attending an event. That way, the artist managers may come to you.
3. Don’t Attach Files to Your Initial Email
Especially if your file is big, your email might just end up in the spam folder before the artist manager gets a chance to read it. You’re better off including links to work in the body of the email. Better yet, you can introduce yourself and ask them is they would like to get a link to your work. If they agree, then that’s the beginning of your conversation.
4. Submit Music in The Requested Style
If an artist manager you reached out to requests for music in aspecific style or genre, make sure you give them what they request for. There’s nothing more frustrating than asking for something specific and receiving an entirely different thing. If they ask for vocals, don’t send an instrumental.
5. Don’t Position Yourself as A Jack of All Trades
No one on this planet is good at every single thing. Market yourself based on your top strengths. The moment you introduce yourself as a master of all styles or genres, you immediately raise a red flag. So, stick to what you are good at and give samples that fit that skill.
6. Don’t Contact Your Favorite Artist’s Manager
Especially if you found their email through a Facebook or Google search. People have tried this approach before. Where you think you have everything figured out and you are clear on what you want, then you write to your favorite Artist’s manager saying that you would like to work them. It rarely works.
7. Don’t Be Afraid to Do It Yourself
If you put the same effort in finding a manager as you do on your personal projects, you are most likely to get some great results. However, not everyone wants to commit their time to this process and that’s okay. Just keep in mind that, nowadays, there are tools for you to do it yourself unlike the way it used to be. Whatever approach you take, the most important thing is that it works for you.