One-Minute Manager? - By Tom Leu

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One-Minute Manager? - By Tom Leu

Sooner or later there comes a point in most working musicians careers when the question of hiring professional management becomes a reality. Obviously a band or group just starting out does not need to hire a professional manager that will commission between 15-20% of the group’s gross earnings. Most bands starting out are lucky to gross 15-20 dollars. Your relative progress and success in your local and regional market will determine when and if hiring management is right for you.
In the early days of band’s career, a friend or acquaintance of the band usually becomes the “manager.” This title is rather dubious because at this level, the title of “manager” has many different meanings and connotations. Our previous manager was bald and I think that was, in part, caused by all the different hats he had to wear each week. A partial listing of these duties include, but are not limited to: booking agent, bartender, gopher, gatekeeper, tour manager, taxi, telemarketer, technician, salesman, schmoozer, publicist, promoter, party planner, merchandiser, mediator, medic, and mailman. Certainly this list can go on but I think I made the point.

The inevitability of these people burning out is certain. You cannot ask someone to be all things to a band for little or no pay, and expect it to last forever. The novelty of the job’s status wears off. Both the band and the manager will eventually outgrow the situation and some changes will need to take place. This will either result in the band finding a new manager at the local level who is capable of expanding on what has already been accomplished, or at this point the band may consider working with a “professional” management company.

Once the local management has taken it as far as it can go, and/or a band has reached the appropriate next level, it’s time to consider and seek out professional representation. This will usually be a company that specializes in entertainment and music management. This company or collection of individuals have had some amount of experience in the music industry at a regional or national level and can bring their contacts and connections to the table. These companies are normally based in the bigger cities and should have a track record that can be searched and verified. Everything in any business is about who you know, and at this level; management companies get paid well for who they know that you do not know.

These companies are to be the buffer between your band and the rest of the big bad music world. They are not your booking agency, promoter, or publicist, they interact with these (additionally commissioned personnel) to help you “manage” and “guide” your career. They have to be experts in sales and marketing as well as psychology and communications. Just make sure the numbers are working out in your best interest at the end of the day. There are too many stories out there outlining a band’s payroll paying everyone else except the music makers themselves.

Getting a pro management company to work with an upstart band is not as easy as it may first appear. There’s more to it than just calling them up announcing your availability. You basically have to audition for them in many cases and convince them that you are worthy. “Worthy” is being defined here as capable of making them lots of money. Once they have deemed you a financial opportunity, they will then want you to sign an exclusive contract with them before they will represent you. I recommend the band hiring a lawyer here to scrutinize every aspect of this management contract before signing anything. Get online and research this subject for yourself and have a basic understanding of what is reasonable and what is not.

The Bottom Line: No disrespect intended here to the local managers out there…it’s a tough job, and you have to start somewhere. But, the decision for professional management is a highly subjective one. A band’s momentum and positioning in the local and regional market will define the necessity for this step. Good and reputable management can completely enhance a bands profile, opportunities, and income. It can and will be expensive, but remember, what is 100% of nothing?

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Tom Leu - The Musicians Corner
For hundreds of techniques & strategies to market, promote, and sell your music more efffectively, more often...check out Money, Marketing, & Myths Inside the Musician’s Corner Volume One by Tom Leu at http://www.tomleu.com

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