On this month’s Tips & Advice we spoke to ROM members Bex and Keith who run our management department and have shared pointers to what managers look for in an artist.
There are lots of different ways to get into your creative dream job. The easiest way for designers or those in the marketing industry to do this is to ensure that their resume stands out against their competitors by finding a company such as ARC Resumes to help write it. The expertise of companies like this can help to distinguish which of your experiences are relative to the job and what is only a distraction to the potential employer. Other ways of getting into a creative job can vary depending on the career. You might be an artist whose art is spotted by a gallery owner. Or, you could be a writer looking into query letter examples so you can send your own to a publisher. Or you could be a hopeful musician looking to make it big and need a manager to get you gigs. It’s pretty different for each industry so it’s important to do the right thing for whatever you want to go into – which is why we’re talking about how to be appealing to potential managers.
Depending on where you are on your ladder of success, finding a manager can be exactly what your career/music needs to take the next step forward. A manager will have contacts within the industry, have event management software, be able to market your talent, and will give guidance on how to improve your skills. This will lead to more gigs and fans.
Keith from management explains: “We have a diverse roster touching on different genres, ages and needs of artists but there are common things we look for no matter what the act is…..talent is a given by the way….we assume you have good songs and can perform to a good level”
So here are a couple of things managers want to see in you:
Uniqueness – There is a lot of music out there competing for ears. Be prepared to try and develop your own craft behind closed doors and develop your own language. It is tricky to stand out from the crowd, but putting the hours in developing your style of writing, playing, sonic base, vocal delivery etc will be of massive benefit to you. We want to hear people that are doing something that is trying to be unique in its field. Over recent years it is clear fans get attracted to ‘new’ sounding artists. Having influences are impossible to avoid, the skill lies in truly talented artists finding their own lane on the motorway.
Determination – This is fundamental for any artist. This is not an easy business. A bloody mindedness and focus is required. The path is not clear or simple. Hurdles will appear. Some will be self imposed and others will be put in the way by others. You have to be prepared to handle rejection – if not, this is not the game for you. The art of compromise is something to build into your body armour for any modern artist. When commerce collides with art it can lead to conflict. Determined mental attitude will hold you in good stead to handle most situations along the way.
Self Sufficiency – The assumption out there that being managed means you suddenly have a fully functioning back end facility doing everything on the artists behalf does not always ring true. Artists were doing something right before a manager got involved….so the trick lies in the act carrying on that DIY attitude they have built….. Surround yourself as best you can with creatives. Try and source people yourself who can help you form a live band, make a video, record yourself well, generate artwork, drive you around etc etc. Record companies tend to come on board later these days once you have generated some interest in the real world via online coverage, radio plays and playlists inclusions. These are things artists can do themselves – so do them or at least try to !!! Management can then enter to refine things and amplify the good bits. Never lose the ‘me against the world’ spirit. Agility is required by all artists these days. The more you have done yourself, the more compelling an artist you come across as.
Innovative Ideas – Having new ideas that can help the company to succeed, could make you a huge asset to the business. If your job role is in marketing then looking into new ideas to help expand the companies e-commerce network would be a great way for you to impress your potential manager, and sparking these new ideas in an interview will set you apart from other candidates. For example, you could look into SEO marketing from companies like Victorious to expand the business’s online presence across various different websites on the internet. Whatever you think of by making sure to include this in an interview it may show not only that you’re self-sufficient, which is important from the previous point, but also that you have new and fresh ideas along with the knowledge to supply them.
Being A Nice Person – The artist-management relationship is the tightest relationship any artist will have, so it is useful that you are a nice person. It is very difficult for anyone to deal with someone who has unreasonable expectations. Management is there to advice artists and they have to be receptive to taking on board their analysis and expertise regarding specific scenarios. We are the people who take the phone call at 11pm from an artist having doubts and fears about what may lie ahead and have to advice and reassure them accordingly….it helps if that is with an artist you trust on a human level, that you can have a straight conversation with. The manager is the only person that will say ‘no’ to the artist….friends and family will tell you that you are brilliant and such and such a song is a definite ‘single’….we are the messengers of reality as we see it. Music is a game of opinions and the relationship between artist and manager is built with trust at its core….therefore trust their opinion if even it is a ‘no’. So , it helps if you get along as people and respect each other and can have conversations away from the music.
We hope you’ve found these tips useful!
Team ROM x