The decision to hire a band manager is one of the
most important ones you will make. You often hear
musicians refer to artist managers as a member of
the group, and for good reason. Managers are
usually intimately involved in every decision you
make as a band, and they have tremendous power
to mold the direction of your career. Of course it
makes sense to be cautious when you're shopping
for management and to do everything you can to
make sure you're hiring a manager that shares
your professional vision and gets along with your
personally. Keep these questions in mind to help
you make a good choice.
• Who Have You Worked With/Who Are You Working
With?
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The answer to this question will net you lots of
valuable information. A manager's past clients are
*USUALLY* indicitive of the genre of music they
know the best. If their past clients have all been
country musicians, and you're an indie rock band,
this might be a red flag that although this potential
manager may be well connected, most of their
connections might be in a genre of music that
doesn't match yours. Plus, when you know who a
manager has worked with in the past, you can
evaluate that musician's career and see if it
matches where you're trying to get.
Some managers only work with one act at a time,
but other managers may have a few clients. Finding
out who they're working with now lets you know if
they have time to focus on you.
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• Who Do You Think Our Audience Is?
Does your potential artist manager understand
where you're coming from with your music? Where
do they think your music fits in? Hopefully, an
answer to this question will not only tell you if the
manager "gets" your music, but it will also give you
some idea where they envision taking your career.
One caveat - although you certainly want to feel like
a manager understands how you see your music,
keep an open mind about the answer to this
question. It's one thing to count out someone who
is way off base about your music, but one of the
best things about having a manager is getting a new
perspective on things. If someone identifies an
audience or outlet for your music you hadn't
thought of, that could be a very good sign in a new
manager.
• What Do You Think We Could Accomplish in Six
Months?
Actually, the time frame isn't as important here as
the discussion that this question will spark. This is
where you can find out what a manager thinks they
can make happen for you and how they will get it
done. You'll get an idea of what kind of contacts
they have as well as more insight into the direction
they think your music career should take.
Continue Reading Below
• Do You Have a Standard Contract?
Some managers work with standard contract
agreements. You should never sign a contract you
don't understand, and in almost every instance, you
will want to get any management contract with
which you are presented checked out by a lawyer.
However, you need to know if there is a standard
contract your potential manager uses and how open
they are to adapting their standard agreement if
parts of it don't apply to your circumstances.
If this manager has a standard contract and
pressures you to sign it on the spot and without
receiving any advice, run. Fast.
See Also: Signs You Should Fire Your Band Manager
• How Much Do You Want To Be Paid?
There's no getting around the importance of this
question! You need to know what kind of percentage
a manager wants and if they are expecting a base
salary on top of the percentage. This is also when
you will find out which revenue streams your
potential manager hopes to be a part of. If you can't
come to an agreement on the answer to this
question, then your management relationship is a
no-go.
• Are You Listening to Me?
OK, you don't have to say this one aloud, but you
should definitely be thinking it during your entire
meeting with your manager-to-be. Be sure that your
ideas are getting through and that the potential
manager is interested in working with you rather
than telling you how it is going to be. You simply
can't be at cross purposes with your manager. You
have to trust them with too much of your career.
Make sure they are listening to you, and make sure
you are listening to your gut feelings. Just because
someone was the perfect manager for another
musician doesn't make them the best fit for you.
Take the time to find your own perfect manager.