This month I’m doing a deep dive into artist management: what it is, what I do as a manager, and how you can find a manager as an artist. This is part 2 of the series; you can read part 1 where I detail different types of artist representation here.
So what does a manager do for their artists on a day-to-day basis? Ask 5 different managers this question, and you’ll likely get 5 different answers. A manager’s task list can vary depending on their relationship with an artist and the context of their role. I’ve talked with managers at large agencies who rarely have direct contact with their artist; in my boutique agency, I’m typically in contact with my artists via text or a phone call nearly every work day.
Managers can wear a ton of different hats – in fact, that’s typically their strength. They are hired to keep all components of a creative career working together and running smoothly.
I’ll detail how I personally think about management, and what that looks like in practice for my artists. The tasks I handle for artists typically fall into one of the following three categories: advising, administration, and client/audience development. Let’s break these down:
Advising
An important part of what managers do is advise artists on the best moves for their creative careers. For me, this looks like implementing the following with artists on my roster:
Big-picture strategic planning: I usually sit down with my artists around this time of year and help craft a year-long strategic plan. We review their previous year in their business, assess what worked and what didn’t, and set goals for the upcoming year. This process helps guide all our future decisions about what projects to take on, how to schedule work, and where the artist plans to focus their creative time.
Pricing strategy: Pricing work and services correctly is a critical component of building a sustainable creative career, and many artists aren’t actually building in enough margin to pay themselves a living wage. I take a look at an artist’s work history, help them calculate their expenses and overhead, and work with them to continually grow the value of their services and products over time.
Marketing strategy: Marketing, promotion, and publicity are a critical component of any artist’s career. I advise on ways to roll out new projects to audiences, and occasionally help create actual marketing assets (newsletters, social posts, merchandise launches, etc).
A big difference between a manager and a personal assistant is this advisory capacity. As a manager, my artists expect me to offer my informed opinion on many aspects of their career, while still letting them lead the creative direction of their work. Advising can look like a formal planning meeting where I build out a structure and guidelines, or it can look like a quick phone call where an artist pitches me a new idea. It’s probably my personal favorite part of working with artists!
Administration
Perhaps the biggest time-saving role of a manager is to manage administrative tasks related to an artist’s business. Think of this as all the dry, “boring” stuff: email inquiries, contracts, invoices, and scheduling. You know how it’s hard to stay on top of all your own admin tasks AND make creative work? This is precisely why a manager is helpful. Here are some admin tasks I handle for artists:
Email and communications management: Email is the typical way most new project leads come to my artists, and I act as a front line for addressing those inquiries. I still talk about every new lead with my artists directly, but I am able to cut out a lot of the initial back-and-forth before it hits their desk, so we’re able to make decisions more efficiently.
Contracts and invoicing: Get that bread!!! Someone has to make sure every gig or project is confirmed with a signed contract, and that all deposits and payments are successfully collected. I have specific software tools I implement for my clients to professionalize this part of their business.
Scheduling: Meetings, project timelines, travel dates, and personal time: there is a lot to fit into an artist’s schedule. I get artists’ calendars in tip top shape to make scheduling with new clients a breeze, and to cut out the back-and-forth of finding available meeting times.
Effectively running your administrative tasks in your business often comes down to implementing smart systems, and as a manager this is something I love to optimize for artists. Nothing calms me more than an organized inbox. Ahhhhhhhh.
Client and Audience Development
Artists rely on audience engagement and client loyalty to grow their careers. There are a lot of different ways to approach this: you could have 30 million people streaming your music and occasionally buying concert tickets or merchandise, or 5 super engaged brands hiring you for in-depth content creation projects. My job as a manager is to work on audience development that’s in alignment with an artist’s overall goals. This doesn’t always look like chasing bigger numbers, but it does typically include a focus on creating a great customer experience and striving to build a personal connection with clients and fans. Here’s how I help artists build amazing audiences:
Lead Nurturing: This is fancy business-speak for growing an initial client contact into someone who is a long-term supporter. I handle this by doing my best to respond to all inquiries and notes that come into an artist’s inbox (even if the request isn’t a great fit at the time – that person could become a great supporter in the future!). I make sure customers feel they’re getting great service and personal attention from the first interaction they have with an artist’s team.
Project Management: Great managers keep projects focused and moving forward. My specific task lists varies project-to-project. For a band, it may mean successfully launching a new single and making sure it hits all platforms at the right time. For a muralist, it may mean making sure the installation site is clear and a scissor lift is rented. Regardless of the context, a well-managed project allows an artist to communicate to a client or fan that they have their sh*t together, and it makes the overall experience of working with an artist enjoyable from start to finish.
Network Building: One of the most valuable things a manager can bring to a partnership is their personal industry connections. Ideally your manager will already have a strong network of connections, and they’ll be constantly at work to introduce you to new people who can help grow your career. I’m always keeping an eye out for new opportunities for partnerships in my existing network, and I also spend a significant amount of time pursuing new relationships in parts of the industry I know would be valuable to my artists.
Your manager needs to be someone who is really comfortable with people, and who YOU are comfortable sending out into the world as a representative of your work. Creative industries are built primarily around personal relationships, and your manager needs to be a bridge-builder, not a bridge-burner. I LOVE the lightbulb moments that happen when I’m able to find a perfect client fit for an artist on my roster.
Next week we’ll talk about how to know you’re ready for a manager as an artist, and how you start the process of finding the right person. We’ll also talk about strategies for self-management and alternatives for hiring help if you aren’t quite ready to bring on a full-service manager. If you have specific questions you want me to address, hit reply to this email or leave a comment, and I’ll answer them!
Here are my favorite links from around the web this week:
Listening: My friend Matt Smiley just released a limited edition vinyl with his new Endgame Trio titled Apocalypse Scorpion that’s also available for download on Bandcamp. It features Matt on bass, Alex Nauman on guitar (one of the most creative improvisers I know!) and Dru Heller on drums (one of my all time favorite drummers to play with). The album art is hand-stamped and I can’t wait to get my copy. Support small-batch music!
Watching: I finished all of The Undoing on HBO last weekend (those gigless COVID weekends are really hard to fill, huh?) and I can’t say it was good, but I also couldn’t stop watching it? Just revisit Eyes Wide Shut if you want to watch a better drama featuring Nicole Kidman’s Big Hair.
Reading: So many people are moving off social media as the primary channel for their most interesting work, including one of my favorite writers and podcast hosts Aminatou Sow. She launched a thoughtful, witty, razor-sharp newsletter called Créme de la Créme and you should definitely subscribe.
Loving: Hyper specific local shout out, but I had the loveliest experience last weekend shopping for gifts at Margie’s Market, an arts and crafts pop-up shop in Margie’s Java Joint in Greeley, CO. I am a sucker for a well-curated boutique, and this is exactly the place where I want to buy one of everything for myself. Go support small business and make an appointment to shop if you’re in the area!