Music Manager | ArtistPR

Acting as Your Own Music Manager? Learn the Basics of a Good Booking Agreement

Wed, 19 Apr 2017 00:00:00 +0000

One of the tasks that you’ll need to deal with when acting as your own music manager, is the signing of booking agreements. These are also referred to as performance agreements or engagement contracts.

These contracts are legally binding and apply to any live performance. Whether you’re playing a small gig or a major venue, you need to protect your rights. And, you need to make sure that both parties are on the same page when it comes to the details.

Learn the basics of a good booking agreement.

The General Terms of the Booking Agreement

There are several details that every booking agreement should include. These are the basic terms, which includes:

Date, time, and location of the performance
Definition of the performance
Compensation and fees

The date, time, and location are details that need to be clearly defined. This is the “heart” of the agreement and is included in any performance contract that you sign.

The definition of the performance is a simple description of what the other party expects from you. This might include the length of your set, the number of set breaks, and any other details related to the actual performance.

Your compensation and any fees should be included. This could be a fixed amount or a percent of the revenue collected at the door.

Along with the actual amount that you’ll be paid, you should determine the payment method.

For example, will you get your check in the mail or will you get paid in cash after the performance? If the payment will be sent later, then you should specify when the payment must be received by.

Recording, Transmitting and Photographing the Performance

The next area of the agreement to explore includes details related to the rights of the performance, along with any royalties and licensing opportunities.

Specifically, do you have the right to record and sell or license footage of your performance? Or, does this right belong to the venue owner? These are details that you and the other party will need to agree to.

Additionally, there are rights related to publicity and the use of your name or likeness in advertising. Typically, you’ll want to allow the other party this right.

While exploring the details of the performance, you should also determine who’s responsible for the sound. Depending on the venue, you might want to hire your own people to handle sound equipment. Though, this isn’t always a possibility.

The Right to Sell Merchandise

Depending on the venue, the other party might agree to let you sell merchandise at the venue. This includes CDs, T-shirts, and other merch.

Though this is common with smaller venues, it’s not always an option at larger locations or specific events. For example, at a corporate event, you’re less likely to have the right to sell merchandise. But, at a club, bar, or festival, these details are more flexible.

Additional Expenses and Arrangements

Other details to look at include whether the venue owner will cover meals, transportation, or lodging. Again, this will depend on the type of venue. A corporate event may cover all these details, while a local bar will simply offer a percent of the door and cover no expenses.

If you require any special accommodations, this is the section where you’d include them. You might need to add people to a guest list or make other special arrangements. This might include restrictions for you and your band.

For example, at a corporate gig, you might be required to wear certain attire. Or, at a public event, the venue owner may discourage profanity in songs.

These agreements are typically put together by the venue. It’s at their discretion to include specific details or requirements.

At the same time, you don’t want your concerns to go unaddressed. When discussing the performance, you should cover your primary concerns to ensure that they end up in the booking agreement.

Just because you discussed a detail over the phone doesn’t mean that they’ll remember to include them in the final contract.

There are other details besides the points discussed. But, this covers the basics of a general booking contract.

Final Thoughts on Signing a Booking Agreement

Booking agreements and other contracts shouldn’t be overly-complicated.

When you think of contracts, it’s easy to picture complex legal jargon and technical terms. But, the best contracts are straightforward. They use common language and keep the details simple.

You should be skeptical of any basic contract that is too complicated to understand on your own. If you’re unclear about any portion of the agreement, make sure that you talk to the other party. Discuss your questions, so that you’re both on the same page.

For more advice, check out this video – learn from another artist sharing his experience with booking contracts:

5 Financial Tips for Increasing Your Chances of Making it as Your Own Music Manager

Fri, 07 Apr 2017 00:00:00 +0000

We’ve had a lot of articles discussing the advantages of acting as your own music manager. But, there are certain responsibilities that come with these dual roles.

One such responsibility is the handling your finances.

You’re in charge of keeping track of earnings from gigs, online sales, and other revenue streams. And, you’ll need to set aside money for growing your music career. This includes everything from studio time to equipment.

If you want to make it in the music industry, it’s a good idea to start learning how to master your finances – starting with these 5 great tips.

#1 – Keep Your Personal Finances Separate

The first tip is to keep your personal finances separate. Don’t write a personal check for equipment or a music-related purchase. These should be purchased through an account that is used just for your music.

You have two options for setting up this separate account. You can either file a “doing business as” DBA form or register as an LLC (limited liability corporation). Either option will allow you to conduct business as your band or under your stage name.

Keep track of all purchases and income. This means keeping your receipts for the year. Store your receipts and other financial documents in a safe place, so that you’ll be ready for tax season.

#2 – Don’t Take on Debt to Fund Your Career

You shouldn’t be in a rush to advance your career. Don’t take on debt to pay for studio time or promote a new album. The budget for these expenses should come from your music income.

Remember, you want to keep your personal finances separate. If you need money to pay for studio time, you’ll need to wait until you’ve got enough money in your business account.

If things don’t pan out, you don’t want to end up in debt. You’ll never have to worry about this if you avoid spending music money on personal expenses.

#3 – Diversify Your Income Streams

If your only music-related income comes from live performances and gigs, then you’re likely going to struggle to make a comfortable living with your music. You’re going to need to diversify your income streams.

Basically, you’re going to need multiple sources of income – such as digital sales, streaming revenue, merchandising, and music licensing.

The more sources you have, the greater your chance of success.

Several of these income sources will require a website. If you don’t already have a website, now is the time to get one up and running. It’s an essential part of any music marketing plan.

Your website acts as the central location for all details about your music – including contact info, upcoming performances, and links to where people can find or buy your music.

#4 – Don’t Pay Yourself Too Much

You deserve to get paid for your hard work, but you shouldn’t pay yourself too much. Continue to treat your career like a business. Don’t embezzle funds from your business account.

You should get a portion of the profits. The profits are your earnings after you subtract expenses. This can be determined after each payout – or monthly. Generally, it will be easier to determine profits & losses monthly.

When you’re first starting out, pay yourself up to 50% of your total earnings. If you’re part of a band, the band splits this 50%. This means that 50% of profits, after expenses, goes back to your business account and is used for music promotion or marketing – or saved…

#5 – Save Half and Spend Half

After you’ve paid yourself, and your bandmates, the remaining profit should be split between savings and marketing. This is just for those that are starting out. As you advance your career, you can start to scale back the amount that you spend on marketing.

But, for now, spend half of your remaining profits on marketing and save the other half. This other half should go to a goal – such as new equipment.

By dividing your earnings in this manner, you’ll be spending about 25% of your profits on music marketing. This should give you plenty of funds for Facebook and Instagram ads, along with other online marketing solutions.

The bottom line is that you need to be smart about the money that you make. Don’t treat every payment as a personal check that you can deposit and spend as you choose.

Think of your earnings as belonging to your music business and then pay yourself – but don’t pay yourself too much and remember to save a portion of your funds for future investments.

Finance is just one part of your career. For more advice on making it without a music manager, check out our guide – Music Management for the Indie Artist!

5 DIY Steps to Manage Your Own Career without a Music Manager

Wed, 05 Apr 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Building a successful music career requires dedication. This means you need to be willing to roll up your sleeves and work hard. And, this applies to both the creative and business sides of your career.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the creative side. Making music and playing for fans is the goal. But, you’ll also have to spend time dealing with the business aspects of your career. This is especially true if you’re working without a music manager.

The following DIY steps will help point you in the right direction. These are simple steps that every DIY indie artist should use when planning their career without a music manager.

#1 – Establish a Business

The first step is to separate your personal life from your professional life. You should open a separate checking account for your music career. Keep your earning and expenses separated from your personal earnings and expenses.

Additionally, filling out a DBA (doing business as) or registering as an LLC (limited liability corporation) can be helpful. An LLC is a common choice if you’re part of a band. For solo acts, a DBA form filed at your local county clerk’s office should work.

This step sets you up as a business. This is a professional step and will simplify the handling of band finances.

#2 – Create a Business Plan

Dealing with the business side of things requires you to treat your music career like a business. So, you’ll need a business plan.

Here’s some info on creating a business plan. The following video is a general video for small business owners. But, remember, you should treat your music career like a business:

You don’t need a fully outlined business plan. You’re not going to take your business plan to a bank to get a business loan. But, you should put thought into this outline.

The business plan is just that. It’s an outline of your plans, goals, and the strategies that you’re going to use to reach your goals.

Speaking of goals – decide on your long term and short term goals.

Long term goals might include getting a record deal or recording and releasing your first album. Breaking these long-term goals into smaller steps can help you come up with a handful of short term goals.

For example, before you reach the point that you can accomplish your long-term goals, you’re going to need to grow your fan base. So, some short-term goals might include:

Reach 100,000 total social media followers
Average $2000 a month in earnings
Build a professional website
Increase online earnings by 200%

Short term goals are goals that you can reasonably obtain in 12 months or less. With effort, you can reach 100,000 total followers on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. By increasing your earnings and growing your fan base, you can earn a comfortable living with your music.

#3 – List Your Revenue Streams

Next, make a list of your revenue streams. These are your sources of income, such as your pay from playing a show. Here are some examples:

Payment from gigs and live performances
Merchandise sales – at shows and online
Album sales – both physical and digital
Music licensing

Any income source related to your music should be included in this list. This list is how you’re going to make a living.

Start keeping track of your earnings from each income stream. You can use a spreadsheet to keep the data organized. If you don’t have a spreadsheet program on your computer, then use Google Sheets. This is available through Google Drive.

Each month, you should review your spreadsheet and make sure that data is updated. Keep track of how much you’re making from each revenue stream. This is where you’ll be able to find room for improvement.

If you’re earning consistent pay from playing live shows, but aren’t making any money from your website, then you know what you need to focus on.

#4 – Improve Your Metrics

By increasing your earnings from just one revenue stream, you increase your overall earnings. So, determine which area you need to focus on and try to improve just one metric.

For example, if you need to improve your online earnings, then focus on your conversion rates or your total traffic. Make this your sole marketing focus until you’ve reached a specific goal – such as doubling your conversion rates or traffic.

After you’ve reached one of these mini-goals, then start focusing on a different area.

When you have a single focus, it’s easier to reach strategies and techniques for helping you reach your goals – instead of trying to do everything at once.

#5 – Learn the Business

The final step is an ongoing process. You need to keep learning the music business. Think of each opportunity as a learning experience.

These steps are just an outline of the steps that you should be taking to advance your career. It’s a basic structure that can help you put things in perspective.

When you’re in charge of booking gigs, recording music, and selling merchandise, it’s useful to have a plan in place. And, you want to know if you’re making progress. Having a business plan and setting goals will help.

Remember to diversify your revenue streams and look for ways to reach your target market. In addition to these tips, you can learn more with our guide – music management for indie artists!

5 Potential Drawbacks of Working with a Music Manager

Fri, 24 Feb 2017 00:00:00 +0000

There are certain advantages to working with a music manager. They can help open doors that you might not have access to on your own. Their experience can be beneficial for a struggling musician.

At the same time, there are some potential disadvantages of working with a music manager. These are issues that you should keep an eye out for.

Now, these drawbacks aren’t always a problem. There are great managers out there. You can find the right person for the job when you reach the right point in your career. But, you should pay attention to these issues. You can think of them as signs that you’re getting involved with the wrong person.

Before you sign a contract, consider these 5 drawbacks. Make sure that you’re not hiring a manager that won’t look out for your best interests.

#1 – Managers Can Be Expensive

The first potential drawback is that hiring a manager can be expensive. When you’re used to managing your own career, suddenly paying 10 to 20% of your earnings to another person can seem like a huge pay cut. But, it’s a necessary expense if you believe that you require a manager.

The average cut for a band manager is between 10 and 20%. The actual amount will depend on several factors, including your experience and level of success and the manager’s experience and level of success.

With a relatively new band, you can expect the manager to require a larger cut. With a successful band, which may have a team of managers and agents, the cut will be less.

#2 – Managers Could Hurt Your Chances of Getting a Record Deal

You really should research potential managers before signing a contract. A manager that has burned bridges could hurt your chances of landing a record deal.

For example, say that your manager has a bad relationship with a particular label. The label may not want to work with your band due to their past experience with your manager.

It’s easy to perform background research on a potential manager. You can go online and learn more about their career. You should find out which artists he or she has worked with, along with which labels or studios the manager has a connection to.

Learn as much as you can about the manager and don’t be afraid to reach out to other artists. Talk to people that have actually worked with this manager so that you can get a better sense of what they’ll bring to the table.

#3 – Managers Can Limit Your Independence

Working with the wrong manager can limit your independence. They may offer their unwarranted advice and butt in when they don’t need to. This can get in the way of your plans or interfere with your creative process.

A manager isn’t meant to be a part of your creative process. In fact, you should separate the creative side from the business side.

In reality, a manager should be focused on the business side of the career, so that you have more time to devote to the creative side.

#4 – Some People Aren’t Cut Out to Be Managers

The other problem that you need to watch out for is the hiring of a bad manager. You don’t want to get involved with anyone that has a bad reputation or that won’t look out for your best interests.

A manager will be directly involved in your finances unless you have a separate financial manager. An unscrupulous manager could end up with a larger piece of your pie than you intended.

As you conduct background searches on managers, you should also look into their financial history. You can find details about failed businesses along with business complaints.

If you search online, enter the name of the manager into the search engine. Scroll through the results and click on any pages that are related to business or business details.

The other side of the problem is that the person may not have the skills needed to be a good manager. They need to be able to communicate with people, build strong relationships, and be good at socializing.

Even if their heart is in the right place, their skill level may not be up to snuff.

You also need to look over the contract. An inexperienced manager could leave certain details out of the contract, while an untrustworthy manager may try to hide details in the contract that only benefit the manager.

When you sign a contract, the contract should benefit you and the manager. Make sure that you have someone else look over the contract before you sign. If possible, hire a lawyer to look over the contract. A lawyer will typically charge an hour or two of their time to examine the contract.

#5 – You May Not Need a Manager Right Now

The final disadvantage is that you may not require a manager. If you end up hiring one right now, you may end up paying for a service that you don’t actually need.

Before you agree to work with a manager, you should make sure that you’re ready. You should ask yourself if you’re too busy to manage your own career.

When the demands of calling venues and scheduling appearances get in the way of making new music, then it could be the right time to find a manager.

The bottom line is that there are disadvantages and advantages to working with a music manager. They can help or hurt your career.

But, you can avoid most of the disadvantages by working with the right person. The following video showcases some of the traits that you should look for in a quality manager:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwgBjGON3kY

Don’t forget that a manager isn’t always the solution that you need. You should be able to take your career into your own hands. For additional advice on promoting your own music without the help of a music manager, make sure that you take a look at our eBook – Music Management for the Indie Artist!

7 Stages to Getting a Record Deal without Hiring a Band Manager

Fri, 17 Feb 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Hiring a band manager isn’t the ultimate goal of most artists. You want to make music and hopefully – make a living while putting out your music.

Even though there are some great reasons for working with a manager, you can do quite a bit on your own. As an indie artist, you can still create music, tour, and even get record deals.

While it would take dozens of articles to walk you through every single step, we can give you an overview of how to get a record deal without hiring a band manager.

The following 7 stages will give a general idea of what it takes to get ahead on your own. It will require hard work and a commitment to succeed. But, if you truly want to make a living in the music world, you need to be willing to give it everything that you have.

#1 –Practice, Practice, Practice!

The first stage is developing your craft. You need to make music that people want to listen to.

Whether you’re a solo artist or part of a band, you need to practice as much as possible. Improve your skills. Continue to expand your repertoire.

#2 – Start Making Your Own Music

Of course, you need to make your own music. But, it’s even better if you can start recording your own music.

Thanks to modern technology, it’s more affordable to purchase the minimum equipment needed to record music in a home studio. You need a computer, a digital audio workstation, and a way to record music – such as a mixer.

#3 – Start Playing Live Gigs

You also need to start playing live gigs. This is the most effective way to build your fan base. Start researching all the venues in your area that have live music.

Make a list of every location within traveling distance. Next, cross off the locations that don’t play your type of music. With your modified list, add the contact information for each location and any other notes.

Start contacting these locations to learn more about their booking procedure. Find out who’s responsible for booking, how much they pay, and any other details.

#4 – Build Your Own Website

The next stage is building your own website and setting up social media profiles for your music. Your website is your central online address for everything related to your music. It should include a discography, links to your music, links to your electronic press kit, links to social media, and information for upcoming appearances and live shows.

If you’ve never built a website, you should start with something simple. WordPress offers the easiest solution for people that don’t have experience building websites.

#5 – Promote Your Music Online

With your website in place, you can start promoting your music online. You should use a combination of online resources to achieve this. This includes:

Uploading your music to online music streaming sites – SoundCloud, Spotify, and iTunes
Including links to your music through your website
Keeping your website updated with your latest music, along with dates for live shows and appearances
Posting frequently on social media – with a combination of promotional posts and content that you find online
Setting up an email marketing campaign to manage your emails and build a mailing list
Submitting press releases in order to promote new albums or upcoming tours

These steps will require you to regularly post updates and stick to a consistent schedule. Several hours per week should be all that you need to regularly update your site, social media profiles, and manage your email marketing campaigns.

#6 – Create an Electronic Press Kit

An electronic press kit is a collection of material related to your music. This includes an artist biography, discography, professional photos, review highlights, and a selection of your latest music.

With the other stages completed, you should be able to compile a quality electronic press kit. Search our site for more informative articles on writing effective artist biographies and creating EPKs.

You basically need to create each of these documents and make them available online. They can be placed in a folder and uploaded to your web hosting account or compiled into a PDF and uploaded to your account. This makes it easier for people to access your EPK. Instead of attaching a large file in an email, you can simply include a link to your online EPK.

#7 – Start Reaching Out to Indie Labels

After you’ve completed all the other stages, you should be ready to start reaching out to indie labels. You’ll send them an email with the link to your EPK. The subject line should clearly state that you’re reaching out in order for them to check out your music. Here are a few examples:

Are you looking for new artists?
Our latest album needs a new home!
Introducing the latest sound in [City Name]!

It should be short and grab their attention, without revealing too many details. The body of your email should get to the point immediately.

Thank them for taking the time to read the email. Then, immediately compliment them – you could mention that you really liked the last album from one of their other artists. Just make sure that this compliment is genuine and not just hype.

Then, mention that you’ve been around for a while and are looking for a way to reach a larger audience. Invite them to listen to your music and check out your EPK.

Include a short call to action that links directly to your online EPK. Below this call to action, include your contact information – including phone number and email address.

Send these emails out to two or three labels. Hopefully, you’ll get a few bites. Wait for responses from these labels before you start contacting other labels.

Final Thoughts on Getting a Record Deal without Hiring a Band Manager

A band manager isn’t always required in order to get a record deal. While they can get you in the door at certain record labels, there are smaller labels that are willing to work with indie artists.

Use these tips to start your path to getting your own record deal. In addition to these suggestions, you can find even more helpful tips in Music Management for Indie Artists – our complete DIY guide to making a living with a career in music!

5 Major Advantages of Working with a Music Manager

Fri, 10 Feb 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Working with a music manager has its ups and downs. They can be helpful. But, depending on where you are in your career, they may not be necessary.

Typically, you’ll act as your own manager until you’ve been able to make a name for yourself and build your fan base. Until it becomes too hard to manage your career on your own, you shouldn’t even worry about connecting with a band manager.

Though, you shouldn’t write off the idea. A manager can be incredibly useful in your career. Below, you’ll find 5 major advantages of working with a music manager.

#1 – Managers Add Credibility to Your Band or Solo Act

The main advantage of working with a manager is that they can bring credibility.

While this isn’t always the case, some of the people that you’ll need to deal with are more likely to take your music seriously when you’ve got a manager present. It brings a certain level of professionalism.

Of course, the professionalism of your manager can also have an impact on this benefit. If you hire someone that doesn’t take their role as manager seriously, then they could hold you back from moving forward.

The manager that you work with should be able to present a professional image. They should be able to meet with people at record labels, radio stations, venues, and other locations in order to help advance your career.

#2 – Managers Create a Separation Between the Industry and You

Another advantage of working with the right manager is that they help create a separation between you and the music industry. Most people won’t want to deal directly with the band or artists.

For example, journalists and radio stations would prefer to deal with a manager than the artist. If they have something critical to say about the band, it’s easier to relay this information through a third party. This is much easier when there is a manager acting as an intermediary.

This applies to nearly every aspect of the music industry. If a radio station listens to your music and decides that it doesn’t fit their sound, instead of letting you know that they won’t play it, they may ignore your calls. Or, they may not provide honest feedback as to why they didn’t play it.

These issues can get in the way of your career. They can keep you from growing as an artist. This separation is a major advantage of working with a band manager.

#3 – Managers Can Provide Direction and Insight

If you’re working with an experienced manager, they can also bring direction and insight to the table. Their experience can help you navigate the music industry.

You don’t need to listen to your manager’s advice, but they can offer valuable knowledge that you won’t find in blog articles or in books. Sometimes, you need real world experience.

With that being said, you won’t always find an experienced manager. You may end up working with a friend or find a manager that is relatively new to the business.

This doesn’t mean that they can’t provide direction or insight. They can still help you solve issues or come up with effective solutions – two heads are always better than one.

#4 – Managers Can Resolve Disputes and Disagreements

If you work with other musicians, there’s a good chance that you’ll occasionally butt heads. This is true in any workspace. With long hours working together, tensions will rise.

A manager can get in the middle of any disputes or help keep everyone on the same page. Part of their job is ensuring that everything goes smoothly. If you’re in the studio, your manager should help make sure that you don’t waste your time with disagreements.

Though, you can’t always rely on a manager to calm the waters. If an internal dispute between bandmates is keeping everyone from moving forward, then a change to the lineup may be needed.

In sports, when a player isn’t pulling their weight or if they’re limiting the performance of other athletes, the coach might call a time out. But, if the bad behavior continues, the coach will likely pull the player from the field.

The same is true in music. Everyone should be on the same page and play the same tune.

#6 – Managers Can Give You the Freedom to Focus on Music

The final advantage of working with a manager is that they can help free up your time. You don’t have to spend as much time calling venues or radio stations in attempts to line up gigs or get your music played on air. These are tasks that your manager will start to handle.

By allowing your manager to take over some of your tasks and handle the logistics of playing gigs or making public appearances, you can focus more on your music.

This is the ultimate goal for most artists. You want to spend more of your time playing and making music, instead of dealing with the business side of things.

Though, you won’t reach this point overnight. You do need to put in a lot of work in order to grow a large enough fan base and busy enough schedule to warrant the need for a manager.

Final Thoughts on the Advantages of a Band Manager

Overall, a band manager can be a great resource in advancing your music career. Just keep in mind that they aren’t always a requirement. You also need to make sure that you find the right person for the job.

Watch this short video before you hire a music manager:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa7vferiH7w

Many of the advantages provided by working with a manager can be found with a relatively inexperienced manager. In fact, a friend could step in to help create the separation between you and the industry, along with providing some of the other benefits.

You really should focus on building your fan base, improving your craft, and creating original music. If you put yourself entirely into your career, you’ll reach the point where you could consider working with a manager. For additional tips on managing your own career, make sure that check out our guide – Music Management for Indie Artists.

What Should You Know Before Hiring a Friend to Manage Your Band

Wed, 08 Feb 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Throughout this site, you’ll find plenty of blog articles that discuss the reasons why you don’t need a band manager. While a manager can be helpful, they aren’t always necessary.

But, there are a few areas where having a manager can make the difference between getting a gig or a record contract and not signing.

Some venues and record executives will refuse to deal directly with the band. They want some form of representation to show that the musicians take their business seriously and are committed to delivering on any promises.

For this reason, some bands decide to hire a friend. They can fill the role of an outside source to help represent the band in meetings and negotiations.

Though, before you hire a friend to manage your band, there are a few issues to address. You’ll want to clarify these details before bringing in a friend to help with your career.

Make Sure Your Friend Understands His or Her Role

The first issue to deal with is job expectations. You need to make sure that your friend is fully aware of the role that they play.

For example, do you need your friend to handle bookings and event planning? Do they need to meet with people to help you get gigs or recording contracts?

If so, you need to decide how much you’ll pay your friend to handle these meetings.

Band managers typically earn between 10 and 20% of the earnings that come from any arrangements handled by the manager.

Go over all the details and expectations with your friend. Answer any questions that they have about their job and the tasks that they’ll need to perform.

You Need to Sign a Contract – No Matter What!

You always need a contract when money is involved. Even though you’ll be working with a friend, you don’t want any disagreements or disputes to destroy your friendship.

A contract helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

The contract will include details that can’t be disputed after signing. This includes the percentage that you’ll pay to your friend, along with details related to reimbursement for travel and other expenses.

You can find contracts online. There are templates that you can use that include all the main criteria that should be addressed in the contract. You’ll just need to add your names and sign. Though, if you’re serious about your career, it’s always a good idea to consider getting a lawyer to go over the contract.

Remember, the contract is designed to protect all parties. It protects both you and your friend. Don’t skip this step. Here’s a few more tips regarding contracts:

Decide How Long You’ll Need a Manager

You should also discuss future plans. You and your friend need to understand each other’s goals.

While you may simply need a manager for the time-being, until you’ve found an experienced manager, your friend may be using this experience as a springboard to launch his or her own career.

This is another area where you and your friend need to in sync. Talk about your plans with your friend and listen to their plans. If you have different ideas of where this partnership could lead, then it’s best that you don’t partner with each other.

Your Friend Should Be Right for the Job

Your manager, even if your band manager/friend is temporary, needs to be the right person for the job. They will need to meet will people, arrange gigs, and handle the logistics of your appearances. This requires a few special skill sets, including:

Social skills
Organizational skills
Professionalism

Social skills are essential. You don’t want to work with a manager that has trouble holding a conversation with people. This reflects badly on your brand.

At the same time, someone that is too talkative or boisterous may not be the right fit either. You don’t want someone that is going to cause ruffles. They should be level-headed and professional.

As your friend is taking on a job that requires them to represent your band, you should ensure that they can handle this professionalism. They should also have good organizational skills.

Along with those skills, they should also be enthusiastic about helping you out. They should be excited about promoting your music and helping you advance your career. It shouldn’t feel like a chore.

It will also help if your friend is financially responsible and good with business. These aren’t necessarily requirements, but they can be helpful traits.

Since your friend will be responsible for talking to booking agents and venues, they need to understand average rates and typical fees. Money management can be one of their responsibilities.

Though, the bottom line is that your friend should be someone that you can trust to do a good job. They should be motivated to help you.

Final Thoughts on Hiring a Friend to Manage Your Band

It’s not uncommon for a band or artist to hire friends or family to manage their careers. But, you should never rush into any decisions.

Before you decide to work with a friend or a family member, you should make sure that this is a good decision for all parts involved. Everyone should benefit from a successful partnership.

You should make sure that your friend understands their role. You should discuss how long you’ll need their help. Decide whether this is a temporary measure or a long-term partnership.

Also, don’t forget to sign a contract. You need to have everything in writing, no matter who you are working with.

If your friend isn’t the best fit for the job, don’t be afraid to turn him or her down. You need to look out for everyone’s best interests.

In the end, if you want to work with a friend, go for it. You just need to be prepared. Keep these tips in mind and make sure that you and your friend are on the same page.

Everything That You Need to Include on Your Website

Mon, 16 Jan 2017 00:00:00 +0000

As a musician, you need to treat your music career like a business. This means marketing your music and growing your social media followers.

But, you need a base of operations to connect all your marketing efforts. For this, you’ll need to use a website.

Your website should be your central source for all details related to your music.

Fans should be able to visit your site and find the date and location of your next show. They should be able to find links to your social media profiles and places to stream your music online. Though, there’s so much more to include.

You don’t need to be an expert web designer to create a killer site for your music. You can use a template with a drag-and-drop website builder to choose the right layout. The only hard work is including all the right information on your site.

So, to help you out here is a list of everything that you need to include on your website.

An Easy to Browse Layout

Before adding any content, you want to make sure that your website is easy to browse. Your visitors should have no problem navigating the menu or viewing the website on any internet-connected device, including mobile phones and tablets.

As mentioned, there are website builders that will take care of the layout. You just need to select the template that you want to use. But, once you select a template, view it on your phone and any other devices to ensure it looks good.

The main website builders include Wix and WordPress.

An About Page with Updated Information

The about page is the perfect spot for your artist or band bio. You can include a short, concise summary of your music background and recent work. The bio shouldn’t be long. It needs to get to the point quickly, as most people will not want to read a detailed biography.

Highlight your main accomplishments and what you’re planning for this foreseeable future. Let people know a little bit about you and your music.

A Music Page Containing a Music Player and Links

Somewhere on your site, you need to give visitors access to your music. Luckily, this step is easy. You can include a Spotify music player, embed SoundCloud audio clips, and use other plugins to include your music directly on your website.

The less work that people need to complete in order to find your music the more likely they are to actually listen to it.

On this page, you can also include links to any site that contains your music, such as iTunes, Spotify, Tidal, SoundCloud, or any other streaming site.

A Photo Page with Professional Photographs

You’ll want a photo page on your site with quality photographs of your band or solo act. You can also include videos.

The photos that you include should be allowed to be used on other websites. Include a mention somewhere on the page that writers are free to use these images in reviews and articles that are about your music. This can help increase your chances of getting showcased on a music blog or review site.

A Performance Calendar with Your Latest Shows

A performance calendar is a simple calendar with entries for each of your upcoming appearances. Though, you don’t necessarily need to use an actual calendar. You can provide a list of appearances if you can’t find an easy to use calendar plugin for your website. Make sure that you include the date and time of these appearances.

If possible, include links to the official websites of the venues and locations where you’ll be performing. Again, the idea is to make things as easy as possible for your visitors and fans.

A Contact Page with All of Your Contact Details

You also need to let people know how to contact you. Eventually, you may attract the right type of attention and start getting calls from talent agents, music managers, and people in the business. When this happens, you want to make sure that they can easily get a hold of you.

Finally, don’t forget to include links to all relevant sites and social media profiles. These links should be easy to find. In fact, you’ll probably want to include links to your social media accounts in your footer or sidebar – so that they appear on every page.

Setting up your website is just one stage of managing your own music career. There’s so much work to do. You also need to think about your marketing plan, booking shows, and recording music.

If you want even more advice, then make sure that you check out our detailed guide – Music Management for Indie Artists. Learn what it takes to manage your own career and find a music manager.

Music Management Tips to Help You Become a Verified Artist on Spotify

Fri, 13 Jan 2017 00:00:00 +0000

As part of your music management strategy, you should be uploading your music to Spotify.

While some people have complained about royalty rates, you’re probably not going to make a fortune with music streaming at this point in your career.

So, for up-and-coming artists, Spotify is a great way to get your music out there and reach more people. This is especially true once you become a verified artist.

As a verified artist, you can view analytics, easily edit your artist profile and discography, and use other resources to help grow your fan base.

But, before you can become a verified artist, you’ll need to gain 250 followers. This isn’t always easy.

It’s similar to social media marketing. You need to put forward an effort to start gaining followers. So, as part of your music management strategy, use these tips to become a verified artist on Spotify.

What Will You Need to Become Verified?

Before you start using these tips, you’ll need to create a Spotify account – if you haven’t already. It will also help if you have a Facebook account and a website.

You’ll use these resources for gaining new followers, making them an essential part of these tips. Then, you’ll start working towards your goal of acquiring 250 followers.

If you can gain 50 new followers each month, you’ll reach your goal in just 5 months. So, get started…

Convert Website Visitors into Spotify Followers

Your first step will be to make it easy for website visitors to find your music on Spotify. You can include a Spotify Follow Button or a Spotify Play Button. The “follow” button will let visitors follow your Spotify account without leaving your site. The play button lets you embed songs on your site.

Another option is to include an embedded Spotify player on your website. Basically, you want to use these various options to include Spotify features throughout your website. As you gain website visitors, you’ll begin to attract new Spotify followers.

Let Your Mailing List Know About Your Spotify Account

You’ll also want to let your mailing list know about your Spotify account.

If you don’t already have an email marketing plan, you should set it up as soon as possible. Building a mailing list lets you keep your fans updated in a more efficient way than social media.

You can then send mass emails letting your subscribers know about new music releases, upcoming shows, and other updates. You’ll send these email newsletters out on a regular schedule, such as once or twice per month on the same day of the week.

Inside these email newsletters, you can remind your subscribers to check out your music on Spotify. This friendly reminder can occasionally be repeated through your social media accounts.

The idea is that this repetition will eventually lead a greater percentage of your fans to listen to your music on Spotify and then start following you.

Use Paid Advertising to Promote Your Spotify Music

You can use paid advertising to reach more people. This is more affordable than you might think. For just a few dollars per day, you can reach thousands of people.

Use these ads to direct internet users to a landing page on your website where you include all your Spotify info – including a Spotify player and a follow button. You always want to make it as easy as possible to start following you.

If you’ve never used paid ads, then take a moment to watch this short video about Facebook advertising. It’s one of the most affordable options for paid advertising:

You should also create your own playlists. This includes a combination of playlists featuring your own music and playlists featuring your favorite songs – what you’re listening to. Every time you create a new playlist, don’t forget to mention it in your email newsletters and social media posts.

Create a Digital Signature Containing a Spotify Link

Digital signatures are preset messages that go at the end of your email. Basically, they provide a way to quickly add your contact info at the end of each email. You can include links to your main social media profiles, your website, and your Spotify music.

Create a digital signature using your email client. This option is typically found in the settings and is easy to setup. Don’t include too many links in your signature. Limit yourself to 3 to 4 links.

Continue Releasing New Music

The final step is to continue releasing new music. This will help you continue to attract new followers, while also helping you retain your existing followers. If you’re not active, existing followers may go away.

If there is one main message to take away from these tips – you need to remain active. You need to keep releasing music, let people know about your Spotify account, and keep your fan base up to date about new releases.

Using these tips should help you reach 250 followers in 5 months or less. Before long, you’ll be a verified artist on Spotify.

For more tips, don’t forget to check out our guide – Music Management for Indie Artists.

3 Steps to Jump Start Your Own Music Career Without Needing a Manager

Mon, 02 Jan 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Do you want to be a star? Well, it won’t happen overnight. You’ll need to put in hard work.

For a lot of up-and-coming musicians, there’s a belief that all you need to do is gig until you find a music manager. But, this actually comes much later.

First, you’ll need to manage your own career.

There are certain skills that you’ll develop while managing your own career, that will help you later on in your career – when you do start working with a manager or promoters.

You’ll need to devote time to building your social media following, gain more fans, and craft a distinct sound that people actually want to listen to.

To help point you in the right direction – here are 3 steps to jump start your own music career.

#1 – Start Distributing Your Own Music

Thanks to the internet, you have quite a few different ways to distribute your own music. If you own the rights, you can upload your music to SoundCloud, DatPiff, and other music sharing sites. Of course, there’s also Spotify.

Getting your music onto these online services ensures that you have a way to directly release music and get it to your fans.

This distribution model is one of the major advantages that has helped modern indie artists break out from traditional musical career paths. You now have the power to take matters into your own hands.

You can distribute your own music without having to release vinyl albums, tapes, or CDs.

Take advantage of these opportunities to share your music. It can help you gain recognition and grow your fan base.

#2 – Release EP Albums on iTunes

With the online music distribution options that are available, you’ll be able to upload tracks or albums, but you won’t make money.

Now, Spotify does pay royalties to artists based on the number of plays each song receives. Though, you’ll need to get a lot of plays to make decent money.

If you want to start selling your own music, iTunes offers decent pay to artists for every purchase. But, you’ll need to release an album to sell your music on iTunes.

Because of this requirement, a lot of artists take the time to release full albums with 8 to 12 songs. The problem with this method is that the majority of your sales will only come from 2 or 3 songs.

So, instead of creating a full album, you should release an EP. Stick to a 5 song EP to get more music out into the cloud and start making money for your effort.

Here’s a short video that covers the basic steps for selling music on iTunes:

#3 – Market Your Online Music

Whether you upload music to a streaming site or try to sell music on iTunes, you need to market your music. There are two main marketing solutions that you need to worry about – direct marketing and digital marketing.

Direct Marketing

Direct marketing is what happens when you play live gigs. People get to hear you play and then, if they’re interested, they can look you up online and purchase songs or recommend you to their friends.

So, to do more to market your music directly to your target audience, you need to play live shows. You don’t need a booking agent for this. Start calling local venues and simply ask if they are looking for performers.

Depending on the location, they might want you to send them links to your music or for your EPK. Others may want you to come in and play. This really depends on the location and the person responsible for booking acts.

You may get turned down several times, but you’ll eventually start to learn which venues you can regularly book. You can begin building a rotating schedule of regular performances at these locations.

Digital Marketing

Digital marketing refers to all the various forms of online marketing that you can use to promote a business or brand. In this case, you’re promoting yourself.

For your digital marketing strategies, you should include a combination of email marketing and social media marketing. If you have funds available, you can include paid advertising. But, you can definitely get started without using paid ads.

Email marketing is useful for maintaining a growing list of fans. It’s a more direct form of contact between artists and their target audience, compared to the use of social media.

How do you get started with email marketing? Use an email marketing platform, such as MailChimp, to set up a new mailing list. You’ll then include a form on your website to allow your fans to sign up to your mailing list.

As your mailing list grows, you can send out regular emails to let your subscribers know about upcoming live performances, new music releases, and any other updates related to your music.

While people may not check on their social media accounts every day, most people check their emails daily – so they’ll never miss out on your updates.

Social media marketing simply means remembering to update your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts at least once per day.

What should you post about? First, keep everyone updated, the same as your emails. But, with Facebook, you can include other topics – share music-related news and other articles that you find online. Share anything that you think your followers will find interesting or helpful.

This is a tactic that businesses use in their social media marketing. They’ll limit the number of self-promotional tweets and Facebook posts that they release each day.

The majority of the content that they share is generally informative, educational, or entertaining. Then, they sneak in the promotional social media posts.

Final Thoughts on Managing Your Own Music

It really isn’t that difficult to manage your own music when you’re first starting out. Over time, you’ll be able to grow your fan base, build your email list, and gain more followers.

All of these steps help you to achieve those goals. You’ll need to start distributing your own music and then use marketing to promote it.

You won’t gain success overnight. Just keep at it, don’t give up, and continue growing. For more tips, check out our guide – Music Management for the Indie Artist.

Why Should You Hold Off on Finding Music Management?

Fri, 09 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Finding a music manager may seem like an indication that your musical career is on the right path. But, this isn’t always the case. The truth is that finding music management shouldn’t be at the top of your list of priorities – until you can no longer handle the tasks involved in promoting your own music or managing your own career.

So, you shouldn’t rush into a contract or make it your mission to find a manager. Instead, you may want to hold off for a little while. Here are a few benefits of waiting to find music management.

You’ll Learn More About Booking a Gig

When you take matters into your own hands, you’ll need to book your own gigs. While you may already have dealt with this on occasion, taking your time to find a music manager will give you more opportunities to learn what it takes to book gigs.

How does this benefit you in the long run? By learning how to book gigs, you’ll know whether your band manager is doing everything in his power to help you get new gigs.

You’ll Learn More About Music Promotion

Another aspect of the music business that you’ll become more familiar with is music promotion. You’ll need to promote your own music. This includes the use of social media marketing and uploading your music to online streaming sites.

When it comes to music promotion, you can learn a lot from online marketing blogs and resources. Treat your music like a business. Learn more about online marketing and how to use to promote your music.

How does this benefit you in the long run? Again, you’ll learn what’s involved in promoting music. You’ll have a better idea of what resources are available and how to get your music out to the public.

You’ll Be Able to Develop Your Sound and Improve Your Music

Most managers are not willing to work with a band or artist that doesn’t have their own sound. You need to determine what it is that sets you apart from other artists. Holding off on finding a music manager gives you the time that you need to work this out.

You should always be honest with yourself. If you don’t think you’re playing at a professional level, then there’s no reason to start working with a manager yet. Spend your time perfecting your music. Improve your music and develop your sound.

How does this benefit you in the long run? By taking the time to focus on your actual music, you’ll be better equipped to take the world by storm when you finally find a music manager.

You May Find That You Don’t Need a Music Manager

Through this process, you may come to the realization that you don’t need a manager. If you can book gigs and promote your music, and still have time to focus on your music, then a manager will not bring much else to the table.

Managers can help with these areas, while also opening up doors to potential recording contracts or record deals. But, they are not the ultimate solution for helping you succeed.

How does this benefit you in the long run? The longer you wait to find a manager, the more you will learn. A successful indie act that can juggle all the tasks involved in working in the music industry may not even need a manager.

The following video breaks down a few key points that will help you determine when it’s the right time to get a manager. While the video is intended for rappers, the same basic principles apply across genres:

Final Thoughts on Finding Music Management

In the end, by holding off on finding music management, you’ll discover a lot about yourself and the music industry. The more you know the better prepared you will be to actually work with a manager.

Basically, you will know what to look for in the right manager. Also, you’ll be able to judge the performance of your manager. You’ll know whether he or she is working hard to help your band succeed.

So, when should you start working with a band manager? If you really focus on the areas discussed, then a manager may not be necessary until you need help balancing all these tasks.

When you require help reaching out to new markets or feel that you’ve grown your reputation enough to make money through a recording contract, then it may be time to start looking for music management. Though, you also need to remember that when the time is right you should have music managers lining up to work with you.

How to Get a Music Manager: 5 Things to Fix Before You Go Looking

Fri, 02 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: You get a music manager by becoming an artist worth managing first - grow a real fan base, keep releasing music, tighten your live show, and get a friend or collaborator to help you handle the logistics you can’t yet outsource to a pro. Managers look for artists who already have traction, not artists hoping a manager will manufacture it. Once you know exactly what you want out of your career, you’ll also know exactly what kind of manager you actually need.

Chasing a manager before you have anything for them to manage is like cold-emailing a booking agent with a demo you recorded on your phone in a van - technically possible, extremely unlikely to work. Nobody is going to sign on to manage a vibe. The good news: everything that makes you attractive to a manager is also just… good for your career, manager or no manager. Here’s where to focus first.

#1 - Grow Your Fan Base

This is still the single biggest lever. A manager isn’t betting on your potential in the abstract - they’re betting on evidence that people already want what you’re making, not just that your mom and four coworkers think you’re “so talented.” Play shows, and play them consistently, not as one-off events. Release music on a schedule fans can count on. Use streaming platforms, social video (Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts), and your email list to keep momentum visible between releases, not just on release day.

The specific platforms will keep changing. The underlying signal a manager is actually reading - real people showing up, repeatedly, without being paid to - won’t.

#2 - Focus on Your Music

None of the above matters if the music itself isn’t there yet. A manager isn’t going to invest their time in an act that isn’t ready, no matter how good your socials look - a great Instagram grid with mediocre songs behind it is just a well-lit way to disappoint people faster. Put real, scheduled time into writing, recording, and rehearsing. If you’re in a band, protect a standing block of time everyone actually shows up for, not the one that quietly turns into “we’ll jam whenever.” If you’re solo, treat practice like a job you can’t skip, not something you get to when you feel like it.

#3 - Get Help With the Logistics You’re Drowning In

A manager becomes worth having once you can no longer keep up with booking shows, promoting releases, writing new music, and handling the business side all at once. You’re probably not there yet - and until you are, that 2 a.m. “did anyone confirm the venue for Friday” text is just part of the job. That’s exactly the gap a trusted friend or collaborator can fill in the meantime.

Hand off one specific piece, not everything at once. Let someone you trust act as a temporary booking contact, or run your release-day promo checklist, while you protect your time for the music itself. If they’re bringing in paid work - booking shows, for instance - agree on a fair cut up front so nobody’s guessing later. “We’ll figure it out” is not a percentage.

#4 - Make Your Traction Impossible to Miss

Managers don’t just want to hear that you’re building something - they want to see the receipts: streaming numbers trending up, a playlist placement, a release cadence you’ve actually stuck to, an email list that grows every time you post. This is the modern version of “share your music with the public,” and it matters more now than it did a decade ago, because it’s the fastest way for a manager to judge you before ever meeting you.

Get your music onto the major streaming platforms through a distributor (DistroKid, TuneCore, and similar services are the standard route now), keep your artist profiles current, and make it easy for anyone checking you out to find evidence you’re already moving.

#5 - Set Your Goals

The last step is knowing what you actually want. Decide it before you’re in a room negotiating a contract, not during - “I’ll figure out what I want once someone offers me something” is how artists end up signed to deals that don’t fit them. Do you want music to be your full living, do you want to collaborate more with other artists, do you want session or production work alongside your own releases, or do you want to go all-in on your own career? Write it down.

Getting a manager was never the finish line - it’s one tool among several for getting where you’re going. By the time the right manager finds you, you should already understand the business side of your own career well enough to know a good fit from a bad one.

Tips for Attracting the Right Manager

Don’t rush it. A manager you chased down out of impatience is a worse deal than no manager at all - and “no manager” doesn’t show up on your credit report.
Let your traction do the talking. Numbers and consistency are more persuasive than a pitch, and a lot less exhausting to produce than a good pitch.
Get real-world visibility. Managers still find a lot of artists by watching them play live or hearing about them from someone they trust - not just online.
Know your non-negotiables before you negotiate. Revisit what percentage a music manager typically takes and the signs you’re actually ready for one before any real conversation starts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a music manager if I’m just starting out? You mostly don’t, yet - and that’s fine. Early on, focus on the things a manager would actually want to see: a growing fan base, a consistent release schedule, and a live show that holds up. Managers look for artists who already have momentum, not artists hoping a manager will create it for them.

What should I have ready before reaching out to a music manager? Documented traction - streaming numbers, playlist placements, show attendance, email list size - plus a clear sense of your own goals. A manager wants to see you’ve already been doing the work; they’re looking to accelerate something real, not start from zero.

Do I need a music manager to get a record deal or grow my fan base? No. Plenty of independent artists build a real career without one. A manager becomes useful once your career has more moving parts (bookings, press, releases, negotiations) than you can handle yourself - not before.

Where do music managers actually find new artists? Mostly through real-world signals, not cold pitches: a manager sees you play live, a mutual contact vouches for you, or your streaming and playlist numbers cross their radar through someone they already trust. Consistent, visible work is what puts you in that path.

Ready to put your traction in front of the people who matter? Submit Your Music and let’s get you in front of the right eyes.

The Importance of a Business Plan for Music Promotion

Thu, 01 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000

You may think that finding a music manager is the perfect solution for helping you succeed in music, but it’s actually a small part of the equation. Before you start working with a band manager or find artist management, you should be treating your musical career as a business.

Why Should You Think of Your Music as a Business?

The reason for treating your musical career as a business is simple. It helps you learn the ropes of promoting your own music. You’ll go through many of the same tasks that a manager deals with. By learning the basics of how the music industry works, you’ll be better prepared to eventually work with a manager.

How Can You Start Growing Your Music Business?

First, you’ll need to create a business plan. You should treat this as any entrepreneur would. Take your time and put real thought into your plan, with attention given to the following areas:

Long-term and short-term goals
Market analysis in your region
Marketing and sales efforts

Long-term and Short-term Goals

The first part of creating a business plan is to set your long-term and short-term goals. Don’t write these out on a napkin. You should use a Word Processor and actually type out your business plan.

Decide on your long-term goals before setting your short-term goals. These long-term goals are goals that you want to accomplish over the coming years – such as getting a record contract or finding a music manager.

Short-term goals are goals that you plan on accomplishing within the next 12-months or less. This could include playing a specific number of shows, recording new music, or getting your music uploaded to a streaming site.

Market Analysis in Your Region

Next, you’ll want to do a little research. For the market analysis, you should make a list of the top venues, bars, and locations in your region where you may be able to book a gig. Write down the contact information for each location.

You should also learn more about the interests of music listeners in your region. Determine which venues attract an audience that is more likely to enjoy your music.

Other steps that you can take as a part of your market analysis include learning more about your competition, creating a profile of your average listener, and making a list of all the resources where people could discover your music.

When researching your competition, it helps to find out how often they play gigs, where they play, and how many followers they have on social media. This step could help you locate additional venues that you wouldn’t have thought of on your own.

Marketing and Sales Efforts

The next part of your business plan should include an overview of your marketing and sales efforts. Decide how you plan on promoting your music. Throughout this site, you will find a variety of articles on music promotion, including tips for promoting your music through online streaming services.

By taking the time to write out these plans, you’ll be prepared to take your musical career to the next level. In the video below, you’ll get a detailed look at some of the steps that you can take to market and sell your music online without needing a music manager:

Your Business Plan Will Go Through Changes

You should regularly update your business plan, as you discover new ways to promote your music. Make notes about which efforts work best and which ones don’t provide the results that you’d like. Keeping track of these details will help you learn more about the music industry and what it takes to promote your own music.

The purpose of creating this business plan is to give you an outline, with detailed steps, for growing your fan base and perfecting your craft. In the long run, these efforts will help you find a music manager.

Final Thoughts on Creating a Business Plan for Your Music

If you haven’t already, you should think of your musical career as a business. Even before you start working with a music manager, it’s important to have an outline of your goals and the steps that you’ll take to get there.

Establish a game plan for your career. Set your goals. Then, come up with strategies that will help you achieve these goals. It’s the same as any business.

Using a combination of online marketing and traditional marketing, you’ll be able to grow your fan base and make a name for yourself in your region. By treating your career more like a business, potential managers will see the efforts that you’ve taken. In the end, this will dramatically increase your chances of being able to work with the right manager.

For additional advice on finding a manager and promoting your music career, take a look at our in-depth guide – Music Management for the Indie Artist.

Signing an Indie Label Contract without Artist Management

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

You don’t always need a music manager to take care of everything. You can make a name for yourself in the music industry without a manager. Though, they do have their advantages. They can help you get your foot in the door in the music industry. This may help you get a meeting with a bigger record label.

While that would be great, you don’t necessarily need to record with a bigger record label. If you are taking the indie route, you could end up with an indie label. This can help advance your career.

You get the opportunity to record music professionally. You can reach a larger audience. This could be the next step in taking your career to a new level. But, before you sign a contract with an indie label, there are a few basics that you should understand.

Before covering these basics, you should understand that everyone uses a different contract. You may find details that are not covered in this article. So, the first step in examining a contract with an indie label is the basics. You want to make sure that the contract is not overly complicated and full of legal jargon.

Honestly, a good contract should be easy enough to understand without the help of a lawyer. But, the more money that’s involved, the more complicated that contract can become. So, if you don’t understand any of part of the contract, you should have a lawyer review it.

The Primary Details of an Indie Label Contract

Even though the details of each contract will vary, there are some basics that will be included in almost every contract. This includes:

The length of the contract
Licensing and distribution details
Financial advances
Spending caps
Earnings after costs

Those are the main areas, but you also need to look at the licensing or recording deal. For example, the contract may cover licensing for an album that is already recorded or an album that is to be recorded after signing the contract.

The Length of the Contract

First, examine the length of the contract. This is also referred to as the term of the contract. This applies to the ownership of the album or songs (either licensed albums and songs or recorded albums and songs).

The term can cover any length of time. This may be a few years or forever. Generally, the term is for 5 to 10 years. Forever would mean that the indie label owns the album forever.

Licensing and Distribution Details

The details of distribution are also important. The contract should specifically mention where the label can sell the album. For example, do they have the right to sell the album worldwide or only within a specific country? These are details that you need to examine and agree on before signing the contract.

Financial Advances

Financial advances are rare with indie labels. The reason is that this is not beneficial to either party. The advance is money that is taken out of the money that you’ll earn after the label recoups the costs of recording, promoting, and distributing your album.

While a financial advance may sound like a good idea, you could end up making nothing after the label has recouped their costs.

Spending Caps

The spending cap is also important. This is the amount that the label can spend promoting and distributing your album. Setting a cap can help ensure that you actually make money.

Earnings After Costs

The earnings after costs are crucial. This is the money that you’ll make. The indie label is putting up the money needed to promote and distribute your album.

They may also be covering the costs of recording the album. Other than an advance, you will not earn any money until the label has recouped their costs.

So, look for the section of the contract that specifies earnings. This will either be a percentage or it will be split 50/50. With a small label, 50/50 is common.

This means that after the label has earned money from album sales to cover the money that they spent on promotion and distribution, you will earn half of the proceeds.

Here is an example. Say that the record label spends $25,000 promoting and distributing your album. After several months, they've received $30,000 in sales. That leaves $5,000 in profits. This would then be divided 50/50 - $2,500 to you and $2,500 to the label.

Additional Details of the Contract

In addition to those areas, there are other details to pay attention to. You need to read the fine print. Look at the accounting, licensing deals, and other details that may not be obvious.

You need to read the contract from front to back. Read every single line. Again, if you don’t understand something, make the label change the wording or take the contract to a lawyer. Additionally, you’ll find some helpful advice by watching this short video on indie label contracts:

Working with a Music Manager

As mentioned, there are advantages to working with a music manager. They may be able to help you avoid signing a bad contract. They could even help you find a better deal. While it’s unlikely that your manager will have a law degree, they will likely have a better understanding of record contracts.

If you are interested in working with a manager, or if you want to learn how to advance your own career, we’ve got some more advice for you. Check out Music Management for Indie Artists. This eBook is the ultimate guide to managing your own career and preparing you for working with a music manager.

In the end, a music manager can be beneficial, but you may not need one at your current stage. So, if you get the opportunity to sign with an indie label, you don’t need to say no simply because you don’t have a manager. Consider your current level of success and whether it would be beneficial to your career to sign with an indie label.

The bottom line is that this is your career. You should be the one making the final decisions. Take charge of your career and do what is in your best interests.

What Should You Know Before Signing a Music Manager Contract?

Mon, 28 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Working with a music manager can open doors that you wouldn’t be able to open on your own. They can help you land more gigs, better gigs, and even help you get a recording deal. But, they also take a portion of your proceeds. It’s in the contract.

Before signing a contract with a music manager there are a few things that you should know. Take a moment to learn more about music manager contracts and what you should watch out for.

The Basics of a Music Manager Contract

Let’s start with the basics. Keep this information in mind as you read through the contract. It will help you avoid a negative situation. There are many examples of musicians that have signed contracts without looking them over. The result is that they are stuck in a bad contract. You can avoid this by remembering the following:

A contract shouldn’t be complicated
The contract should benefit both parties
There shouldn’t be any loopholes

A basic music manager contract should not be too complicated. You should be able to understand all the basics. This includes the length of the contract and job expectations. If there is a lot of legal jargon, then you could take the contract a lawyer. But, this is also a sign that the manager is only looking out for his or her best interests - which brings us to the next point.

The contract should benefit both parties. It should be agreeable to both you and the manager. A contract that only benefits one side is not a suitable contract. It should also not contain any loopholes.

Key Areas of the Music Manager Contract

In addition to the basics, there are a few key areas to pay attention to. These sections should be included in any contract that you sign. So, take a moment to review the following:

The length of the contract
The job expectations of your manager
The manager’s fee
The manager’s expenses

Length of the Contract

The first area to examine is the length of the contract. Generally, the contract should be for a one-year period. This gives you and the manager time to work with each other and decide whether you should continue working together. It’s also short enough that you won’t ruin your career if things don’t work out. You are not signing your life away.

Along with the length of the contract, you should look for the cancellation policy. Most contracts will have a period for cancellation. This may be 30 days or several months. Basically, the cancellation policy allows either side to back out of the contract without any repercussions.

One thing that you should look for is an option to extend the contract. An unscrupulous manager may try to sneak this into the contract. Basically, this option would allow the manager to automatically extend the length of the contract when the initial period expires, even if you decide that you want out of the contract.

Job Expectations

Next, you need to look at the job expectations. This is very important. This details the role of the manager. If you’ve read any of the articles on this site, then you should already know that a music manager can take on many roles. Clearly defining these roles is essential.

When you’re a new band or music act, your manager will likely be responsible for promoting your music. They will promote you to music promoters so that you can land gigs. They will also promote you to record labels in hopes of landing a recording contract. Basically, they’re trying to help expand your career.

Though, if you already have success, then the role of the music manager may vary. They may act more as an intermediary between you and others in the music industry, including a booking agent or the record label.

Make sure that these roles are clearly defined and that both sides agree to the responsibilities of the music manager. After all, this is the section that outlines their job description.

Manager’s Fee

Of course, you also need to consider the manager’s fee. Generally, you can expect to pay about 15 to 20% of your earnings. They will receive a portion of album sales, label advances, and any deals that they helped negotiate. Now, a music manager is technically not the one to negotiate contracts, but they do receive a portion from negotiations that they arranged.

You should also agree on earnings from other areas. This includes merchandise sales and songwriting royalties. These are not usually included.

Manager’s Expenses

The next area is manager’s expenses. You will need to cover expenses related to promoting your band. For example, if your manager needs to travel to another state to meet with a music promoter in person so that you can book a gig, then you’ll have to cover the costs of that trip.

You will need to examine the details of the expenses. This includes a set time for paying the expenses and requiring approval if the expenses exceed a specified amount.

That covers the basics of a music manager contract. You need to consider the length of the contract, job responsibilities, fees, and expenses. If you want more information about manager contracts, then watch this short video. Entertainment lawyer Elliot Cahn breaks down some important points about signing contracts in the entertainment and music industry:

Final Thoughts on the Music Manager Contract

If you are worried about signing a contract with a music manager, then you may not be quite ready to work with a manager. Instead, you can take care of the tasks that a manager would handle. This includes booking gigs and promoting your music. For additional details, check out Music Management for Indie Artists. You’ll find a wealth of knowledge about managing your own career, which will help prepare you for working with a manager.

Thanks for reading and don’t forget to check out our other articles. We try to cover as much about the music industry as possible. Good luck out there!

Discover the Difference Between a Music Agent and a Music Manager

Mon, 21 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

You may have a general idea of what a music manager is and what he or she can do for your music act. But, before you sign a contract, there’s a chance that you may not need a music manager.

You may find that working with a music agent is a better fit. But, what’s the difference between a music manager and a music agent? We’ll break it down for you.

Discover the difference between a music agent and a music manager.

What is a Music Agent?

Music agents are agents. They’re sometimes called booking agents or talent agents. Basically, they’re responsible for booking shows. They talk to the promoters and negotiate your contracts for live performances.

A music agent will also work with promoters to ensure that the event goes smoothly. This includes ensuring that you have everything that you need for the event. This includes the sound check and the payment for your appearance.

This is only an overview of the role of a music agent. Their exact responsibilities can vary depending on your level of success and whether you’re working with a music manager. Some of their other responsibilities can include:

Contacting promoters to book gigs
Arranging contracts with promoters
Arranging tour dates and setting a schedule

How much does a music agent get paid? This will also vary. Generally, the agent will receive a percentage of the earnings from the tour. This is limited to the payment for the performance. It doesn’t include earnings from merchandise or the sale of music.

Agents will often earn between 10 and 20%. If you’re relatively new in your music career, then they may ask for closer to the 20% mark. But, if you’ve had success, 10 to 15% may be more reasonable.

The main task of a music agent is to book shows. Their goal is to book bigger and bigger venues. If you want a detailed look at the role of a music agent, then watch the following video. It provides plenty of details:

One of the advantages of working with a successful agent is that they may already have larger bands that they work with. This could open the opportunity for support tours. You could open for larger bands, increasing your exposure and helping you gain more fans.

Before working with a music agent, you will need to sign a contract. The details of this contract can vary. As mentioned, their pay rate can depend on several factors.

Before signing a contract, it’s a good idea to have a professional look it over. You could take the contract to a lawyer and have them review it, in case you don’t understand the details of the contract.

What is a Music Manager?

So, how is this different from a music manager? It depends on several factors. A music manager helps you manage your career. This can include some of the responsibilities of a music agent. It really depends on your needs.

If you think that you’ve got everything handled, as far as music recording and distribution, then a music agent may be all that you need. They can help book gigs.

A music manager is a broad term. It covers a lot of ground. A music manager can act as a booking agent, a promoter, and an intermediary between you and the music industry. Here is an overview of some of their main tasks:

Promoting your music
Setting meetings with record labels
Coordinating with music agents and promoters
Helping to manage your career

Keep in mind that a music manager cannot legally negotiate a contract. They can set up meetings and help you book gigs, but you’ll be responsible for negotiating the contract - from a legal standpoint. If this makes you feel uncomfortable, then a music agent can be beneficial.

The bottom line is that a music manager manages things. It’s really that simple. They help keep things in order so that you can focus on your music.

A music agent will not contact a record label and help you land a recording contract. They will not negotiate with music publishers to license your music. These are tasks that are generally handled by a manager.

Do You Want to Become a Music Agent?

You can take on the role of a music agent for your own musical act. As with a music manager, you may not need an agent. They are responsible for tasks that you could take care of on your own. Though, you will eventually reach the limitations of what you can do on your own.

The main point is that music managers, agents, and other professionals are not necessary for the average indie artist. You can book your own gigs (taking on the role of a music agent) or promote your own music (taking on the role of a music promoter). Really, an indie artist needs to learn more about these tasks and roles and job titles.

When you learn how to handle these tasks on your own, you’ll be better prepared when the time comes to work with a professional. You’ll have a basic understanding of their job role and can accurately judge their performance. If someone is going to take 20% of your earnings, then they better be doing a good job.

Don’t stop here. There’s more advice available. You should also take a moment to check out our detailed eBook - Music Management for Indie Artists. In this book, you’ll find expert advice and tips for advancing your own career - without needing a music manager. Learn how to become your own manager and become a star.

Basically, you need to handle these tasks on your own, until you can no longer handle them. Focus on your music. That’s what’s important. You need to make good music that people want to listen to. So, for now, worry more about the creative side of things and less about the business.

You can then start recording, booking your own gigs, and work towards growing your fan base. Eventually, you’ll probably be approached by prospective managers or booking agents.

How to Become Your Own Music Manager

Mon, 14 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

In this modern world, you don’t necessarily need a music manager. This is especially true for those of you that are just starting your career. Thanks to social media and music streaming sites, a lot of the work that a music manager would normally handle can be handled by yourself. So, with that wonderful concept in mind, here are a few tips to help you become your own music manager.

What’s the Role of a Music Manager?

It may help to understand the role of a modern music manager. In artist management, the music manager’s role can vary. It really depends on the success of the artist.

For example, early on, the music manager might book gigs, promote your music, book promotional events, and help promote your music. As your career advances, these tasks may become too much for the manager to handle on their own. At that point, they might work with booking agents, promoters, public relations specialists, and other industry insiders.

Some of the tasks describe above can be handled by yourself. Just as the music manager would begin working with additional people once your career takes off, you don’t need to enlist the help of a music manager until these tasks become too much for you to handle.

What Can You Do Advance Your Career?

There are quite a few steps that you can take to manage your own career. It all starts with booking gigs. You need to learn how to contact venues and arrange appearances. You also need to record your own music and release it online.

How to Book Gigs

Here’s a closer look at some of the steps that you’ll need to follow to book gigs. Playing live is one of the most important steps in advancing your career. This is how you will begin to build your following.

Playing gigs around your local area can help you gain fans, attract some media attention, and promote your latest music.

Booking a gig starts before you try to book the gig. There are a few things that need to be taken care of before you start contacting venues:

Music that people can listen to
An electronic press kit
An availability for gigs

Music That People Can Listen To

So, you need music that people can listen to. This has two meanings. First, you need music that people will enjoy. If you expect to make in the music industry, you can’t show up for a gig and sing whatever comes into your head.

The second meaning is that you need music that people can find. This could include music that you’ve uploaded to music streaming sites, such as SoundCloud, or a demo CD that can be sent to venues.

Recording music is important. Though, it’s also important to consider how you record this music. You don’t want people to listen to something that you recorded with your phone. If possible, work with a local producer. If this isn’t an option, you can record your own music. The equipment that you need may cost a few hundred bucks, but it’ll be worth it in the long run.

An Electronic Press Kit

You also need an electronic press kit. Early in your career, this can be a basic press package. At its core, the EPK should include an artist biography, photographs, and music.

The artist biography should summarize your musical background, a few influences, and what you’re working on right now. The photographs may be needed for promotional purposes. The venue may want to put up an image on their website or on social media promoting the upcoming show. Music should include your latest songs. This can be linked to online songs or you can include MP3 files.

Compile all these components into a folder on your computer and burn them to a CD. Also, upload it to the cloud.

An Availability for Gigs

When you finally contact a venue, you want to have a window of dates available for the gig. You shouldn’t tell them that you are available whenever. You need specific dates. It’s unprofessional to say, “hey, I’m available whenever you need me.” Instead, give them a window of dates for your availability. For example, you could tell them that you’re available for during a specific week.

Once you have these things taken care of, you’re ready to start contacting venues. Make a list of local venues that you’d like to play and contact them. Ask if they’d like to receive your EPK. Most likely, if they’re looking for acts, they’ll agree to at least look over your EPK.

If they agree to book you, you’ll sign a contract or arrange an agreement. This includes details related to any expenses and how much you will get paid. Don’t be surprised if you end up making virtually no money during your early gigs.

When you don’t have a large following, the venue may lose some money during your performance. So, consider these early gigs as an opportunity to promote your music.

Additional Music Management Tips for Indie Artists

Of course, this is only a small portion of the advice that you should follow. There is so much more to managing your own career. This article only touches on a few topics. If you really want to delve into the details, you should look at our eBook - Music Management for Indie Artists.

In this eBook, you’ll find hundreds of tips designed for indie artists that want to advance their own career. You need to take matters into your own hands. This eBook can help.

So, in the end, it’s up to you to manage your own career. A music manager does not come into the picture until you’ve already built up a fan base and have learned more about the music industry. Good luck out there and remember to keep on trying. If you truly want to succeed, you can’t give up on your dreams.

Working with Music Managers, Booking Agents, and Road Managers

Mon, 07 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

As you begin to make a name for yourself in your local music scene, you may start thinking that it’s time to work with a manager. But, what’s the difference between music managers, booking agents, PR managers, and road managers?

There are so many different names and roles for people that work behind the scenes. Are all these positions necessary? Do you need to work with these people? Learn more about working with music managers and others that can help promote your music.

Building a Dedicated Team for Success

Honestly, you may not need any of these people. In today’s music industry, independent artists have access to all the tools and resource that they need to begin promoting their own music.

In fact, you should be working hard at promoting your own music. Before you start working with a music manager and these other people, you need to put in the work and make a name for yourself.

Though, once you get things moving and you’re gaining recognition, these people can help build on what you’ve already achieved on your own.

You can start building a dedicated team that can help you succeed. This typically starts with a general music manager. This is a person with multiple roles, especially early in your career. They may help you land gigs and meet with some record execs.

Your music manager can also introduce you to these additional insiders. They will eventually act as the person in the middle. They’ll coordinate with booking agents, publishers, and the record label. This is when the framework of your team begins to take shape.

The Framework of a Music Management Team

The music manager will likely be the first person that you hire. These are the people that are involved in the early part of your career.

As mentioned, they may help you land gigs and appearances. But, as your success increases, the amount of time needed to manage all these aspects of your career also increases.

Basically, at some point, your manager is going to need help. So, here is a closer look at some of these positions and how they relate to your music career. This may include:

Music managers
Booking agents
Event promoters
Music publishers
Record labels
Public relations

Music Managers

So, your music manager is at the core of this framework. This is a very broad term. Early in your career, the manager that you work with will likely be an individual. They aren’t employed by a record label or an agency. They work for you, helping you advance your career.

Though, once your career advances, you may end up working with other types of music managers. For example, after signing with a record label, you may have a manager that’s focused on the music side of things and a manager that’s focused on the business side of things.

Booking Agents

A booking agent, as the name suggests, is responsible for booking gigs and appearances. Again, this is a role that your music manager may take on. But, with increased demand, a separate booking agent can become essential.

Depending on your level of success, your booking agent may work with several sub-agents. You might even have multiple booking agents. For example, you could have a booking agent for shows in North America and a booking agent for gigs in South America.

You may start to see a pattern here. As your success increases, more people are needed to manage your career - to expand your reach and help you grow your audience.

Event Promoters

Event promoters are people that promote events. This can vary from small clubs to venue owners. You don’t employ event promoters. But, your booking agent or music manager may establish relationships with promoters to help you book gigs.

Once a gig is booked, the event promoter helps promote the upcoming event. Their primary goal is to get people to show up to the event and find the right music acts. This is kind of like working with a DJ to get your music out to the masses.

Music Publishers

Artists often get confused when it comes to music publishers and record labels. You need to understand this difference. A publisher holds the rights to your written music. They may actively try to get other artists to record covers of your songs. But, their primary goal is to make money off your written songs and lyrics.

Record Labels

The record label is responsible the recording, distribution, and promotion of your recorded music. This is different from the publisher. Instead of the written music, they are handling the recording music. This is the easiest way to consider the difference between these two roles.

Public Relations

Public relations may or may not be employed through your record label. They may also work with a radio promoter. A PR person helps establish a value for your brand. They help mold the way that you are perceived by the public, the media, and people in the music industry.

Public relations managers may offer suggestions or advice or help book radio or television appearances. Again, as with all these roles, the exact job description can vary.

Before you sign a record deal, you’re responsible for your own PR. The following video offers 10 tips to help you handle this task:

Final Thoughts

The bottom line is that these different people can all help you succeed. But, it’s not always easy to identify their role. This is the reason why you need to take things slow. Learn as you go and surround yourself with people that are looking out for your best interests.

Hopefully, this information hasn’t overwhelmed you. It isn’t as complicated as it may appear. This is especially true considering that all you need to worry about right now is the music manager.

For now, focus on getting your name out there. Take advantage of social media and grow your fan base. Book your own gigs and make a name for yourself locally. Then, you will start to attract music managers.

From there, your manager can help you decide when it’s time to begin working with these additional music industry professionals.

If you’d like a more detailed look at these roles, along with tips on how to advance your career on your own or attract a music manager, check out our eBook - Music Management for the Indie Artist.

How to Attract a Music Manager to Boost Your Career

Mon, 31 Oct 2016 00:00:00 +0000

So, you think you’re ready to work with a music manager. But, do you know how to find a music manager? This is almost a trick question. Instead of finding a manager, you should attract a manager. Through hard work and growth, you’ll begin to gain attention. This will attract prospective music managers that want to work with you. Find out how to attract a music manager in order to boost your career.

You Need to Create Great Music

The first step towards attracting a music manager is to create great music. Without great music, they have nothing to work with.

A manager will not be interested in working with a band that doesn’t already have an established sound or that can’t create music that people love. Your music needs to stand out or fit into a niche. If you don’t feel that you’re there yet, then you’ll to focus on your music.

Social media is your friend. You need to make use of social media platforms in order to reach out and connect with your fans. Growing the number of followers that you have a is a great way to begin attracting attention.

When a potential band manager researches your band, they’re going to look at your online presence. This includes your social media presence. They want to know how many followers you have on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

How do you grow your fan base? Post regularly. Send out tweets each day. Continue posting whenever you have links to share your new music or to promote upcoming gigs. Also, interact with your fans. Ask questions in your posts. This way, you’ll get more responses, which gives you the opportunity to connect and engage with your audience.

Grow Your Fan Base on YouTube

YouTube is the second most visited website in the world. Make sure that you are uploading videos to YouTube. There are millions of visitors to this site each day. With the increase in mobile usage, more people want to watch videos instead of reading articles.

What type of videos should you create? Absolutely anything that you think will help promote your band or connect with your fans. This could include music videos, but music videos are not your only option. You could post interviews, an introduction to your band, or live video from your latest gig.

You Need a Solid Work Ethic

If you want to succeed in the music industry, you need to have good work ethics. This means that you need to be willing to work hard and put everything into your career. Managers do not want to work with musicians that are not willing to put in the same level of effort.

Why should they work hard to promote your music when you aren’t doing everything in your power in order to do the same? Their job is to help you, but you also need to help yourself.

Establish Your Vision

Having a clearly defined vision will also help you attract the right type of music manager. A music manager doesn’t want to attempt to figure out where your career is headed. You should already know and they should be able to help you get there.

Do you know how to describe your music? How would you summarize your sound? If you can’t answer these questions, then neither can a music manager. Put some real thought into these questions and work on establishing your vision.

Make Sure You’re Ready for a Band Manager

The final tip for attracting a music manager is to make sure that you’re ready for one. If you’re not already following the suggestions listed above, then now is the time to get started.

You need to make a name for yourself. This doesn’t mean that you need to be an international success before finding proper music management. But, you should already have a solid fan base and some level of recognition.

The bottom line is that you need to keep doing what you’re doing until you begin to attract the attention of prospective music managers. You need to put your whole heart into the process. Once you begin getting calls or emails from music managers, don’t rush into any agreement. Don’t sign a contract until you know that you have found the right match.

Take a look at some of the other posts on this site to learn more about music management contracts, or check out our Music Management for Indie Artists guide. This downloadable eBook contains hundreds of pages of tips that will help guide you on your path to becoming an international success!

What Percentage of Your Earnings Should Your Music Manager Get?

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 00:00:00 +0000

When you sign a music management contract, one of the most important details is the percentage that your music manager gets. This is taken from your gross income, not your net income. This means they take a percentage before any deductions or expenses are taken out of your earnings.

If you’re not careful, you could end up signing away more of your earnings than you anticipated. Before signing a music management contract, take a moment to learn more about the pay that your manager receives. First, you need to realize that there is no standard definition of what it means to be a music manager. The position can vary based on the needs of the band and the structure of your support team.

For example, you may have a manager that manages all important decisions, such as booking gigs, working with record executives, and handling promotional work. Or, you may have a music manager that is just one part of your music management team. This can have a direct impact on how much your music manager earns.

Along with the exact role of your music manager, the current level of success for your band can have an impact on the percentage that your manager gets.

Music Managers for New Bands

If your band is relatively new or inexperienced, you can expect your music manager to get between 15 and 25 percent of the cut. They will also be reimbursed for their travel expenses and out-of-pocket spending on things related to managing your career.

The more responsibility that your band has, and the more help that you need, the more they will earn. If they are responsible for all of the business-side decisions, the percentage may be closer to 20 or 25 percent.

Music Managers for Intermediate Bands

If you have some level of success, then you may require a larger music management team. Instead of just working with a music manager, you may have a road manager or someone that is in charge of promotional work. These additional positions are roles that a music manager would typically handle on their own, for a new band.

So, depending on the structure of your music management team, the salary for these additional positions may come directly out of the percentage that your manager earns. In essence, they are paying out of their earnings in order to expand their support team and delegate tasks. You can still expect your music manager to take 25 percent of your earnings. But, the salary for additional support staff will come out of this percentage.

Music Managers for Established Bands

If your band is already successful, with record deals and a large fan base, then the structure of your music management team may change. As with an intermediate band, you may also have a booking agent. Though, this may be separate from the music manager position.

When you have a booking agent and a music manager, their earnings may be determined separately. For example, your booking agent may take between 10 and 15 percent of your earnings while your music manager earns a similar percentage.

Working with a Music Management Company

In some situations, you may find yourself working with a music management company, instead of an individual band manager. These companies may work with a new band and start with a lower percentage. They could ask for between 10 to 15 percent of your earnings and then add a clause to the contract increasing this amount as your band becomes more successful.

Final Thoughts on Paying Your Music Manager

An experienced music manager should be properly compensated. But, you still need to make a living. Before signing a contract, it is absolutely essential that you review the percentage that your manager will earn. Also, don’t forget about additional expenses.

You will need to pay for travel and out-of-pocket costs. If you feel that you’re getting the short end of the stick, then you should work with a lawyer, or someone with experience in the music industry, in order to review the contract. A contract is a legally binding document. Once you sign your name, you are obliged to follow the details of the contract.

Your manager can earn anywhere between 15 and 25 percent of your earnings. This is fairly standard. Other details that you should look into include the length of the contract and the continuation of payments to your manager after the contract ends. Yes, you read that correctly – your manager can continue to collect a percentage of your earnings after the contract ends.

They’ll still earn money from deals that they put together during the length of the contract. Before signing a contract, make sure that you’re ready for a music manager. Watch this short video in order to learn if you really need a music manager:

In addition to these suggestions, we’ve got more tips for you to use to advance your career. Check out our guide – Music Management for Indie Artists. This comprehensive book provides hundreds of tips to help you navigate your music career successfully.