Being an effective artist manager requires having the ability to negotiate sometimes. here 6 six skills we have research and outlined, that every manager should have. You can make a better and prosperous manager if only you have these qualities.
1. People Skills
The first and foremost attribute of a good manager is, in general, you need to develop good people skills. The music business is relationship-based so you need to be able to communicate with people like a normal person to build relationships. You have to be able to network, make friends, and built business colleagues. This is crucial for you and your artist’s success.
The music business is a very small world and you don’t want to go around burning bridges. This goes for artists and managers… or anyone working in any business! It’s imperative to be an honest (sometimes brutally honest), yet a trusted person. Going out of your way to understanding people (especially your artist!! If you’re the manager) is key.
Make sure they’re performing often, touring, and selling records. Try to get them radio airplay if their songs fit, try to get a publishing deal (for the songwriters), get their songs in TV and film, set up YouTube for ads, and do further research on various revenue streams.
If you don’t know how we could help in the process.
2. Work ethic and drive
Good artist managers MUST have a very strong work ethic and determination because you’ve got a very high level of responsibility. You’re managing someone else’s entire career (your artists), on top of your own, and must take that responsibility seriously.
3. Creative problem solving and fast decision making
A manager should be able to calmly jump through hoops daily. There are going to be problems that arise every day. They could be good problems or worse problems, but you’re going to need to figure out how to solve them fast, without dwelling. The manager is the centre of the wheel, if you’re not solving problems fast, the wheel won’t roll forward.
4. Dedication to your artists
Managers dedicate their lives to their artists. Yes, not just their careers, their lives. Your main reason for working with artists in the first place must be for the love of the artist and their artistry. You have to put your artists ahead of yourself. You have to put their needs ahead of your needs. You must understand that you are dealing with other people’s lives.
5. Business and Financial Management Skills
Good managers have a business and financial management skills. Managing someone is like running a management company as in running a business, and an artist manager must understand that you need to have the same management skills as any other business owner has, which is heavily reliant on financial and operational know-how. A business isn’t a business without revenue, so as a manager it’s your job to get out there and bring in revenue Step up their game to make it count.
6. Patience
Lastly, Be. Patient. It takes years for artists to perfect their craft. And it’ll take years for you to perfect your business. And it takes years for word to spread and fans to find you. You have to ask yourself if you’re ready to join them in the developing phase, or creation phase of their career.
In both of these phases, you’ll be on the sidelines waiting with no income coming in unless they are constantly performing Or, let’s say you start managing them at a time when they ARE ready to release an album, and you’re sure they’ve got a hit song or a few hit songs on it and that there’s no creative development needed.
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Emmanuel is an Information Technology professional with over eight years of progressive experience, I have worked effectively as the manager at Ed-Entertainment-Hub. Copywriting and blogging about engaging ideas in my spare time on things relating to music, entertainment, Lifestyle, and more. Let’s Linked up.