The Music Industry
The music industry is competitive and difficult to breakthrough for independent artists.
To have a successful and sustainable career in music, getting the help and expertise of a music manager can be just the right antidote to what can otherwise be a stressful and never-ending venture.
If you’re thinking about how to find a manager for your music, what band managers and music managers look for, and even what a music manager’s role actually entails, We’ve got you covered.
Why Should You Have A Music Manager?
Things have changed for musicians trying to promote their music online.
The workload involved in making a name for yourself is simply too much for a singular artist to handle.
Being an independent musician isn’t just about making music. It’s not as easy as just making some music and they will come. ⠀
You have to be:
- PR
- Manager
- Social Media Manager
- Content Creator
- Tour Manager
- Videographer
- Customer Service
- Admin
- Advertiser
- Graphic Designer
- Marketing Manager
- Producer
- Publicist
The list goes on and on.
You’ve got to handle all of these things, as well as funding it with your own time and money.
Marketing your music takes time and energy, but you can get lost in the day-to-day of managing your presence, instead of focusing on the important parts of creating and writing music.
Not only that, maintaining that audience that you put so much effort into building requires constant attention.
We need help.
A music manager can assist you in navigating the music business, let you focus on the creative aspects of your music whilst they handle the music industry and business side of things.
This can not only free you up to spend more time on making amazing music, but it can also propel you to the next level and open up doors for other opportunities.
What Does A Music Manager Do?
Music managers manage the operation of a musician’s career.
They also function as delegates and advisors to you, the musician or band.
An effective manager will guide your music career under your wants, needs, and overall plan. They can help in finding opportunities, signing deals, developing your brand, music publishing, and so much more.
All managers have different knowledge and skillsets. Finding the right manager for you can mean filling gaps in your own skillset that are important to your music career growth.
Ultimately, a music manager is the closest thing to being in the band without actually being in the band.
They will spend the most amount of time with the band and can be involved in everything.
Here are some specific things potential managers may help a band or musician with.
Networking & Relationship Building With Music Industry Contacts
Best managers know how to develop industry links to help enhance your business brand and music.
The trick is to work with a good music manager who has contacts within your niche or genre.
They work with recording companies, distributors, artists, producers, publicists, music venues, and other industry contacts.
If part of your strategy is to get your music onto Spotify playlists, many managers may be able to get your music featured here with blogger and editorial playlist contacts.
Sourcing Live Gig Opportunites
Finding places to gig, organising those gigs, and working with venues can be exhaustive and time-consuming for an artist. Sending out electronic press kits for your music is something that takes time and effort.
A music manager can assist with the planning and booking of live performances or tours for a band or artist.
They may also work with booking agencies and venues to develop a tour strategy and the logistics involved in gigging.
How To Get A Music Manager In South Africa
Now that we know how having music management can help your music career and the various roles an artist manager might undertake, let’s take a look at how attracting and finding a manager works.
Here are the steps you can take to either get a music manager to notice you, or to find one yourself.
1. Make Sure You’re Ready
Before sourcing outside management to look after your music social media presence, record deal contracts and other music business stuff, you actually need to have something worth managing.
It’s important to self-manage first until you get to the point where industry professionals can help you elevate to that next level.
Promote your music yourself and learn the ins and outs of getting your songs out there into the world and in front of fans.
Once you get to a plateau and realize that other people may be able to help you break through that, that is a great time to get a music manager to alleviate some of that pressure and push you even further.
A lot of musicians look at having a manager as a stamp of approval from the industry as if they’ve made it because they suddenly have management.
The same goes for record and publishing deals. It’s not worth rushing to get a manager if you aren’t ready to be managed.
2. Take A Chance On Less Experienced Managers
If you are just starting out and making a name for yourself in your local area, you aren’t going to attract the big guns.
You need a level of self-awareness here.
However, there are a bunch of young and hungry up-and-coming people who want to be in the music industry. They want to be part of the music business and management would fit them well.
There are a lot of music graduates and students that could bring a lot to the party. They are young and enthusiastic and more importantly, you have the leverage.
They need to build experience. What better way to do that than working with you an actual band or artist around the city.
If you are willing to train and mentor the right enthusiastic people to become industry professionals, you can both benefit from this arrangement.
3. Find The Right Skillset For You
What are you missing?
What is it in your current flow that’s holding you back?
Maybe you don’t have the right connections. You don’t have experience in booking shows. You have absolutely no idea how to run an effective music rehearsal. You don’t know how to promote your live shows. Social media just confuses the hell out of you.
The trick in making this work for your career is to ensure that any management you work with fills the gaps in your skillset.
You may find that you are better off just getting someone to help you a couple of days a week with putting together your music content for social media. Or maybe you just need someone to manage your Spotify presence.
Figure out what’s holding you back and find managers that can help you in specific areas.
4. Release Quality Music
This one should be self-explanatory but an artist manager won’t want to take notice of you or help you grow your fan base if you aren’t doing the basics of writing and releasing quality music.
Again, it comes down to having something to manage to begin with.
Grow your fan base by releasing music that people can connect with around the world. People who matter take notice of these things and you may find that management approaches you if you are making waves.
5. Have The Right Relationship Mindset
A manager wants to know more than just how good you are at your instrument.
They want to know about you. Who will they be working with?
In business as an investor, they are not buying into the business idea. They are buying into the entrepreneur who will make this business idea happen. That is far more important than you think.
- If a manager pushes you, will you break?
- Can they rely on you?
- Will you be there when you say you’re going to be there?
- Are you good with time management?
- Do you stick to deadlines?
- Will you get on with your manager?
- Are you invested?
This is a relationship.
Looks will only take you so far. Yes, you need to be attracted to that person, but there are a thousand other nuances involved that go alongside having a long-term relationship.
