8 Benefits of Working with a Pro Music Manager

You don’t always need a music manager, but they can be beneficial to your career – as long as you find a good match for you or your band. You shouldn’t shrug off the importance of working with someone that knows the industry and has developed valuable contacts. Here are 8 of the top benefits to working with a professional music manager.

#1 – They Bring Prestige to the Table

One of the reasons for working with a band manager is that they can bring prestige to your band. It shows that you have something of value to offer the music industry. The reasoning behind this is that if a good manager is willing to work with you, then you must be worth taking a look at. In fact, many record labels will not sign an artist unless they have proper representation. There are numerous reasons why a record label will not work with a band that doesn’t have management. This includes the fact that executives prefer to relay information to the band through an intermediary, especially if they are delivering criticism or bad news.

#2 – Your Manager Can Offer Career Advice

Your music manager should help advance your career. This doesn’t mean that they should complete control over your career. But, they can offer sound career advice that you can use to achieve success. When you’re working with an experienced music manager, they likely have more knowledge and insight about the music industry than you do. You should listen to their advice. But, it’s up to you if you want to follow their recommendations.

#3 – A Manager Can Help Create Enthusiasm

A music manager also acts as a cheerleader for your band. They should be excited about representing you. They help to create enthusiasm about your band when promoting you to booking agents, the media, promoters, or radio stations. This is an important part of their job and they are more effective at this than you. It’s hard for a third-party to believe your own hype. But, when this hype comes from a respected music manager, it’s easier for them to believe. Imagine a stranger telling you how wonderful they are. Then, imagine someone else speaking on their behalf. You’d be more inclined to believe this praise than the praise coming directly from the stranger.

#4 – Your Manager Acts as a Buffer

As mentioned, there are situations where it is better for a manager to discuss or promote your band than for you to do so yourself. This makes your music manager a buffer between you and the people in the music business. Whether they are dealing with record executives or booking a gig, they are your intermediary.

#5 – Your Manager Holds People Accountable

Your manager is also responsible for making sure things run smoothly. They hold people accountable for their actions. For example, if a sound engineer isn’t doing their job correctly, the manager can step in and correct the problem. If a record label doesn’t deliver as promised, the manager can step in and set things straight.

#6 – Your Manager Can Act as the Bad Cop

You have probably heard the term “good cop / bad cop”. There are times when you don’t want to be the bad cop. It could hurt your image or result in unnecessary hard feelings. If you need to fire a band member or re-negotiate a contract, you can allow your manager to act as the bad cop. There are actually plenty of situations where this will be beneficial.

#7 – Your Manager Can Help Shape Your Career

Your manager can provide advice, recommendations, and help shape your career. They can act as a sounding board for your problems. They may even give you valuable insight that you cannot see for yourself. Again, it’s up to you whether or not you follow these recommendations, but it can be helpful to get an outside perspective.

#8 – Music Managers Can Help with Time Management

Another role of the music manager is to keep the train running on time. Time management is a skill that any professional music manager should have. They need to make sure that you arrive at gigs or promotional appearances on time. This can be useful, especially if you have trouble keeping track of time. Those are some great benefits. You now have several reasons why you should want to work with a music manager. Though, there are still a few other advantages:  

How to Find a Music Manager

With those benefits discussed, you can see why it’s so important to work with a music manager. But, you shouldn’t be in a rush to find one. In fact, you should wait for music managers to come to you. When you work hard and continue to gig, you’ll grow your fan base. With more recognition comes the opportunity to work with a music manager. Let them come to you. These tips and more are covered in our detailed book available for download – Music Management for Indie Artists. Learn how to build a successful music career, with the help of expert tips designed specifically for indie artists like you!

Source: ArtistPR Music Manager