Being a good booking agent isn’t easy - not only is it a lot of work, but it’s also a 24/7 job. After all, the music world never sleeps. So, what can you do as a booking agent to make sure that you do the best job possible without getting overloaded and stressed out? We’ve put together a list of 5 habits that every booking agent should possess in order to attack the job from the right angle. Take a look through our list, and see if you can apply any of these to your professional life!
- Respond quickly
As a booking agent, you deal with a lot of clients, both in your timezone and outside of it. This means that you’ll have to be constantly aware of what’s going on with your artist's schedules, and you’ll need to be ready to communicate with a lot of promoters at different hours of the day. The best thing you can do to reduce stress is to respond quickly, and don’t leave people hanging. Angry clients can become a huge source of stress.
- Work life balance
At first, it may seem that habit 1 is incompatible with habit 2. However, that’s not necessarily true for everyone. Some people are able to manage a strong work life balance while working around the clock. It takes a specific type to get this done - some people thrive in chaos, and are able to still take time for themselves amidst it. If want to be a good booking agent, then developing this habit is a must!
- Keep your artist’s expectations in mind
Artists have expectations, and any good booking agent knows that their expectations have to be met if the booking agent-artist relationship is to be any good. The best way to handle this is by being realistic with your artists. Don’t let their expectations get too high - instead, make sure that your artists know what they are getting into, and what they can realistically expect
- Be upfront with your artists
While some conversations may be tough, being upfront is always the right choice, especially when it comes to working in music. If an artist wants to know why they weren’t booked for a certain festival or why they are playing earlier than another artist, it’s important to give them an answer. Getting the cold shoulder from a booking agency is very unmotivating for an artist, and will result in a lot more trouble than hiding from the initial conversation is worth.
- Communicate clearly
Booking agents have a lot to deal with, and this means that they need to constantly communicate clearly. There is no room for vagueness when it comes to making business deals, and booking agents generally talk to a lot of clients at once. The best way to reduce the mistakes you make is to be as clear as possible whenever you’re talking to anyone. It will be very valuable for you, and the other party involved as well.
Of course, being a booking agent takes a lot more than just these habits. If you want to learn more about the music industry, artists and bookings, please check out the rest of our blogs!
