Thread: hiring a manager

Just curious if anyone here has had a manager and if they would care to share their experience? Good/Bad? How did the pay work?

Thanks,
Maha. ,r:;

Good question, I really want to hire a manager at this point of my career, to handle all the business and PR stuff so I can focus on continuing my studies in dance, and work on choreographies, etc.

I know DaVid has a manager, Patrisha, both good friends of mine, they seem to have a smooth system working for them, maybe they will chime in and give us the scoop!!! Llike what role does the manager play, how much do managers make? A percentage of the booked event I would assume, but what is a fair percent??

"Manager" not necessarily synonymous with "agent" of course.

Nothing else to add. Please continue... ;o)

Originally Posted by Aradia

Good question, I really want to hire a manager at this point of my career, to handle all the business and Page Ranking stuff so I can focus on continuing my studies in dance, and work on choreographies, etc.

I know DaVid has a manager, Patrisha, both good friends of mine, they seem to have a smooth system working for them, maybe they will chime in and give us the scoop!!! Llike what role does the manager play, how much do managers make? A percentage of the booked event I would assume, but what is a fair percent??

For page ranking you need to hire an SEO tech. A manager/agent isn't going to do that stuff for you. I happen to know one...

That would be great Aradia! Get us the scoop ;D

Originally Posted by Samira_dncr

For page ranking you need to hire an Search Engine Optimization tech. A manager/agent isn't going to do that stuff for you. I happen to know one...

yeah, my current web guru is supposed to be handling this, but someone to handle the details of marketing and bookings would be a huge help!!

Managers usually work with fewer clients..therefore , it would have to be a very busy business and make a decent profit for the manager to make $$ from it and be worth while. I am not sure about the bellydance business...but work and have worked with other managers in the past and it was for large scale shows...and big paying jobs. I guess if you find someone who is interested...but is there that much work? Agents... yes..managers...not too sure. Personal assistant maybe to help with the detailed work.

If you want someone to handle your *marketing* (online promotion, newsletters, blogging, etc.) You need to hire a marketer...not the same thing as a "web guy" or "manager" or "agent". A marketer won't necessarily get you gigs, like an agent or a manager will. The marketer's job is to get you "leads"...people who are potentially interested in hiring you, but who need to be contacted by you or your manager/agent to close the deal.

If you have good marketing already set up, the manager/agent's job is much easier and more effective. I think it's kind of pointless to hire a "closer" if you don't have a steady stream of leads already in place. (unless you find a rare combination of marketer and manager)

I'm curious as to the difference between a manager and an agent...anyone care to share??

Mira

I'm curious about the difference too. I figured an agency handles a larger amount of talent whereas a manager is a lot more personal handling a smaller number of talent?

Originally Posted by Mahabellydance

I'm curious about the difference too. I figured an agency handles a larger amount of talent whereas a manager is a lot more personal handling a smaller number of talent?

I do know that Andrea from Babylon Breeze manages a few talents, Aziza, Ava Fleming, Gina, Mia and maybe someone else that I'm forgetting, but she handles their workshop tours, the booking, contract, collecting payment etc, etc. Aziza is way too busy to be emailing me workshop topics, pictures to use for the flyer, on and on, the tedious stuff that must me done, but eats up a lot of your time!!

Agencies represent a larger group of talent that can be, ME dancers, jugglers, magicians, models, speakers etc

Having a manager is usually on a larger scale or for other venues of the performing arts (Opera, for instance, which is where my experience lies)...I recommend looking into talent agencies...specifically talent, no modeling or fashion....and even better if you find one that doesn't handle acting either - just dance and other performance arts. However, keep in mind that once you have an agent, they always get a cut from every gig. Your likeness cannot appear without them getting a cut of the profit...if your likeness was used for profit. :)

I've only done one job with a girl who had an agency. My teacher at the time negotiated for me and some other girls. We all got paid $500. The girl with the agency got $200 and she had to pay $100 to her agency. My impression was that they weren't really willing to ask for a maximum as they wanted to have a longstanding relationship with the television studio we were dancing for and also because they had many clients.