Get an Agent

Find a Booking Agent to Build Your Musical Career

Unless you are from the rare breed of musician who also excels at selling, you will need the best agent you can get. There are three parts to getting an agent: Find them, pitch them, follow up with them.

  1. Consider using an online service like Taxi. For a few hundred dollars, they review and give you tips on your music before submitting it to labels and other music buyers. Sign up here.
  2. Do the leg work and find appropiate agents to submit to. Pay attention to their genres, geographical area, size of their agency and how they accept submissions. Make a list or spreadsheet with their names and preferred contact information. We will deal with reputation separately. Here are a few places on the net to find lists of agents:
    1. Yahoo Directory
    2. DMOZ Directory
  3. Get this comprehensive directory, sample contracts, listings of agents, managers, all recommended. Cost $19.95.

  4. Make the submissions. If you joined one of the services above, this is done through their interface. If not, get your promotional package ready in one email. Start with a cover letter (see below) that introduces yourself, gives the highlights of your unique music and your growing fan base and accomplishments. Then attach your CV, photo headshot, and links to your videos, music, and website. (A Facebook and Myspace fan page is also great, but not a Facebook personal page.)
  5. Follow up once, if you haven't had a response, within 10 days of submitting. Too soon, say within three days, smells of desperation. A week to ten days is about right. Make it polite, just checking to see that they received your materials. If you get no response to your follow up, you might try a phone call. Once they acknowledge your submission, you have nothing more to do.
  6. If they are interested, check their reputation before going for a meeting or signing a contract. Google them, try searching for the company’s name with words like “scam,” “rip-off,” or “complaint.” You may find people posting the good, the bad or the ugly about them. NEVER pay an agent or manager. They earn their money on commissions for your work. Also, beware of meetings in suspect locations. If a place creeps you out, walk away.
  7. Take any offers to an attorney or to an experienced actor or musician. Let them confirm that it is a fair deal before you sign it. Beware of limitations on your independence, while respecting their desire to be exclusive. Make sure you understand what happens if, for example, a job finds you, or you are unhappy with their services. You may feel that at this stage, it is worth it to compromise. That's fine, just know the deal before you agree to it.

Good luck and successful music agent hunting!

A Sample Cover Letter. Copy and replace with your information.

Cover Letter

Your contact info:

Agent's contact info:

Date:

Body:

When you're satisfied, click here for the next Music Promotion Action!

Promotional Texts | Photos and Graphics | Press Release | Music Recordings | Get a Website | Promote Website | Music Video | Social Media Marketing | Digital Distribution Online | Get CD Distribution | Gig Booking | Get an Agent | Sell Tickets to Gigs | Get Funding |

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