The Rolling Stones with manager Andrew Loog Oldham. (Image via taringa.net)
I'm often cold contacted by bands asking me for marketing advice so they can attract the attention of a manager and get signed. In fact, I get asked this so many times throughout the year that I realized it was time to shed a little light on this topic here on Sonicbids. I've explained to these unsigned bands, "Hey, here's why you need a manager first," and they almost always come back saying, "Yeah, but I need press buzz to get a manager to notice me."
There's a bit of a cart-before-the-horse mentality happening in these sorts of exchanges. I know it seems logical to think if you get press and media coverage, you'll land on a manager's radar. But that's not how it works. What I'm about to say may seem counterintuitive, but it's not.
A manager is the central figure and the nerve center of the operation, directing the team and serving as the person to whom all the members of said team report. It's your manager who can negotiate your record deal, who can find the right publicist and get him or her to take on your band at a fair rate, and who charts the course of your career five years down the road. It's not merely a day-to-day thing; it's a day-to-year role.
So here's why the manager has to come first, and why seeking a publicist (or anyone else) prior to a manager isn't always the best approach.
1. The manager takes care of business
The manager will manage your money (or lack thereof) and help you set goals and plans on all aspects, from recording to producers to promotion to scouting labels. You don't hire a publicist to create some initial buzz to attract a manager. Publicists attract the media. Yes, the music biz and its players pay attention to what the media is reporting on, but that's a micro way to look at a macro element. Managers are supposed to find bands, and if they're good at what they do, they're already out there looking for the next big band.
2. A publicist is a publicist
Simplest. Thing. Ever. Publicists publicize. They create your media profile and shepherd an image so the media will cover you and fans will learn about you. They don't create your profile for a manager. I mean, it's not unheard of, and it does happen. But a publicist can end up being the de facto manager in these scenarios, and that's not always the road he or she wants to go down. That's why the manager comes first.
3. Attracting a manager requires a little legwork on your part
This is your chance to show your passion and ambition. I know you may think, "Oh, I have to attract a manager by showing that we have fans and are getting coverage, and that means getting press," but that's like taking a dart and throwing it at the sky instead of a dartboard. Your aim and your target are wrong. A manager is sought via business circles, through connections, and through your diligence. You have to work to get your music and your profile in front of them. So take the wherewithal and time you might use chasing publicists to chase a manager. We've published many articles on how to get your band to stand out, so get to it. Nothing worth having will come easy.
Find out more about working with a manager:
- How to Find a Manager for Your Band
- 5 Types of Managers You Don’t Want Managing Your Band
- The First 3 Behind-the-Scenes People You Need on Your Band's Team
- How to Build a Digital Street Team for Your Band
- What Does (and Doesn't) a Manager Do?
Amy Sciarretto has 20 years of print and online bylines, from Kerrang to Spin.com to Revolver to Bustle, covering music, beauty, and fashion. After 12 years doing radio and publicity at Roadrunner Records, she now fronts Atom Splitter PR, her own boutique PR firm, which has over 30 clients. She also is active in animal charity and rescue.
