THE BUSINESS ETIQUETTE OF THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS

There’s a time and a place to let that freak flag fly and if that place is not onstage or in front of a camera, it’s not the right place. All societies and groups have unwritten rules for properly interacting with each other and the entertainment business is no exception.  The environment may look different (less kakis and polos, more black t-shirts and tattoos) but there is still a business etiquette to follow. Business is about building relationships and there are guidelines to work within each relationship in order to make it successful. 

I spoke with Thomas “T” Jenkins III, CEO of Conscious Mind Records to get his thoughts on the best way to handle your (entertainment) business. 

SAYS WHO?!

The 1^st step in building relationships is to know who to talk to. If you don’t know then ask. Don’t spend all your energy sending press kits to a bar owner for a gig if they outsource to a booking agent. Otherwise you waste your time and theirs.  And make sure to tell them what you can do for them instead of just asking for something. T of Conscious Mind Records said, “I run a business…I have to have a product I can sell.  

Make sure all band members know who is allowed to speak on the band’s behalf.  An Orlando band booked a rare acoustic gig but because the bassist didn’t have an acoustic, he couldn’t play. So he emailed and canceled the gig without the rest of the band knowing. The venue was getting a cancelation email and an email confirming details from different band members. No one will work with a group that brings that kind of confusion and drama. 

When trying to make contacts, How you approach can be as important as Who you approach. T said, “I prefer people get at me through someone that personally knows me. If they can’t do that, then they need to have a package ready.  When they approach me cold, they need to have their music and themselves at the top of their game – READY.  If I ask you to sing right there, be ready. You only get one shot.”

FOLLOW UP

There is a fine line between following up and outright stalking. Have patience. “Wait 2 weeks before calling or sending another email. If nothing, then wait a week and send another.  If there’s no response after that – that’s your response. I may want to listen to the music but it can sit in the car for a while, so follow up is good.  Just space it out.”  

To avoid confusion and set expectations, indicate in your conversation or email, how and when you will follow up. It’s always nice to ask if they have a communication preference. If you ask for or give a time line of communication there is less of a chance it will be seen as unwanted or annoying. 

RSVP

Respond to all requests. Even if that response is, “I can’t address this right now. Please give me a few weeks.” People feel slighted when they are not acknowledged. Even if your response denies what they ask for, that you responded at all can earn their respect. 

WHO ARE YOU ANYWAY?

Even if you’re selling out hometown clubs and have 5 thousand LIKES on Facebook, no one knows who you are. It’s ok if someone doesn’t know your name. It’s not personal. In the beginning of conversations say a quick reminder of who you are and what you do. i.e. ‘Sue, booking manager for…’ If you are communicating thru emails, keep it semi formal. If you get to casual too quick and assume they know who ‘Sue’ is without any other indication, your email could end up in the trash bin. Don’t make them re read your previous emails. 

When you tell them your function don’t assume they’ll know what you want from them. If you want something, ask for it specifically. Saying, ‘We should work together!’ is a good start but should not be the sum total of your pitch. Being specific increases the chances of getting what you want. “Offer to do something. Impress me. Don’t just ask for a hand out. I get a lot of people who just want record deals. They’re still in that mindset.” 

KEEP YOUR COMMITMENTS

Shocker: Artistic folks sometimes run late. That doesn’t make it ok. Big stars can be on their own time but unless you’re that star, it’s not your time to waste. At risk of sounding school marmish, punctuality is a mark of professionalism in any business. It speaks directly to the issue of integrity to honor your commitments. Yes, it is possible to have integrity and swallow a roadside turtle on stage. (I wish I could unsee that…)

A No Show can kill a career faster than winning American Idol.  (See Ruben Studdard) A good excuse may make it excusable, but not acceptable. Find a way to do what you say.

If you do get some face time, treat it like relationship building it is. If you ask, you pay. (hear that ladies?)  If it’s coffee don’t take up an hour of their time. In any case, the meeting should be focused on the conversation, not the location.  “The Trick is to not be so flashy,” said T.  “It has to be real.  When money comes into the equation it can separate the artists/product from the artist as a person.”

LOOSE LIPS ARE ONLY GOOD ON GROUPIES

In contrast to traditional business fields, in the entertainment business, there is an increased likelihood of openly seeing alcohol and drug abuse, and infidelity.  T thinks, “To each his own. If it’s hurting me or my business, so be it. We’re all adults and are accountable for our own actions.”  Got dirt? Heard a rumor? Keep it to yourself. No one will work for you if they think you’ll talk out of school. Even if its them that are engaging in poor/illegal behavior, it’s you who will be seen as untrustworthy. “That behavior is taking a chance. It can put their reputation and career in jeopardy. We try to keep Conscious Mind’s artists out of all that.”

HATERS GONNA HATE

Not everyone will like what you do and that’s ok. (Say it with me now!)  It’s not like your last romantic break up. You don’t have to bang your head and wonder why.  Like romantic relationships, focus your energy on those who like you. Don’t hate the haters. Just move on. 

FREE COSTS MONEY

Someone pays for all that SWAG.  Ask sparingly and politely. I once overheard a radio DJ demand a free CD at a merch table cause he, ‘didn’t pay for music.’  He got one but the band called him a dick when they heard about it from their merch girl.  A better way would have been to ask and find out who the person who can authorize that is. 

How you ask is important but so is location. “If we’re at place, displaying our stuff, go ‘head and ask. The worst you can hear is no. If you see me walking down the street, it’s probably not the best time.  Consumers always reach for something free. I do give-a-ways as advertising. There’s a value I get back.” 

SAY THANK YOU

Thank You.

Interview in Spot Magazine!

Featured Article in the May/June 2012 issue of Spot Magazine. Happy anniversary guys!

 

To Easily Read See Larger Image CLICK HERE

I ROCK! BUT I AM NOT AN ISLAND.

Our human history is certainly NOT filled with stories of men and women overcoming insurmountable obstacles completely on their own. They always have a team: The original Macintosh development team, The 1985 Chicago Bears, or Frodo and his fellowship. People band together for protection, to share the work load, and create a better environment for themselves. No matter the level of talent or ambition, no one can do it alone. If you want your band to go farther, build a team.

When I first started out as a radio talk show host, I tried to do it all myself. I wrote every bit, did all my own research, and took on the work to try and grow the business. I got burned out. I came to realize even the big boys of talk have teams writing for them. That turns the host from work horse to more of an editor and collaborator. And on the business side they go from sole proprietor to director or captain. One person can’t build, operate, and steer a ship on his own. 

Your team is more than your friends who you enlist to help out once in a while.  That scenario often leads to disappointment when the friend doesn’t display the same sense of passion for the project as you do. Building a team is more than delegating tasks. It’s about achieving goals. And to achieve them, you have to 1^st know where your band or project wants to go. Even if your goals aren’t as specific as “to one day play the main stage at Bonnaroo,” deciding to not to stay stagnant is a good step in the right direction. 

Write down your goals. Take the 1^st 10-20 minutes of band practice (when your band should be discussing business matters anyways) and have band members share their goals. Sharing goals and writing them down makes it more likely you will work to achieve them. It also ensures all band members are on the same page and focuses efforts on pushing the band forward. 

Once you know where you want to go, you are ready to tell others and build your team. This team can come from close friends, super fans, or ambitious observers. It is important to know what you need done and what skills are necessary to do it. Be sure to assign tasks based on the person’s particular talents and skill set. Put those outgoing talkers in charge of passing out flyers.  Some team members will be volunteer; some are after experience and recognition, and some you will have to pay for.  Friends might work for free but accountants and lawyers will not.  Others, like booking agents and managers will only take a percentage of what they make you.  As for the rest, farm out your graphic design; get a t-shirt guy, merchandise person, roadie, a driver, any task that frees you up to focus on why you got into the game in the 1^st place – the music. 

Your team members should not only have clear expectations of what you want from them but they should understand WHY they are there in the 1^st place. They will be much more productive and will show passion in the lean times if they understand how the part they play fits into your overall goals and mission.  The point is to make those on your team believe as you do – that what they’re doing, no matter how small the task, is important. You don’t want to count on someone only to find out that you’re on the bottom of their priority list. 

Even if your band’s music is the end product, it’s not all about the band. There should be some perceived value to helping you out. Whether its cash, free swag, or career experience; know the needs of those around you and try your best to match people with the right task and rewards. Are they expecting to grow with you? Just looking for a line on a resume? Or are just happy to have a free t-shirt and tell friends ‘they’re with the band?’ Each team member should be aware of how band decisions are made and who they should go to and with what questions. Is the drummer in charge of booking? Then any show opportunities need to go thru them. Each member of the team should know what they can or can’t say/do on behalf of the band.

Having clearly defined expectations and instructions may not come easy. There is always a learning curve when building a team from the ground up. But as an indie band, you should be used to hard work. Be patient with new team members. Though it may be slow going in the beginning, the effort put in will be worth it to have a solid team. 

Goals change. And that’s ok. Did you become the astronaut you said you wanted to be when you were six?  If you stuck with that goal you’d be out of a job now. Who knew musician would be the more stable choice? Just like you don’t have to follow the goals you made when once you were six, you don’t have to rigidly follow the goals made just a few years ago. Your goals should match your current wants, talents, and opportunities. It’s ok to change your goals over time. 

With a good team of supporters, you’re free to manage the business side and work on your music. You remain in charge but you’ll get some breathing room.  The team you put together will look to you for attitude and inspiration. Be your own biggest fan and when they see that, they’ll follow suit. The reason many people fail isn’t because they didn’t have the talent or that no one gave them a break – it’s because they never really tried. 

If the support system you build isn’t all unicorns and rainbows on the 1^st try, don’t beat yourself up over it. It’s a process. Building a support system takes time and effort but without it, you’ll run into limitation when trying to get to a higher level than where you’re at.