Shropshire Entertainment Agency / Agent
Enter Shropshire is a
Shropshire based entertainment agency that represents artists from the
whole of Shropshire and far beyond, including Wolverhampton,
Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and the west midlands.
If you would like your
Artist/Performer/Facility featured on Enter Shropshire. You will need the following.
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Artist/Performer/Facility name
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Genre if applicable
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Website address
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Email address
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Telephone number
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Mp3 if you have one available
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Original Image of Artist/Performer/Facility
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Description
You can
Contact us using the E-mail
form or the address and number below.
The Hollies Bungalow,
Woolston Road,
West Felton,
Shropshire,
SY11 4JU
Tel: 0700 345 1589
WORKING WITH AN ENTERTAINMENT AGENCY IN THE NEW ECONOMY
Pat Testing of equipment and
Public Liability Insurance
This is requirement mandatory by law and a
requirement of all bookings by this entertainment
agency so don’t get caught out. It also looks
professional if you can forward the relevant
certificates.
How an Entertainment Agency works
In addition to writing contracts, making
phone calls, sending emails (sometimes 50 a day) an
entertainment agent will in the first instance
obtain the work, which is infact, their main role.
This has never been so difficult since the post war
period. There are occasions when an entertainment
agent spends the whole day searching for the right
act. Using the example of a sole trader
entertainment agents typical week 40 hr week
comprises:
40%-60% promoting the agency (front
page of Google etc) 16-24 hrs
10%-30% dealing
with bookings/issues 4-12 hrs
20% responding to
enquiries (weeding out time wasters etc) 8 hrs
5% artist registration/maintaining a large artist
database 2 hrs
5% Searching for that elusive act
2 hrs
Entertainment Agent overheads
An entertainment agent has overheads like
any business. Here is a list of some of the
entertainment agents overheads totalling (typically
£2000+/year:
Streamline
Paypal
Bank
charges
General office costs - lighting heating
stationary PC telephone etc
Rent/rates
Broadband costs
Hosting service/domain name
rental/SEO/adwords
Petrol – checking out
artists/venues
Membership of FSB etc
Insurance
Advertising – yellow pages etc
Tax
return and accounting (no cash for the entertainment
agent)
Submitting your Details to an
Entertainment Agent
When you submit material, do it via
post AND email AND txt – that will ensure that your
details cant be accessed at all times. When
submitting pictures/recordings to the entertainment
agent supply as many as possible up to 10 examples
is okay, and let the agent make the final choice
regarding representation. Most recordings are
unusable, so if you are serious about your work
leave it to the expert. A weekly/fortnightly date
sheet is a good idea (It gets quieter towards the
end of the week) as is a gig list on your website.
An entertainment agent may use an internet pseudonym
to avoid supplying key words to the public domain.
There is no such thing as an agent friendly website.
The First
Gig for an Entertainment Agent
Getting gigs is
hard work so make an impression and don't rely on the
agent to keep getting you through the door. Don’t
turn up at the gig without a wad of cards. Arrive
early – it looks professional and it’s a good
opportunity to break the ice. A Satnav is worth its
weight in gold. Entertainment agents don't like
unnecessary phone calls in the evening, especially
when their job has already been done. They may
rebook because they like you rather than product.
Always discuss the requirement directly well
before the booking date, its reassuring for the
client and allows any fine detail to be buttoned
down, E.g. special song, local gags etc. If two sets
are required checking with client after first set is
a good idea. Adopt a flexible approach. An
entertainment agent cant get work for everyone and
will always have their favourite artists and they
are not necessarily the most talented but could be
the most flexible.
Also remember that the first
entertainment agency gig is very important but high
risk, so it may not be a big earner. However if all
goes well you have initiated what could be a
fruitful relationship. If the agent comes along to
see the act ask for feedback– he is the only one who
will tell you the truth when you in the “zone”. When
was the last time your product was reviewed?
Prices
Disco £180-£300
Drag act £250-£300
Elvis tribute £250-£400
Robbie Williams £400-500
Freddie Mercury £500-600
Comedy £300-£400
Solo/duo/trio steel band from £250/£350/£450
3/4/5 piece covers band from £400/£500/£600
3/4/5
piece jazz band from £450/£550/£650
3/4/5 piece
soul band from £500/£600/£700
3/4/5 piece reggae
from £550/£650/£750
3/4/5 piece 80's Tribute
£650/£750/£850
2/4 Beatles tribute from £500/£800
2/4/5 Abba Tribute from £600/£800/£900
String
Duo/Trio/Quartet from £300/£400/£500
Ladies night
- £600
Gentleman's night – £600
How to get
on with Entertainment Agents
Ask yourself why
you use an estate agent and avoid outmoded clichés
like, just one phone call (I’m an 8 years old -
gissa job), Just two letters (doh… its email now)
The industry is becoming polarised. Established
artists are working with established agents, new
artists working with the newer “post internet”
agents. The entertainment agent wants the service at
wholesale prices with a view to competitive retail.
If an agent charges:
• 15% commission - you will
be one of a 1000
• 20% commission - you will be
one of a 100
• 25% commission - you will be one
of 10.
Treat every gig as a promotion
opportunity. Not getting rebooked on the night is
okay. Not getting any enquiries is questionable. It
is advisable to have more than one product. E.g. a
comedian can be hypnotism, or magician/clown, an 80s
band /soul, Elvis/Ratpack etc. Make sure your
product is commercial and clearly defined. No one
will be looking for 6 different tribute acts in one
show. Be responsive, agents don't like answer
machines or email responses more than 1 day old.
Email on the move is a must have.
In
Conclusion
Each gig costs an entertainment agent
around £100 to obtain and it generally takes longer
to get the gig than to do the show. An agent does
not get paid for just brokering the deal; it’s also
for marketing the product, establishing hundreds of
connections and dealing with interminable dialogues.
Technology has changed the industry. Some
entertainment agencies are venue led others are
internet led. When the recession is over we will be
in a new economy with entertainment moving into line
with other industries and work slowly migrating
towards the more progressive internet driven
entertainment agencies.
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