Having worked in industry, it’s natural to learn a thing or two. The Truth About…series usually gives insights into lessons I think artists should be aware of. This special edition is for clients.
I got an email that made me smile today. It’s been a particularly intense 48 hours – It’s natural to get like that when you run a business – and this email inspired me and gave me a giggle.
It was a follow-up regarding a potential booking, and the booker was surprised that they were being asked to pay for the talent’s time. The reason they didn’t feel they should pay? Because they couldn’t justify the cost to their stakeholders. They also felt that the talent should understand having worked in a similar space and, therefore, should give up their time for free.
These are some of my favourite conversations, as it’s always interesting to hear people’s reasons why things should be done pro-bono.
Here’s the truth about booking talent
Booking talent is a choice.
Let me be absolutely clear: I value a booking. After all, it’s my bread and butter. However, all parties have a choice. You have a choice to make the booking. You have a choice to decline the fee. What clients misunderstand is that the talent also has a choice. A choice to decline a booking. A choice to charge a fee – however, outlandish, it may seem to your sensibilities because remember…
A lot of talent are self-employed
This isn’t the first time I’ve had a conversation about payment in this way. Sometimes, people want to apply the ‘cousin of the ex-wife who lived around the corner from the talent’s mum’s neighbour for six months in 2010’ discount, not appreciating that the bills we all have will challenge its relevance.
I remember being told by a potential booker that they ‘deserved a little TLC’ because they had seven degrees of separation from the talent. A person they had met once for about five minutes. Ironically, it’s representatives of larger organisations that tend to use this strategy. Please don’t. You either have a budget or you don’t.
What you desire the talent to bring to the proverbial table is what they do for a living. It’s a skillset. It’s the reason why you haven’t opened the doors to your office and pulled in the nearest pedestrian because…
You want their expertise, their time and their impact…that’s really what you’re paying for.
Sometimes bookers will say, ‘We just want them for 15 minutes’. (We both know it’s never just 15 minutes.) Some think the platform dictates the cost, as ‘it’s only a Zoom’.
The talent is still the talent, whether they’re in your office or dialing in. Their value doesn’t diminish. You’re investing into having dedicated time with them and what that will mean to your organisation beyond that time.
This is why it’s important to be clear on what your objectives are internally. Budgetary constraints are an internal discussion, and justifying the spend becomes much easier when you’re clear on the outcome.
Even charities appreciate the value of time
Queries about value do not tend to come from the chatity sector. Whilst working for one, I stood guilty of thinking that charities were entitled to, well, charity. I’ve since learnt they can be afforded discretion and a distinctive rate. Know that you paying the market rate supports us being able to heavily subsidise payments for those who truly need it.
Feel free to negotiate
Despite all I’ve said, my point isn’t that you either pay the rate or forfeit the chance to work with talent. Far from it. The point of this blog is to save you and, ultimately, your organisation from any embarrassment by being clear. It also saves me extremely valuable time.
I would always encourage you to negotiate; compromise is not missing from my vocabulary, but make sure what you offer is a genuine benefit to the talent.
Offering them ‘a platform’ is a loss leader. If they didn’t have one, you wouldn’t know who they are. Once a potential booker offered the opportunity to meet a senior figure. They hadn’t done their research or they would have realised that they already knew each other.
Always talk to an agent to see if a compromise can be reached. Just remember that things should be mutually beneficial.
So in short do ask your desired guest to appear at your next event but a make sure you have a budget, be prepared to negotiate and accept the fact that it might not work out. And that’s it! A few realities around booking talent.
