Why?
What makes you want to start an agency?
What's our problem that another agency is the solution?
Why should someone trust you with their job search?
Why should anyone give you their hard-earned money?
Lots of people want to start agencies. It's a seemingly effortless way to make money. Especially when people are paying commissions year after year at the same rate as they were when they got hired. But, there's so much more.
To be an agent is to be a recruiter.
To be a recruiter is to tirelessly seek out and screen the best talent and bring them to a job opportunity.
To tirelessly seek out talent is to cold call, headhunt, and attract people who aren't looking for jobs and show them a better way.
To show a better way is to tell a story and solve a problem.
But still, there's so much more.
To be first.
To secure your candidate into a representation agreement that serves their needs and yours.
To manage the onboarding process of your candidate with their new employer.
When your candidate fails their drug screen, to have another candidate ready to go.
To continually be prospecting for new business.
To sell!
Here's how I think the industry could change for the better. If you're willing to go that far, I encourage you to do it:
Invest in the creation of a talent development community.
Create commission structures that favor longevity. Stay with us longer and pay less.
Metrics. Track how long it takes to fill a spot, the quality of your talent as measured by their reviews, percentage of talent that receive raises, percentage of talent that gets promoted, percent of talent that refers friends. Everything is trackable and track everything.
Consider a subscription service. Instead of commissions, encourage musicians to subscribe to a community and receive jobs as a subscription level.
Develop terms that enable musicians to rebook themselves without you. Celebrate a musician's ability to start booking themselves on their own - without you.
Track your efforts. Don't charge when all you did was pick up the phone and send an email.
Develop a marketing plan focused on changing the lives of the people that seek your service, and the minds of those that hire musicians.
The market doesn't trust new things that are different. Be different and be consistent.
I believe these changes are needed because the people you serve have needs not met.
People want to belong to something.
People want to see themselves as doing things that matter.
People want to see themselves as growing.
People need to fail.
People need to step outside and try something new.
People need you to give them a push.
Start Your Agency!
But please,
Do it different.
We need different.
