Q: How do you know when you’re ready to take your influencer hobby to the next level and hire a manager?
Generally speaking, a manager is best suited for someone seeing a high volume of partnership inquiries and they are having a tough time managing ALL the moving parts (email correspondence, rate negotiation, contract negotiations and invoicing).
On the other hand, we also have seen influencers out there that have really impressive platforms (large audience, high engagement) and they are still just doing this for fun and they don’t realize what they could turn it all into. Those are usually people we can scout out!
Q: Does follower count play into the decision? Is there a specific number of followers an influencer typically hits before they hire management?
Some accounts can be small and mighty (60k followers with great engagement and beautiful content). However, we typically see a following of 150k+ being the best fit for management.
Q: Why do you think so many influencers hold off on getting a manager?
It’s their baby! I can always be sympathetic to people who hesitate to pass off their partnerships to someone else. As a business owner myself, I know what a big step it is, yet it’s also one of the most important ones I think you will ever make. I also see hesitations as well around paying someone a commission from your partnerships. This is how most managers get paid. Yet, we say time and time again, if you are making LESS money with a management team then before, you are most likely with the wrong team.
Q: What would you tell someone who has been thinking about working with a manager but is still hesitant?
Ask your friends that are managed about their experience. Referrals are everything! And know that from our perspective, it is the best way to put your best foot forward to brands. You should not be negotiating your own rates and contracts, period. Having a team that has a pulse on the entire industry and the backend knowledge on brands, rates, influencers is SO important.
I also suggest making sure that you aren’t locked into a major contract upfront. If you have reservations, protect yourself knowing that if for some reason you didn’t feel like it was the right fit, you have a way of getting out of the relationship.
Q: What does the relationship between an influencer and a manager look like? What does the manager do?
It’s a really close relationship. A manager oversees your brand inquiries/partnerships, negotiates an ideal scope of work and rates, reviews and edits contracts, and invoices on your behalf. Essentially, a manager frees up your time to give you more of an opportunity to do what you love: create, be the voice to your platform and to engage. A strong management team will also do pitching (this is so important to get you in front of your favorite brands vs waiting for them to come to you), strategy (do you want to write a book, start a clothing brand. etc?), and overall support.
Q: What is the biggest benefit you’ve seen for influencers who have taken the leap and hired management?
The first thing we always hear from influencers after we’ve managed them for a couple of months is that they are making more money. When a brand sends you a scope of work that includes something like: 1 IG post, 1 IGTV, 3 IG stories, 30 day whitelisting, 6 month exclusivity, 6 month digital usage- most people don’t know how to accurately put together rates for something like this. OR, some brands won’t even disclose that they would have usage/exclusivity/whitelisting until you get the contract and then what if you signed that contract and weren’t paid for those things? We see this far too often.
The second thing we hear a lot is “you make me look good!” It’s funny to say, but we have to show up professionally, timely, organized and business savvy. I think for those that didn’t feel like that was their strong suit, it’s really helpful to have someone represent you in this light.
Lastly, we always hear that they just feel like they have that support and a team behind them that knows what they are doing. We become extremely close with the talent we manage and it really is a team effort all around.
