When should I get an agent?

“I’m meeting with my agent“

Sounds very Hollywood, doesn’t it? But when it comes to professional speaking, there is a lot of confusion about what agents do and when is the right time to get one.

The primary role of an agent for a professional speaker is representation. What that means is that you don’t have to do the ugly bits, like talking about money or worrying about expenses or logistics. The agent handles that for you. And because they are practiced at negotiation and not embarrassed about asking for money, they generally get you a better rate than you would for yourself.

Agents get paid by taking a percentage of your final fee - typically 20%. So if they negotiate 50% more for you than you would have done yourself, then everyone’s a winner. But this raises some of the first reasons why you might not want an agent - and also why they might not want you (at least not yet).

Taking a cut

If you are very good at negotiating a fee for yourself, and you are comfortable with what you are getting paid, then an agent is just going to cost you money. That said, you might be undercharging: only someone who negotiates for lots of people is going to know that. You are also going to be doing all of the work around your gigs: organising travel, chasing payment etc. If you’re happy with that, then great. But these are things your agent will take on as part of their 20%.

They will only do that though if 20% of your fee is enough to justify their time. This leads most agents to have a minimum fee threshold below which it’s not worth them taking a client on. For some agents that might be £5,000. For others, a bit more or a bit less.

Raising your profile

Representation and negotiation are not the only things an agent might do for you. Being on their books means you’re visible to their clients and anyone searching their site for a speaker. And they might actively promote you to their client base, though don’t expect the phone to start ringing off the hook the moment an agent takes you on. In our experience, most new leads still come through you as a speaker and your own marketing activities.

At Pomona Partners we’re trying to be transparent with our clients. We’ll work hard to promote you but we will also offer you coaching to improve your own marketing activities, raise your presence, and make your proposition more attractive to prospective bookers.

In short, if you’re not getting as many enquiries as you would like, getting an agent probably isn’t the answer, unless they will help you to raise your profile and develop your proposition. And while you’re not bringing in lots of fee income for the agent, those additional services will have a price attached. You may want to work on growing your own profile before you look to sign up with an agent.

Developing your career

Because they work with lots of different speakers - and perhaps other talent as well - agents can be a good source of career advice and guidance for your development. They can identify weaknesses, help you to highlight strengths, and signpost you to specialists who can coach you. This is something we are heavily focused on at Pomona Partners: we want to help all of our clients to develop, wherever they are in their careers.

Again though, the level of development advice an agent will offer will normally be based on the level of fee income you are bringing in - or the potential they see in you. That’s why at Pomona Partners we have created the Academy. This gives people at the start of their speaking career, or those who want to explore other avenues for their talent, access to advice and resources without the usual gatekeeping. Yes, there is a cost attached to this, but that’s because we’re brought in real specialists and people with deep experience to support Academy members.

Exclusivity

It may surprise you but most agency relationships for speakers are not exclusive. There’s generally no harm in you as a speaker being listed with multiple agencies, and we certainly don’t discourage our clients at Pomona Partners from signing up with other agencies. Each has their own approach and specialism, and may have better contacts or experience than us in particular domains.

However, you will usually find there is one agency who you like working with the most and who you end up referring the most work through. This agency will obviously be the one that is most invested in your development.

The caveat to the rule about exclusivity is that some agencies won’t offer active promotion or career development advice if you are not signed exclusively with then, or at least have them as your ‘primary’ agent - i.e. other agents deal through them rather than direct with you so that they always get a cut, even if it’s not the full 20%.

In summary

Having an agent can be beneficial in many ways, but it's important to carefully consider the pros and cons before making a decision.

First, consider the role of an agent. An agent's job is to represent your interests and help you secure speaking opportunities. This can include negotiating contracts, managing your schedule, and promoting your services - though how much promotion an agent offers will vary. In many cases, an agent can help you land higher paying speaking engagements and negotiate better terms on your behalf.

Next, consider the cost of an agent. Most agents work on a commission basis, taking a percentage of your speaking fee as their payment. This can eat into your earnings, so it's important to carefully consider whether the benefits of having an agent are worth the cost. In some cases, an agent can help you earn more money overall, but in others, the cost may not be justified.

Additionally, consider your experience and reputation as a speaker. If you are just starting out in your speaking career, it may be difficult to find an agent who is willing to take you on as a client (if this is you, check out our Academy). In this case, you may need to build your reputation and experience before an agent will be interested in representing you. On the other hand, if you are a well-known and respected speaker, you may be able to attract agents who are eager to work with you.

Ultimately, the decision to get an agent or not is a personal one. Consider your experience, reputation, and goals as a speaker, as well as the costs and benefits of having an agent, to determine if getting an agent is the right decision for you.

If you want to discuss your options, drop us a line. We’ll be happy to have a chat with you to help you make a decision.