I won’t reveal who asked, but this person (shout out!!!) will
recognize the question. Let’s just say
it’s someone who…aw, nevermind. (That
was mean, wasn’t it?) Verbatim, I was
asked, “So, what is it that a parent really wants from a print agent?” I have a few responses here, but one of the
more obvious ones: “Lots of bookings!!! Send
my kid out!!!” really isn’t high on my list.
Without a doubt – and I do not even need to conduct any sort of
scientific research here – the answer is…
HONESTY. Absolutely, it’s honesty. I know many parents who have caught agents in
lies. (I’m not going to pretend parents
don’t lie either – perfect world? Let’s
make this a two-way street.) Yes, our
biggest concern as parents is probably the quantity of work, and later, as we
get a little street cred, the quality of work.
(Bucket lists and OH NO NOT AGAIN lists…topic for the future.) But even though that is our biggest concern, it’s not the first thing we
need from an agent.
HONESTY. Tell us a client said don’t send my kid
anymore because she’s overexposed. (Ha,
I wish!) Tell us there are three other
kids who fit my kid’s exact breakdown and you’re juggling to get them all out
there. Tell us why you’re not sending us
out for more editorial work…if it’s the money, tell us if we can pursue it on
our own if we want to. Tell us our kids
are more catalog/fashion/toy box…than other things. Tell us a new assistant came in and my kid
wasn’t on his/her radar. Just let us
know. Tell us how you used your
instincts if something doesn’t make sense to us. Now, BEWARE.
I am not NOT not telling you moms to pick up the phone EVERY TIME you have
these questions. We have to sit back and
let the process happen…for the most part.
But if and when we do want to use our “why didn’t my kid ___?” question
card once in a while, let us know
exactly what you were thinking. If we
get answers that don’t line up with our goals, maybe it’s not the best
relationship. Maybe we need to read the
writing on the wall sometimes.
I’m going to put everything else in one paragraph, because
it all comes after the honesty. Believe
in my kid. Push my kid when you think
you can. If you feel overworked and
overwhelmed, take on fewer kids. Or hire
an assistant. Answer my emails within 24
hours – even if you say, “I’m swamped right now…let me get back to you
tomorrow.” (On my end, I try to
structure my emails so the agent can give an answer less than a sentence…we can
both be efficient at this.) Be
organized. Have a master email structure
for go-sees and bookings so I’m not sifting through three emails to find dates,
addresses, and rates. Laugh with me once
in a while. Advocate. Negotiate.
Moms talk and we know that different agencies get different rates
sometimes. Give me some options when you
know you can…time frame rather than set time, give me an out if it’s a cattle
call for a client who has seen my kid five times and never booked her…give me
an out if the rate is crumby and you want to work with the client but they just
won’t budge on rate. Give me as much
advanced notice as possible.
Obviously the sister-post to this one needs to be “So, what
does a print agent expect from a parent?”
I know what the agents’ number one answer would be…I don’t even have to
ask.
What did I leave out?
Let me know! Comment here or hit
up my new facebook page, The Bizzy Mama.
I’m also on Instagram (but if you follow me, you will have to commit to
some dog pictures) at TheBizzyMama.
Next time: “So, what
does a print agent expect from a parent?”
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