Negotiating a tour
I’ve spent the better part of the last two months negotiating with artists’ managers and lawyers. It’s not my favorite part of joining a tour, but it’s an extremely important step and one you should get comfortable with if you want to protect yourself and progress in your career. Talking about money is a soft spot for some people, but it’s a conversation that needs to happen before you start working with anyone. Every aspect of the financial interaction between you and an artist or legal entity needs to be addressed in an open conversation before you begin any kind of work. Everything from your rate to tour, the advancing rate, per diem, reimbursements, travel costs, hotel costs, baggage costs—everything.
My mother used to say, “No one will ever pay you what you’re worth, they will only pay you what they think you're worth.” You really have to clearly define and communicate your value. How do you calculate your worth? Ask yourself these questions (and be honest with yourself):
What is my unique skill set that makes me better qualified than others for this tour?
What do I do that no one else does?
What existing problems do I solve for the tour?
Think about it from the person hiring’s perspective for a minute. Unless you're really well known and have been around in your industry for a long time, there’s really no way for them to know anything about you before they work with you. They can look at your resume and reach out to your references, but none of that really illustrates how you will actually work with their artist, crew, or them. They’re taking a risk hiring you, so ease their mind by telling them who you are and how you like to tour during the initial conversation and then showing them examples of your work after the conversation.
Example
I spend a lot of time on a super detailed advance letter for every artist I work with. It’s a multi-paragraph email, thoughtfully formatted, with every detail about the tour that anyone I’m advancing with could ever want or need to know. I started writing these long advance letters to simplify the advance process and greatly reduce the amount of time spent going back and forth. During negotiation conversations with a new tour, I’ll share one of these advance letters I used for a previous artist with the hiring artist’s manager. Why? It shows efficiency, attention to detail, and organizational skills. An artist’s manager will also see that when shows are being advanced, their artist is being represented by someone who has their shit together. I’m showing what I do that no one else does and I’m showing the value I add to how their artist is perceived by promoters and venues.
Another thing you can do is share a blank copy of your road report. Show them what you track and how you will add value to the business management side of touring. Maybe the previous TM didn’t have a mind for accounting and the financial side of touring suffered during the last tour. Show them how you can solve that problem for them so they’re more receptive when you ask for what you want.
Maybe you’re just starting to tour and you’re still working on systems like an advance letter or road report. Maybe the value you add right now is in your self-sufficiency, eagerness to learn, or work ethic. Bring up what it is that you love about what you do and what excites you about it. When you connect with that, your value will be apparent in a different but still very tangible way.
If you’re an engineer or LD, send videos of shows you’ve worked on. If you’re a merch seller, send photos of your displays or a blank copy of your merch sheet. Whatever you do, show them what makes you more qualified than others for the job.
At this point, you’ve shown your work and personality. The manager has contacted your references and checked out your social media accounts. Let’s assume they think you will work well with their artist and existing crew, and they think your work is impressive. What now? For the sake of a blog about negotiating, let’s say they send you an offer to join the tour that’s less than what you are willing to accept. An offer that doesn’t align with where you are in your career and your unique skill set, but this tour, the venues it’s playing, and the level of production are all on par with getting you closer to your professional goal. So, you want to send a counteroffer. Before you even begin negotiating, know the lowest rate or the most flexible terms you’re willing to accept. Understanding your non-negotiables will keep you focused and help you avoid agreeing to terms that won’t work for you in the long run. Remember, at this point, they are already interested in hiring you, so don’t continue to try to sell yourself, just be direct with what you want in the counteroffer.
“I truly appreciate the offer, but I will have to decline the rate.”
Then list what exactly it is that you will be doing for that rate.
“As your production manager, I would be the direct production contact for all communications between the artist and all venues, festivals, or promoters. Every aspect of production will be covered in an efficient and professional way. There is no doubt in my mind that I am the right person for this crew.”
Then end with the rate you want, in the form of a question.
“Could we continue the discussion at [your rate]?”
Keep the conversation respectful and professional. Negotiations can be tough, but keeping the tone positive and cooperative can help maintain a good relationship with the person you're negotiating with. Once the terms are agreed upon, make sure everything is confirmed in writing. This can be in the form of a contract or a formal email outlining all the details. never go into a professional situation without some form of time stamped communication showing exactly what was agreed to. If you speak over the phone or in person, write out a service contract, email it to multiple people involved in the tour and have the person responsible for paying you (usually the artist themselves or member of their llc) sign it. do not skip this step! It protects both parties and makes sure nothing is misunderstood later.
Quick story: I was in negotiations with a tour earlier this year. I sent them my usual service contract with a kill fee, and they refused to sign it. Instead, they counteroffered with a service contract with no kill fee and respectfully asked me to forgo the fee because of the artist’s current financial situation. Against every bit of intuition I had, I agreed because I really wanted to work with this particular artist. Two weeks and hours of advancing work later, the tour got postponed, and I instantly lost 25% of my yearly income. I knew it was a bad idea to drop the kill fee. Kill fees have been what’s kept me afloat in the past when tours get canceled or postponed, but I agreed to it and paid the price. The biggest lesson I took away from this experience is this: If an artist is in a financial situation where they or their management is asking you to take any kind of financial risk, don’t fuckin do it. Protect yourself no matter what.
Saying No to Offers
There are situations when you should just say no. No matter how much you want to tour, some things just aren’t worth it. It is absolutely okay to say no to a position that will drain you mentally and physically. If you’ve communicated your value and your reasonable requests are rejected, it’s simply not the tour for you. Trust me, it’s not worth it. If you don’t know if what you’re being offered is reasonable, bring it up in the forum and ask the community before you commit to anything.
Do your best to be direct, be clear, and be confident when you’re having the money conversation. Doubt and fear are totally normal, but remember you have to show up for yourself, and if anyone makes you feel like you’re doing something wrong when you do, you do not want to work with them.
