How To Start Your Own Modeling Business
Do you have a good eye for attractive people? Do you find the idea of helping young men and women jump-start their modeling careers to be fun and intriguing? You could be the ideal candidate for a career in model management. This high-flying profession is full of excitement, but not everyone can stand up to the hectic schedule successful modeling managers keep, or the occasional quirky behaviors of men, women and children who earn a living before the camera's eye. That said, if everything about the modeling business intrigues you and you're willing to expend lots of energy and enthusiasm on behalf of your clients, you could earn top dollar from the booking commissions that propel your best clients to the top.
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Instructions
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Hire an attorney to draw up a general managerial contract or use an Internet legal site to draft one. Use language that covers your level of authorization to make deals on behalf of models, explicitly stating your responsibilities for negotiating bookings on their behalf. Include other rights associated with their work, image and appearances. Include language that stipulates the length and terms of renegotiation, too. Contract law professionals recommend short contracts -- three or four months at the onset of a relationship -- so either party can get out from under the agreement should it prove to be a bad fit. Typically, 30-day-notice language applying to both parties will suffice. Short-term contracts can also help you polish your negotiation skills as you expand your client base.
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Draw up an agreement with your model(s) to establish business boundaries. Discuss the types of assignments each model is willing to take and those he would prefer not to take. You will be making booking agreements with clients on their behalf, so it's important that you both be on the same page to avoid potential conflict. As a rule of thumb, fees are paid directly to the agent, at which point your negotiated fee is subtracted from the job (typically 20% of the payment). You write a check for the remainder of the fee and forward it to your client. This arrangement may sound simple, but when money enters relationships, things can break down fast if agreements aren't spelled out.
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Find clients. One of the best ways of approaching this important step is by making contact with photographers in your area. Make appointments to meet with them individually to show off photos of the models under contract to you. If there is interest in one or more, leave behind a copy of their modeling composite so the photographer will have your contact information on hand. In addition to marketing through photographers, prepare packages of information about your agency (a brochure and a letter will suffice) and mail to ad agencies, public relations firms and area convention centers, all of which employ models year-round. Finally, use the Internet to set up a website with your agency information and photos of the models you represent.
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Recruit models. Consider holding seasonal auditions to screen and recruit talent. Run a display ad in a newspaper that attracts young readers, extending invitations to those who wish to launch a modeling career. You might be able to strike a deal with a mall to hold this event in their main court. Don't discount exhibiting at high school and college career fairs in your area. You might also wish to launch a "friend-get-a-friend" program that encourages your clients to recruit new models on your behalf. Should a referral lead to a new contract, a bonus would go to your client.
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Decide upon a niche market for your business. Once your agency has begun to show a profit, you may wish to specialize in a specific area of talent. Whether you choose children, teens, adult men, adult women or all of these, refining your agency's niche can put you at the top of your game.
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Grow your business wisely - without stretching yourself too thin. As relationships with models mature, expand the length of time under which you put clients under exclusive contracts to secure the most important of your assets. Additionally, you may also wish to expand your role as manager by overseeing updated modeling portfolios and composites as part of your fee structure.
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Tips & Warnings
Always carry business cards because you never know when you'll run into someone with "the look."
Never offer to photograph potential clients before signing them to a contract. Always funnel client checks through your agency business account, then issue checks to models from that account. Keep your business and personal banking matters separate to avoid IRS challenges.
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Comments
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best idea, ama start now.
