Do I Need An Agent?

[Peter Blake]

friend of mine who loves my pics and who is quite well-connected in the expat community, suggested that I need an agent……she is quite the go-getter, pushy businesswoman, i.e. everything I'm not.

the first idea she came up with was have some of my b/w nature shots printed on big canvasses, which she would then display in her home - she regularly hosts meetings of expat wives and dinner parties etc….I suppose this could potentially expose me to a ready market of high earners?

do any of you guys have agents? I know that she'll be making as much if not more than I would, out of any proposition - but that is after all how the world works, right?

 

[Hamish Gill]

I would imagine that it would depend on the terms of your arrangement ... Ie if she gets a cut of the work she gets you, or a cut of all your work ... I can't imagine the former being an issue, but I'd steer clear of the latter ...?

 

[Pete Askew]

I agree. If the former, then give it a go.

 

[Davie Hudson]

I think she is trying to protect you, potentially even from herself ... as long as you stick to what Hamish and Pete have said you'll be fine

 

[Chris Dodkin]

The key is to align interests - yours and hers

She has to want to sell your work, so if you make any renumeration dependent on sales, then you'll be golden.

Give her a straight forward agent agreement that says you get x percent of any sale where you make the introduction

If she sells two to the same person at the same time - increase the percentage paid a little, to make it more attractive - this is the stretch goal

 

[Peter Blake]

I'm not about to hand over a cut of all my work….there are quite a few existing clients that were acquired way before She appeared on the scene. but in reality I have little or no sure way of verifying the actual cut….even if we agree of 10% She might be raking in another 50% more than that….but not really worth pursuing, given my current financial becalmment!

 

[Paul Lange]

You could always specify how much you want as a minimum sum. She gets the difference of your asking price and her selling price?

 

[Peter Blake]

You could always specify how much you want as a minimum sum. She gets the difference of your asking price and her selling price?

that is another way, that likely I'll start with. 'This is what I want out of it, have a drink on me' - kind of thing