Is being exclusive with one agency better than being multi listed ? I get it completely. If you have never worked for an agency then you wouldn’t understand why being exclusive is a million times better and for so many reasons. First and foremost if your agent is exclusive this also means they are confident. They know they have 99% of the jobs in the area and that they can offer what others cannot. With an exclusive agent you are getting a much more personalized experience. I can tell you if my talent was with 3 other agents in my area I wouldn’t be giving them my personal cell like I do , gathering their digitals and making sure they were perfect , and even writing these blogs. It wouldn’t be worth the effort. Mainly because all my hard work would potentially be used to book your child with another agency. And that feeling stinks !
When a client comes into town they typically call several agents. They want to see a variety of children and they certainly don’t want to see the same hundreds of kids over and over. It gets exhausting for the client. Agents call them claiming kids and they fight over which agency the child should book through. This puts a client in a very uncomfortable position and they prefer to just book through exclusive agents to avoid the BS.
What’s even worse is when I spend my time and money working hard for my talent and they book a job I was working on through another agency that might be out of my area. I typically hear “ well Abby wasn’t requested through you “ . Well , of course she wasn’t because a casting director isn’t going to pick the same kid twice in most instances. So they pick one agent . I did submit Abby but because agency B also did the casting director picked one and if agency B didn’t exist she would have been picked through me. There is not a more gut wrenching feeling. When we are loyal to our talent we expect the same. We promote you on our social media and to all our clients. We all work tirelessly behind the scenes. To see our talent post a job they booked and thanking another agent for it is just a blow to our souls. Just don’t do it ! Pick and agent and stick to it.
Now , if you decide to have an agent out of state. I think similar guidelines should apply. I have multiple clients that shoot out of state. If I am your first agent then those jobs should be booked through me and anything I don’t get can go through your out of state agent. Honestly , why have 2 agents if we get the same jobs anyway?
Finding a great agent is key. One that looks through your photos , gathers your sizes , watches your videos , and goes the extra mile like texting you your castings so you don’t miss them. Once you find that agent don’t destroy the relationship with greed. Missing one opportunity here and there isn’t going to be the end of the world. Sign exclusive and enjoy the weekends your child isn’t working with your family and do something fun.