Publicity Agent
Entertainment agents and managers, sometimes known as talent agents, promote the careers and manage the business affairs of performers and other professionals in the entertainment industry. If you've got good business sense and you can build close working relationships with people, this job could be perfect for you.
In this job you will need to be an excellent communicator and negotiator. You will also need to be persuasive, confident and persistent.
There are a number of different routes into this job, from working your way up from an assistant role to starting out by managing your performer friends' careers. In this industry your experience (paid or unpaid), enthusiasm and ability to make contacts are more important than academic qualifications.
Job responsibility:
Your job may include:
• arranging auditions and bookings for clients
• negotiating contracts and fees
• organising tours and booking venues
• helping artists make career decisions, such as advising actors which roles to audition for
• arranging publicity and promotion
• winning clients and scouting for new talent
• handling media enquiries, fan mail and requests for personal appearances
• dealing with travel arrangements and work permits
• keeping records
• staying in regular contact with clients.
Employment Opportunities for Publicity Agent:
You could work for an agency or artist management company, or you could be self-employed or choose to set up your own agency.
Some jobs are advertised in the national press or The Stage, although most vacancies are filled by word of mouth or by approaching agencies directly. You can find contact details for agents in the members’ sections of agents’ trade associations.
• The Stage
Your career would progress by building a strong reputation and attracting more top performers onto your books.
How to become Publicity Agent?
Most advertising and publicity agencies recruit candidates with a formal management or advertising/mass communication qualification. Preference is given for MBA’s for posts in the market research, client servicing and media planning departments. In the creative department, on the other hand, a graduate with a command of the language of communication plus knowledge of designing packages like Photoshop, coral draw or fine arts is the requirement.
There are also specialized courses in advertising/mass communication at diploma and post-graduation level for which the basic qualification is graduation. However, advertising is also offered as a subject for the graduate degree course in mass communication studies at certain institutions for which minimum qualification is 10+2. In addition there are also certificate courses for which 10+2 is enough.
Basic qualities like creativity and flair for writing or ability to translate ideas into a visual format are required for making a successful career in this field. The aspirant should have an insight into the interests of people from all walks of life, ability to work as part of team, mental and physical toughness to be able to withstand high pressure and criticism, must be sociable and have calm temperament. Market and media researchers should have an analytical and logical brain. Those in creative field should possess artistic abilities to make the advertisements appealing to the masses.
Median Pay Scale / salary of Publicity Agent :
The average pay for a Publicity Agent Manager is Rs 485,661 per year. Most people move on to other jobs if they have more than 10 years' experience in this field.
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