“How Should I Communicate with My Agent?”
“How Should I Communicate with My Agent” is perhaps the most commonly asked question (and a good one!) because every agency has a different personality and communication style. From my perspective, you should never feel scared or uncomfortable talking to your agent, but you should be aware that different offices might be better fits for the way you naturally communicate. Regardless, respecting your representation’s communication style can make your communication more effective. Here are some of my personal preferences regarding client communication—this time in a “do’s and don’ts” format!
WHEN?
Disadvantageous: Emailing repetitively over the weekend and then calling the office at 9:59am Monday morning for something that is not time sensitive.
Appropriate: Contacting me during business hours (and ideally in the afternoon).
Though our industry has become a 24/7 business due to technology, it doesn’t mean that I want to be on my phone all day and night. Except for time sensitive issues and requested materials, I largely prefer communicating with clients and prospective clients during business hours if at all possible. For me, this means Monday – Friday from 10am to 6pm. It is even more likely that I will respond to your email or phone call in the afternoon, as mornings are typically dedicated to solving the previous day’s problems and addressing the breakdowns. We get A LOT of emails throughout the day, so timing them when I am dedicated to looking at my email can be a big help.
HOW?
Disadvantageous: Showing up unannounced, texting me, mailing me a letter with no headshot.
Appropriate: Contacting me via email, phone call, or pre-arranged in-person meeting.
Email is generally the best way to communicate with me. I love a time stamp and a paper trail. If you are a prospective client, I also love a digital headshot and resume (and footage!). That being said, we get a lot of emails in our office, so if there is something you need and you haven’t gotten a reply, we always recommend that you pick up the phone and call (ideally in the afternoon—see above).
Phone calls (to the office) are great (from clients, not prospective clients), but if you are going to tell me something I will need to write down, it’s better if you email first and then follow up with the call.
Showing up in-person unannounced is NOT RECOMMENDED, even for long-standing clients. Please call first to see if we are available to meet with you—we want to be able to give you uninterrupted time. If you call or email to set up a meeting, we are happy to see you in-person, just let us know ahead of time if there is something specific you will want to discuss so that we can be properly prepared. Our time is valuable and so is yours!
If I have given you my personal cell phone number, it was likely for a specific reason and should not be abused. Except for special cases, please DO NOT TEXT me and do not call my personal cell phone number. Similarly, do not DM me on Instagram or Facebook! Business inquiries should be emailed instead. If you do not have my email address, you can contact me HERE, through my website!
Finally, snail mail is actually not to be overlooked! I often read personally addressed, mailed thank you notes from prospective clients, so be sure to include a headshot so that I know who you are!
HOW FREQUENTLY?
Disadvantageous: Multiple emails a day that either contain little content or could be combined into one email.
Appropriate: Contacting me in a way that feels organic, honest, substantial, and concise.
Everyone always wants to know “how much” they should be reaching out and “how often” they should be hearing from us. This is a tough question to answer, as there is no “normal.” Our industry is unpredictable and each of our client relationships is unique. In my office, clients have the opportunity to set the pace of communication, as we encourage them to play active roles in their career and to keep us informed. If I had to give an amount, I’d say that successful clients contact us anywhere between once a business day and once a month, but more important than the frequency is the content.
WHAT SHOULD I SAY?
Disadvantageous: Asking us “what’s going on” in the industry or why you haven’t heard from us.
Appropriate: Contacting us when you have something to share.
You may have heard the saying, “There’s a reason why agents only take 10%--the expectation is that the client does 90% of the work.” We love to hear about that 90%! Have you been taking classes or attending EPAs? Did you just see a show that was totally inspiring? Are you working on your dance or musicianship skills or learning a language? Did you get new headshots or add to your reel? Did something happen in your life that affects the projects you’d consider? These are all great things to share and can help us better submit you, while reminding us that you are playing an active role in your career. In general, sharing what you’re up to is a much more effective means of opening the line of communication than asking “if anything is going on” or why you haven’t heard from us.
Disadvantageous: Asking questions that were answered IN THE EMAIL.
Appropriate: Asking thoughtful questions.
Our industry is constantly changing. Within the last few years, we’ve seen streaming services take over the television industry, self-tapes become the new normal, and networks change the way they host their breakdowns, just to name a few. With all of this newness, there are going to be questions, and it is part of our job to help you get answers. Whether that means contacting a Casting Director or Union Representative, troubleshooting technology, or clarifying an audition email or offer, we are happy to help answer your questions. Just PLEASE, make sure you don’t already have the answer in an email we’ve sent!
Disadvantageous: Emailing a list of projects shooting in NYC, telling us that a friend thought you were perfect for a show you’ve never seen and know nothing about, sending a Playbill or Actors Access link.
Appropriate: Emailing a bulleted list of submission suggestions with the name of the project, role, and Casting Director.
My office encourages submission suggestions—we like to submit you for the roles you feel most passionate about! That being said, specificity and clarity are key, and we hope that you have been doing your research about the current season. Most helpful to us is an easy-to-read typed list with all of the pertinent information we need to submit: the project, role, and Casting Director. If you have some connection to the project, include that as well! What we don’t want is to leaf through a long essay to get to what you really need, or guess which role you want when you could be right for more than one.
In sum, my personal client communication preferences are:
-During business hours (and ideally in the afternoon).
-Via email, phone call, or pre-arranged meeting.
-When you have something to share.
-When you have a question.
-When you have a suggestion.
For me, following these recommendations will land you in the happy place of being present without being bothersome.
If you haven’t heard from your agent, when was the last time you reached out?
Happy communicating!