Module 5 / Lesson 5.2: How does it all work
How does it all work
Now that you learnt if you need an agent or not and how to get one if you do, you might want to know how this would actually work. So, what’s the illustrator-agent relationship really like? And how does it work when you get new clients in? And what about the money? I know you might have a lot of questions, so let’s dig in and learn all about this in new lesson!
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Projects & collaborations
When it comes down to it, there are two scenarios for this. Either the client gets in touch with you - the illustrator - directly OR they get in touch with your agent. With Monica Velours, no matter how the client reached out, I’ll always get my agent involved in the project to deal with the nitty gritty and work their magic when quoting. My agent once told me that we could never know how a client discovered me so we have to do it this way, so that they’re always involved and always know what’s happening with me work-wise. We will discuss a bit more about this in the next lesson - pros and cons - but I want to tell you that I kind of disagree with this. I think it’s easy to track how clients discovered your work and for me, for the most part, I know they found me through Instagram. But anyway, let’s get back to how it all works (with my agency):
Option 1: The client emails you directly
When this happens - and if I’m interested in the project - I’ll answer directly to the client and tell them how excited I am. I’ll also introduce my agent and say that they’ll be in touch to do all the nitty gritty, the quoting, the contract…etc. I’ll cc them to the email so they can read all about this new opportunity. I’ll simultaneously write to my agent on Discord (that’s what we use for most of our online chats) and let them know about the new exciting job! That’s the fun part, the part where everyone is really excited. After this, the client will usually chat to my agent and they’ll get sent a quote for the work*. All the creative/design talk with still be with me, so I’ll get to send them designs and they’ll give me feedback until we get to the final artwork and everybody is happy. Then, my agent will invoice them and then we’re done!
*When it comes to quoting for new project, my agent and I always discuss it. They’ll give me a call to discuss the scope of the project so we can assess together how much it should be and what I think is fair. Once they’ve built the quote, they’ll show it to me and I’ll approve it before they send it off to the client. If the client wants to negotiate or push back on certain things, my agent will be the one dealing with all this (which is awesome because it can really give you a headache otherwise).
Option 2: The client goes through the agency to hire you as an illustrator
Usually, my agent will let me know about the opportunity and I’ll see if I’m interested or not. If yes, the agent can deal with all the nitty gritty again and maybe even be present on certain calls with the client. My agent is usually more involved when this happens but they never interfere with the design side of things, that’s always for me to decide on - with the client of course. Then, the process is very similar to the one above. I work with the client to achieve their dream result and my agent invoices them at the end.
Money talk
Agents get money when you do. Basically, they take a commission on each project you work on. With my agent, it’s 10%. So let’s say, I’m doing a £3000 project, they will get paid £300. Something that’s specific to my agent (I believe) is that they won’t take a commission on smaller projects (small fees) or with clients I had before I started working with them. When I get projects like those, I’ll be the one dealing with everything and invoicing directly. The rest of the time, my agent will be the one doing all the contracts, invoicing and getting paid. Once they receive the money from the client, I will then invoice them and get paid by them. They obviously usually pay me very fast once they receive money from the client.
Most of the time, my agent will be able to build their 10% commission into the quotes. They will take it into consideration when quoting for projects, so I don’t feel like I’m “losing” money, they’re just making the client pay an additional 10%, if that makes sense. Sometimes it won’t work though, especially if the client comes with a set budget. In that case, the 10% will be deducted from the fee. I know it can feel like a bit frustrating but I do really appreciate the work my agents do, so I feel like it’s only fair for them to get a small piece of the pie.
The illustrator-agent relationship
I think it’s important to get along with your agent and be on the same wavelength (at least most of the time). When I first talked to my agents, it quickly appeared that we liked the same things and understood each other’s ambitions and dreams. It does really help when it comes to working together, as your agent needs to know and understand you very well so they can get the right projects coming your way. As in any good relationship, communication is key. You have to always let your agent know what’s up with you, life and work wise, so they can adapt and make sure you’re happy at all times. You have to set up boundaries in the way you want to communicate as well. Emails, Discord, Whatsapp…It can get a lot, so don’t hesitate to say it when it feels too much. It’s the same thing when it comes to work. Your agent won’t expect you to want to work like crazy all the time. For instance, when I had River, I told my agents I would take a month off before starting work again. I know that’s not a lot, but I really really love what I do and I need it to stay sane. What happened is that I said I’d want to start slowly and gradually pick up the pace. And that’s exactly how it happened for me! The important thing to remember is that having an agent doesn’t mean you’ll be working ALL the time. They’ll be ups and downs as well. Although they’re trying their hardest to find you opportunities, it still is a difficult market, so you’ll have moments when you’re not necessarily doing client work. Remember then to work on your personal projects and other things you’re passionate about…or take some time off! I know how hard it is to find a balance but I truly think it can be achieved.
A good agent will…
Listen to you
Know your dreams and ambitions
Acknowledge your boundaries
Give you space when needed
Give you support when needed
Actively look for opportunities which fit you
Protect you from nasty clients
Be the bad guy so you don’t (always) have to be