A Lesson in Negotiation

As an indie artist, understanding the art of negotiation is critical.  I recently interviewed Gary Robinson, manager of WCWK Radio, about keys to making the deal and insights to negotiating. Here's what he had to say...

When you consider your previous negotiation experiences would you say you are a hard or soft negotiator? (Are you hard or soft on people?)

I would say that it would depend on the situation and how flexible I am with my terms. I would also say that this depends on who I am negotiating with. There are some people with whom I must draw a harder line.

How do your emotions figure into your negotiation tactics?

I try to leave my emotions out of negotiations. Emotions tend to disable my ability to see things objectively.

Would you say that you are unlikely to change you mind once you have settled on a position?

I think I am pretty flexible on most things. I try not to enter into negotiations with a closed mind. I think that doing so can impede the opportunities to reach a viable solution.

How do you deal with other people’s emotional attachment to an issue or concern during negotiating?

I try to detach them from their emotion by having them explain their position and why it is so important to them. If I can do this, I can generally find a place that we can agree on and take it from there.

Have you ever had to negotiate with a friend or relative?

Yes, I have often had to do so. It has not always been easy. Family and friends often expect a certain degree of concessions. I have found it important to specify that the negotiations are serious and lay the ground rules for how things will be done. That way they do not have reason to fill resentment or anger about the outcome.

What was different about your negotiation tactics in this circumstance?

I am a softer negotiator in a lot of these instances. I tend to be more concerned about the health of the relationship after the negotiation is over. So, I think I concede more or compensate more for the other party’s sake.

How does brainstorming help your negotiation process?

Brainstorming helps me get a better understanding and see what information might be more important. I don’t know everything. I don’t have all the answers. So, brainstorming helps me figure out what may work best even if it’s not the way that I had in mind.

Do you consult experts during your process?

Of course.

How do these consultations help you develop your position?

Yes, consulting experts helps me to better develop my position. It also helps me find drawbacks to my position.

How do you incorporate the other party’s research into your negotiation?

Absolutely. I have learned that there is always room to hear and access opposition. I try to learn something from every perspective. It may come in handy later.

Have you ever found a person’s difference of opinion or belief to be a stumbling block in negotiation?

It has happened. In some of those cases, the negotiations came to an impasse. We left the negotiation table without an agreement. I don’t think I have ever regretted not being able to make a deal. I have chosen, instead, to take those failed negotiations as teachable moments.

Have you ever entered a negotiation without having a BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement)?

I try not to. I always try to have a secondary plan. I think it is always important to have a back up plan. It gives me peace of mind to know that I have alternatives. I don’t feel backed into a corner.

Have you ever had to negotiate with someone using dirty tricks?

Yes.

How have you dealt with them?

I typically refuse to stay at the negotiating table with those that I know are trying to play dirty. I have too many options than to waste my time with dirty games. I advise everyone to develop strong secondary courses of action so that you can easily walk away from those who are playing unfairly.

New Autobiography from Music Mogul, Clive Davis

 

While skimming the LA Times this week, I found a nugget that I am sure will excite many a music mind. It appears that Clive Davis will be releasing an autobiography, due on stands in February 2013. Clive Davis, one of the most prolific and dominant figures in the modern music era, undoubtedly has a great deal of knowledge to share with the masses. Over the years, he has guided the careers of artists like Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Janis Joplin, and Bruce Springsteen. Mr. Davis has had an uncanny ability to see talent in its rawest form and cultivate that talent into something extremely profound. Even at 80, he does not appear to be slowing down. As the article states, Davis is “involved in several high-profile albums slated to surface in coming months”.

I am certain that many will be clamoring to get their hands on this book. Many will love reading about Clive Davis’s time with the artists he has facilitated throughout the years. However, this will not be a book fully dedicated to memories and nostalgia. According to the LA Times, this autobiography will also offer insights into what Mr. Davis thinks about the future of the music industry. “He also spoke glowingly of the potential new media held for helping revitalize the industry to which he’s devoted most of his life.”

Essentially, I think that when a great industry legend like Clive Davis speaks, it behooves those serious about their craft to listen. Longevity in a business as temperamental as music does not come from being unintelligent. For those looking to succeed, Clive Davis has decades of knowledge to impart. Additionally, music fans should be able to find delight in the memoirs about their beloved superstars. Personally, I can’t wait to take a look at what advice this prodigious star-maker has to offer. 

Clive Davis Autobiography Due in February 

Pursuing the Paying Gig.

Many emerging artists face the question of whether they should perform gigs without pay. The truth is that this is often a staple of paying dues in the entertainment industry. In the beginning, more often than not gigs will be unpaid or underpaid. This is not a reason to be discouraged. The focus for emerging artists should be two things, honing their skill and promoting their talent. 

(Photo courtesy of Tuning The Concert blog)

Unpaid and underpaid gigs provide training grounds that can help emerging artists improve. These are times to find out what moves the audience, what really brings down the house. These gigs are an opportunity to build a following and add additional gigs to the roster. If emerging artists go into these opportunities with this mindset the paid gigs will soon follow.

Depending on the preparedness of your act, unpaid and underpaid gigs can be an opportunity to bring in revenue from merchandising sells. Artists can have cds on hand to sell after gigs. This can be an opportunity to actually make money though the venue isn’t paying you. I think that most artists would agree that selling merchandise is an end goal of any professional musician.

In the article, How Much Should Your Band Charge for Gigs? Nothing?, writer Marcus Taylor reminds emerging artists that their passion should come first and foremost. He further states that having to pay to perform at some gigs should also be a consideration for artists because, in the end, it balances out. Taylor makes a valid point, these gigs should be viewed as investments in your business, much like studio time. “If you get the opportunity to perform and sell your CDs to 5,000 music fans, and it costs £200 to perform the gig, so what,” Taylor questions.

Again, the emerging artist should focus on two things, honing their skill and promoting their talent. If these two things remain at the forefront of every opportunity, those unpaid and underpaid gigs will turn into a free fall of paid performances.