As influencer marketing continues to rage strong, so too does the demand for influencer talent agencies – those companies responsible for managing the brand partnerships for leading social influencers and digital personalities. But with more and more people looking for representation – it’s harder than ever for an influencer to get picked up.
To find out how to gain cut-through, we decided to chat to Day Management Founder and Director Genevieve Day about the key attributes a talent agency looks for in a potential influencer. Representing leading fashion and lifestyle influencers in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, as well as Australian talent based in LA and New York – Day Management is in hot demand by those seeking management (making Genevieve the ideal expert for answering ALL our questions on the topic).
Below, Genevieve lays out the guidelines on just what it takes to catch the eye of an influencer management team…
What do you look for in an influencer?
We look for two main points for potential new talent:
1. Influencers creating fresh and innovative content
2. Influencers who have already started to build a loyal and engaged audience.
Nowadays, Instagram is so saturated with influencers – especially in that micro market of 10-30k following. We have found it’s this bracket of influencers that reaches out to us the most for representation – looking to take their Instagram to the next level. However, a lot of influencers have developed ‘copycat’ style content – basing their feed off larger talent, which is something we avoid.
We really want our talent to stand out, offering a fresh new take on their content – this could be a no BS approach to their captions or a specific photography style. Because of this, there is no magic follower number that we’re looking out for. If someone is being noticed for amazing imagery or has an original way of growing a name for themselves, this will pique our interest.
At the end of the day, it’s also about connecting talent to like-minded brands to create amazing collaborations – so we are looking for a certain commercial appeal as well: someone authentic and fresh who would be a great representative for brands and who needs help taking their social media status to the next level.
How do you choose who you represent?
In addition to looking for influencers with an ‘it factor’, we also take into account how they would fit within our current agency structure – our party line is that our talent should complement each other, not compete for jobs.
We are approached almost every day by talent looking for representation, however, they have to fit our agency’s philosophy while also offering a new perspective and new angle for branded promotion. For example, we’re thrilled to have just signed the Real Dads of Melbourne to Day Management – they obviously cater to the family market, differing from our street style fashion talent, but still have a focus on the current fashion and lifestyle trends.
Why do influencers need management?
There are a number of reasons influencers benefit from having management, and these reasons differ for each influencer as well. Some talent prefer a ‘hands off’ approach, while others want to be more collaborative in the process – we deal with our talent on a case-by-case basis to ensure it’s tailored just for them.
Having an agent for influencers does add an element of professionalism with someone representing brand collaborations and negotiating deals on their behalf. It also allows talent to do what they do best – create amazing content – leaving the negotiation, setting deliverables, and briefing to us.
It also opens up a new network for influencers. At Day Mgmt, we’ve been working with certain brands and agencies for 3 years consistently, and once we sign new talent – then they too can benefit from these relationships. This in turn opens up new paid opportunities and brand collaborations as well.
Finally, talent managers are able to proactively put influencers forward for larger scale opportunities, taking them from behind the computer to in front of the camera as brand ambassadors, emcees, hosts, and social media authorities. This can elevate their personal brand and further helps the influencer stand out as a leader in a saturated industry.
At Day Mgmt, we absolutely work as a team with transparent communication. We’re completely across each influencer’s specific tastes, wants and expectations, and work as an extension to their team rather then a rigid agent structure. We really do see all of our talent as part of the family and that’s why it works so well.
Click here to read Genevieve’s Day in the Life.
Main image: Jess Alizzi represented by Day Management
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Hello, I am an influencer, my Instagram handle is @taylorelajas, that prides myself on creative and innovative content. My primary goal is take my talents of entertainment, engaging voice and presence from behind my computer and place them in front of the camera. With the right management, I know I can take my skills to the next level and I know that Husskie can help me get there.