Tips on attracting record label clientele, booking sessions with label clients, and booking projects with label clients
There are countless benefits for Record Labels to collaborate through the EngineEars platform for their artists' music projects. Major labels like UMG have partnered with the platform to take advantage of streamlined collaboration and project management.
💰 Expedited Payments to Service Providers
Any audio engineering services or studio sessions booked by UMG Label A&Rs will be paid out within 24 hours after completion.
No more submitting invoices. No more uniport.
This guide helps you to position your services and increase chances of booking work with Record Label A&Rs.
- Tips to attract Record Label Clientele
- Book Recording Sessions with Label Clients
- Book Mixing/Mastering/Atmos Projects with Label Clients
- RSVP for Label Walkthrough Video Call with CEO & Founder
Tips to Attract Record Label Clients
1. Become a Verified Engineer or a Verified Recording Studio so that your profile can gain visibility and exposure in search results, tagged with the "Verified" badge, and discoverable by Labels when they book
2. Ensure your engineer profile or studio profile is impressive and fully completed. Include detailed descriptions, bios, high-quality photos/media, links to social accounts and playlists. First impressions matter, so put your very best foot forward
3. Show off your completed work on your profile's portfolio and highlight past credits via Muso. If you're a studio, show off your equipment, amenities and team of affiliates.
4. Build a strong reputation with a stable of trusted reviews and ratings from your past clientele
5. Get certified for Dolby Atmos. Labels are getting their back catalogs and new songs mixed in Dolby Atmos. Show proof of your existing Dolby Atmos certification so you can offer the Dolby Atmos mixing service, or join our Dolby Atmos course to become certified.
6. Build industry connections by networking, engaging in the community, and standing out
Book Recording Sessions with Label Clients
When you happen to receive a session booking request from a new record label client via the EngineEars marketplace, make sure you respond quickly and accept the booking. This ensures the label A&R receives confirmation that the booking is accepted and scheduled at your studio.
If you have existing record label clients that you historically work with, or new label clients that reach out to you directly (outside of EngineEars.com), the best way to convert these clients over to EngineEars is by exclusively booking their sessions as Generated Bookings.
This reduces the friction of needing the label client to signup for an account, finding your studio profile, and booking the recording session. You can place the booking on their behalf to make it easy.
1. Initiate the session booking by generating a Session Booking link.
2. Fill in the details for the session (room, date/time/duration, recording engineer). Consider taking on client payment fees (so there are no surprises to the negotiated total price), and also consider applying a custom/bulk discount or price override.
3. Share the session booking link with your label client (A&R or point of contact) by copying the link and sending it to them directly, or emailing them the link. Make sure to let the label client know that they should expect to receive the booking link from you, and that you're using EngineEars.com to send it. Once the booking link is received, instruct the label client to securely submit payment in order to lock in the session booking with your studio.
4. Deliver an amazing session experience so that your label client can leave you a sparking review, consider returning in the future, and even spread the word to other label clients!
TIPS:
- Consider enabling partial payments so that your label client has the option to pay for an initial deposit at time of booking, and pay the rest after the session completes.
- Be responsive and communicative. Make sure to address any questions, concerns, or hesitancies the label client might have. If they're unsure or uncomfortable about collaborating via EngineEars, take advantage of this resource to help you convey the benefits of EngineEars for Record Labels.
- Be flexible. Plans can easily change, be prepared to make changes to the session booking link so you can resend it.
- Be helpful and educate. After booking, the label client might ask to cancel/reschedule or even extend the booked session. Teach/show them how to do so.
Book Mixing/Mastering/Atmos Projects with Label Clients
When you happen to receive a project booking request from a new record label client via the EngineEars marketplace, make sure you respond quickly and accept the booking. This ensures the label A&R receives confirmation that the booking is accepted and the project can promptly start.
If you have existing record label clients that you historically work with, or new label clients that reach out to you directly (outside of EngineEars.com), the best way to convert these clients over to EngineEars is by exclusively booking their projects as Generated Bookings (Pay to Download).
This reduces the friction of needing the label client to signup for an account, finding your engineer profile, and booking the desired service. You can place the booking and manage the vast majority of the project on their behalf to make it easy.
1. Initiate the project booking by generating a Project Booking link. Then choose the "Pay to Download" option.
NOTES:
- Pay to Download: Use EngineEars to upload the finished mix/master project for label client's feedback and approval by sharing the listen link project page. When the project is approved, share the project link to the label client for payment collection. The label client will need to submit payment via EngineEars in order to unlock their ability to download the final asset files that you've uploaded to EngineEars for the approved/finished mix or master.
- Although you may select the other pay wall types, "Pay to Download" is recommended for label projects as it requires the least involvement and friction from the label A&R client, and secures instant payment to you upon completion of the work.
2. Fill in the details for the mixing/mastering project. If you have label rates enabled make sure you charge them to the client. Consider taking on client payment fees (so there are no surprises to the negotiated total price), and also consider applying a custom/bulk discount or price override. Since you will likely collaborate with the label client off the platform, select "Have Files" so that the label client isn't required to upload files and can send it to you directly instead. When ready, click the Start Project button.
3. The project will be created as a "not funded" project. Collaborate with your label client off the platform to transfer files. When you've finished the mix/master, upload it to the project on EngineEars. Then click the "Share to client" button to share the project link so that the label client can receive a listen link to review.
4. After sharing the project link, make sure to let the label client know that they should expect to receive the project link from you, and that you're using EngineEars.com to manage the project, send files, capture feedback and collect payment. Once the project link is received, instruct the label client to review and give feedback directly within the project. When revisions have been addressed and re-uploaded, the label client can approve the finished mix/master project. Once approved, the label client will need to securely submit payment in order to unlock the download of final project deliverables (final assets) that you upload. The client will also need to approve final assets after they're downloaded in order to close out the project and release payment to you.
5. Deliver an amazing project collaboration experience so that your label client can leave you a sparking review, consider returning in the future, and even spreading the word to others!
TIPS:
- Consider enabling partial payments so that your label client has the option to pay for an initial deposit at time of booking, and pay the rest after the project completes.
- Be responsive and communicative. Make sure to address any questions, concerns, or hesitancies the label client might have. If they're unsure or uncomfortable about collaborating via EngineEars, take advantage of this resource to help you convey the benefits of EngineEars to Record Labels.
- Be flexible. Plans can easily change, be prepared to make changes to the project booking link so you can resend it.
- Be helpful and educate. After the project commences, teach/show the label client how to review the mix/master playback in the shared project page, how to provide you with time-stamped feedback/revision notes, how to request revisions, and how to approve the finished mix/master.
RSVP for Label Walkthrough Video Call with CEO & Founder
Join us on Tuesday's for an exclusive walkthrough with Derek 'MixedByAli' Ali, CEO & Founder of EngineEars and 4x GRAMMY Award-winning engineer!
Learn how EngineEars helps engineers get paid instantly after completing label projects. Ali will provide a detailed platform walkthrough, showcasing how it streamlines payments and project management for engineers working with labels.