Christopher L. Carson is a concert promoter with extensive
experience in the entertainment industry.
He is the founder and CEO of CLC Entertainment Music Group, LLC which is
a company specializing in promoting old-school R&B, classic rock, neo-soul,
and alternative rock concert event in small to mid-size venues. As a promoter operating on a smaller scale
than companies like LiveNation, he has to pay close attention to his bottom-line. Thus, he has to negotiate in order to secure
a profitable position.
Question #1 - What do you feel is the most important rule of
negotiation?
Chris – “Not to get screwed.” On your side of the table, you have to take
in to consideration your bottom-line.
Which is, basically, the size or capacity of the venue, the price of the
talent, sound and lighting, and about a hundred or two more factors that can
make you or break your profit margin. On
the other side, that is what you need to figure out because everybody is
different.
Question #2 – What does the phase “mutual benefit” mean to
you?
Chris – First, you must understand that I have never been
formally trained in negotiation.
Everything that I know, I’ve learned from experience. But, if I had to guess, mutual benefit in
negotiating deals with both sides coming to a point where both parties are
getting something out of the deal. I
believe that this is key. Because, trust
me, if I’m not making money, then I’m not spending any.
Question #3 - We also studied “dirty tricks” in this course. Do you have any examples of dirty tricks?
Chris – No, not really.
The first time that you do something like that in this business; it
could be your last time. Meaning that,
as a promoter, you really don’t want to get a name for yourself screwing people
around. I have had an artist to not show
a couple of times. But, that’s what
courts are for.
Question #4 – During negotiations, how does you separate
people from the problem?
Chris – First, you have to realize, and agree, that it is
not personal. Everybody at the table or
the other end of the phone call or whatever has an interest in getting the deal
done in a way that is productive to all parties involved. Sometimes you have to step back and look at
it in a different light. My light is
numbers.
