What makes an Agent-Client Relationship Successful?

Good morning!

I hope you’ve enjoyed your week and are looking forward to a fantastic weekend!

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This week I’m going to be talking about the relationship between clients and their agents, with a specific focus on what I believe makes these kinds of relationships successful for both parties. As with most of my posts, this is based on my experience from working with athletes of various ages and backgrounds.

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Now, let’s get stuck in!

The relationship between a client and their agent is very unique - either can approach the other to work together and either can dismiss the other at any point if it isn’t working out. Both are tied to each other, and the relationship as a whole really is an investment.

Above all else, I believe that there are three elements to a successful agent-client relationship, without which the relationship simply won’t function:

1. Trust

2. Communication

3. Accountability

Building a relationship with an athlete takes time, there really is no straightforward process that can be followed.

Having trust in an athlete can only come from communicating what you want from them as a client, which in turn only derives from them having the accountability to deliver on what they need to achieve on their end.

Being able to communicate effectively to an athlete can only happen if they trust you and your judgement as an agent, which can only be achieved if you hold yourself accountable and actually provide value to your client.

You can only hold your client accountable if there is mutual trust and communication, which allows both parties to understand the goals and objectives of the relationship.

In my opinion, the first conversation with the prospective client and their parents (if they attend), is a great opportunity to lay down these foundations so everyone is on the same page. This isn’t something I did early on as an intermediary, but as an agent it is something I make sure I work into that very first meeting with the athlete. This is the first and only real opportunity to know if you will be able to communicate effectively with the athlete.

As the relationship grows and you begin to work together, there should be an element of initial trust involved, which will allow the athlete and the agent to fulfill the duties that they both bring to the relationship. For example, I trust my clients to come to me with any issues they might have, that could be on the club side or another agent approaching them, and vice versa, I know that my clients trust me to assist them to the best of my abilities in terms of networking and sourcing clubs for them.

This is where open, honest, and unfiltered communication is crucial. I believe that all my clients (and their parents) feel comfortable coming to me with a request or issue that we can discuss. It is important to have these conversations even though they might be tough at times. I’ve actually lost clients in my earlier days because they didn’t come to me soon enough to vocalize any concerns or opinions they might have had. This is something I’ve looked to address in recent years, and now I know I can make athletes comfortable enough to come to me with any question, concern, or opinion they might have.

As I mentioned above, an agent-client relationship is very unique in that both parties bring something to the table and both have to deliver to make the other’s job easier.

An agent needs to take accountability of their own development, just like an athlete, and ensure that they are always networking and expanding their contact list for the betterment of their clients. They should also ensure that they are keeping up on market trends, club needs, and continuing their own professional development, as per the new FIFA agent regulations.

A player on the other hand, can’t expect an agent to wave a magic wand and make things happen. If a player doesn’t pay attention to their nutrition, doesn’t do the extra work in training to maximize their development, and doesn’t present themselves in a professional manner to clubs, it can make the agent’s work very difficult.

Therefore, both parties need to be able to trust the other to hold up their ends of the relationship, communicate what those duties entail, and finally hold each other and themselves accountable to accomplishing those goals, and so on!

Working with an athlete and their family is incredibly rewarding.

You get to assist someone who’s dream is to make it in their sport and you’re part of their amazing journey. That means ensuring the relationship is sustained and functions efficiently should be an agent’s top priorities.

Thanks for reading this week’s edition of Learning the Venture!

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Until next week!

Cheers,

Jason