Frequently Asked Questions

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ARTIST MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE 2010 – AMCON2010

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions. Please check here first before sending us email.

Q: Who is behind the Artist Management Conference 2010?
Q: Why did you put this conference together?
Q: Everything sounds great, but don’t you think the registration fees are a little high?
Q: What are the different types of registration options I can choose?
Q: Are Registration fees refundable?
Q: What are the ways I can save money on Conference Registration fees?
Q: If I take advantage of the partial payment option and put down $125 to reserve my Full Conference Registration spot, do I have to wait until 1 month before the event start date to make the final balance payment?
Q: Why is the partial payment option only available to registrants online using debit/credit cards or PayPal accounts? Why can’t I use a check or money order to pay in installments?
Q: So, can I use a check or money order to pay for my registration?
Q: I have received several discount codes. Can I use multiple codes for additional discounts?
Q: Can I apply a discount code after I’ve registered?
Q: How do I get a discount code?
Q: I run an organization and would like to get discount codes for my members. How do I go about doing that?
Q: Some friends and I would like to take advantage of the group discount option. Can we individually register for different registration types (e.g. Full Conference, Artist Pass, Band Showcase, etc) and still take advantage of the group discount?
Q: If I register now and find a friend or colleague who wants to sign up later, can I take advantage of the Group Discount (2 or more people) then?
Q: Why do you charge musicians for submitting for showcase opportunities?
Q: I would like to speak on a panel. How do I do that?
Q: Is the Artist Management Conference 2010 going to be a fun event for me to attend?
Q: Can I pay by check or money order on the day of the event?
Q: Am I trippin', or was this conference scheduled for February 7th?
Q: Why is there no phone number listed in your contact information?
Q: Okay, I’m sold! Where do I go to register?

Q: Who is behind the Artist Management Conference 2010?

A: The friendly people at the Artist Management Resource are the ‘brainchildren’ of the endeavor, and the ones bringing you the Artist Management Conference. On the front lines of the funding effort as well, though, are dozens of generous sponsors, advertisers and exhibitors that help pull all this together. Finally, all the registrants play a vital role in the eventual success of the conference by their registration and attendance. top

Q: Why did you put this conference together?

A: We put together the Artist Management Conference primarily as a vehicle to address an intriguing question circulating around music industry circles: “Are Managers the new Labels, or are Labels the new Managers?” In addition, as more and more bands seek management representation and more artists look to self-manage, none of the conferences currently organized address issues related to this constituency in enough depth to be useful. The topic of Artist Management at most events tends to get reduced to a couple of panel sessions; hardly enough to do justice to the subtleties and complexities associated with this discipline. The Artist Management Conference 2010 is billed as the first and only large-scale music conference organized exclusively for the benefit of active and aspiring Artist Managers, self-managed Artists, and artists seeking management representation; and a place where you can experience the convergence of the music industry’s most potent ideas and most powerful network. top

Q: Everything sounds great, but don’t you think the registration fees are a little high?

A: We have different levels of registration fees, some more affordable than others, and some even more affordable if you take advantage of early-bird pricing, group registrations, and discount codes as applicable. Even with registration fees and contributions from sponsors and advertisers, it still costs a lot of money to put this event together for you. Costs include room rentals, speaker fees, conference staff, transportation and accommodation costs, insurance, taxes, food & beverage minimums, audio visual rentals, attrition penalties, miscellaneous contract guarantees and fees, commissions, legal and accounting expenses, publicity and promotion costs, third-party supplier and contractor fees, etc. The registration fees are carefully priced to cover the actual costs of hosting each individual registrant, with a small profit built in. Trust me; we’re not going to be millionaires doing this, but do wish to break even and not lose our shirts. We’re working extremely hard, however, to make sure that you make back more in career returns than you spend on registration fees. top

Q: What are the different types of registration options I can choose?

A: We have given you 4 types of registration options that you can choose from as follows.

1. Full Conference Registration – This registration gives you access to all the events scheduled over the course of the conference.
2. Artist Pass Registration – This registration is mainly for artists seeking management representation and gives you access to the 2 “I Need Management” panel sessions on Day 2 of the conference as well as the Conference Wrap Brunch on the last day of the conference.
3. Network Receptions Pass – This registration is for you if you are mainly interested in networking only, and gives you access to the receptions, after parties, band showcases, and the Conference Wrap Brunch.
4. Band Showcase Submission – This registration is for bands submitting to showcase at the networking parties and band showcases hosted as part of the conference. top

Q: Are Registration fees refundable?

A: Conference registration fees are non-refundable. However, you may transfer your registration to another individual for them to attend in your place; or choose to maintain your registration credentials for access to a password-protected area of the website containing conference notes, panel session footage, and editorial content made available at the conclusion of the event. top

Q: What are the ways I can save money on Conference Registration fees?

A: You can save money on Conference Registration fees by registering early since the fees go up in increments as the conference date approaches. At each stage (pre early-bird, early-bird, pre-registration, full registration, and day-of), the registration fees go up as indicated here. You can reserve your conference spot and lock in your rate (i.e. your fee will be locked at whatever rate it is on the day you register) by making a partial payment of $125 today. In addition, if you register 2 or more people (i.e. get together with a friend or colleague) you can save money with group registration since both (or all) of you receive a discount. Finally, if you are a member of one of our partners (or otherwise qualify), you may take advantage of discount codes that provide additional deductions from the registration fees. top

Q: If I take advantage of the partial payment option and put down $125 to reserve my Full Conference Registration spot, do I have to wait until 1 month before the event start date to make the final balance payment?

A: You can wait until the deadline to make your final payment if you wish; but you don’t have to. After you register, you can log into your account at any time you feel like and make payments in installments of any amount using your credit/debit card or PayPal. Any outstanding balance on your account would be due 1 month before the event start date (i.e. by October 14, 2010). You will need to have paid off the balance in order to collect your registration pass. top

Q: Why is the partial payment option only available to registrants online using debit/credit cards or PayPal accounts? Why can’t I use a check or money order to pay in installments?

A: Dealing with one check returned for insufficient funds is one thing. Chasing down registrants with multiple returned checks (or bogus money orders) is entirely another thing and a drain on the resources (in both time and additional bank fees) that we do not wish to put up with. The online registration system deals with insufficient funds by simply rejecting the transaction, at no additional cost to us or the registrant. Besides, most banks (in the U.S.) have debit cards associated with their accounts which can be used as a credit card for online transactions; so if you can write a check, you can use your debit card. top

Q: So, can I use a check or money order to pay for my registration?

A: Yes, you can pay for your registration by check or money order using the PDF registration form, but the deadline for mailed submissions is August 31, 2009, and you must pay the registration in full (since the partial payment option is not available to registrants paying by check or money order). top

Q: I have received several discount codes. Can I use multiple codes for additional discounts?

A: No, you may use only one discount code for registration (even if you have access to other discount codes). top

Q: Can I apply a discount code after I’ve registered?

A: No, you must apply any available discount code at the time of registration (if you have one). top

Q: How do I get a discount code?

A: Discount codes are supplied to our partners (groups, organizations, associations, schools, etc), so you would have to be a member of one of our partners and get a discount code from them. top

Q: I run an organization and would like to get discount codes for my members. How do I go about doing that?

A: You can request a discount code for your members here. top

Q: Some friends and I would like to take advantage of the group discount option. Can we individually register for different registration types (e.g. Full Conference, Artist Pass, Band Showcase, etc) and still take advantage of the group discount?

A: No. All members of the same group must select the same registration type. top

Q: If I register now and find a friend or colleague who wants to sign up later, can I take advantage of the Group Discount (2 or more people) then?

A: Sure you can! You can add another person to your account and apply the group discount at any time after you register. Keep in mind, though, that all members of the same group must select the same registration type. In other words, if you register for the Full Conference Registration, so must all other members of the group. top

Q: Why do you charge musicians for submitting for showcase opportunities?

A: How many musicians do you think are on MySpace alone? If you guessed over a million, you’d be right. And that’s because it’s free to sign up and host music on MySpace. Imagine how many submissions we would get if our application process cost nothing! If we spent time going through that many band submissions, we wouldn’t have time to host a conference. The submission fee not only pays for the (wo)manpower to go through submissions, but also acts as a barrier to the flood of submissions we would get from anyone with a song and a smile if the process was free. We do, however, make sure that bands that don’t get booked for a showcase slot get either access to a password-protected section of the conference site to view a conference panel session of their choice, or deduct the cost of the showcase submission fee from the cost of registration to the conference. In other words, unlike with other conferences, bands do get something for the submission fees they pay. top

Q: I would like to speak on a panel. How do I do that?

A: We are accepting speaker submissions and will have a final confirmed list on the website by August 15, 2010. If you wish to submit your name for consideration, fill out the Speaker submission form here. top

Q: Is the Artist Management Conference 2010 going to be a fun event for me to attend?

A: Absolutely. We’re working very hard to present an outstanding conference that strikes a good balance between being highly educational on one hand, and extremely fun on the other. As we like to say around here, “All work and no play makes Jane a dull girl, but all play and no work makes Jack a dumb boy!” top

Q: Can I pay by check or money order on the day of the event?

A: No checks or money orders will be accepted on the day of the event. Only cash, credit/debit cards, or PayPal will be accepted as registration fee payment on the day of the event. top

Q: Am I trippin', or was this conference scheduled for February 7th?

A: No you are not! The conference was originally schedueld to take place February 7 - 10, 2010, but we rescheduled it for October 14 -15, 2010. top

Q: Why is there no phone number listed in your contact information?

A: Registrants receive the conference phone number at the conclusion of the registration process, but all initial communications must start with email. We filter all email communications accordingly and give out the phone number as necessary. There are several reasons why the phone number is not listed in the contact information:

1. We find it less irritating to delete email spam than to deal with telemarketers (we don’t need to renew our expired auto registration, thank you), callers too lazy to read the information on the website (including this FAQ), or callers with questions unrelated to the conference (no, we can’t give you Bruce Springsteen’s manager’s phone number or help get you a record deal).
2. We communicate with people located in many different time zones who would have to get up early, stay up late, or reach us before or after hours if they needed to communicate by phone.
3. Emails provide a written record of conversation, thus minimizing instances of miscommunication or “he-said-she-said” scenarios.
4. Emails can be responded to at any time, minimizing the “phone tag” game often associated with trying to reach people on the phone during a lunch break, company meeting, nap, shopping spree, etc.
5. Everything you can say over the phone can also be written in an email, yet emails allow you to be more ‘economical’ with words (i.e. less straying from the relevant topic or engaging in “small talk” while other callers are on hold).

Rest assured, however, that we check emails very frequently and often ‘around-the-clock’, so all relevant communication will be responded to in a timely manner. top

Q: Okay, I’m sold! Where do I go to register?

A: Please feel free to register here. We’re going to make sure you find the conference to be worth every penny of your registration fee, and more! You’ll marvel at what you’ll receive for what you pay. We look forward to seeing you there. top

Register TODAY with a partial payment of $125 to reserve your conference spot and be part of this "must-attend" event!