In a market flooded with agents, intermediaries and middlemen, it is hard to make your mark. And even if you are ticking all or some of the boxes - great contacts across a range of markets, sharp negotiating ability, up-to-the-minute knowledge of the game and technology, strong people skills - it can still be difficult to stand out. 

Players sign with rival agents when:

1. You have a limited network. This happens when your knowledge and contacts extend to the domestic market and not far beyond. Football is a global game and there have never been more opportunities - if you know where to look. You need to present players with a range of attractive options, or they will find someone who can.
2. You fail to get the right deals done. This happens when you don’t have a direct line to the decision-makers at clubs. You might know what the perfect move is for your player, but that means little unless you can reach the people who can make it happen, rather than relying on intermediaries.
3. You don’t have a reputation as a dealmaker. This happens when there’s no reliable public record of your achievements and it’s hard to prove all the transfers you have done for your players over time. Eventually players decide to trust and work with other agencies, who have a proven track record of success.
4. Clubs don’t know you are representing a player. This happens when there is no reliable source of information for clubs to discover and verify who’s the real agent of a player.
5. Your agency doesn’t stand out. This happens when your agency profile is not differentiating from thousands of other agencies claiming to offer successful player careers. It lacks branding and doesn’t include essential and credible information about achievements and what you can offer players to have help them make an informed decision about whether you’re the right agency to work with.

Attracting and retaining players depends not only on doing your job well but also on being able to prove that you can.

How to convince players to sign with you

Your existing clients need to be convinced that you have the know-how and skills to do the right deals for them at the right time. Potential clients need evidence of your track record in doing that. If you can’t meet those requirements, then both groups of players have plenty of other agents to choose from. It is bad enough if you can’t offer what they want. But maybe it’s even worse if you CAN, but they don’t know it.

Here’s how to persuade players that you are the right person to guide their career:

1. You demonstrate your global network. The opportunities and the technology exist to connect you to every corner of the football world. If you can show players evidence of your global reach and knowledge of different markets, they will believe you can find them the right club and the right deal.
2. You offer direct lines into decision-makers. Relying on intermediaries to speak to the people who matter at clubs is a recipe for disappointment - or, at best, sharing commission. Establish and nurture lines of communication with recruitment staff and show players you have the contacts to get deals done.
3. You build a reputation as a top dealmaker. Instead of being questioned about your ability as a dealmaker and potentially losing out on signing new players or retaining existing ones, you can register all your achievements and provide visible proof of your track record.
4. You are verified as a player’s real agent. Instead of potentially missing out on opportunities because clubs don’t know you’re the legitimate agent of the player, you provide proof of the players in your portfolio and make sure clubs are always aware of which players you represent.
5. You make your agency stand out. Instead of missing out on the opportunity to be viewed as a trusted agent, you can promote your agency and position yourself as a strong agent with a solid track record who is attractive to players and clubs.

Players want agents who can get things done. You need the knowledge, the contacts and the skills to get them what they want. And you need to be able prove your capabilities to retain them and to attract new clients. Sometimes, of course, players want the impossible. But you have to show that you have done everything possible to make it happen.

TransferRoom's Public Profile for Agencies enables you to attract attention and talent as a transparent and credible Trusted Agency with a public agency profile on TransferRoom.

The Public Profile, which is exclusive to Trusted Agents, allows agents to make their agency more attractive to both players and clubs in order to improve their chance of getting inbound enquiries. Trusted Agents also have the ability to switch on the Player Loyalty Booster feature and share real-time insights with players, earning High Transparency status in the process.

Learn more about becoming a Trusted Agent and get started right away. Book a demo and see how it works.

For further information about TransferRoom and the benefits of becoming a Trusted Agent, click here.