A thing that usually is true is that real export successes never had anything with that country’s export office. I have done quite many follow-ups on bands that had success versus bands that have been hard promoted by export offices and the results are striking.

Is it that the offices are bad on picking artists? No, the artist can be ok, usually not export ready though, but the real problem the artists are handled by a company that is not export ready.

Yes here is the problem. Only a company (manager, record label, Publisher) that is not export ready would go to an export office. The other companies are already out there on the right level exporting.

I can see that clearly. Usually, when I invite companies that used a country export we get trouble that the company is too amateurish to bring in. I cut off at least three of these on Live at Heart this year.

Also they the export offices is very keen on doing things to set up people at the wrong level. There is no point in setting up meetings with the biggest booking agencies with the smallest newcome manager. It never works out. And sending totally rookies to the world’s largest showcase festival is not smart either.
And most of the events they hold is more quantity than quality.

One big problem is the following up. You often hear that someone got signed. Well, that is good, still, it has to get somewhere that it became an export.

So should we just get rid of these offices? No, they have a function but it needs to be more precise and they have to learn how real export is done it’s not just about selling. It’s also about importing.

Also, the festivals have to be better to not just take their money and teach them to be able to match on the level they are on, which is so many times lower then they and their customers think.