5 Steps Towards Future Gigs
Here are 5 steps towards future gigs that you can implement immediately and get ahead of the booking game.
Since this is winter, you are likely hitting the road to fulfill all the gigs you worked so hard book a few months ago or you are using the winter months to work on future bookings, a recording project or taking time off the road to do whatever… Well I’ve got a winter to-do list for you to help you stay on track to get future gigs.
Step 1: Reconnect with recently played gigs.
Gather up all those recently played gig contacts and make a list of your favorites. If you haven’t yet called them back to thank them and get some testimonial comments, now’s the time to do that. But, along with that, ask for a future booking-even if it’s a year away, get it and lock it in to be an anchor for a future tour. No worries if they can’t have you back that soon. Then, ask them for up to 3 referrals to similar gigs in their region to help build that tour or create another one in a different time frame. You need to continue to build your market value in their region to increase your audience demand.
Step 2: Look ahead:
Place on your calendar any events, (personal or professional), conferences or festivals you would like to attend or play. Note any deadlines for applications or early-bird fees and decide which ones are the most important for you at this time in your career and what kind of budget requirements each will need so you can start saving and planning.
Step 3: Do some online research in the communities you would like to play that includes looking back at calendar listings to find events you didn’t play this year but might like to play next year. Get contact info for those events and start connecting with them now to get on their schedule of performers for next season. This is research where an assistant, a friend or other band or group mates can be helpful. Remember the town you played last spring and how you found out they have a summer-time outdoor concert series put on by the town-well this year you should try to play that series. This research will get your foot in the door.
Step 4: Review your long-term goals so as you look ahead for future gigs, you are looking for the type of gigs that help you reach your goals rather than just fill the calendar. Now make a plan to make some of these strategic calls each day.
Step 5- Start the week with 5 calls on your list—
not hundreds of calls, just 1-5 calls a day. The first thing that happens is you’ll probably think—I can do that—piece of cake! So you start calling with a sense of having already accomplished the 5 calls.
The best part is – your enthusiasm will be reflected in your voice and your personality so you’ll come across like a winner.
The next great thing to happen is that if you work these 5 calls with confidence and connect in positive ways with each of the 5 prospects – you can add another call to the list. Now you are buzzing right along – feeling accomplished and successful in your booking calls for that week. Make them count and make it easy on yourself.
By using these 5 steps towards future gigs and planning tours to surround potential strategic anchor dates, you will have done specific work to keep your momentum going toward making future tours great.
Have you used any of these 5 steps to add booking momentum to your future tours?
Leave me a comment below or on the Performingbiz Success Strategies Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/PerformingbizSuccessStrategies.
I can’t wait to hear about your success.
Now, Thanks to the band Curfew from the UK for providing the Biz Booster theme music, “Future Dance.” Check them out at www.curfew.co.uk
And for more career boosting tips, articles, books, resources, tele-seminars, online courses, visit me at Performingbiz.com
