Are you aware of the difference between an inquiry vs an offer? Have you ever had this happen to you? You get a call from a venue who is all excited about the possibility of booking you for an event. You discuss the date, the price and a bunch of other details. It’s looking great and you think, “What a wonderful way to start the day?” A few days pass, then a week, then a few weeks, and you don’t hear anything more from the person, so you give them a call. And now you begin to get the run-around and the delay tactics. You begin to hear, ”I’m not…
What exactly is, "being in a state of flow?" Flow, in the zone, on the path, in the right place at the right time, coincidence, serendipity—whatever you may call it, is something to pay attention to. But do you? I have experienced, being in a state of flow, a few times in my life. When I had just decided to write my book, but hadn’t yet, it seemed the universe agreed with my decision. Information I needed, arrived unsolicited in the mail or was handed to me by friends, unasked. Sometimes, you need to be alert enough to recognize the gifts being handed to you. Then, be grateful to stay…
Do you take your music career seriously and completely believe in your act? Are you feeling worthy of higher fees for your work or to play the really, great gigs? There you are, day after day, setting up your tour dates, talking with bookers, the media and fans. You convince people that you are talented and worthy. You want them to take you seriously, so they will book your act, review your shows and buy your tickets and merchandise. I hear the same story from many artists. Often there is a slight sense of fear to ask for too much. There might be a shyness and a hesitancy…
I hate cold calls! How about you? If you read any books on selling, you might come away with the impression that the higher number of calls you make equals a certain percentage of sales. Make 100 calls you might, I said might, get 1 or 2 % in actual sales. That's why I hate cold calls. I don't like those odds. I liked one-to-one odds better, one call, one email, one promo packet sent, get one gig. When you use long lists, probably from directories or purchased databases, it’s likely that don't know many, or any, of those people on the lists. Your chances of selling yourself, your act,…
You may have heard the term “the riches are in the niches.” Let me explain how that might benefit you as you create a lucrative touring career. Return gigs and referral gigs can be your life's blood, certainly these sorts of gigs play an integral part of your career's livelihood. But a return gig to a choice venue or event can be so difficult to score. And if you don't have a strategy in place that you implement with regularity, referral gigs could be slipping through your fingers. Wouldn't it be great to be in a situation where the gigs are coming to you, the calls are incoming rather than…
Here's to the best gig you ever had! Sure, let's celebrate that one. Why not? In fact, it was such a great gig, you ought to try and get more just like that one. Funny though, how we forget to remember to do that. We are constantly searching for the next new venue in a new market, with a new presenter or booker. There's nothing wrong with that, and yet… What if we remembered the best gig we ever had? What was it like? Can you remember every detail, every nuance, every person on the staff, the food in the dressing room, the sound and lights? Oh, and how about…
Did you ever notice that when you change your input you change your output? The kinds of stimulus you surround yourself with each day make a difference in how you function and ultimately what results you achieve. So many artists I speak with are so focused on their current thing, whether working on their art or working on the business of their art. They never look up, never take a break, never recharge. Does this sound familiar? Today’s Biz Booster is all about how you recharge. What do you do to reset your switch to benefit your creativity and your business? Every day, mostly in the early morning, I go…
Are you the act they remember and want to book again? It's not always the show that makes a lasting impression. Sure, you wowed them on stage, they loved you-BUT… The show is only one piece of the puzzle. In order to complete the whole picture, you must also add a few more important pieces—perhaps even more important than the actual show. It starts way back when you booked the gig and how you dealt with the booker. If you did all you could to develop a great relationship from the start, then you are off and running. The next step is all about how you manage the advance process…
Ever wonder what the best booking time frames are for your specific type of gig? If you don't know the best booking time frames, then you could be missing the boat on the gigs you are after because you are contacting the booker either too late or too early. So why not get a handle on the best booking time frames and be right on schedule with your contacts. Here's a list of venue types and the best booking time frames for each. Festivals: The artistic director starts thinking about next season's line up while this year's festival is happening. Start contacting them approximately one month after their festival ends.…
May 3, 2019 Would you like to hear your music open and close every episode of my upcoming Get Great Gigs Podcast? I would love to have someone from my community have their music as the theme to the podcast. With a potential for listeners on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify and others, this is a great opportunity to have your name mentioned every show. The deadline is approaching to submit your entry, there is still plenty of time. I can't wait to hear your musical theme. Once again, here are the details if you would like to submit a piece for consideration. Instrumental Music Only, something new or something you…
