NEGOTIATION

Playing clubs usually involves door sales. Depending on the deal you negotiate, it is very likely that your income will be partially or wholly dependent upon a percentage of the tickets sold.Many clubs have official box offices and sell pre-printed tickets, but many simply tear a ticket from a roll of non-specific tickets or simply take the customer's money at the door and stamp their hand. When you play clubs that don't offer advance ticket sales nor have a real box office selling pre-printed tickets, your income is at the mercy of whoever is collecting the money at the door. Do you know that person? Are your interests their utmost…

Up until now, we've been concerned about getting the gig. But, what happens if either you or the promoter has to cancel the date? The first item of business is to make sure you have a good cancellation clause in your contract.Let's establish some basics. The first one, and most important, is that you have an entertainment lawyer help you create your performance contract or at least review it for proper inclusion of clauses pertinent to the state from which you operate. Each state may have specific legal items that you need to be aware of and entertainment lawyer licensed to practice in your state will be able to inform you…

Whether you are booking your own band or have an agent, it is important to establish your value within your particular market. When there is demand for your act, your fees will increase and bookings will be easier to contract. At the beginning of your touring career, there is probably little or no demand, therefore, the fees are low and there is more difficulty booking dates. While you are building your reputation and following, it is important to keep track of the following factors, enabling you to begin to establish a track record and some value. Establishing a value for your act helps to create some leverage when negotiating with promoters…

You've probably read numerous articles espousing the benefits of having a written contract for all of your gigs. You might have even experienced one of those moments when you wish you had had a written contract for that one gig you did for your friend, who just didn't have the agreed upon amount money at the end of the night. Never mind — you are wiser now.Below is a listing with explanations of a variety of types of contract agreements and supplemental documents that can be used when booking your gigs.Letter of Confirmation:There are those times when a formal performance contract may be inappropriate or unnecessary. This type of document…

Now that you have some basic negotiation savvy, it is time to become familiar with some of the standard types of deals used when negotiating performance dates. I also suggest the various situations for which each deal is best suited. Keep in mind, however, that every negotiation can be as creative as the individuals participating. If the following standard deals require some tweaking to suit a particular situation, feel free to explore all of your options. Most booking personnel with whom you shall be negotiating are familiar with these standard deals and may be more comfortable using one of them to finalize your negotiations.Straight PercentageStraight GuaranteeGuarantee Plus PercentageGuarantee Versus PercentageGuarantee…

We are making deals all the time. Whether you are looking for a record deal, a publishing deal, booking a performance date, hiring a side musician, renting a car, buying new sound equipment, hiring an engineer to record your next CD or even deciding where you are going to have lunch--you are entering into a negotiation. There are techniques that could help make you more comfortable and more skilled at handling each of these situations so that you can reach your desired outcome. In this article, I will cover some of the techniques more specifically geared toward increasing your skills for booking performance dates.Establish GoalsI believe that everything we do,…

You've done everything possible to fill each day with bookings, and yet you still end up with one day, between gigs. You don't have to drive and you don't have to play. Depending on how long you've been on the road, you might want to simply sleep or catch up on emails or write a new song. If however you have done a brilliant job of planning and this day off is no accident, a great deal of business can be accomplished. Here are some ideas to help you pass your next off-day more productively.The Media:Having an extra day in the town where there is an upcoming gig affords you…

You've chosen your touring market and selected the right venue, and now it has been a week, maybe two and the club booker is keeping you dangling. You know you could do well in this venue, and you really think it will work. You are so ready to play at this club, yet the Booker won't make a commitment. Time marches on, booking opportunities slip away, adequate promotion time dwindles, and still you wait. How long is too long to wait for a gig commitment?This is a challenging question that must be tackled each time you book a tour. Becoming emotionally attached and overly invested in landing a gig at…