Biz Booster Hot Tip!

Do you have success habits to move you from one level of your career to the next? As Christmas week rapidly approaches, I start thinking of my Christmas week routines. Every year I go into this automatic mode of review, prepare and plan. I like to take inventory of what happened the previous year, what I accomplished, what worked and what did not, what distractions got me off my plan and what I was able to salvage from those distractions. Then, I clear my files from last year to prepare for the new year and once that's done, I begin to plan out next year. I've been doing this for…

    Every artist I speak with refers to the phrase, "I want to take my career to the next level." Some are at the dawn of their careers and others smack dab in the middle and still others have been slugging away at it for years. And yet, each are searching for the next level. Well I'm all for striving for success. And in order to "take it to the next level," I believe you have to understand where you are right now and what it actually means to go to the next level. Most artists want to go from playing for six people at an open mic to…

Here are some tips on getting some last minute holiday gigs. This is where referrals from friends, family and business associates can come in handy. We so often forget to return to those we know for helpful new opportunities. You'll be surprised at the potential for new gigs opening up new audiences. For now, concentrate on contacting people you know and whom you do business with, such as friends and family and their places of business or their organizations where they work. Ask them if their office intends on having any holiday events or parties where they might need some entertainment. Ask for a contact referral to the party coordinator…

This is the perfect time for making great things from leftovers. I cook so I can have leftovers. In fact I plan my meals with the intention of creating leftovers. Holidays offer a perfect opportunity for leftovers. I think about the holiday season as the leftovers of the prime time for touring. You have about a month and a half of time when booking personnel are either scrambling to finish their bookings or they are done and not taking any calls. You have returned from most of your intentional tours and are either playing holiday gigs or laying low, trying to book late year gigs for the coming winter. These…

Have a Happy Thanksgiving this week to all those celebrating in the U.S. Enjoy your friends and family. Hopefully you've got some gigs lined up for Friday or Saturday. If you don't, then use some of your down time to check the community in which you are celebrating to see what sort of performance opportunities might be possible for future visits. As a reminder, here are some ideas: Regular mainstream clubs, coffeehouses, concert halls House concerts Businesses and Organizations for private parties and fundraisers Elementary Schools, Colleges and Universities, (departments, clubs, organizations) Catering Halls, Civic Centers, Hotels, Conference Centers Ski Resorts and other Resorts Museums, Aquariums, Parks, Recreation Centers Local…

Did you know that Thanksgiving weekend is the best weekend of the year to gig? It's just a few weeks before Thanksgiving here in the US. I’ve harped about this topic every year, but it deserves repeating and reminding you. Meanwhile, I hope that where ever your holiday travels take you, you end up enjoying the friends and family that surround you. Now, speaking of being surrounded by friends and family, did you know that Thanksgiving weekend, Friday and Saturday are probably the best days of the entire year to do concerts? Think about it. Everyone travels during the week to get somewhere where they will celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Even…

House concerts have gotten a ton of recognition in the last few years, but can house concerts work for you? I've been a long-time proponent of finding your own niche and stepping out of the competition of mainstream venues when there are opportunities to do so. House concerts have been one of the main touring models for so many of my musician friends since before it became chic or popular. They have maintained a viable career, made money, built a family of supporters world-wide and used their house concert community to help launch them into area festivals and other more mainstream venues. My friend, Fran Snyder, created ConcertsInYourHome.com to help…

Here is one word to boost bookings that you may not have thought of before. I don't know about you, but most artists I've worked with were in it for the long haul. And if there is one word that will help you build great, long-lasting relationships with presenters, staff people, tech people, other artists and any team members you may take on in the future, that word is, "Flexibility." Yes, flexibility is one of those traits that could keep you working in this business for a long time. Being flexible and easy to work with makes you a more desirable choice than someone who is stubborn when it comes…

Did you know that niche markets offer great gigs? I've got three questions for you. Do you want a continuous stream of new gig opportunities? Do you want to have an easier time booking your gigs & tours? Would you like to increase your gig fees? Okay, I cannot imagine the answer being anything but "yes." And if that is the case, then it's time to start finding your own unique niche market. Let's be clear about what a niche market is. As some might have you believe, playing clubs or colleges or grade schools or even churches is not necessarily a unique niche market, but rather various venue types.…