If they can’t sell it they won’t book it ought to be the mantra you repeat when booking your tours.
Most artists I know and work with focus on their music or show or products as they create their marketing materials. They then talk about their music or show or products when they pitch their act to a venue. This often has disappointing results when they don’t get the gig.
When I approach pitching an act to a venue booker, I first put on their booking hat and begin to think like they might think, worry about what they might worry about and consider the things they consider when deciding on what acts to bring to their venue.
Mostly I think about how would this booker sell the act to their audience, to their sponsors and to the local media. I think this way because I know that if they can’t sell it, they won’t book it.
I essentially begin where they begin in their booking process. How would they sell my act to their audience. When I begin with that concept in my mind, it makes it so much easier to write the marketing materials that will help them see how they can sell the act. It is from this point of view that great gigs can be booked.
So before you try to book another gig, why not take a look at your marketing materials and see whether your stuff helps the booker sell you to their audience. In order to do that, you need to know a little something about their audience. Some of this information might be gleaned from researching their past show listings on their website. Then weave some open-ended questions into your conversation about how the various acts went over last season.
Next week I’ll tackle the three most important factors you need to consider before booking any tour. For now though, take a peak at your marketing materials this week and get a feel for how you are pitching yourself. If you were sitting on the other end of the email you just sent or the call you just made, what would your reaction be to your pitch?
Good luck and be very honest with yourself.
Do you make it easy for your buyers to sell your show? What can you do to help them in the future?
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 and online courses, visit me at Performingbiz.com
