3rd Day of Xmas Band Booking Tips

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While you're looking for ways to improve your band booking success, tip number 3 here is something missed by a lot of musicians.

It applies whether you're gigging already and you want more, or if you haven't yet started playing live.

You might find this hard to believe at the moment - especially if you're facing a Xmas holiday period without any or enough band bookings. The fact is though that once you've learnt the steps for how to get your band booked a few times there's be nothing to stop you completely packing  your gig diary with dates. 

Band booker beware though. If you don't do a little preparation ahead of the game, that's where your trouble can begin.

As a band, you need to agree in advance between you, how much work you want. How many nights a week or month (or year) you want to be out gigging. 

This will do more than give you all a target to focus on and motivate you to get the bookings. As importantly it'll set limits that all band members "sign up to" so that everyone is happy and  gigging doesn't ultimately become a pain and get in the way of other commitments. 

I've worked with enough bands over the years to know that once some band members start complaining about your gigging schedule, or even worse, you have to cancel bookings - your days as a successful live act are numbered....

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Xmas Band Booking  Tip #1

Xmas Band Booking Tip #2

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Band Booking Xmas Tip 2

Do you need to improve the amount of band bookings you've been getting? 

If so, here's the 2nd of twelve days of band booking tips you can use over the holiday season. These simple techniques have all been used by bands and solo artists in over 15 countries around the  world to fill their gig dairies.


Once you've found out about other bands and acts who are playing gigs at the potential gig venues in your area (see band booking tip #1), you need to look at how they compare to your act. 

You do this, because when the time comes to start trying to sell yourself to venues, you'll need to know what makes you guys different from other bands. This will give you a lot more confidence when you're pitching your band and also help to make it clear to venues why they should book you.


The best way to start this process is just by listing down all the "features" or facts about your band (or yourself if you're a solo act). Things like:


- Numbers of people in the band 
- Instruments played
- Band and individual band members musical history
- Ages
- Where you're based
- Where (if anywhere), you've played before
- Type of material


No matter what your answers are to the above questions, if you have some real differences between you and other bands competing for the same gigs, you'll be able to use the differences to sell you act.


Once you've got your list of features, and you've compared them with the other local bands you've found, ask yourself which features appear to be your strong and weak points. Think about whether and how you might improve your weak points and how you'll aim to push your strong points when it comes to marketing your act to venues for band bookings. 


More ideas on this 2nd Xmas band booking tip here

 

Band Booking and the 12 Days of Xmas

Do you have enough band bookings over this coming festive period? If you don't, here's the first of 12 tips to make sure you're not in the same position next year - and to get you off to a flying start in 2012.

Before we get on to today's tip, make sure you really have done everything you can to  secure those last minute December bookings this year. Have a look at this Last minute Xmas Band booking post first.

When you've done that,today's tip is simply to check out your competition.

Yes, really. 

 

If you're going to be one of those rare bands who actually fill out their gig dairies with more band bookings than they can play (and you can, trust me on this), you'll want to know all about the other bands or acts in the same genre as you who are playing your target area or region. 

Google "originals rock band Detroit", or "Covers band Birmingham" depending on what you're playing. "Band for hire Detroit" or "party band Birmingham" and you take some time today to have a look at these other acts. Your "competition" if you like.

How do they describe themselves on their websites? What sort of material do they play (any cover material ideas you might be able to use there?)If they have mp3s on line how do they sound and how are they different to your own act? 

Do they have a "Gigs" section on their website? If so, take note of the venues they're playing and add them to your own list of target venues for when the time comes to start trying to make your 2012 band bookings.

Keep in mind, as well as finding useful info such as gig venues, what you're trying to do here is to get a picture of how your band compares with the others who will be competing essentially the same gigs. 

Later, you can look at using what you learn from this activity to create a strong identity and points of difference for your own act.

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Can You Still Get Band Bookings for 2011?

Even this late in the day you can still band bookings for this year if you approach it the right way. If you have the availability and are ready to confirm a date at short notice you can keep adding bookings to your band’s diary in November and December.

Clearly now we’re mainly talking about other bands or acts cancelling pre-booked gigs and you being called on to take their place. 

Here are three proven actions you need to take NOW to maximise your chances of last minute band bookings for the rest of this year.

1. Make sure you have an up-to-date Gig-calendar.

All band members need to have access to this and confirm which nights they’re available on.  The chance of a gig can be lost if a venue calls about your availability and you tell them you’ll have to get back to them. Often they have a list of potential replacement bands to call and the gig will go to the first to say “yes”.

Search “Online calendar” (there are numerous available) and you’ll find one something which you can all share online. This will make sure you’re ready to confirm at a moments notice – crucial when you get the frantic phone call from a venue where the band has let them down.

2. Create a Newsletter and mail to Potential Venues.

Its’ all very well being ready to take a booking if a distraught venue calls you, but how do you get them to pick up the phone and ring your number when they need a band?

You have to get your name in front of them on a regular basis as the “Go to” alternative when they have a night to fill.

The first step in doing this is creating a long list of target venues. Once you have these. You need to make sure they have something they can refer to when they need a band or act in an emergency. That something is a band newsletter. You can send them via email or post. In my personal experience I’ve found hard copies to be more effective – although many bands I’ve worked with had booking gigs via their digital newsletter.

Great. But what do you say in your newsletter?

Here are some ideas which could get you started

 - Have you got a New(ish) band member you could write something about? 

 - What about New equipment you might have invested in? 

 - Details or photos of any gigs you’ve  recently played 

 - Forthcoming gigs 

 - New numbers or material you’ve added or written

 - Clear contact details for how you can be reached and booked via email and phone 

 - An idea on the genre of music you play 

 - Photos of any of the above 

 - A statement close to your contact details saying something like:

 “Some dates in December still available due to late cancellation”

If you have a good demo you’re happy with, you can enclose this with the newsletter.  Make sure all your contact details are printed on the CD. Don’t worry if you don’t have a demo though, a well crafted mail-out can get you band bookings even without being heard.

3. Follow-up your newsletter with a phone call

Talk to the person who makes the decisions about booking the bands. Check they received the mailing and remind them you have some availability in December should they need it.

It’s easy to give in this late in the day and believe all the 2011 band bookings are taken. Don’t be fooled. There are still gigs to be had if your band’s name is the one in front of the venue when they need one at short notice.

More on Last Minute Band Booking 

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3 Questions to Unlock Band Booking Venues

Contrary to what some musicians might think you don't fill your diary with band bookings by sitting back waiting  for them to call  you.

Neither do you get fully booked with gigs by calling up  venues and telling them how great you are.

One of the biggest secrets to successful selling (or "pitching") is the importance of asking questions of the the person you're trying to sell to. NOT just talking at them...

Now, nobody want to be cross-examined by someone trying to sell them something. Especially if they've never met the "seller" before. However, we're not talking about you needing to interrogate a venue booker with a long list of probing demands.

Here though are 3 Key questions you can you to unlock even the most reluctant venue you might be targeting.

1. "Can you tell me who's the person responsible for booking bands?"

I'm always amazed by the amount of bands who attempt to plough into a pitch without establishing whether they're talking to someone who can actually give them the gig. If you're trying to sell your act to the wrong person you won't only be wasting your (and their) time. You'll run the risk of  relying on them to pitch on your behalf to the person who can actually make the decision. Can you afford to rely on anyone else to have your best interests at heart?

Make a separate call to the venue - ahead of when you're  trying to pitch your act, and establish the decision maker with the question above.

2. "Does your current supply of bands meet all your needs or do you think there may be some room for improvement?"

I remember one of the first ever  readers of the Gig-Getter band booking manual calling me up to query using this question. He told me it wasn't something he felt he could ever ask a venue. I told him that the question (and the answers I'd received to it) had played in huge part in generating 000's of band bookings for my own act and others I'd helped. he tried and called me back to apologise!

When you stop and think about it, don't we all decide whether or not to buy anything based on whether our needs are being fully met by what we already have?

What can the venue booker say when you ask him that question?

He or she may of course be perfectly satisfied with the acts they already use. In which case you add them to your newsletter mailing list (circumstances at every venue will change at some point).

Often they'll say something along the lines of:

"There's always room for improvement" (Honestly, I've lost count of the amount of times I had that answer).

At other times, you'll be told they're "actively looking for new acts".

No really. This will happen when you're pitching enough.

3. "How do we get considered to play at your venue?"

Here, you're just checking what are obstacles between you getting the gig. Some acts assume every venue wants a CD. Some prefer mp3 demos. Others want a full press kit. Actually, not all will even need to hear you. Some might prefer to check out your website or Facebook page. Others might only need to know what kind of material you play or how much they'll have to pay you before deciding whether to book you.

If you don't ask what they need how you will ever know?

Band Booking Tips

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Pre-Planned or "All Natural" Audience Banter at Your Band Bookings?

Should you use pre-planned audience banter or let everything just be spontaneous when you play band bookings?"

This is a question that often divides musicians and band members.

 I was reminded of it again last week when one half of a duo from New Zealand emailed me. He told me how well some of the "one-liners" in "Rouse the crowd" band booking manual had worked for him during their latest gig. He said that even his partner in the duo was now able to "Play up to the audience".

I do understand those musicians who feel uncomfortable with the notion of using”scripted banter" during their gigs. They worry that they'll come across as false or contrived during the performance if everything isn't natural. 

For me though, not having at least some idea of what you'll say to a crowd in between songs is like turning up for a gig without a set-list worked out.
Just because you've played a song (or even the same set) before, doesn't mean it can feel, look and sound fresh to any audience..

The key really is in the way you use any pre-planned banter. Obviously you don't want to be looking down reading from a script or use one-liners which have no relevance for that particular crowd. 

Most musicians, when they've tried using some pre=planned audience chat will never go back to turning up on the night and hoping for the best. Not least of all because if you have at least some idea of what you're going to say to an audience (and when during the show), you have no chance of those awkward moments or long pregnant pauses when you "dry up".

The best one-liners are those that you can adapt to suit the particular gig or which give you further ideas for some of your own creations. Either way, many musicians find that once they do a little work on audience banter ahead of the band booking it will do two major things for you.

1. Hugely boost your stage confidence

2. Help your performance and delivery come across as much more professional.

Now unless you're going for the nervous/amateur look, who wouldn't want those benefits?

Audience Banter Tips

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Where and How Do You Find Band Booking Venues?

You may well have asked yourself this question if you're not yet playing all the band bookings you want

Certainly I've been asked it by a lot by the bands I work with.

Some bands (and solo artists)think they should try and persuade local venues to start hosting Live Music nights. This is possible but will need more persuasion and effort than simply finding those venues which already feature live bands and then introducing your act to them.

 

So where do you find potential band booking venues to play? 

It's incredibly simple when you think about it, but these are the ways I've used and recommend to others and more importantly which should give you  most success.

1. Other bands websites.
Search for other bands in your area and then check out the "Gigs" section of their websites. These will often include venue phone numbers.

 

2. Search for "Live Music venues Chicago" (or wherever you're aiming for)

3. Scan music and local press for music event/night ads

4. Keep your eyes open when visiting any town you'd like to target. Ask around while you're there for venue details

5. Networking. Talk to other musicians you know. Swap details so that if they're offered a gig when they're already booked up, you can pick it up for them. (You'll probably need to offer to do the same for them in return).

You may not believe it now, but when you start to build your reputation and numbers of gig bookings, you'll be grateful for a substitute band you can offer to venues if you ever have to cancel. This can enhance your reputation as reliable and professional even when you're letting a venue down.

Remember:

* Build a long list of potential venues to target. 

Aim for 100 over time. If this sounds a lot, remember you should be sharing the finding of venues amongst ALL band members. So a total of 100 is only 25 each. Just make sure you each focus on different towns or regions to avoid any duplication. If you're as solo act try to recruit a friend or two (who ideally don't live too close to you - to widen your target area)to help you track down potential new venues
 

* Always keep adding to your list.

Times change and some venues will stop hosting live music. Others won't be interested in your act. So, to continually maximize the numbers of band bookings you can aim for you can play - keep adding to your list of venues.

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