![]() ![]() “ Last month I received 26 emails from agents and 15 more from independent/self promoters. I asked Rick Davis, Executive Director of The 1891 Fredonia Opera House, how many solicitations he gets from performers on a weekly basis. The one thing you can be sure of is this: they’re fielding lots of other competing booking requests. Or maybe they’re a volunteer with a full plate of outside activities. Perhaps they have a much bigger title such as “venue manager” or “parks director” or “librarian” or “school principal,” with scheduling performances as just one small part of their overall job description. They’re wearing many hats and juggling multiple projects, not to mention the fact that they may have never heard of you when you first touch base. Three, four, five, seven contacts with that same person, over the course of a year or two, or longer? Two mailings, over time, to those same people? Just slightly better. One “cold” (unsolicited) message sent to one person – or 100 people, for that matter – has a very very (very) low likelihood of affecting any kind of action on their part. What I’ve discovered through sending literally hundreds of thousands of postcards, brochures, emails, social media updates, and maybe one or two phone calls (I never liked that part either!) to the appropriate people over the last 23 years, is this: OK, let’s assume you’ve got a robust list of appropriate venues, as I did for that first school mailing I mentioned. I’m sure the same happens in reverse too.) (I’ve lost count of how many folk music presenters have told me they receive regular solicitations from rap artists and rock bands who somehow found their contact info online and neglected to consider the type of music they book. How to Reach Out to Venues for Gigs Here’s What I’ve Learnedįirst of all, I’m going to assume that you’re starting from a place where you’ve carefully selected your venues and you’re not simply “blasting” or spamming people who would never have a use for the type of performance you do. The critical marketing lesson didn’t reveal itself until the third, fifth, and twenty-fourth mailings. ![]() I had the right people’s names on that list, and I was offering programs very much in line with their potential needs. I had compiled a great mailing list filled with people who, I just knew, would be wildly interested in what I was offering, hanging on every word of my carefully-crafted marketing piece as they rushed to the nearest phone to get me booked.Īll for one measly gig that barely scratched the surface on the debt I’d just rung up. I could hardly wait for the next day, when (I was sure) the phone would begin ringing off the hook by mid-morning and not let up until sometime the following month! I told my email friend that this “no reply” phenomenon is certainly not unique to her.īack when I was assembling my very first mailing to generate some bookings in schools (some 26 years ago), I recall spending a huge amount of time and money creating a fancy brochure, more time/money assembling a mailing list and printing labels, and finally, more money to send those suckers out via US Mail. I’m really feeling like this is ridiculous.” Don’t Throw in the Towel! I’m ready to throw in the towel of performing. I’ve sent about 20 presenters my info and have gotten not even ONE reply-not even to say “go away kid.” I’ve gotten better at them-making them shorter (and will continue to work on that). I looked up the mission statement of these venues…and they mostly said they want audiences of all ages to come to the concerts…community, community. I had a friend who is a presenter help me pick venues that might be appropriate for my music. Seems too aggressive, but maybe not…? Maybe I just need to keep at the emails. I honestly don’t even know what to say on the phone. I have been at it for about a year and a half, and landed 5-6 gigs of varying degrees of satisfaction.ĭo you recommend calling a venue? This is something I have not tried. I am astounded at how often I get no reply. “I recently jumped back in to the world of performing…and am trying to learn the art of sending emails to presenters to book gigs. I think it highlights very well a frustration we’ve all had… Letter From a Musician ![]() I received the following message from a fellow musician and performer not too long ago. Today’s Educate and Entertain post is all about the “how’s” and “why’s” of reaching out to venues – and actually getting booked. Except we need more gigs on the calendar, so read on….) Why don’t venues get back to you? Because they’re busy. ![]()
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