Many musicians are wondering around in their careers helpless and directionless as well. They don’t have any real idea as to how to go about getting their careers into the correct place that they need it to be in order to manifest true success. Most musicians fail to realize that they are in need of strong team members that will help guide them. One such team member is a booking agent. They are the ones responsible for getting you gigs and helping you set up the all important touring schedule. Without this individual most musicians find themselves sitting in a rut, unaware of where to go next to make any real impact venue-wise. Also most upper-level venues prefer to only work with booking agents and managers, so those musicians without them are left only to play the smaller venues.
Here are three tips to help you not become a victim of this situation, use them and you should find greater success with getting an appropriate response with the right booking agents in the industry:
1. Get out there on your own and get gigs. Many bands fail to get an agent simply because they failed to do this one step! Serious booking agents want to know that you have a positive history with packing venues in your local area and most importantly smaller venue then they have access to. They do not want to waste their precious time on a band that has no live playing experience and presence on stage. So do your band a favor and start gigging now!
2. Netwerk constantly. You need to talk to as many venue owners that you currently know and other bands and ask them for references. These are the best sources because venue owners regularly deal with credible booking agents and any successful band on your local scene should already have a great booking agent. Most people will give of this information free, however, make sure you are really up to the proper level of performance before you contact these individuals, because first impressions are every here.
3. Be Bold. Call around further and set up meetings or send in your press kits. You must have the confidence in your band and its performance abilities to do this, so start building it up now. The only way to get comfortable on stage is to do it, get out there right now, and perform. So while you're are putting yourself out there by contacting the agents, be sure you are pursuing heavily local gigs as well.
Together with these tips you should have a pretty solid idea as to how to find, contact, and get your band a viable booking agent. It is important to really take your time with signing any contract or deals and to always get them checked over by a music attorney. Realize also that as in any industry there are many deceitful individuals that are looking to take advantage of the foolish and untrained eye. Study up on this area even more and always get references from other clients and also check for their companies profile on the Better Business Bureaus website (it’s free) to insure that it is in good standing with its customers. Whenever money transactions are involved it is always better to be safer than sorry. Now, remember these tips, and go out and get your bands first booking agent.
What's your take... leave your comments below.
Thats wuz up! Definitely appreciate the tip. But dont these people need money thats my prop i mean dont i have to pay a booking agent for their services? Thats the main problem i face is the proper finances to give my product the push it needs. I have all the material couple mixtapes and album completed, i do alota open mics to. Just seems like this will cost me sumn i dont have but i could b looking at it wrong
ReplyDeletei look at it as you have to be willing to invest in yourself and your product. thats the problem with most of us. we are willing to do the studio work and creative part, but we fail to invest in the push. thats why a lot of businesses fail. they may an outstanding product, but just use word of mouth and luck to push it. you have to set aside some money to push your music appropriately.
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