BOOKING YOURSELF FOR LIVE PERFORMANCE- Highlights PART 1.

I am thrilled to speak about booking yourself for live performance gigs. It is filled with practical knowledge applicable in today's music market.

The good news is, success is more possible now than possibly EVER, with the right tools and information.

Here are some highlights.
Know and understand that you don't get booked because you are good. You get booked because of the value you can bring to the owner of the venue.

This should guide your "selling points". Know your strengths and weaknesses here.
Like other business people, you should have your 'elevator speech' down, "This is who I am" and "This is what I can do for you".

Determine what price you need to charge to be able to make a profit.

Don't lose money unless the exposure at that particular venue is very important.

Always confirm your engagement atleast 2 weeks before the gig.

Understand that different types of venues obviously require different abilities.

Bars would need acts who know how to sell food and drinks, how to get people thirsty & hungry, stay a long time, tip the waiters well.

Churches need to be able to minister to congregations. Some venues completely depend on the act drawing the crowd (do you have an email list with people from the area of the venue you're wanting to play? Tell the owner you have this list and can expect 10% or more of them to show up etc).

Headliners for whom you wish to open need you to get the crowd excited. Weddings need you to know the routine, play the music they prefer, get people dancing, generally make the day go smoothly with a minimum of confusion.

BE PREPARED a buyer could ask you for such things as:
Website, social network accounts, blog, fan page etc).

List of past performances,
Photos- live performance shots are even better than studio shots.
CD- live recordings, best
Live video, online or DVD.
Bio- several, geared to different kinds of gigs.
Serious press reviews (not just press releases you wrote).
References from other venues (A HUGE selling point).
Song list (some venues want to know the cover songs you know, and that you are not going to play something offensive, etc).