[Dixielandjazz] Bidding on jobs

[Steve Barbone]

Someone asked a while back about bidding on jobs and no one answered so here
is my 2 cents.

Barbone Street frequently bids on jobs. From private parties to street fairs
to concerts in the park. Generally speaking:

1) We submit our bid and in most cases there is no negotiation. But if the
client really wants you and you are high priced, they may call back and seek
a reduction. We ALWAYS hold our bid firm and do not reduce.

2) We lose as many gigs as we get. Sometimes price, sometimes other reasons.
There are at least 6 Dixieland Bands in our area who are lower priced.

3) About half the time we lose a bid because of price, the client comes back
at a future date and books us at our price. Basically because of superior
program content. e.g. we lost a booking in Lancaster PA because of price a
year ago. We just got booked there at our price, because an "angel" gave the
money to the venue to have us perform. What they got cheaper was not up to
what they would get with us.

4) So figure out how to "differentiate" you band from the others.

Problems in Bidding:

1) If the gig is far away, we charge more because of car expenses. e.g. I
live 60 miles from center city Philadelphia. So a Philly gig is a 120 mile
round trip. I figure it cost me 50 cents a mile to run my band vehicle, a
Jeep Cherokee. So that's $60 it costs me to get to the gig. Therefore the
cheapest I will work a gig in Philly as a sideman is $160. Same for
Baltimore. (two hour gig where parking is provided free)

2) As a band leader, I bring sound etc., and so with leader fee, I have to
value that gig as a leader at $320 MINIMUM.

3) My band lives closer to town and so will gig in Philly for $150. But if
we have to pay to park, we add that.

4) Lesser bands (in terms of program content, stage presence etc) will work
cheaper so we are almost always high bidder.

Question:

How badly do you want the gig? Guys living in towns, NYC, Philly, L.A. will
often take a gig for $40 because they are local, and need every gig to make
a living, such as it is. So if you have to bid, you may have a real problem
in competing with a "local" group.

INFORMATION:

Try and find out with whom you are bidding against. Where you think they
will be priced, and take your shot. You win some, you lose some, but in my
experience, it does you no harm to be perceived as high priced because
clients will relate price to expertise and customer satisfaction.

And lower the price for Assisted Living Facilities, especially those run by
the Churches or Charities because they get lousy entertainment, could use a
boost, and it will give you physic enrichment. Or Jazz Vespers, etc. You can
do a ton of those and not disrupt the marketplace.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone