[Dixielandjazz] The Business Side To The Music Business

Thu Jan 25 13:11:34 PST 2007

There are several things you can do.

Since I no longer work clubs this is more for single engagement gigs.

There is two types of marketing passive (mailings, ads, Yellow Pages, 
internet) and active. (direct contact, word of mouth, agencies)  Active is 
the best.

1. Booking agencies - some players use bookers but the most successful band 
I ever played with the leaders sister in law was very enthusiastic about the 
band and at least 50% of the jobs came through her.  The best thing was she 
was free.  That was great until there was a big family falling out and the 
gigs almost went away for awhile.

I have been only stiffed three times and they were all jobs through agencies 
but I owe my college education to a booker that kept me working every week 
all year round.  He was well worth it.

Some places and corporations will only book through an agency.  My Local 
AFofM union has an agency but I have only booked one gig through them and 
that was two years ago.  They tend to send their friends or book things for 
themselves first.  There is also a web site for Union bands.  I haven't 
availed myself of that yet.

2. follow the six foot rule.  Everyone who comes within six feet of you will 
know that you have a band.  If they didn't know when they came they will 
when they leave.  I booked a gig in an elevator once leaving a job.

3. newspaper ads - used to work OK but with prices going up and fewer 
wedding receptions it's marginal.  I, at one time, advertised in three 
papers, all weeklies which cost us $45 a week for business card ads  in two 
and a line ad in the other (1975-85) but the price is way up now but gig 
prices aren't so probably isn't a good bet.  For awhile I advertised in 
another union newsletter. - no results.  Be prepared to run ads for an 
extended period of time.  Just one doesn't work very well.  People need to 
see your name and then find it when they need your service.  Eventually this 
ate up a rather large reserve fund and the band folded without enough work. 
We were up against a very heavy DJ presence.  They could out advertise us.

4. Wedding fairs - used to be good - we supplied music for the show and we 
got to exhibit free but that came to a stop.  Now they want $1500 which is 
too much.  For awhile we put flyers on windshields at the bridal fairs. 
That worked as well as being an exhibitor but the DJ's and paying bands came 
after us.  We did that 3 years.

5. Network with other bands.  Many band leaders won't help you at all here 
but if you have several leaders that you send them gigs and they send you 
gigs it can work out.  I get jobs occasionally that way.  My cornet player 
is a band leader and we hire each other all the time.  Don't commit Gigacide 
by handing out your cards on someone else's gig.

6. Join organizations including several churches- The more people you know 
and who know what you do never hurts.  When I was in H.S. everyone knew to 
have a Catholic kid and if possible a Jewish or Lutheran kid in your band. 
It worked out well then.  We got a lot of Catholic weddings.  You have to be 
proactive in your community.  I belong to the Scottish Rite Brass and there 
are 4 leaders including myself and one guy that hires players for a big band 
in that group.  That doesn't hurt me at all.

7. Encourage multiple bookings, maybe at a discount.  I booked three gigs at 
the same place (new venue) yesterday by offering a small discount for 
multiple bookings.  This was a word of mouth job.

I worked two corporate jobs for another band the last two Saturday nights. 
The leader booked the executive party at the St. Louis Club (very posh - 
they were giving out $10 cigars - I got 4) but also the employee bash the 
next week.  I'm sure he made it a package deal.

8. Direct mailings.  Can be good or a waste of money.  It depends on your 
mailing and advertising skills.  Not the cheapest but does generate calls. 
You might consider printing a photo or something that will grab the eye on 
the envelope so that it sells without even being opened.  The best is if you 
use hand written addresses to an individual.  This isn't too bad if you have 
50 or so and can find out who you are mailing to.  Avoid anything that 
sounds like To Resident or Occupant:  Those go directly in the trash.  100 
mailings will cost you about $50

9.  Direct cold calling - this is the toughest of all but does score.  The 
ratio is high or low depending on how hard you work it.  Most of us shun 
this but it does work.  I find the toughest nut to crack is the corporate 
gigs.  It's not always easy to find the right person.

10.  Something to drop off when you call - Business cards,  CD's, Flyers 
etc.  Do not use tapes.  Most tape equipment is bad and your band will sound 
bad.  Most CD equipment sounds good so use CD's....

11. get a web site.  No good without all the other stuff directing people to 
the site.  They won't be able to find you most of the time without your web 
address.  I finally took a course in web site design at the local High 
School and now I have a site that I hope will help me out.

12. Yellow pages.  I did this for 3 years and found it expensive and not 
very productive.

13. Signs - Good and bad I wouldn't get a magnetic or permanent sign on your 
car.  While it's not bad advertising I worry that putting a band sign on 
your car is saying Free musical instruments for the taking.   Even though I 
have a sign business the results may not be good.  I have a magnetic sign 
that I sometimes put on the car door when I'm going to a job.

14. Enlist the help of the local printer.  For 15 years I worked with a guy 
that owned a print shop.  Girls and their mothers came in all the time to 
buy wedding invitations and he would make a small sales pitch for the band. 
Maybe they would let you put business cards (that they print) on their 
counter or on a bulletin board.

15. An attractive 3x5 (preferably color photo ) card on the local music 
store bulletin board.  You can run several on your home computer and 
printer.  You will be the only band of your type advertising there - I 
guarantee it.

16. Book jobs at any price in January.  That's when the newly engaged girls 
start making wedding arrangements.  Jewelry stores would go out of business 
without Christmas jewelry sales.  They tend to want to hear and see the 
bands first.

17. Word of mouth or inviting someone to come hear you is the best 
advertisement. Most people don't know how to hire a band and they depend on 
asking someone else.

Some things I have been considering:  Advertising on a local web site that 
plans and hosts parties and events mostly for charities.  There are two 
bands there now one of which is very high priced.  You need a web site 
before you can tack yourself onto another or take advantage of this kind of 
advertising.  This costs $100 a month.

I have been thinking about renting a sign space in the local Amvets store 
window.  No one else does it and it may work for foot traffic.  The down 
side may be that the people that book jobs don't go into Amvet stores but 
maybe another merchant would let you buy space in one of his windows or put 
a sign in his lobby.  I have been thinking that going to the carnival supply 
stores might be a good bet providing they don't want too much money to do 
it.  Might be worth a try.

It all boils down to how good a sales person you are and how well you 
interact with customers.

I am right now booking a third job for Fat Tuesday.  I got the call while 
writing this.  The two jobs are separated by thirty minutes and the first 
one is an acoustic gig so only a small PA is needed.  When I have that 
situation I have multiple setups and sound systems so I set up at the gigs 
early then go back later and get my stands and PA at the other site.  That's 
how I play three jobs on NY eve when I book three in a row with my band. 
Fortunately there is only a couple of blocks separating the Fat Tuesday 
gigs.

I always welcome other leaders ideas too.
Larry
St. Louis

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike" <mike at railroadstjazzwest.com>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 8:51 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] The Business Side To The Music Business

> I'd like to know how some of your guys book your own gigs and
> how you gained the knowledge to do so successfully. I'd like to
> hear a little more about the business side of the business and
> how it influences the musical side. We talk a lot about this in
> my music business courses, but I'd like to hear first hand from
> the voice of experience that you don't get from a textbook.
>
> Mike
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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