I’ve started a new segment here at Get Fresh USA called, “Ask Me Anything About the Music Industry.” The title is pretty straightforward, so it doesn’t warrant any explanation. I answer questions as I get them, so there’s no set schedule to it. It’s like Dear Abby, only about less stupid stuff.

Today’s question comes from the band Cavalier, an indie pop group from Tacoma, WA.

Cavalier asks, “I’ve booked a few tours and it’s always hit or miss getting guarantees. Sometimes getting more popular venues to respond was tough. Do you have a sample letter that you mass mail for bookings?”

Dudes,

Unfortunately there is no silver bullet for venues and talent buyers. Booking shows and tours without a rolodex of seasoned contacts and friends is tough, and it takes a long time, but it is possible. It’s just like being a publicist or a salesman. As such, there’s no form letter because every buyer and every tour is different. Here’s some tips on how to make your band more appealing and on booking strategically:

1) Hone Your Pitch - When you pitch your band or tour package to a venue, you are making a sale. You’re asking them for money in exchange for a service. You need to have a good sales pitch. Focus on key selling points of your band and be factual about it. You’re a salesman, not a hype machine. Start with a brief intro that answers the 5 W’s (who, what, when, where, why), and give a line or two about your band. Mention things like your touring history in the area, your draw, bigger bands that you’ve shared the stage with, etc. The more selling points you have, the more appealing you are to the buyer. Avoid being long winded and wordy, and include links to your music and social networks.

2) Know the Venue - Don’t pitch to every venue out there.  When booking a show make sure you research the club and ensure it’s an appropriate place for your band. If you’re a metal band, the country western bar doesn’t want to book you, and to be honest you don’t want to play there because you’ll just piss people off. If your draw is minimal, pitch to a smaller venue. There’s nothing more embarrassing than promising a packed house and playing to a huge, empty room.

3) Be Reasonable - If you’re not worth $1000, then don’t ask for it. If it’s going to cost you that much to get there and back and you can’t draw a crowd, then you shouldn’t be playing there anyway. Typically $100 is a reasonable guarantee for a small band or opening act. You don’t want to sell yourself short, but you don’t want to set the bar too high either.

4) Fraud - It’s ok to be a fraud here. Lend yourself some credence attaching a name to your “booking agency.” Instead of being Donny from the band Computer Beach Party, be  Donny from The CBP Group. It’s all about the packaging. No one would buy hotdogs if they were called “All the Parts You Don’t Want to Eat Molded into a Log Dogs.” Present yourself professionally and add legitimacy.

5) Play the Suburbs - I said this somewhere in an earlier post. If you can’t get a show in Philly, then play a legion hall in suburban PA. Kids in the suburbs, especially in states where cities are far apart, are usually starved for music. It’s easier to get booked in these towns and chances are you’ll play for more kids since the other bands will likely be from the local high school. I can say hands down that the most continually lucrative markets for my band were always places like Fort Myers, FL or Wichita Falls, TX, or other similar places. You also end up forming strong friendships with the locals and they will support you forever.

6) Get in on the Ground Floor - One move I used to use all the time was soliciting newly signed bands for tours. Usually they don’t yet have booking agents and their touring opportunities are slimmer. You can use their label affiliation to get better guarantees and more consistent booking. Usually these labels will be doing tour promo for their artist which helps you since you’re part of the tour package.

7) Follow Through and Be Friendly - These people get hundreds of emails a week from people just like you. If you don’t hear back from them in a day or two, send a follow up email or call them on the phone. And make sure you’re friendly for Christ’s sake. Tell them you love their club and thank them for returning your email or talking to you on the phone. They’ll be more likely to remember you next time and maybe throw you a bone by letting you open up for the big local band who’s probably really terrible anyway, which makes you look better by comparison.

8) Work Hard - Venues know that the more promotion there is, the better. So offer to promote the crap out of your show. Send the club posters, flier at upcoming shows, push to your email list and social networks, etc. The more leg work you can do for the good of the show, the more willing the venue will be to give you a chance. If you deliver, it’ll go a long way in getting you repeat shows too.

If you’d like to submit a question to “Ask Me Anything About the Music Industry,” email me at AlexBurton5000 [at] gmail [dot] com.