[This post was written by guest contributor Dave Kusek of New Artist Model.]
There is a huge potential for revenue in the gigging industry, even for smaller, indie bands and musicians. However, many artists are met with an interesting paradox: you can’t get the bigger gigs without the help of a booking agent, but it can be difficult attracting the attention of an agent without some bigger gigs under you belt. Luckily for you, with a little knowledge and strategy from the New Artist Model, this paradox can be beaten.
Booking agents are the middlemen between the artist and the venue owners or promoters. However, it takes more than just a phone call or an email to book a show! Booking agents establish relationships with promoters and know which venues are best suited for which bands. They know exactly what venues to target when booking a funk band from California who can fill a 1000-person room. Because of this knowledge and the personal connection, promoters tend to trust the pitches from booking agents more than they would a pitch from a band they have never heard of before.
Here’s where the paradox comes in. Booking agents work off commissions. In other words, they will get between 10% and 20% of the revenue from shows they book. If you’re only making a few hundred dollars a night, it’s probably not worth their efforts – they need to pay the rent too after all! On the other side of the equation, if you’re only making a few hundred dollars, you probably can’t afford to give up 10% or 20%! As you can see, booking agents would rather work with bands that have a proven track record of filling larger venues and theaters.
So, how do you get their attention as an indie artist? …read more
Source:: DIY Musician Blog