If you want to get gigs, then you are going to have to do some schmoozing with club owners, bar owners and people of that nature. This means you are going to have to appear as professional and convincing as possible. You are going to have to come prepared with all the gear you need to successfully market yourself so you can book gigs and get paid.

First impressions are the most important thing in this biz. If you want to book gigs then you need to bring the following things with you to a meeting: a resume, a demo, a business card (with a link to your site), a poster or flyer, price and a confidant attitude.

And most importantly, dress for success. You don’t have to wear a tux, just look presentable. You might even want to bring your instruments in case they want a short live audition, you never know.

Hopefully you will get the gig and it will end right there but you may not get hired right away. If this is you then you need to have a little persistence. Stop in every week or so and see if they have anything for you.

Ask them if anyone has canceled and if there is a spot that needs to be filled. But beware, there is a fine line between persistence and stalking so be careful you are not doing the latter. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

There are other places to play besides bars and clubs. Get creative! What about coffee shops, music stores, high school dances, book stores, restaurants, parks, festivals, fairs, or private parties? The same rules apply when meeting with the people that are related to these events and places.

If you can’t find gigs at these places, ask them to refer you to someplace you can book gigs. If you present yourself professionally then they will respect you, even if they don’t have a spot for you.

One thing you can try to do is convince the owners or whoever you are meeting with that you can draw a crowd. Don’t promise this if you can’t make it happen. And if you promise this, then you need to make it happen.

I am sure you have friends, family, acquaintances and co-workers that you can convince to come see you. It is even better if you have a solid group of fans going that will show up as well.

All of these tips will help you get gigs. Market yourself because no one else is going to do it. Remember, you can be your best asset or your worst enemy. Don’t go to a meeting unprepared and don’t stalk the people you have meeting with.

If you want to get gigs then presenting yourself as a professional, top quality musician the eventually people will be knocking at your door for a change.

Author Bio: The former owner of an independent record label, current owner of Platinum Millennium publishing & national music industry seminar speaker/panelist. He’s also the author & creator of 40+ best-selling music business books, reports, courses, audio products & more “How to” resources, that helped 1000s of people like you to success. Go to GiggingforDollars.com for more info.
Article Source: ArticleGeek.com – Free Website Content

If you want to get gigs, then you are going to have to do some schmoozing with club owners, bar owners and people of that nature. This means you are going to have to appear as professional and convincing as possible. You are going to have to come prepared with all the gear you need to successfully market yourself so you can book gigs and get paid.

First impressions are the most important thing in this biz. If you want to book gigs then you need to bring the following things with you to a meeting: a resume, a demo, a business card (with a link to your site), a poster or flyer, price and a confidant attitude. And most importantly, dress for success. You don’t have to wear a tux, just look presentable. You might even want to bring your instruments in case they want a short live audition, you never know.

Hopefully you will get the gig and it will end right there but you may not get hired right away. If this is you then you need to have a little persistence. Stop in every week or so and see if they have anything for you. Ask them if anyone has canceled and if there is a spot that needs to be filled. But beware, there is a fine line between persistence and stalking so be careful you are not doing the latter. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

There are other places to play besides bars and clubs. Get creative! What about coffee shops, music stores, high school dances, book stores, restaurants, parks, festivals, fairs, or private parties? The same rules apply when meeting with the people that are related to these events and places. If you can’t find gigs at these places, ask them to refer you to someplace you can book gigs. If you present yourself professionally then they will respect you, even if they don’t have a spot for you.

One thing you can try to do is convince the owners or whoever you are meeting with that you can draw a crowd. Don’t promise this if you can’t make it happen. And if you promise this, then you need to make it happen. I am sure you have friends, family, acquaintances and co-workers that you can convince to come see you. It is even better if you have a solid group of fans going that will show up as well.

All of these tips will help you get gigs. Market yourself because no one else is going to do it. Remember, you can be your best asset or your worst enemy. Don’t go to a meeting unprepared and don’t stalk the people you have meeting with. If you want to get gigs then presenting yourself as a professional, top quality musician the eventually people will be knocking at your door for a change.

Author Bio: The former owner of an independent record label, current owner of Platinum Millennium publishing & national music industry seminar speaker/panelist. He’s also the author & creator of 40+ best-selling music business books, reports, courses, audio products & more “How to” resources, that helped 1000s of people like you to success. Go to GiggingforDollars.com for more info.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com – Free Website Content

Are you still playing your heart out to small audiences on gigs at unappreciative dives (excuse me, I meant to say nightclubs) that feel paying you a couple of hundred dollars for a 3-4 hour gig is also paying you about $150 too much?

Unless you are a masochist, why do you continue to take such beatings? Is it due to laziness, complacency, cynicism, your now being jaded, or a combination of any of the above?

Are you aware that you could dramatically improve your live performance income by making simple changes in the types of performances that you accept?

For instance, see the below list of gig types and the average earnings possible, compared to traditional nightclub work:

• Weddings ($1,000 *minimum* for 2-3 hours work)

Instead of working yourself to death, so to speak, by chasing wedding performance opportunities on an individual basis, consider approaching a number of area caterers and offering your services to them as an add-on to their own services as, obviously, they will have significantly more client opportunities.

Not only will your music service now give catering companies more value, as the client can now also purchase the wedding entertainment through a single source as opposed to contracting performers separately, but this single joint venture alone will dramatically increase your income, and on a more consistent basis.

And, the best place to seek caterers is in your local Yellow Pages under the categories of “Caterers.”

As additional potential wedding income sources, you would also do well to leave your portfolio and/or business cards with area bridal shops, tuxedo shops, bridal consultants, wedding planners and wedding supplies and services.

• Ship Cruises

Talk about getting paid to, literally, travel the world! This is exactly what this amounts to … a paid vacation! There are a minimum of seven major high paying cruise lines that are actively seeking you to work with them. Truthfully, I cannot do this any further justice, other than telling you to immediately visit the ProShip Entertainment site below to fall into a musician’s paradise.

http://www.proship.com/

• Corporate Functions

When I say corporate functions, I am speaking of getting incredible gigs with such companies as; Microsoft, IBM, and that ilk. Corporate functions are fairly regular, as they readily lend themselves to employee motivation.

Without a better point of reference, I suggest your starting with these types of companies’ Human Resource department, which can better direct you to an appropriate department that coordinates their corporate events if the Human Resource department does not. You will likely need to send your standard media kit for consideration.

• Private Parties

One of the best places to seek private party entertainment opportunities, is through the Society Pages of your local newspaper. The Society Page usually lists private events held by the wealthy and philanthropists who host fundraisers, charities, etc. You may also wish to consult your local library for possible local society directories that can also provide you with additional contacts.

• Grand Openings

Best places to check out your opportunities for Grand Opening performances are, again, your area newspapers, as well as Chambers of Commerce. Practically all new companies host grand openings in order to alert the public to their new business venture.

They also go “all out,” so to speak, in terms of media coverage through television, radio and print media advertising, as well as interviews. Any and all of this can serve to make far more people aware of you when you perform at these locales.

By the way…in any of these situations, *ALWAYS* request permission beforehand from your employers to sell your music, as this peripheral sales income will only increase your overall take. In some cases, you may be allowed to do so while, in other cases, you likely will not be allowed. However, it never hurts to ask and, by all means, ALWAYS ASK!

Hopefully, these several income outlets can give you a much better income base while, eventually, taking you out of the hardworking, yet, low-paying nightclub arena.

Kenny Love is president of MuBiz.com, a radio promotion and media publicity firm that also provides business and career services to musicians.