It never fails to amaze me the amount of work most indie bands and agents will go through to put together the most elaborate CD and Press Kits. The hours spent in the studio fine tuning each song, the amount of money spent on designing cover art and getting photos taken and so on. It is not that these things do not require a lot of time and energy, but what amazes me is that most bands will then send out these works of art to try and book gigs and then never even make one follow up phone call to be sure it arrived.

Once that CD and press kit is sent, you will need to do everything in your power to maintain a consistent schedule of follow up calls, emails and faxes. The problem is that most people get discouraged after the first few times that they are unable to reach the Talent Buyer. Some even get very emotional in just trying to get a response to the repeated emails or calls. The reality is that most Buyers will only book those things that they already know about or that comes recommended from their trusted peers or friends. For the average band to be heard above the never ending din of new bands only requires one thing, PERSISTENCE.

You need to be confident enough in your product to not stop contacting the venue until you get a firm yes or no. But it is a fine line between being persistent and being a pest.

A Pest:

• Calls during the busiest hours (nights and weekends.)
• Calls, emails and leaves numerous messages every week.
• Is usually looking for a gig within the next few weeks.
• Is short or abrupt when calling.
• Stops calling after a few weeks of disorganized rudeness.

Persistence Is:

• Finding out when the best time to call is and only calling during those hours.
• Following a consistent, weekly schedule of phone calls, emails and faxes.
• Being realistic. Most clubs book 2-4 months in advance.
• Being polite.
• NOT GIVING UP, (a lack of response never means not interested.)

Once you reach the Talent Buyer always ask if it is a good time to discuss booking. If it is not, ask when would be a better time and be sure to set a reminder to follow up.

Any band can put together a great demo, but truly successful bands realize that every person they contact is a potential business relationship for life. They may not be interested today, but you should ask if it is okay to stay in touch and keep them posted about your progress as a band. Then call them a couple of times year, say hello, tell them what you have been doing and inquire if there are any gig opportunities.

Sending out a few emails or CDs is not going to make the phone ring by itself, no matter how good your band is. The only way to get the industry to take notice and give you an opportunity is through consistent, professional follow through. Onlinegigs gives you all of the tools you need to be sure you are accomplishing this end. If you ever have any questions on getting Onlinegigs to work better for you just send an email to support@onlinegigs.com and we will call you directly to discuss your needs. Whether you are looking for local, regional or national dates, Onlinegigs is the only comprehensive solution for you.

Onlinegigs is an incredibly powerful Contact Manager. You can easily schedule reminders for important phone calls, meetings and tasks as well as mark them as completed to track your history with each contact you do business with. The task list is also viewable in Day, Week and Month View calendars. Email and fax messaging are directly integrated and all messages related to specific contacts are cross referenced and searchable. Your current contact lists or address books from Outlook, Excel or Word are easily imported into Onlinegigs. You can even earn money back off of your subscription for adding new contacts to Onlinegigs or for editing outdated information.

Onlinegigs not only comes pre-loaded with over 9000 music industry contacts but you are also able to create much needed industry forms and documents. You can easily issue contracts for any upcoming performance and then send it out by fax or email to the talent buyer as well as your band members, your publicist, your tour manager etc. Tour itineraries are automatically generated with custom driving directions from one gig to the next. And you can create a press release in minutes and then send it out to the local media in any market in the country.

Because Onlinegigs is a web based application there are many benefits that other desktop programs can’t comptete with. Your important business information is automatically backed up and archived in 14 day intervals. Your vital data is also completely accessible all day, every day from any internet connection. Have a contract dispute from a club? Log into your account and pull up your confirmation. Dispute averted.

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