I was wondering, for those of us in small bands just starting out, what do you think would be the best way for us to go about setting up a small provincial tour?
Eric
You can book a tour yourself, as long as you understand that booking is a sales job. Venue owners need to know that they can afford to have you in their venue, and that they will make money doing so. How you help them make money is by drawing a crowd. So before you start contacting venue owners about playing their venue, have on hand (ready to send out) credible details that show how many people you can bring in. Numbers on past shows, notes on your local radio support and fan base, media contacts, a great poster, and a well-thought-out marketing and social media plan are all things a venue owner will appreciate. It shows you mean business, and you want the show to do well for the venue as much as yourself. Too often, young bands assume that venues are going to do all the work, but that's not really their job. It's the promoter's, the booking agent's, and especially, yours.
Questions may be edited for space or content. Replies do not constitute legal advice and Exclaim! makes no guarantees about information accuracy.
Eric
You can book a tour yourself, as long as you understand that booking is a sales job. Venue owners need to know that they can afford to have you in their venue, and that they will make money doing so. How you help them make money is by drawing a crowd. So before you start contacting venue owners about playing their venue, have on hand (ready to send out) credible details that show how many people you can bring in. Numbers on past shows, notes on your local radio support and fan base, media contacts, a great poster, and a well-thought-out marketing and social media plan are all things a venue owner will appreciate. It shows you mean business, and you want the show to do well for the venue as much as yourself. Too often, young bands assume that venues are going to do all the work, but that's not really their job. It's the promoter's, the booking agent's, and especially, yours.
Questions may be edited for space or content. Replies do not constitute legal advice and Exclaim! makes no guarantees about information accuracy.