How to NOT get booked-

[Old Deaf Roadie]

Copping an attitude with a person who is in a position to potentially pay you money is just bad business. Simply being nice is the best business advice I ever received and it has paid off in major ways. Nobody wants a jerk on the crew, office, or stage.

 

[Mindthebull]

@Jakedog , thanks for helping to keep venues like your buddy’s bar open and featuring live acts. It has to be frustrating to receive repeated texts looking for a quick response.

But to be fair to the other side, if they are trying to book a stream of nights, I could understand their frustration in not getting a quicker response. It sounds like they want to play your buddy’s bar as a first choice. Leaving them in limbo prevents them from booking an alternative venue whose opportunity may be slipping away by the hour.

Far-fetched? Maybe, but it’s one of a multitude of possibilities. A simple “Not now, busy. I’ll text you tonight” reply might be enough to satisfy both sides. It shows you read the message and it resets their expectations.

Yes...


"I texted you 5 minutes ago and you haven't answered me. I guess you don't have time for me. What is wrong with you ? I need an answerer now.
My time is important. Jerk"

You mean like that ?

Do you know my wife?

 

[scottser]

Fair balls to ye JD. Keep up the good work, and don't pay any mind to the snotnoses.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

There are 100s of great bands all vying for limited number of spots in independent venues that are struggling to stay in business anyways.

I am pretty sure that the very average bands outnumber the great bands in nearly every market, by a lot.

 

[0SubSeanik0]

Just create a few generic text/sms and email templates that you can use to respond super quick to let folks know you got their message and will get back to them... Then take 5 min every now and then to check/respond to messages. It's that simple. Plus, you'll eliminate this bit of (totally avoidable) stress from the mix. Work smarter, not harder.

People just want to make sure they are heard when they reach out. That's human. Be grateful they are not calling you on the phone. To me (when I'm running a 3-ring circus), that feels like someone trying to push their way to the front of my line of priorities... which ticks me off... but then I just have to remember that they have no idea what is going on in my world. Ultimately, it's a people business, and empathy rules no matter what.

Hat tip to you and your partner for doing what you do, and best of luck with everything going forward!

 

[Killing Floor]

@Jakedog gets it.

I tell my team everything I actually use to succeed in sales and sales management I learned in a band, starving in a smelly van.

Rule 1 - don’t be a jerk
Rule 2 - respond
Rule 3 - respect people’s time

It ain’t rocket science, especially rule 1. Nobody owes you a gig and in most of the places I’ve played except for a few really successful years, the bar would make more money with sports TVs than bands so I am thankful most club managers aren’t accountants.

 

[David Barnett]

Define "silliness"?

 

[radtz]

Yes, it does work both ways. I have found that generally venues never respond to messages. Emails, voice mails, doesn't matter, nothing works. I have to physically go there, find out who the decision-maker is, figure out when they are going to be there in person, go there over and over again hoping to catch them... It's a lot of work. I find that once you actually make physical face-to-face contact in person, it's a breeze. "Sure, let me get my calendar!" Bookers are usually very friendly and accommodating, and I often can book a gig on the spot (sometimes not). But it's brutal trying to get their attention.

That's how we did it in the 80s.

 

[Jakedog]

Define "silliness"?

Silly: hitting me a second time lass than an hour after the first time, with an attitude about how long it’s taking me to respond. Then when I do respond about five hours after the initial contact, against my better judgement, and explain to the guy that we’re very busy and run a light crew, and we’ll be in touch when we can, but being rude about it is not getting him moved to the top of the list, he is rude again and tells me I’m too “emotional” for this kind of work. He won’t be getting another contact. Ever.

There are too many talented folks who are professional and easy to deal with for me to punish myself by having to put up with having a guy like that in my room.

I’ve booked myself for 36 years. Including tours all over this country. I’ve never been less than patient, professional, and polite with anyone I was trying to get a date from. Booking, no matter which end of it you’re on, is a lot of time and effort. There’s no need to make it crappy too.

 

[getbent]

Silly: hitting me a second time lass than an hour after the first time, with an attitude about how long it’s taking me to respond. Then when I do respond about five hours after the initial contact, against my better judgement, and explain to the guy that we’re very busy and run a light crew, and we’ll be in touch when we can, but being rude about it is not getting him moved to the top of the list, he is rude again and tells me I’m too “emotional” for this kind of work. He won’t be getting another contact. Ever.

There are too many talented folks who are professional and easy to deal with for me to punish myself by having to put up with having a guy like that in my room.

I’ve booked myself for 36 years. Including tours all over this country. I’ve never been less than patient, professional, and polite with anyone I was trying to get a date from. Booking, no matter which end of it you’re on, is a lot of time and effort. There’s no need to make it crappy too.

 

[Mouth]

I waited 11 hours to reply to this thread just so you know how it feels.

 

[Flat6Driver]

@Jakedog gets it.

I tell my team everything I actually use to succeed in sales and sales management I learned in a band, starving in a smelly van.

Rule 1 - don’t be a jerk
Rule 2 - respond
Rule 3 - respect people’s time

It ain’t rocket science, especially rule 1. Nobody owes you a gig and in most of the places I’ve played except for a few really successful years, the bar would make more money with sports TVs than bands so I am thankful most club managers aren’t accountants.

There's an art to respecting someone's time. I have a vendor that works for me. They make big verbal efforts to let me know when the end of the call is coming up. "To help you manage your time, Flat6..." If we're on a good conversation, let's keep rolling, I'll be late to the next thing.

 

[David Barnett]

Silly: hitting me a second time lass than an hour after the first time, with an attitude about how long it’s taking me to respond. Then when I do respond about five hours after the initial contact, against my better judgement, and explain to the guy that we’re very busy and run a light crew, and we’ll be in touch when we can, but being rude about it is not getting him moved to the top of the list, he is rude again and tells me I’m too “emotional” for this kind of work. He won’t be getting another contact. Ever.

There are too many talented folks who are professional and easy to deal with for me to punish myself by having to put up with having a guy like that in my room.

I’ve booked myself for 36 years. Including tours all over this country. I’ve never been less than patient, professional, and polite with anyone I was trying to get a date from. Booking, no matter which end of it you’re on, is a lot of time and effort. There’s no need to make it crappy too.

Some people seem to think they're the center of the universe and everything else revolves around them.

 

[6stringcowboy]

Silly: hitting me a second time lass than an hour after the first time, with an attitude about how long it’s taking me to respond. Then when I do respond about five hours after the initial contact, against my better judgement, and explain to the guy that we’re very busy and run a light crew, and we’ll be in touch when we can, but being rude about it is not getting him moved to the top of the list, he is rude again and tells me I’m too “emotional” for this kind of work. He won’t be getting another contact. Ever.

There are too many talented folks who are professional and easy to deal with for me to punish myself by having to put up with having a guy like that in my room.

I’ve booked myself for 36 years. Including tours all over this country. I’ve never been less than patient, professional, and polite with anyone I was trying to get a date from. Booking, no matter which end of it you’re on, is a lot of time and effort. There’s no need to make it crappy too.

Bet he would have been a blast at sound check...

 

[mfguitar]

Times are so different today. Most bands we run into are at least pretty good. After a successful night club owners used to book the next shows with you, now more often than not they leave the check with the bartender or make them call you back the next week. We are always respectful and leave the stage better than when we arrived and do our best to entertain the crowd. Always tip the staff and usually spend a decent amount on food or at the bar. Sorry for my mini-rant but there does not seem to be mutual respect for the performers anymore.

 

[cyclopean]

@Jakedog , thanks for helping to keep venues like your buddy’s bar open and featuring live acts. It has to be frustrating to receive repeated texts looking for a quick response.

But to be fair to the other side, if they are trying to book a stream of nights, I could understand their frustration in not getting a quicker response. It sounds like they want to play your buddy’s bar as a first choice. Leaving them in limbo prevents them from booking an alternative venue whose opportunity may be slipping away by the hour.

Far-fetched? Maybe, but it’s one of a multitude of possibilities. A simple “Not now, busy. I’ll text you tonight” reply might be enough to satisfy both sides. It shows you read the message and it resets their expectations.

Was this a touring act or a local act?

 

[Happy Enchilada]

Oh so *that's* why The Aristocrats can't get gigs any more.

That joke by Gilbert Godfried is why I am considering naming my next band "The Aristocrats."

 

[Jakedog]

Was this a touring act or a local act?

Local.

 

[skunqesh]

Was this band named "Karen" by any chance?

I've never been great at snappy comebacks, I tend to avoid conflict, but in the spirit of wasting pretentious people's time and energy I thought some of these clap backs might be helpful (stolen from the innernetz).
My faves are #2 & 8. #10 seems ill advised since it implies you're still listening.

1. Excuse me, but did you actually just say '….' (Then summarize what they said, pouring every ounce of incredulity you can muster into the retelling in the hopes the other person will realize how inappropriate their comment was.)
2. So sorry, I wasn’t listening. Can you repeat that?
3. Right.
4. Well, I think we’ve reached the end of this conversation.
5. Whatever you say.
6. You don’t really expect me to answer that, do you? (And if they say “Yes, I do expect an answer,” I refer you to a comeback line from The Princess Bride : “Get used to disappointment.”)
7. That’s the most pretentious thing I’ve ever heard. (Then laugh.)
8. You’re kidding, right? Hold on. You are kidding, right?
9. Ouch. Did you mean to be that rude?
10. Help me understand why you think that was an appropriate thing to say–and why you think I should answer you.
11. Thank you. We’re all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view.
12. My apologies. I don’t speak English.

 

[cyclopean]

Local.

Ok that’s way less ok. While I still think it’s bad, I could see someone really stressing about filling in a few holes in their touring schedule to make it more manageable.