Diki, I disagree with your assessment of packages. Mine were very effective, and I booked multiple jobs with nearly everyone that I mailed a package to. In contrast, I had I website during the same time period, it was very well constructed, appealing, and it was also listed on my package that I mailed out. The customer could book jobs directly on the website and check my booking calendar for available time slots. During the entire 25 years that web site was in place, I did not book a single job directly from the site, and not a single customer of the more than 50 locations I performed each month contacted me via that site. Your mileage may vary, but that was my experience.

Now, as outlined in my statement, the package mailings must be followed up with phone calls and in person visits. This, with the addition of a personalized wall calendar and personalized pen, proved extremely effective. Additionally, because I had my booking calendar with me at the time of the personal visit, I usually booked out the entire year, and in some instances, the next year as well.

Most of these locations were upscale retirement communities, assisted living centers, and nursing homes within 25 miles of my home. Many were under 10 miles from home, which made for an easy drive, no traffic jams to contend with and the jobs were usually in the middle of the day, after lunchtime. A few were at night, during suppertime.

I stopped performing the nite club/restaurant circuit, mainly because the pay was lousy, the hours were lousy, and the times usually involved being caught in some nasty traffic jams, which are constant in and around the Baltimore Metropolitan Area. Additionally, many of the nite clubs and restaurants that had live entertainment were located in Baltimore City, which is not a safe place to be, day or night. We have a claim to fame in Baltimore - the highest murder rate per capita in the nation.

Now, I only know a few OMB entertainers in Florida, most of which have since retired from performing the senior circuit. The vast majority of them used the same, or similar technique to book jobs that I utilized. They had all the work they could handle, or wanted. Like I said, your mileage may vary, but I must respectfully disagree with your assessment of packages. And, as for the CDs, most cars have a CD player in them, and that's where the vast majority of my ADs said they listened to the CD that I mailed to them.

Good luck,

Gary