|
|
|
|
|
|
#146650 - 03/01/05 10:21 AM
Re: Percentage of sales gig deals
|
Senior Member
Registered: 12/08/02
Posts: 15556
Loc: Forest Hill, MD USA
|
Bill,
There is an approach you may wish to take, one that works for many of us trying to become established at new locations.
Offer them a deal they cannot refuse. Provide them with a one-time, half-price performance, or if you must, a free, one-hour performance. This is just something to get your foot in the door--nothing more, and be sure that you make this perfectly clear. Then, if they like what you have to offer, you can work out a schedule that fits their budget and yours as well.
Good Luck,
Gary
_________________________
PSR-S950, TC Helicon Harmony-M, Digitech VR, Samson Q7, Sennheiser E855, Custom Console, and lots of other silly stuff!
K+E=W (Knowledge Plus Experience = Wisdom.)
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
#146651 - 03/01/05 10:39 AM
Re: Percentage of sales gig deals
|
Member
Registered: 02/20/05
Posts: 88
|
Hi there!
I want to express two key things here:
- Music is not business - Business is not music
What this means is that the value lies in the relationship between the performer's music and his heart. Business in musical terms is when a musician expresses himself in a way that makes his heart visible to the audience. The value of such an artist should be weighted against the best possible guess of how much money the performers performance can be converted to. If you are really whole hearted and give in overflow on stage it means your performance is rich and of high quality. Quality is not cheap. So before you try to figure out what to ask for in money, ask yourself honestly first: "How much am I prepared to give others on stage and what are the guarantees for this coming real?"
It is not your "talent" or songs that are of value, it is the reason behind it that decides the price. If you want to become rich economically on gigs you really need to give, give, give both to the music and to the audience. This means being honest against yourself and the audience, taking responsibility for your talent in public and having a humble attitude towards yourself and others. So that way you become a high quality artist that people respect and pay in return. By being a professional you know that you don't accept people giving shitty low sums and bad response, you simply choose to not put yourself in such a situation and context and when you realise you are in such a greedy place you say you are not satisfied with the offer and leave the place. This is a huge mistake that a lot of artists do. They simply sell their talent to music killers and get stuck, because they believe the only person that can set a fair price tag is everybody except yourself. Remember that it is you that set a fair price and what you want to achieve during your career. Then it's just a matter of selecting places where people pay as much as you give.
If you want to enter the really high level, you need a personal coach that shares your musical responsibility externally and his main task is to analyze how much you currently give, what you currently give and what you should change/add to fulfill the value of your price tag you've decided to put on yourself. He will also help you decide who is paying well and who is trying to steal from you. BTW, this is a cheap way of getting to the top in a fast and easy way... Giving is the key! Best regards, YamahaAndy
[This message has been edited by YamahaAndy (edited 03-01-2005).]
[This message has been edited by YamahaAndy (edited 03-01-2005).]
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
#146658 - 03/02/05 06:52 AM
Re: Percentage of sales gig deals
|
Senior Member
Registered: 07/09/02
Posts: 1087
Loc: Atlanta, Georgia
|
This is not some esoteric thought exercise here - it's much simpler than that.
I provide a freelance professional service for my clients and all I have to be compensated for is my time. This is no different from hiring a lawyer or a plumber or any other service. I charge a set fee for the evening or by the hour but I never take a "percentage" of anything, which is just asking for an accounting problem.
My business is entertainment - I'm not a bar/restaurant proprietor. This is an important fundemental point - I am not investing in the business I am serving... the risk for a good turnout is entirely theirs, as is the profit or loss. I've already invested a lot in time, equipment, talent and more in my own business before I walk in the door and it is backed up by my references, my CD, and my word. I will do a great job of providing musical entertainment and being a gracious host under the supervision of the business' designated manager, but that is the end of my obligation. If you can't afford me, it is my duty to my family to find someone who can.
I know that you might be tempted to work something out with small bar owners to establish entertainment where it isn't currently, but I advise against anythihg other than a reasonably good hourly fee. There's more at stake than you realize - your professional reputation is on the line and working cheap is not the reputation you want. If you think all bar owners are cheapskates just wait until you ask for a raise. Better to have a set hourly fee in place - if it's slow you work fewer hours and when it's busy you work more but the fee doesn't change so there's nothing to debate at pay time. Any other arrangement enters you into a joint partnership with the business, and you have to decide whether you want to be an entertainer first or something else.
As for YamahaAndy's rhetoric - I play passionately and to the best of my ability everytime I play. I am a professional and my clients deserve no less than my best always. My references can attest to that - some of my clients have hired repeatedly for many years. If a business wants professional entertainment, the only question should be how much money to pay me and for how long. I become very humble and gracious when dealing with the actual bar/restaurant customers, which in turn helps with my tips and CD sales, but when dealing with the person hiring me I am utterly confident in the value of my services. I have to be.
Just be aware and assume that every word you say to a bar/restaurant owner or manager when you negotiate for your services will be repeated to every other person you'll ever try to get a job from. These guys talk. Besides, they know their business and they know when they are dealing with a pro or some hack, so have your game face and plan ready from the start.
_________________________
Jim Eshleman
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|