Whether you’re a new artist or a seasoned one, the goal is often the same: getting booked for more shows. If you want to give your bookings a boost, we’ve put together some strategies that’ll get you more gigs so you can grow your music career.

Assess Your Readiness

Before you dive into the world of live shows, make sure you’re fully prepared. Booking a show you aren’t prepared for can make you look amateurish and potentially ruin other opportunities. Have a plan and know what you need in advance to make the show go smoothly.

Promote Your Band

A hugely successful way to get bookings to come to you is by promoting yourself. If you create a buzz, venues will be more interested in booking you. Many artists get caught up thinking they need to get booked before they can really promote themselves, but in fact, promotion is the key to getting the good gigs. Performing at open-mic nights, hosting your own online concert, and social sharing are all important parts of getting noticed and building name recognition.

Network and Reach Out

Use your existing connections and contacts to seek out opportunities for gigs. Reaching out to promoters and live venues is a must, so be prepared with a press kit or other promotional material to give out. Do your research and be prepared and professional at all times. Starting with local venues is a great way to reach out and be proactive, and they often are very willing to support local talent.

Networking and collaborating with other artists and industry professionals is also a great way to get a gig. Other artists might invite you to join their show, or you can connect with show organizers at concerts.

Build Off Other Gigs

Once you’ve got a few shows under your belt, try riding the wave. Where there’s one gig, there are probably more, so use the momentum from your current gig to get new gigs. If you had a great show at a particular venue, get in touch with the promoters or organizers and try to set up another show in the future, or use your successes to sell yourself to other clients and promoters.

Create an Experience

Don’t just play - give your audience a whole experience they will tell their friends about. If you can put on a good show, chances are high you’ll get booked again. Pleasing your audience means they’ll be back, and venues like this because they want to draw big audiences. Understand your crowd, connect with them, and interact as much as possible during your show. While it may take time, you’ll build a reputation for putting on a great show and the bookings will start to pile up.

To Sum It Up

Getting gigs can seem daunting at first, but it’s all about how much you put in. There’s no standard set of instructions for how to get booked, and every venue and every artist is unique. If you apply these tips and stay motivated, you’ll start to build up your bookings and become an in-demand act in no time.

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