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From Amateur to
Pro
A Five-Part Series by
Craver
Part 4: Selling Yourself
Being talented is great, but without sales, no gigs
will come your way. Whether
you consider yourself a "salesman" or not, you must sell
yourself to get paid gigs.
Everyone is a salesman.
Ever ask your mom for some money as a kid? Ever try to convince your significant other that the show you
want to watch if far superior than their choice? Ever go on a job interview?
In each case, you were selling.
Selling is simply trying to convince someone to see
things your way.
When selling a gig, you are actually helping a
venue owner solve a problem, "how to get more people through the
door" or "butts in chairs".
You are a solutions provider.
Your performance will attract people to the venue.
End of problem!
Confidence. You
must have it to be a performer, right?
Well, you must also have it when selling.
Believe that your music will entertain.
Know that you will bring a following with you. Venue owners want to find quality entertainment.
Many bands tell the same tale.
You must convince the owner that you will deliver.
Tell venues about how many myspace friends you
have. Tell them about that
last show you did and how successful it was.
This will break down their resistance.
Get yourself a high-quality demo done at a studio (Groove Tunes Studios).
A couple of well produced songs will give venue operators a feel for
your music. Include a slick poster is also a good idea.
Until you have a solid track record and reputation,
you may have to audition. See
if the venue has an open mic night.
Show up with a few band mates and knock out a few songs.
Leave the Marshall stack at home.
Keep it simple. Nothing
sells like a quality live-demo.
If you still find the idea of selling distasteful,
find yourself a manager. A
good manager will should be able to sell and third-party sales tend to
be very effective.
Embrace the sales process.
Learn from every interview.
It is all part of your journey!
Check
out the other articles in this series:
Part 1: Get
Your Head On Straight
Part
2: Equipment
Part
3: Types Of Gigs
Part 5: Solo, Duo or Band?
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