The answer to this question is simple, straightforward, but not necessarily the easiest to hear.
The best way to get booking agents to take you seriously is to ignore them, not worry about them at all and wait for them to eventually approach you.
Ignore them?
Not worry about them?
Wait till they approach you?
How Does One Achieve This?
Think about it for a moment - booking agents see you and your band as a commodity that has a certain price tag on it. For an example, let’s say right now your band might only be worth $100 for a thirty minute slot on a Saturday night. When you’re able to demand $1,000 a show and can sell out a 250 capacity room without much effort, then you’ll be sure to grab the attention of a booking agent.
I guarantee it!
At that stage, the issue of will they take you seriously is no longer an issue because your value as a band to them is much greater and they will automatically take you seriously because they see possible financial reward from investing their time into your commodity, which is your band.
I know this sounds really dry and un-arty, but the reality is that if you break it down to it’s simplest form, that is what is really going on and to really understand the answer to this question, it’s important to understand the mechanics of the situation.
A booking agent sits on the phone all day long, cutting deals, booking rooms, organizing tour schedules, gossiping and a whole lot more. To get one of them to take you seriously, you must be able to prove worth
Additionally, when you can start to prove worth and pulling power in terms of packing out rooms, you will realize very quickly how much easier it is to get the attention of a booking agent. Remember that it is their job to be finding the next great talents of the world and if they haven’t come knocking at your door yet, there is probably a good reason why.
This does not mean to say that you should throw in the towel and give up, rather it means that more work and effort needs to go into your career before you reach that next step of a professional doing it for you.
The whole concept of dealing with booking agents at the beginning of one’s music career is generally very misunderstood. By realizing that all booking agents are driven by the amount of commissions they can make out of you and the strength of the career path they can envision for you, you’ll slowly start to realize booking your own shows until you can prove your value and pulling power might be the best way to go and ultimately get agents to eventually take you seriously.
In my humble little opinion this is really the only way to get an agent to take you seriously.
The Upside To This Approach?
At least you don’t have to waste your money sending demo’s out to people who’ve never heard of you and will most likely never listen to the CD you send them anyway.
Tags: Booking Agents
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