How To Book Gigs - 6 Steps To Stage Success

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 How To Book Gigs - 6 Steps To Stage Success

Do you believe you have the talent, work ethic, desire and skills to become a successful singer-
songwriter/recording artist?
Do you wonder how other people seem to get the “great gigs” that you want?
Do you want to play more shows, bigger shows, tour, play more profitable shows and perform
with your musical heroes?
Can you picture yourself performing for 1,000s of fans?

This guide will show you how to reach for those goals and accomplish them!

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 How To Book Gigs - 6 Steps To Stage Success
Hey everybody - Tim Charron here,
The reason why I wrote this book is because I get asked many times per week how I book my
own gigs, gain more fans and how I’ve built my independent music career. I want to help as
many musicians as possible, and this book is the best way for me to help you, no matter where
you are located in the world, to accomplish your musical goals. If I could go back in time, teach
myself everything I know now, and save years of struggle, this is what I would share.
As I’ve been building my own career, I created a 6 Step System that has allowed me to go from
playing barstools (the best way to launch your career in my opinion)… to the Big Stage,
performing for tens of thousands of fans, touring the U.S. and overseas, as well as opening for
legendary main stage national artists such as: Willie Nelson, Charlie Daniels, Dustin Lynch,
Chris Young, Big & Rich, Bret Michaels, Randy Travis, Tyler Farr, Allison Kraus, Clint Black,
Sara Evans, Rodney Atkins, 1000 Horses, Jamey Johnson, Eli Young Band, Justin Moore, Neal
McCoy…and tons more.
It’s a simple 6 STEP SYSTEM that will allow pretty much any artist to book High Value Gigs.
These are gigs that will put money in your pocket, and/or put you in front of huge crowds of
music fans.
I hope this book gives you ideas, inspiration, actionable info and much success.
- Tim

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 How To Book Gigs - 6 Steps To Stage Success
The 6 Steps to Stage Success:
1. Know Your Market
2. Content Is King
3. Invest in Yourself
4. The No Pitch Policy
5. The Big “O” Organize
6. Own The Stage
Now, like anything worth doing, each of these steps is a process. That’s what I am breaking
down in this book. What you’re reading right now will save you years of trial and error, as well
as untold blood, sweat and tears. It will put you on the fast track to building a successful music
career with the foundation of booking high-value gigs.
But you MUST follow the steps…

“First you have to believe in yourself…then it’s a knife-fight to the top.” – Lady
Gaga
The Big WHY
Why is booking gigs the MOST IMPORTANT thing for an independent
singer/songwriter/recording artist in the music business?
I am writing this book from the viewpoint of when I decided to pursue music full-time, which
meant playing 4-hour solo acoustic shows in bars and restaurants. So, as you climb the ladder
and gain momentum, you simply repeat the steps from where you’re currently at. It’s my
experience as an independent artist that “Everything” comes from booking and playing gigs.
When you book gigs and perform:

• You make money! Performance fees. Most bars will pay solo performers around $35-
$50 an hour minimum. This is great when you’re first starting out. Try making that
money streaming your music on Spotify. Play covers and originals. (The Beatles cut their
teeth as a cover band playing up to 8 hours a day.)

• You work on your craft and improve your show every time you get on a stage. You learn
the 1000’s of tiny details of what works, what doesn’t work, how to manage yourself
and/or a band, and how to socialize with live humans (fans, friends, patrons, owners,
bookers, security and sound crew).

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• You home in on who you are, and who you aren’t, as an artist.

• You gain actual, real life fans! You build your social media, website and EMAIL list.

• You make even more money! Sell merchandise (hats, shirts, stickers, CDs, etc). People
buy the hell out of CDs still… but mostly only at live shows.

• You impress the “REAL” music industry. (the music industry is saturated… especially
online. When you demonstrate that you are working your ass off and booking consistent
shows, it makes you stand out. You can’t deny work ethic.)

• You make even more money with tools like BMI LIVE and ASCAP OnStage. This is where
you submit your gigs online and document when & where you play your original songs.
Once a quarter they send you a check for the performance royalties! I’ve been doing it
for years… and money is good.

• You make MORE money passively with iTunes, CdBaby, etc… (make sure your music is
for sale on iTunes)

• You gain the magic word: MOMENTUM! You build your own music career. You don’t
rely on anyone else.
Momentum leads to even higher paying shows, bigger crowds, more fans, more merch sales,
more CD sales, more iTunes sales, etc. Repeat the process. It is a snowball effect. It’s ALL about
the gigs. Got it?

“Repetition is the mother of skill.” – Anthony Robbins

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All right let’s get steppin’!

The 6 Steps to Stage Success:

Step #1. Know Your Market-
DEFINE YOUR GENRE AND SOUND.
Know which famous acts you are similar to: This is short
hand for those in the music industry, as well as music fans in
general. You must make it easy for people who are booking
venues (as well as potential fans). For example, my music is
similar to Kenny Chesney, Jimmy Buffett, John Mellencamp, and Jason Aldean.
I can’t tell you how many times I ask people what they sound like and they don’t know how to
answer: Big Mistake! A lot musicians don’t want to put their music into a specific category, but
unfortunately it’s part of the business. You must have an elevator pitch (a quick, concise
description that you could tell in 15-30 seconds to someone on an elevator) for your style of
music.
Create a tagline. Mine is “Country Rock with a Twist of Lime.” It has the genre and the
description all in one. This is an on-going process of discovering who you are as an artist, but it
can change as you go. You don’t have to decide for the rest of your life, nothing is set in stone,
but you have to be able to describe what you do, and what you sound like, at each point in your
career.
FIND THE RIGHT VENUES:
Google local live music venues and events, and get their contact info. Make sure each venue
books the genre of music that you play. Sounds like common sense right? But you don’t want to
waste your time, or the venue’s time. If you are a 10 piece pop band with back up dancers,
don’t approach heavy metal venues.
Follow similar bands/acts, and see where they play. Go out to and support other
musicians/artists. This is a great thing to do not only because the venues AND the other artists
will really appreciate your support, but you will meet others in the process.
We are all in this crazy business of music together, the more you build up other musicians, the
better it will be for you. Often they’ll invite you to sit in with them and as a result, you’ll be
offered gigs… happens all the time. DO NOT go to your friend's gig and ask them to hook you up
with the booking agent, or approach the venue that night. That is rude. There is a time a place
to do business, and this is not it.
On that note, gig swap with your friends. If you have a venue you are playing that they would
be good for, put in a good word. Ask them to do the same for you.

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If you are just starting out, play open mics or unpaid shows (solo, duo, trio, band…whatever you
can afford) in order to capture content: bars, restaurants, birthdays, boats, barns, parties,
graduations, school, house concerts, battle of the bands, keg parties, side stages… For
inspiration, read Taylor Swift’s story of how she started out.
It’s important to know your worth at each point in your career. Again, this might sound like
common sense, but I know some singer/songwriters who believe they “deserve’ to make a
certain amount of money per show. You must build your name, brand, and following before
you can charge more.
There is always a sliding scale between making money, getting in front of bigger audiences, and
resume building gigs.

Step #2. Content is King-

CREATE: All you need is a good phone or simple digital camera for live/performance photos.
LIVE PERFORMANCE PHOTOS: No empty rooms or clubs. Think camera angles. You want to
release only the best shots. Always have the person shooting photos look for angles with a
good background. If there are 8 people at your gig, angle the shot so it looks like a packed
room. If there is not a lot of people at the gig get closeup shots of you and/or the band. If there
is no stage, shoot down and at an angle so you don’t see the back ceiling. Never show ‘empty
space.’ You are only as big the STAGE you are on. YOU ARE WHAT YOU SHOW THE WORLD.
- A picture is worth 1,000 words
LIVE PERFORMANCE VIDEOS: Basically the same: No rooms or clubs that look empty. Only
release the best of you content. Always have the person shooting look for angles with a good
background, and have them capture it in a way that it looks busy (either from the stage or
behind the crowd/grouping of friends). If there’s not a lot of people at the gig, get closer up
shots of you and the band. Never show empty space. Video is becoming more and more
important in marketing, so remember, YOU ARE WHAT YOU SHOW THE WORLD.
- A video is worth a 1,000,000 words
I sound like I’m repeating myself because I am repeating myself! Sometimes you have to repeat
yourself to make a point (remember that next time you’re in front of a microphone). Now, most
musicians want to skip this step and start playing the big stages, but I advise you to play lots of
small gigs before going for bigger stages. This is what will allow you to gain the experience and
confidence necessary to command an audience once you start to book those High Value Gigs.
You have to give booking agents your VISION. They can’t imagine you on a bigger stage with a
bigger crowd. You must make it easy for them. Don’t tell them… show them!
Start by capturing ONE great photo and ONE great piece of live video, and use those until you
get more great content. Advertise your smaller gigs, but if they don’t ‘look’ impressive in
photos or video, do not release the photos and footage from them until you become known for
playing big stages.

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Now having said all of this, it took me years and years of playing solo, barstool, tiki bars, and
restaurants to build it up. It’s a process. If you currently play small bars on the floor, or small
stages with dart boards behind the drums, that’s a great place for you to gain momentum. I
created my career playing solo acoustic on 100’s of barstools, it is the BEST way to launch.
But, when you decide to advance to bigger stages, you MUST promote your content with you
on BIGGER STAGES. It’s as simple as that.
“BABY STEPS” – Bill Murray
WHERE YOUR CONTENT LIVES:
I was asked this question just the other day: Should I put together an EPK ( Electronic Press Kit)
for my band? It’s my experience that you will only be taken seriously if you have a real website.
Your website IS your EPK. This is CRUCIAL. I use Hostbaby. $20 a month. They have a number of
templates, super easy to put together. You can update it yourself.
You need a website because you need your content in one place where venues and music
industry folks can go to see your promo photos, tour
dates, live photos and VIDEOS of you performing, as
well as listen to your music. Make it easy for them.
Your website should have links to your Social Media:
Facebook, Instagram, YouTube. If you can, have
“widgets” that post your last few Tweets or Instagram
updates, so the sight always looks current.
Sending booking agents, or anyone in the music
industry, to scour all over your Facebook or Twitter
feed, or any other social media, will tell them you
don’t know what you’re doing! Follow the KISS
philosophy: Keep It Simple Stupid!
OFF-LINE MARKETING: Marketing posters, handbills,
direct mail, not just social. Look at other industries for
marketing inspiration.
In real estate, everyone, sends out postcards with their photo/headshot to their mailing lists.
Yes…Snail mail! The Post Office. Stamps and such.
While no one in music seemed to be doing this, I borrowed the idea and have been printing
postcards for years. I send them in the mail to venues, music industry contacts, autograph them
for fans at shows as well as mail them to fans. What should you have on the postcard other
than contact info? Professional photos and live concert photos on BIG STAGES, (preferably with
tons of fans in the photos), career accomplishments, or any other type of “Social Proof” that
other people like your music and hire you to perform.

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Here are some examples of the postcards I use:

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Think of other industries that you can pull ideas from, that would be considered ‘outside the
box’ in the music business. Then utilize them, because I guarantee you, very few others are, and
this is what makes you stand out from the crowd.

Step #3. Invest in Yourself-

CREATE YOUR OWN CONCERT SHOWCASE. The ‘end game’ is to generate great content. There’s
a lot of truth to the phrase ‘Content is King!’
So, here’s what I did:
I used some of my solo ‘barstool gig’ money to pay for a breakthrough, full band showcase,
concert. I searched for the right venue. I did it on the best stage, with the best lighting and
sound, I could find in my hometown. The key is to make sure it’s the SMALLEST club, with the
best stage and lights. If you draw 75 people to a small club, it looks packed!
I booked a slow Thursday night in my hometown, where I hadn’t played a full band gig in many
years. It was booked 6 months in advance. I played for FREE. Meaning I spent a lot of money. I
paid a professional band out of my pocket. I invited everyone I ever met, and all of my family,
WAY in advance. I paid for posters, and drove around town putting them on every telephone
pole I could. I bought extra merchandise to sell at the show (t-shirts, posters, CD’s, etc.).
I asked my followers social media if they wanted ½ price tickets, then personally mailed each
and every person those tickets, and wrote them a little note like “Can’t wait to see you at the
show.” Yes, it was a ton of freakin’ work. I reminded everyone with texts, phone calls, and tons
of social media the week before.
I put an insane amount of time, effort, and money into this one show. We played 3 sets that
night – I changed clothes during breaks like Lady Gaga. Why? In the videos and pics I made it
look like we played a mini tour: 3 big shows on a nice stage, tons of fans with great sound and a
light show. At the venue, before we played, I talked to everyone there and asked them to be at
the front of the stage because we were shooting
video…most people LOVE being part of the show,
and in the video.
Since that 1 show, I have also invested in 3 sets of
stage banners, 2 sets of fog machine jets with
lights, and a wireless mic so whatever stage I’m on
looks like I have a HUGE production… it all fits
neatly into my Honda Element.

Here’s a great tip: play a few covers that

EVERYONE knows, so you can get photos and
video of them singing along. I mean it… GO ALL
OUT and do whatever it takes!
The result? WE PACKED THE PLACE! We broke the
club’s record for a weekday, and they offered us a standing, great paying gig, for anytime I

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wanted to come back. We got amazing footage of the band, and got amazing footage with the
‘fans’ dancing and singing along.
I put an insane amount of time, effort and money into this one show. (Did I already say that?)
Why? Because the video footage and photos put me on the fast-track for Higher Value Gigs,
and gave me incredible momentum that I used to propel my career.

“Repetition is the mother of skill.” – Anthony Robbins

Step #4. The No-Pitch Policy-

THE ANTI-SALESMAN APPROACH: Do not make “sales” calls… but you must make calls!
Make it easy on yourself and DO NOT try to convince someone to book you the first time you
call. Only touch base or schedule a time to meet. Have fun with it, keep it light, and brighten
someone’s day. They will remember you for this!!
So here’s the key to making calls: Keep it quick, casual, and ‘non-pitchy.’ Let me give you an
example of one: “Hey Jane this is Tim Charron with the Tim Charron Band. We play “Country
Rock with a Twist of Lime,” and I wanted to grab your email address so we can submit for
Tortuga Fest.” Jane gives you email address. “Thanks Jane, I’ll shoot you an email with a link to
our website with live videos and all of our info in one place.”

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BOOM – Now send the email. Put “Jane, from Tim Charron (just spoke) Tortuga Fest” in the
title/subject line. Include your website/contact info. I recommend you have it your email
signature so you don’t have to type it every time.
Simple right? Show, don’t tell!!
Train yourself to master what 99% of other people don’t, or won’t, do. In the game of booking
high value gigs, that is simply making calls and then following up. These two simple tasks are
your secret weapons.
Once you build your momentum, the one thing that you didn’t want to do (making calls for gigs)
becomes quite enjoyable. There are a lot of cool people that book shows and events, and you
will develop relationships and friendships with them. 😊

Step #5. The Big “O” – Organize-

NOT SEXY, BUT IMPORTANT: I use a simple system that I’ve developed over the years. In order
to keep it simple, all I use is an Online Calendar, a Word Document, plus the online database
www.Festivalnet.com. Oh, and a phone. Remember that part above about making calls and
following up?
By the way, the online database is optional. If you’re looking to book festivals, it lists hundreds
around the country. You can search by region, town, state, or within a radius of anywhere you
choose. The fact that you can save notes in the system is crucial as that helps you stay
organized.
Every time you make a call or send an email, take notes in a Word doc (or your online data base
like festivalnet.com). When you are booking gigs, pull up your Word doc, record the date, who
you talked to, what they said, what kind of gig/event, and anything else to remind you of the
details of the call.
Use an online calendar (I use Google). I have a separate one for Gig follow up. Put the name of
the event in the calendar. After you make contact, MOVE that event to the date YOU NEED TO
FOLLOW UP. It could be in a week, a month, or a year. But put it in your calendar!
Go through that calendar a few times a week. Whatever comes up that week is something you
should be following up on. Copy/Paste that event into the search field on your Word doc to find
your notes, and the contact info for the venue. Easy breezy, right?
When you call a festival and say, “Hey there Steven, we spoke about the Country Mega-Festival
back on July 3rd and I wanted to see if you are still booking acts for it.” That comes across as
professional and organized. You will blow their mind! Remember, do the thing that 99% of
others don’t, or won’t, do.

“Strive For Greatness.” – Lebron James

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Step #6. Own the Stage-

ALL THE WORLD IS A STAGE. Whether you are playing at a tiki bar for 15 people, or an arena for
15,000, your performance is your best marketing tool. Not only for the concert attendees, but
the booking agents and, of course, your photo/video content that you will release later. Are you
starting to see how all the steps work together?
Now this is very important: Your performance does NOT begin when you walk onto the stage. It
starts long before the show, and continues long after the show. You are connecting with
people through the entire event.
You are building your long-term career one fan at a time. Treat everyone like they just came to
your show, and supported your whole life’s work. Even if they just happened to swing by for
happy hour.
Talk to as many people as possible at your show before you go on… At the very least, just say
hi. Introduce yourself. I know this can be rough depending on the schedule but it’s important.
Perform on stage to the best of your ability. When you perform, it’s imperative to learn how to
read the room (this is where all those smaller gigs come into play). If you are playing solo
acoustic at a restaurant jumping off the speakers might be a bit dramatic. Play to the room.
After your show is over, this is when you really must take the time to get closer to fans, venue
employees and staff, booking agents, club owners, etc. CONNECT with them. Don’t hide away
drinking beers in the green room. You want the manager/booking agent/club owner to become
a fan too. This is VERY IMPORTANT!!
Do NOT leave the venue after your show. This is your chance to make those all-important
connections with individuals who will be able to help build your career, buy your music and
merch, and ultimately support you for years to come. We call them FANS!
Announce from the stage that you will be at the merch table and would love to meet every one
of them. You will be surprised how many will come up to you afterwards just to shake your
hand. Shake their hand, and make a fan! If people have a personal connection with you, they
will be more inclined to follow your career, buy your merch, and tell their friends. Giving
someone just 30 seconds of your time at a show works miracles. Plus, who doesn’t love talking
to people that like their music/art? We got into music as a way to connect with others in the
first place, right?

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(Notice the postcards and sharpie in my back pocket? Here’s a tip: Sign autographs from the stage)

You must treat your fans like royalty, VIP’s, and precious diamonds.
It’s all about the fans!
It’s all about the fans!
It’s all about the fans!

“Repetition is the mother of skill.” – Anthony Robbins

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FINAL THOUGHTS…
The vision of having a ton of fans, performing for 1000’s of people, opening for your idols that
you grew up listening to, and getting PAID for it, is not a just a dream. It’s a reality. Waiting for
YOU to claim it!
The great thing is that YOU are one of the very few that are actually going for your “Dream.”
(How do I know that? You read to the end of this book 😉)
It’s much, much easier to never try than to be out in the world hustling and making a name for
yourself. The difference is YOU will not have regrets. You won’t say “what if” because you are
DOING IT! Little by little we can all climb this ladder together. This 6 Step System is laid out in
such a way that with each milestone your reach in your career, and as your shows get bigger,
you can go back to step one and repeat the process. Keep setting the stage for success.
Success requires a work ethic, talent, tenacity, perseverance, passion, and professionalism.
These are the skills that every business puts to use, and works to improve upon. As musicians,
we need to work on these together. We live in a collaborative world - not a competitive world,
and my goal is to create a community of like-minded, passionate people that encourage and lift
one another up. If you take anything from this book, and apply it to help you achieve a greater
level of success, then I’ve achieved my goal.
If you found this helpful send your friends to : www.HowToBookGigs.com so they can get their
own copy and get on my email list to get more tips on being a successful performing musician.
I want to hear your success stories!

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About the author: Tim Charron is an American singer, songwriter, recording artist who splits his
time between Nashville, TN and Miami Beach Fl. He is the creator of the “Country Rock with a
Twist of Lime” genre, and his song “Chasing the Sun” was featured in the film of the same title,
“Chasing the Sun.” He is also the founder of www.AntiBullyTour.com.
Tim has opened for Willie Nelson, The Charlie Daniels Band, Clint Black, Chris Young, Sara Evans, Big &
Rich, Dustin Lynch, Bret Michaels (of Poison), Rodney Atkins, Scotty McCreery, Darryl Worley, Randy
Travis, Justin Moore, 1000 Horses, Allison Kraus, Tyler Farr, Eli Young Band, Grand Funk Railroad, Jon
Pardy and more.

For more information, visit www.TimCharron.com

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