And why you should not either…

I was talking with a friend of mine the other day; actually, the conversations has sort of grown as we’ve spent some time together. He is a songwriter and performer – looking to build a base of fans/passionate listeners. Recently, he performed at some local clubs that require a minimum draw. He met the minimum once but two times did not, requiring that he pay the venue.

He had another such gig coming up and he asked me if he should perform there. My answer was an emphatic no!!! Let’s discuss pay to play – and why I don’t do that.

Let’s split performers into two distinct groups. Those who have a large base of fans and those who don’t.

I fall into the second category. So does my friend. I am building pockets of support – across the US – which is rewarding. But largely, I am “building” – that’s the key word here. So is my friend.

Pay to Play – described

Pay to play takes a few different forms.

Guaranteed draw/minimum draw

This means the venue books you with the understanding that you will have at least 15, 20, 25, 50, X people at the show. They will pay you for each person above that number. For each person below that number, you pay the venue the ticket price.

So, if you need 15 people at the show and you get 5, you owe the venue $10 x 10 or $100.

Ticket to Sell

In this version, the venue gives your (or you buy) X number of tickets. You have to sell a certain amount to cover your cost or you can give them all out. Either way, if you don’t sell enough tickets to cover the cost,  you are out that money.

Buy-in

This version of pay-to-play involves an upfront fee to get on the bill or to get a time-slot. The venue will, at this point, pay you 100% of all fans who pay the cover-charge at the door.

Check your ego at the door

Here is the problem with pay to play. Typically, the band or artist wants so badly to play X venue – because other bands play there – that they agree to the terms. Then, they go about inviting friends and family to the venue.

By the 2nd or 3rd time doing this, your friends and family are pretty much tapped out. They are done seeing you and you are now underwriting the venue for the opportunity to play to the band that played before you – as they pack up and leave – and playing a couple songs for the band playing after you, and their friends and family – as they arrive.

What is your Goal?

You have to ask this question a lot. Are you simply looking for any place to play – and you just want to play for friends and family. If so, what does the pay for play venue get you?

A stage? A PA? Multi-colored lights? Hmmmm…

Grab 4 friends, a light and some colored paper, and play in your back-yard if that is the case. You get more than 40 minutes, you can rent a small PA for less than you’ll pay the venue, and you achieve the same thing.

Sure, you don’t get the glory of being on a stage and looking down at your three friends texting the friends who didn’t show…

On the other hand, if your goal is to build a base of fans/passionate listeners, there is another way.

Think Promotion and Opportunity

Here is a question..

Would you rather play play for your brother,  your mom, and your angry girlfriend/boyfriend or play for 5, 10, 20, etc. brand new listeners?

Nothing against your brother, mom, or your angry partner but I am guessing, when it comes right down to it, new listeners are the premium. They are what you want. They are what you hoped to get at the pay-to-play venue.

But, unless you are doing some great promotion, your new listeners are not there.

This is in part due to how we think about promotion and in part due to the venue. The pay to play venue has no true incentive for promoting your show. They’ve got your/their money. Their job is to fill the bill with acts that will invite enough friends to buy drinks at the bar. That’s full-time work!

Your job is to promote the show – and unfortunately, promoting through friends and family is just not that effective as a long-term strategy.

So, if you are going to promote a performance to NEW LISTENERS – why use a pay to play venue.

Instead, as a strategy, find a place that is inviting to new listeners and use an off-night strategy to book and promote your own show. For instance, an hour of music at a local cafe starting earlier than the 11:15 slot you had at the dive-bar.

Get flyers out, get some of your music to the venue. Get some of your music to surrounding businesses/vendors. (See my post on FREE CD’s). Let current passionate listeners – and yes, even friends and family know about the show.

And try to have a night back at the same venue already lined up 1 month later; or another local show – so you can promote it at the current show.

And make sure you have these other basics in place:

• A website (not a myspace, Facebook, or Reverbnation page – although you do need those) but a honest to goodness – ALLABOUTYOU.COM page. Own the network.
   
• An active mailing list. Use a professional service rather than your hotmail account. Act like you are a professional and people will start to believe it.
   
• Product/Anything to give out. Some postcards. A CD of 4 songs you recorded at your PC. A poster. A few t-shirts. A lyric sheet with a black and white picture. Let people take you home with them.

What I can tell you is that as your base grows, even the pay to play venues will want you there – and they won’t mention minimum draws.