Are you looking for steady singing gigs? Here’s a step-by-step process that only takes 10.5 hours:
Phase I: Preparation
- Watch the movie “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and pay attention to the process of how Loretta got started and what exactly Doo did. This movie encapsulates your strategy and steps for success. [2 hours]
- Have a couple of dozen songs always ready to sing. This assumes you have both the repertoire and the voice ready to sing. You should have at least pianist and/or accordionist at least who is part of your act. You must both be paid.[You have invested hundreds/thousands of hours already: what you have is enough.]
- Have a “headshot” photo of you and of you and the pianist. Use your camera phone to take the picture if you are broke. [30 minutes]
- For the ladies, have a singing outfit always ready to go. The outfit should fit your act. Learn how to make your own outfits or get your sister or mother to make them. For the guys, look through GQ and find something current to wear. [4 hours]
- Make a list of every Italian restaurant of any size, yes even pizzerias, within a 30 miles radius of your house. [2 hours]
- Make a list of every Karaoke bar within a 30 mile radius of your house. [2 hours]
Don’t be a perfectionist, because you will evolve both 1 and 2 above many times but start NOW!!!
Phase II: Promotion-People can’t buy what they don’t know about.
- Every Friday and Saturday night, starting this weekend, go to at least six venues from lists 5 and 6 above: 3 Italian restaurants and 3 Karaoke bars.[4 hours]
- At the restaurants talk to the managers and offer to sing the following night for an hour for free.
- At the Karaoke bars sing at least 6 times.
- During the Karaoke bar singing, have your best friend digitally record each of your performances. You and your friend edit the best performances.Put your best performances on YouTube and on DVD. Make a 12 DVDs. Hand write your name, phone number, and email address on the DVD. Also put your headshot on the DVD.
- Repeat steps 1, 2, and 3 every weekend without fail. On long weekends sing every night of the weekend.
In 10.5 hours you are underway!
Getting Paid
Insist on being paid per service, not per hour or per song. Client will try to negotiate but don’t negotiate on the per service aspect. The client is paying for the act, that is for you and the accompanist. Minimum asking price should be no less than $500 for the evening. But getting paid only comes after a few free nights of demonstration singing. You might have to sing for a week end for free.
For corporate gigs, bar mitzfas, weddings, etc, you must insist on being paid in advance. People may be too drunk to write a check by the end so get it before you set up. When you negotiate the gig tell them you get paid when you show up, don’t make it a surprise.
For church performances the same applies, per service not per song or per hour.
If you will actively do the following for 3 months you will start to get some steady gigs.
