Every once in a while here at Educate and Entertain, we cut right to the chase.
For your skimming pleasure today, I present one short and sweet takeaway from each of the last twelve articles.
It’s taken me years to learn this stuff!
Links to each post are provided if you’d like to explore any of these topics in greater detail.
Diving Right In…
Here are twelve quick and hard-won tips from the last twelve articles:
#1. Want to get to the next place with your career? Stop dabbling and commit.
#2. Got a low paying gig offer? Sometimes you can stick to your guns on pricing and still get booked.
#3. You can sell more “merch” after concerts by simply moving the sales table away from the stage.
(read “7 Ways to Sell More Merch at Your Gigs”)
#4. When you find your niche and really specialize, you no longer compete with acts who will play for peanuts.
(read “Booking Gigs: The Power of Specialization”)
#5. Video is red hot on Facebook right now. Use it and you’ll reach considerably more people.
(read “More Engagement on Facebook Right Now!”)
#6. Change your website’s title tags (easy!) and more people will find you.
#7. Make a habit of checking your spam folders daily. You’ll find gigs there.
#8. Testimonials on a “Testimonials” page is a bad idea – – put them where people can’t miss them.
#9. If your subject line sucks (and it just might), your email doesn’t get opened and read. Period.
(read “Email Subject Lines That SUCK”)
#10. Pursue sponsorships and endorsements for credibility and valuable partnerships, not for free stuff.
(read “Sponsorships and Endorsements: A Beginner’s Guide”)
#11. School performers can work from home for $150-750/day through CILC.
(read “School Gig Opportunity: Do You Know About CILC?”)
#12. There’s a free calculator you can use to determine a sustainable hourly rate for your work.
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About The Blog
Since leaving a white-collar marketing job in 1992, Dave Ruch has been educating and entertaining full-time in schools, historical societies and museums, folk music and concert venues, libraries, and online via distance learning programs.
Along the way, he’s learned a great deal about supporting a family of four as a musician.
The Educate and Entertain blog provides articles, tips, encouragements, and how-to’s for regional performers (in any region) interested in making a great full-time living in the arts.
Hey Dave,
I’m really enjoying these emails that you send us on a regular basis. However I’m finding it increasingly difficult to find paid gigs here in Australia. There are so many limits on funding here in Australia for musicians. Unless you’re a contemporary musician. Also as I’ve said before most places here in Australia won’t hire you unless you’ve had at least two years experience. I’ve just completed my Diploma of Music online and I am making enquiries to complete my Degree in Creative music online. So until the powers that be here in Australia relax the grant criteria or move with the times (like your country), I’ll have to keep trying to do Volunteer gigs and slowly get the (2 years required experience) that way.
Cheers
Michael
Best of luck with it Michael!