Skol303 Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 Hi Rick, I reckon phone calls are certainly going to get you the best results. I've never promoted bands but I used to work in the music press, which sometimes involved more of a 'PR' role in trying to get coverage of particular bands and events and magazines. What worked for me in that context was: 1. Identifying and dealing with the person who makes the final decision, not their underlings. 2. Being concise and to the point. Setting out what you're offering and what you want before getting into any detail. 3. Being confident but not cocky in how you 'sell' your act. The meek do not inherit the stage! - they more often get ignored or exploited. 4. Being persistent but not a pain in the ass. Leave your name & number and call back if the person you want to speak isn't available (always better than leaving a long message). Follow up the initial phone call with an email, reiterating what was discussed. Be proactive and organised - because you can't rely on the people you're dealing with to do the same. 5. Using good quality images... or none at all (poor quality photos do more harm than good). I'd say the photos you're currently using aren't ideal for PR/booking purposes. "The first bite is with the eye," etc... If possible, I'd strongly recommend getting some professional images taken - this doesn't have to be an expensive exercise, most colleges/Unis will have photography students looking for portfolio work who'll likely do it for beer money (or you might have a mate with a fancy camera?). I've quickly had a go at re-hashing the email you're using - see below. Not that the original text was bad, I've just tweaked it here and there as though I were sending it out myself. ---------- [i]Hi [NAME < VERY IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THIS PERSONALLY!] I understand you're the person in charge of booking live acts at [VENUE/EVENT NAME]. My name is Ricky and I represent Cerberus Cell. We're a death metal band from Cambridgeshire with a strong following. We combine traditional musicianship with the latest technology, using guitars and vocals alongside programmed drums and synths to create a unique live show. We've heard good things about [VENUE/EVENT NAME] and would like to discuss how we could arrange a gig at your venue [/event] in the near future. We are about to launch our first album, "Lessons In Divinity" [LINK TO DEMO], which is already gaining major interest since it was first aired at a pre-release party in November. We are now keen to capitalise on our growing support and bring our live show (as well as our fanbase) to new locations across the UK. Please let me know whether you'd like to discuss this further. I'd be happy to arrange a meeting if you're interested. Kind regards, Ricky Greenwood[/i] ---------- Hope that helps mate and good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted December 5, 2012 Author Share Posted December 5, 2012 Whoa thanks Skol! Owe you a beer mate, and on the photo front one of the promotion companies I contacted yesterday has since moved on from doing promos to professional photography. However, as I impressed and chatted (we ended up exchanging numbers and continuing to stay in contact through text) we've been offered an hour long photoshoot for an amazing price So good photos early next year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 ^ No probs mate, I'm more than happy to help a fellow BC'er! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 I looked at your FB page too. In my opinion you have too many photos that don't say anything. You need to have a good spring clean so that only your best action shots and group portraits are up. Delete all the old profile and cover photos. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted December 5, 2012 Author Share Posted December 5, 2012 Good point thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rOB Posted December 5, 2012 Share Posted December 5, 2012 [quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1354695753' post='1889136'] The busiest venues are booked solid through to 2014. [/quote] I don't know if this is possible for you but I've got in with venues in the past by offering the band as a short notice fill in for when other bands cancel on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted December 6, 2012 Share Posted December 6, 2012 True about the pub side of things & death metal. You need to find more specialised venues. Dirty south , Barfly ? Most pubs prefer covers IMHO , as its easier to play for people who wanna hear choons. (Sorry) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted December 6, 2012 Author Share Posted December 6, 2012 I know, luckily a fellow BCer dropped me a line letting me know about a dedicated metal pub who now seem quite keen for us to play Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.