Booking Bands in a Digital Age; it's not what you think.

This week I have spent much of my time booking the band our company, Trade Sound Productions manages; CO-OP. One would think this would be generally easy since the lead singer is the son of rock legend Alice Cooper, but it's not. The most difficult aspect is getting clubs who have never heard of the band to respond to either emails, or voice mails. When I do get a response I practically host a mini party. Usually this is my own personal dance party. With clubs and venues going strictly online through their websites and social media accounts for contact, bands can get lost in the mix. I have recently found our best foot in the door, is an actual, physical foot in the door. The face-to-face meeting has proven even though "old school," is still the best strategy to booking a band. Mina Change the Chief Executive Officer and President of Linking the World International stated "In today’s fast-paced world, you can’t forget to embrace humanity. Take time to genuinely get to know people because they are your best assets. Understanding why people do business is more important than understanding what they do, and this kind of understanding is only attainable through in-person interactions". I agree with her statement completely, and the strategy is working for me. According to the Time Management Ninja, the top five reasons it is important to have a face-to-face meeting are 1) Body Language is Communication,2) Ensures Engagement (you can see the person actually listening to you), 3) Clarifies Meaning (anything misunderstood can be followed up with instantly in person), 4) Drives Participation, 5) More Efficient According to Craig Jarrow "in face-to-face situations there is a greater pressure to get to the point". I have been out to two venues recently to meet the owners in person. These meetings have made all the difference in the world. I now have four dates booked for the band because of these face-to-face meetings. I have followed up after the meetings with voice-mails and e-mails. I have also followed up with the appropriate digital information. Now the club owners have physical and digital press-kits, and our actually meeting solidifying our relationship. A smile and a hand shake still go a long way in the digital world. References Change, M., (February 2015), Why Face-to-Face Meetings are so Important. Forbes, retrieved from www.forbes.com/sites/ellevate/2015/02/20/why-face-to-face-meetings-are-so-important Jarrow, C.,(2015),5 Reasons Why Meeting Face-to-Face Is Best, The Time Management Ninja, retrieved from http://timemanagementninja.com/2012/10/5-reasons-why-meeting-face-to-face-is-best/