Venues and Artists – A Complex Relationship

Last week, an interesting conversation erupted on a music list-serve that I participate in.  I think there is much to be learned from this both by the Venue Owners/Bookers and the Performing Artists who depend on those bookers for their gigs.  I have removed all of the names/locations because the real issues here are applicable across locations, genre and venue size.  If you are a performing artist looking to book gigs – I strongly recommend you read on – don’t make these mistakes yourself!  And if you are a venue owner or booker – you may also find this informative.

First an edited excerpt of the initial post from the booker:

I need some guidance or at least some constructive feedback.  The email text listed below was forwarded to us by multiple attendees of our [events].  This message was sent as an email to everyone who signed up for this artist’s email list when they performed at our [venue] about 18 months ago.

We never invite artists back to our series in less than 2 years and every artist who ever comes here knows that, whether they ask or not.  This artist did send an email to us this past September (less than 1 year after their concert) telling us about their interest in returning.  I still have the email in my “interested artist” email folder, but I did not send a reply.

While I know there are many people who expect that every email they send you requires a reply (and will get one) I find that impossible to comply with.  [snip] I should note, I receive at least 100 emails a day [snip]. I have also received 3 phone messages and 3 emails from the heating and AC company who has provided service on my heater in the past.  I don’t think they expect me to reply to every offer of service.  Why do musicians expect every email to receive a reply?

I must note that as we put together our [venue] calendar for late 2011 into 2012, we were seriously considering inviting these artists back.  That is now very unlikely to happen.  Is my skin too thin?  Do I want these musicians back at my dinner table?

Text of the Artist’s Email:

You may recall that you saw our group, at [venue].  We would love to come back to the [Region] to play, and we are looking for a venue.  Ideally, it would be [venue] again, but that seems unlikely, because [booker] does not respond to our emails.  So, I ask each of you who signed our email list if you have any suggestions.  If you are familiar with other [venues] in [region], where we are interested in playing, please let me know.  Or, if you would like to bring us in for a house concert in your place, without obligation other than to try really hard to attract 50 or so folks to see us there who would be willing to plunk down $15 each to see us (and for you to rent a few folding chairs), please let me know.

We have an agent who books us into performing arts venues, and we have tried for a couple of years to get into [other venues in the region].  If you have any clout at either of those places, or if you are a subscriber to or regular attendee at either of those venues, let me know, so we can conspire.

We released a new live CD.  If you are interested in purchasing it, please email me.  Cost is $15, plus $2.50 shipping and handling.

My reply to the post:

Thank you, [booker] for sharing this.  I think it is a learning opportunity for both venues and artists.  I’ve been following the responses and find the gap between the venues’ responses and artists’ responses on this list to be interesting and enlightening.

From a business coach’s perspective – here’s my (hopefully) constructive feedback:

First – for the venue owner/booker

We never invite artists back to our series in less than 2 years and every artist who ever comes here knows that, whether they ask or not.

How do you know that they know?  Is it in their contract?  Is it stated explicitly and visibly everywhere?  Do you ask them to sign something acknowledging that they will not be eligible to play again for 2 years?  I’m just wondering what method you have of making sure they know this policy.  Or are you assuming this?

While I know there are many people who expect that every email they send you requires a reply (and will get one) I find that impossible to comply with.

Ah, email overwhelm – I totally get that.  I have set up several “form letter” responses that I send when appropriate.  It’s pretty easy to create a notebook or other plain text file that lives on your desktop for easy access.  And then it’s simply – copy and paste, send and file.  And you could use filters and folders/labels as well to categorize – and it sounds like you’re already doing that.  However, I agree with several of the comments on the list that your relationship with an artist who you’ve booked should rank a degree higher than the general noise and you might consider honoring that with a reply, even a canned one.

It sounds like you were already a bit ticked off by them emailing you less then a year after their concert asking to come back. I’m curious what is your lead time for booking?  Do you book a year in advance?  Some venues do, in which case not waiting the full 2 years before contacting you is probably smart on their part.  And again, a form response (Thank you for your interest.  It is our policy to limit bookings to once every two years at most in order to offer a wider range of artists to our audience.  Please contact us again no sooner than 18 months after your most recent visit in order to be considered for a future date. ) or whatever…

And you could create a vacation response – that goes to everyone – basically pointing people in the right direction for information.  Something like:

If this is a personal email – please forgive the canned autoresponse – your email has been received and we will respond shortly
If you are looking for information about our upcoming shows click here….
To buy a ticket click here…
If you are an artist looking for booking policies click here…

with links to the appropriate pages on your website – and you could create a contact form on your website for the artist booking page that asks for all the pertinent info you’ll need sent to you via email – which you can then create a filter for so it goes automatically in a folder and automatically gets a canned response, never hitting your inbox.  And you don’t have to look at it until you’re ready to do some booking!  You can even include the 2 year policy in your reply as a reminder.

Automating these things is by far the best way to lessen email overload.

I have also received 3 phone messages and 3 emails from the heating and AC company who has provided service on my heater in the past.  I don’t think they expect me to reply to every offer of service.  Why do musicians expect every email to receive a reply?

I’m curious – are you as annoyed by the persistence of your AC company as you are by the persistence of this artist?  I’m not saying the artist’s approach is right – I’m just wondering if you’re holding them differently – because to me, they’re both just marketing themselves – as all good business owners must do to be successful.

OK – now for the artists:

You may recall that you saw our group, XXX, at [Venue] in [Region] in the Fall of 2009.

This tells me that this artist is NOT using their newsletter list appropriately.  If the artist has to remind their list of who they are, they likely haven’t been in contact with this segment of their list for several months – WHAT?

Your email list should know who you are, because you’ve been connecting with them (not pitching/selling them) in a way that is entertaining and deepens their relationship with you.  Then, when you put out a request to help you find gigs in their neighborhood – they will want to help you!  Because they feel close to you and invested in your success.

Ideally, it would be [Venue] again, but that seems unlikely, because [Booker] does not respond to our emails.

This is just childish and very bad form.  While you, as an artist, may be able to sympathize with the feeling – this should never ever ever be expressed in an email.  Unprofessional.  In fact, by calling out the venue to their audience, you are burning bridges both with the audience (as evidenced by the fact that the audience members forwarded the email back to the booker!) and with the booker.  It’s pretty clear where the audience’s loyalty lies and it’s not with the artist – which means, again, no relationship was created.

Instead, all you need to say is:

…we’re touring in  [area] and looking to fill a few dates.  Any suggestions for venues are welcome – and if you have a personal connection with the particular venue, we very much appreciate your personal referral.  We’d love to do a house concert specially for our fans – if you’d like us to play in your livingroom – please contact….

You could offer a reward for the fan whose referral books you a show – like front row seats or signed merch or dinner with the artists – whatever.  But again – it’s offering value in exchange for support.  Its offering an opportunity for deeper relationship with you, the artist, in exchange for support. And they’ll more likely want that deeper relationship because you’ve already created relationship in your ongoing emails to them.

Or, if you would like to bring us in for a house concert in your place, without obligation other than to try really hard to attract 50 or so folks to see us there who would be willing to plunk down $15 each to see us (and for you to rent a few folding chairs), please let me know.

Seriously?  You don’t build a relationship with me, but you want me to fill my home for you with 50 of my closest friends? And rent the chairs?  And what will you do for me?  What exactly do I get out of it?  If you haven’t engaged with me for the last 18 months, and this is the first I’m hearing from you, this is a really inappropriate request.

This is an example of an artist who has no idea how to build relationships either with venues or their fan base. There’s nothing wrong with asking your fan base for support or help.  In fact, I encourage it.  But you need to establish two things first:  Relationship and Value.  Because if your target market can’t answer the “WIIFM” question, they will not act. (WIIFM = what’s in it for me).

If you haven’t created relationship and offered value in advance, then this kind of sales pitch is unlikely to be successful.

Based on this email in absence of any other information, it doesn’t look like this artist is doing either.  Instead, they are coming from a position of powerlessness and helplessness.  Neither of these things are particularly attractive (and I mean attractive from the Law of Attraction perspective, not from the “hey you’re pretty”, though its true there as well!).  And I’m betting not likely to get the response they’re hoping for.

I would also say that this smacks of someone who is trying to break into a new territory without doing the hard leg work needed.  That work would include researching venues, organically building a fanbase (and perhaps being willing to take a loss in order to do it), perhaps aligning with and opening for another band who already has a following in that area.  You can also begin to build a following in a new area strictly using twitter and/or facebook.

They’re asking people who saw them once to do it for them.  And frankly, that won’t get the job done.

We released a new live CD.  If you are interested in purchasing it, please email me.  Cost is $15, plus $2.50 shipping and handling.

This is a bad idea on several levels – but primarily when you have a call to action – only make one call.  If you offer several calls-to-action, it is unlikely that your audience will take any action.

And finally – as far as the initial complaint from [Booker] – For you artists out there – please listen very carefully to what he’s saying and how the other venues on this list are responding to what he’s saying.  They are your clients!!!  They are telling you how to serve them.  This is critical information and you really need to pay attention.

The relationship between artist and venue is not employee to boss.  The Venue is your client.  It is your job to serve your client – to provide for them what they need in exchange for booking you for this gig.  It’s not their job to serve you.  It’s your job to serve them.  The better you can provide them what they need, in the format they want to receive it and with graciousness and gratitude for the opportunity to serve them – the more likely they’ll hire you again – and talk well of you to other venues.

And yes, you should get paid for providing these services to your client.  But they don’t owe you a gig.  They don’t even owe you a response to your inquiry for a gig.  Just like [Booker] doesn’t owe the AC Company a response or to hire them to fix his AC – even if he’s used them in the past!

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