Living Room Shows – the ins and outs.

I hope you are having a good Saturday morning and that you had a great holiday break since my last message to you. 2015 is here (can you believe it?) and I also hope that yours is off to a amazing start!
This time of year, I always tend to look back and reflect on how my year went and if my goals were accomplished. I’m quickly met with thoughts of what I’d like to tackle within the new year…which I realize is exactly what my clients are thinking of too.

Meaning, more conversations are made, processes are created and plans are put into motion. For example, one of my clients has a new duo show and just this past week we brainstormed how to package and present to venues for a successful tour. Another one of my clients is also focusing more on performing, and we’re going back to her go-to methods to filling up holes within anchor dates – living room concerts.

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Living room concerts are an easy and fulfilling way to either gain more exposure, perform more or simply fill up a hole in your touring calendar while you drive from Florida to Texas. You get to personally meet your fans, make new ones and can sometimes be inspired from them. It’s a real sense of connectivity for your music.

Almost every single musician I know have done living room concerts, from Grammy winners to my next door neighbor. If you are open to it, the results can be amazing and it can be a lot of fun, while earning money and connecting with your fans. Huge bonuses!

However, it does take some steps and tips to make your first, or 100th, living room concert a success. After a recent conversation with the folks at Concerts In Your Home (THE site to start if you’re interested in doing living room concerts) there are some things I learned be aware of when booking these shows. After all, you’re not entering a venue or hall, you’re entering someone’s home.

Here are some ins and outs of making your living room show a great one.

1. Be personal in your pitch.
Don’t send generic emails to everyone you are trying to pitch to. Make it personal! Read their profile and find something to comment on – if they have a dog, if you lived in the area, if you have the same last name. Try to find something. It always creates a better impression and will most likely get you to the next step.

2. After you’ve found a host that looks like a great fit, find out from them what a successful living room concert is for them.
Find out their expectations and how a successful show in their home is to them. Is it 10 people or is it 50? Is there a dollar amount they expect to earn? Find out from the start so that no one is disappointed afterwards.

3. Confirm the dates over the phone.
This seems to be a big important factor because not only are you able to confirm dates, but it’s a personal touch to be over the phone. Hear each others voices and pick up on how well you connect. It might sound silly, but you want to be able to work with this person to make a great show! So jump on the phone and chat with them! This will also allow you to get a feel of how confident they are it will be a great turnout.

4. Ask the ultimate question.
Okay, not the ultimate. But important! Ask them what the game plan is if it’s a week out and no tickets have been sold or people cancel on attending the show. This is where you can discuss if a new date can be a back up or solidify if the pairing is a good fit. Be sure to let the host know that you won’t be mad if people cancel, so long as they communicate that with you. It’s better to talk the week before and touch base on something like that, rather than show up to an empty room with an upset host.

5. Give enough advance time to seek the best fits.
Try to start looking for hosts about 3-4 months in advance of when you are looking to perform. If it’s something last minute, a good tip is to look for hosts that are newer and seeking to get started. They can usually be enthusiastic to put together a show for you.

Keep these quick tips in mind next time you are booking a living room concert, and you can avoid a lot of headaches. Remember, have fun with it and enjoy connecting with possibly old and probably new fans at your next living room show!

I hope you have a beautiful and productive weekend (or relaxing, if you need it already! 😉 )..See you next time!

Cheers,

fionazsig

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