Who We Want

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]What are we looking for when taking on new artists?

Talent
The days of recording an album or EP, getting the music played on radio stations and growing rich from mailbox money are over. Sending demos are now obsolete. You can no longer around and make money in the music industry. You have to tour to make real money. Touring forces you to get in front of real people and play your music live. If you do not have the talent, people will not like your music…in most cases. There are some artists in the pop world that bring the studio to the stage, and the fans are none the wiser.

Business-Minded and Tech-Savvy Person In Your Camp
Not everybody can have a business and artistic brain at the same time. Make sure that somebody in the band or the camp understands business and technology. This person is essential for the future. They most likely will be the person that communicates with the future agent, manager, lawyer, and so forth. They will be our contact person.

Drive & Ambition
The music business is the hardest business in the world to make a good living in at this time. The old days are over, and the workload has tripled. If you are not comfortable with crashing couches, sleeping in vehicles or not showering for a few days, touring may not be for you. If you need a steady paycheck and benefits, stop reading and click here to find a different place to work. Be ready to book shows on your own in the beginning. How does that work?
Strong Social Media Metrics
Do you know your social media metrics? Do you know where your fans live? How many visitors per day do you get on your website…assuming you have one? Where are those visitors located? How many people are on your email list? How many YouTube subscribers do you have? How many Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or other social networks are you on? How many followers do you have? How many are active fans vs. unengaged followers? How old are your fans?
Do you remember that intelligent person that we mentioned earlier? Have them find the answers or hire somebody who can get these answers. Agents and buyers will ask for this information above all else…even before they listen to your music. If you are approved we require you to list WeBookNext.com as your booking agency.
EPKs and One-Sheets
If you are thinking about approaching a booking agent or if you are trying to book your shows on your own, at the very least, you need an EPK or one-sheet. These tools contain valuable information regarding your project. They provide links to music, live videos, biographical information, bullet points about your touring goals and more, in one easy to read document or web page.

Videos
Visuals are a must. We need any videos that you have or may have produced. If you are going to buyers in other markets, they need to see you. Talent buyers want to sell tickets and pack out their venues. They do not take chances on acts that can’t watch beforehand.

Publicity
What’s your story? Who’s talking about you? How many reviews of your record or show are on the internet? Hiring a publicist is something any artist is capable of doing to help you get attention. They will write your biography, send your record or EP out for review, help to populate your EPK with the information that agents and buyers want to see and most importantly, develop your image and brand.

Radio / TV Appearances
Is the radio still relevant? In short, yes. Although terrestrial there are plenty of arguments that terrestrial radio technology may be dying, it is not dead yet. Securing local radio and news appearances in the markets you are looking to play in greatly increases your chances of getting a show booking in those areas. If you already have a show booked in that market, these appearances will help you sell ticks and generate a buzz about the show. This is another reason to hire a publicist.

Marketing
Other than talent, marketing is the most important piece of the artist’s career. What does marketing entail? Almost everything. Web design, print design, logo design, branding, advertising, social media, release campaigns, email campaigns, e-commerce, online presence and above all… stats. Once again, it is all about the numbers. Great marketers know how to target market, where to target market and provide stats about your fans. You work in the music “business,” and great business owners know everything about their customers. Music marketers give you the power to know your fans.

Logistics
Touring is an entirely different game than playing local. You need to travel light and travel with a plan. Who will act as your tour manager? Who will book your hotels? Who will communicate with the venue’s production contact? Who will settle up with the buyer and who will collect the settlement sheet at the end of the night? What vehicle will you be traveling in? Who will drive that vehicle? Determining who in your group will handle each of these tasks is essential. In the early days, you can do these things on your own. As you begin to see success, you will travel with a tour manager, sound engineer, production manager and more crew members. It makes sense to start assigning those tasks to band members before you get to that point.

Tour Support (Money)
A common mistake that up-and-coming artists make is expecting to make money on their fist tours. Unless you are playing cover songs in local dive bars, this is not going to happen. Unknown acts do not get paid guarantees. You have to earn that money and the way to do it is by accepting door deals and proving that people will come out to see you.
Once you’ve played a market a couple times and prove that you have a following there, the buyers will be willing to send you a deposit for the show. Until then, you need to be prepared to lose money.
Start saving the money that you make locally and bank it. Don’t spend it on new gear unless it is on travel cases. If you have not already gotten merchandise made, do so. Save the rest. Chances are you will not break even on your early tours. You need to have money saved to cover your travel expenses while you are on the road. If you are betting on making money from ticket sales on your first tour or two, you will be in for a massive surprise.
You probably wouldn’t open a a bar or restaurant without saving money or approaching an investor to help you with startup capital. Touring is no different. It takes money to make money.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]