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Written by Jaron Lewis
When you are a musician, you need to find a booking agent that is going to get you all of the local gigs that you can so that you can get your name out there. You can find booking agents for independent artists out there, but you will find that they specialize in different fields.
There are some hip hop booking agents and there are booking agents for rock bands. With some advice, you will be able to find the right booking agent to get your name out there. This is the first step in building your career in music.
You can only try booking your own gigs for so long before you may realize that it can be too stressful and takes time away from your music. If this sounds like you that means that the time has come where you need to find a booking agent.
You should hold off and avoid this as long as possible so that you can make the most off of your bookings. This also gives you an opportunity to build relationships within the music industry as well as an advantage of not having to hire a booking agent solely on who they know.
Now that you have gotten to a point in your career where you need this help, you should know how you can find the absolute best booking agent. It can be tempting to hire a family member or friend for this task, but this could easily be one of the biggest mistakes that you make. They say that you should never mix business with pleasure and this will show you why.
It would be in your best interest to stick with someone who has experience in the music industry. Do your research and look for booking agents in your area that seem to have a good reputation and that fit your brand.
Marketing yourself is a big key in finding the correct agent, you need to find a person who is going to meet the needs of your music. So, look into an agent that books similar bands to yours. It can also be very helpful to have played many different shows. Agents are in the profession to make money, with most earning commission between 10 percent and 20 percent for their services.
This means someone who performs live a lot is going to be more ideal for them, allowing you a pick of agents. Most importantly, being the opener really opens up doors for you when looking for the best booking agent. An opening act is a popular and relevant act that is going to be very appealing to an agent.
If you come to a point where it becomes mutually beneficial for you and the booking agent to work together, you should start inviting your top choices for booking agents to your shows when you are playing in their location.
This will show the booking agent that you are serious about making a career out of your dream. Getting the right booking agent will really help your career reach brand new levels.
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