The Seattle Wedding Show happened recently and, in addition to tasting some of the most amazing cupcakes I have ever had (I’m looking at you, Pinkabella), I was able to sell some live music to hundreds of NearlyWeds. It was great to see how many people were already committed to having live music at their ceremony or reception, they just needed help finding the right group, and this post is about helping you stand out in situations like that. I’m sure that many of you already have your marketing down, but for those who are looking for some tips, read on…
Ways to Make Yourself More Marketable at a Vendor Fair (a non-exhaustive list)
Performing Live
If you have the opportunity to perform live, take it! The musicians who played live had more of their literature picked up, and at least one of them booked a gig on the spot! A few tips for playing live:
Be Engaged (har): I know this sounds like a “duh” tip, but there is a *huge* difference in the way people react to live musicians who are clearly having fun and making their energy available for interactions vs. the musicians that may sound great, but look and feel like they are in their own bubble. You don’t need to be dancing down the isle (in fact, I’m pretty sure that is explicitly against the rules. Although I would be happy to coordinate with the Seattle Wedding Show people if an AFM/FTM marching band wanted to do a thing…just sayin’…), but having your energy approachable as a performer makes it easier for the NearlyWeds to envision you playing Pachelbel’s Canon sweetly as they walk down the aisle, or rocking your Apoctalyptica cover band at the reception.
Sell your performance as well as your music: Your playing is probably amazing, but there are a lot of things that musicians appreciate because we have been taught to listen in a certain way that non-musicians are just not going to hear. While the music itself needs to be up to your own professional standards, when people hire live music for an event, they are hiring you to help create atmosphere as much as to sound wonderful. This includes the way you look, your facial expressions while you play (yay practicing with mirrors), the energy you put into the room, and the way you interact with guests. Is your band sexy? Then put on those leather pants, ruffle up that shirt, and get ready to show the many facets of your smolder for the next hour. Reading the crowd and displaying your performance skills are going to give you a better opportunity at catching peoples attention long enough for them to snag a business card or chat with your designated spokesperson.
Be ready to take requests: If you want to be playing for ceremonies, you should absolutely know Pachelbel’s Canon (good news: Even if you don’t know it, you probably already know it. In five keys). It would also be good to know at least one wedding march. I’m not kidding when I say that a very successful harpist who played in the Local’s booth probably spent half of her time doing twenty-second renditions of Pachelbel’s canon at the request of passing NearlyWeds. Knowing how you are trying to market yourself is key. Are you wanting to play jazz for reception cocktail hours? Invest in a 100 most requested wedding songs book. Are you a top 40 band? Fabulous, make sure that you have a familiarity with whatever songs Spotify or YouTube would suggest based on your set list.
If your literature is there, but you aren’t
Not available to perform live? This is when it is important to have quality and eye-catching literature. Side note: if you don’t have literature, get some. Business cards and Postcards. Print them off at home, design them on a plethora of free design services, or (my preference) hire one of the many talented artists in Seattle to help you create a fully functional work of art unique to you.
Make your materials indicative of your services: Frequently I would see NearlyWeds walk up to our business card display and say something like “We are looking for a string quartet” while grabbing any business card that had a picture of a stringed instrument on it. While there are lots of great sleek designs for business cards that can be effective when in a meeting or when you have already been talking to the person, in instances like this it is advantageous for your card to be obvious. That doesn’t mean sacrificing style, it just might mean leaning a little heavier on function than form.
Have your rates (or something about your pricing) visible: People frequently asked about pricing. If you are there in person, you can answer that question however you would like. But if you are relying solely on your displayed literature, even having something as simple as “For pricing and booking inquiries, go to…” on your card and/or postcard could be the difference between people giving you a second look or leaving you on the table.
Easy contact info: Your literature should easily tell the NearlyWeds at least four things about you. Who you are, What you do, social media handle, and how to contact you (email and/or website). There are other good things to include, like pricing info or particularly good client reviews, but really your contact info is not optional.
Extras: One group did a clever thing and included a coupon on the literature for this wedding show. We ran out of their cards very quickly. Small promotions seem to go a long way for things like weddings. Attaching a $50 off coupon to what will be a several hundred dollar gig is good marketing. Also, it is good to note on your literature if you do things like arranging. NearlyWeds asked a lot about people doing specific covers and things like that.
In general
SOCIAL MEDIA (srsly): Have your social media set up! Park it in a coffee shop for two hours and set up your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (at least). The harder part is using them. Put some stuff on there for people to see. Even if it is silly and mundane (*posts picture of cat on amp* “Getting ready for a wedding gig and I have my little helpurrrrrrrrrr”). I am not the best at this step, but the gurus tell me that you should be posting daily. So get a cat, is what I’m saying.
Video & Audio: People really want to see video and have access to audio of any band or musician they are considering. Thankfully, for you, it is relatively simple these days to set up in your living room and get a few good audio clips or ask your friend to come along to your next gig and shoot some video! There are several good options for posting sound recordings (Bandcamp, Soundcloud, etc) and nothing beats having your own YouTube channel for posting videos. They can be linked to from anywhere! If you find that the only thing holding you back from some awesome audio clips is the lack of recording device, give the union office a call 🙂 We happen to have one that can be checked out for free if you are Union or part of Fair Trade Music!
Websites: Do you have a website? No? It would be worth the time and/or money to get/make one. Whether you make your own (I have used WIX for all of mine, more on that in another post) or you hire someone to make it for you, a website not only has the potential to make you look more professional, but it also makes you more likely to snare some wedding gigs. This website should include things like a bio, a contact form, some media clips, and possibly some sort of gig calendar where the NearlyWeds can see what you are up to and maybe see you play! If a website seems like too much to handle right now, you could go for a more simple option like a Facebook artist page. This would at least enable you to have a social media presence and link to recordings etc.
There are so many other things that go into successfully marketing yourself in different arenas as a musician, but these are a few good steps based on my experience in the crazy bustle that was the Seattle Wedding Show. Also, if you are a member of the Local, we have space for you to perform live at the wedding show next year! We will be sending info out about performance slots in December, but if you have any questions, feel free to call the office and we will answer them to the best of our ability 🙂 Wishing you all a gig-filled February!
In Solidarity
Olivia D Hamilton