Just to comment...I like your website Bill. It looks clean, uploads fast and the layout is nice to the eyes.

I was going to suggest offering a temporary discount for the Jan-Feb if you wanted more exposure since you said that you've gotten some gigs from the patrons there, but the other side of the coin for me was that we (musicians), can't always cut down our rates everytime a venue owner says he/she is not making money...I guess it depends on how long you've been there, how great the relationship is, and how accurate is the info (in your opinion, is it true that during your nights the business is slow). Looking at your performance schedule I can tell you're already busy as it is though

Anyway...I'm not even considered a professional (only plays for my church now), but thought I just give my .2

KN_Fan

Thanks KN for the compliments on the website. (You and anyone else, of course would be welcome to post such nice thoughts in the guestbook...)



Its kind of a game of cat and mouse with restaurant clients. I went by their place last night at 8-ish and they were "deader than a door nail"

At the end of the day, for me, in Troy...places like that will always seem to be a shaky proposition. Just not enough population to keep these places full...

Bill

Hi, Bill. There's a hard rule in marketing. The best marketing in the world can't make up for a deficient product over time. Same thing in music. Your addition to the product offering at this place is maby 20% of the mix (if you consider price, promotion, place, people and all the variences of these).

Generally music at a restaurant is one of the refinements, and cannot be expected to fill the place by itself.

Sounds like you took the high road. I find that most restaurant owners don't know how to choose and promote music very well.

Way to go!


Russ

How do ya make sure the price is not to high and not too low?

A few other thoughts:

As in marketing the rules of 7 and 9 applies and it would take a good 6 months to get a 'following' going. Doesn't it?

Have you:
Gotten local press?
(consider making it a theme event for example a new thing for me is doing 'Motown Mondays' at a local bar)
Done flyers? (that is what have you done to promote the gig?)

and yes the reason we do gigs like this is not just the steady income but the 'referrals' are great. But I think we should all have the _minimum_ be a $100 a night. Sorry but I don't think club owners value what we do very much. But changing night also did not help and the dinner crowd and the drinkin crowd are as you well know 2 diff. animals.

Russ, you are absolutely right. Not only do they rarely promote their musical entertainment, but additionally, they don't seem to promote their restaurants very well either. This likely accounts for the fact that restaurants have the highest failure rate of all U.S. businesses.

Cheers,

Gary

------------------
Travlin' Easy

Can you tell me what are the rules of 7 and 9?