Only one band member contact for booking, ect?

[djero44]

I've read a few people around here suggest that only one person in a band deal with booking, contacts, payments and related PR. Is this common? I have had issues with communications in bands having multiple people doing this stuff, maybe that is the reason you would want one person to handle it all. I'm trying to form a strategy for my band and i'm not totally sure how to go about it. I have learned a lot reading threads on this site, however.

At the moment i'm in a project that for the first time has enough potential and appeal (to me) to warrant a lot of extra energy forming a marketing approach, a quality website, video work, a full promo, ect... It's pretty exciting, but i'm green on the process. At the moment we have a quality demo, and last night we did a video of our debut performance, which went quite well. We have a number of gigs lined up, a full head of steam, and a growing base of fresh and fun original material. I can see what we need to do on the musical levels, (we only have about an hour set so far, with a number in the works and a few covers in the wings) but the rest of this is pretty new for me. I do know a very talented photographer who is interested in band work, and a friend who is an great web designer, so i'm going to start with that stuff and getting the promo together. Our goal is to have enough material to play a full set in a number of months, definitely by winter.

Suggestions, please?

[staindbass]

usually one member has more skills in that area and it couldent hurt. in our band the guitarist did most of the business work.(he went to college, and has an electrical engineering degree). as long as you look over the contract because you are responsible for it as well, it should be ok. beware of people who dont want you to see the contract, they may be skimming off the top. johnny a. staind

[Phalex]

My drummer is a Sales and Marketing exec. He usually has the band booked for the coming year around late November of the previous year. I have no issues with that arrangement at all.

I think from a scheduling stand point it also makes sense for one guy to watch the calendar rather than three people. When someone wants to book a gig, they ask the drummer, he looks at the schedule and says yes or no. With multiple people booking stuff there has to be a lag time as they check with individual members to see about availability.

[Ryan L.]

My drummer usually handles most all of our booking, including working with our booking agent. We do have several venues that we book ourselves, and it's always him that works with them as well.

It's much easier for us this way, as I honestly don't have the time to do it any more, and this way, we don't have 4 guys ending up trying to book the same open weekend. He has our calender as full as we want it until pretty much December of this year, so I can't complain on the job he's doing, either.

[jive1]

I've done the team approach, and the one guy approach, and the one guy is much more efficient. Lots of times you only have so much time to confirm a gig that other bands would also want, so you need to get a decision quick.

Also, clients tend to prefer to deal with just one person, as multiple contacts can be confusing. It's ok to have the whole band promote and such, but it's usually best to have one person be the contact.

[djero44]

That makes a lot of sense to me. One contact, and behind the scenes other tasks can be delegated, but it would make it cleaner and easier for everyone. I think I might be the right one in our band for this job, and it will be the first time i've done it, but I am pretty good with people and think I will do well with it.

[jaywa]

I have been in a band where two members basically tag-teamed on bookings and business matters (i.e., a stable, responsible guy back-stopping the nominal "leader" who was good at "schmoozing" face to face but terrible at following-up leads and communicating things to the band), and now am in a band where the BL handles everything and has all of this calendar year booked with 2012 dates already coming in. The second situation is far, far superior... but may not be reality in every situation depending on the personalities in the band.

That being said, irregardless, it is the responsibility of ALL band members to promote the band at any opportunity, bring them up in conversations, carry business cards and hand them out, etc. Everyone has the ability and the responsibility to scare up leads even if only one member of the band actually follows-up and nails them down.

[Rockmusician]

I prefer to have 2 band members involved in all negotiations and discussions. That way you have 2 people who are hearing the same thing from the booking manager and there is less opportunity for misunderstandings between the band and the venue.

[the yeti]

if you create a calendar that everyone keeps current (like on google or yahoo) then anyone should be able to see and book open dates w/o any lag. we all carry cards (like jaywa). i think someone should be designated as the point of contact for people seeking you out, but everyone should have the ability to book something with confidence.

[oniman7]

My name's on everything. We have a private group on Facebook which we use to communicate between the band. But I handle band relations, PR, tech, recording and mixing (with help and input), booking, etc. I update our reverbnation, handle E-mails, talk to promoters, all of that.

That said, we all have passwords to everything and I always clear things with the band first. It keeps all of us happy.

[Marial]

K.I.S.S

[djero44]

Hmm, it sounds like certain adaptations of this formula work for different people. I talked to our singer/frontman today about this and he expressed interest in taking on the contact role. Problem is, he hasn't had a phone for months now! This would obviously need to change which would be a good thing because I hate not being able to get ahold of him easier.

The thing that I like about everyone being in on the action is that it could save time for the pointman, in theory at least. I can see how it could also mean overlapping unnecessary work, or worse dropping the ball on something important. No matter how it works it seems clear communication and delegation should be a priority. With that in mind I should perhaps get our e-calendar and communication network dialed in even before doing everything else.

[skwee]

One person as contact is smart. But you probably want to develop a checklist/philosophical sheet to direct that person a bit.

[MNAirHead]

please remember....

reading through the pages... someone should be compensated for pa gear management.... same for finding, winning and retaining contacts.

Commonly.. it's useful to use the traditional equation


((Pay Gross -15% for booking/manager - set rate for PA)/members))

[JulienJeff]

in my band, one of the guitarist deals with that most the time. It's quite efficient. Each one in the band is "responsible" for something. I do the website/facebook/myspace maintenance, the guitarist deals with booking, the drummer deals with the PA, etc. It came naturally from each one's skills.

[IanStephenson]

Think of it from the venue point of view... They've got your bio and demo.They read it, they're on the fence, they're just thinking about calling. They look at the contact details, and its got 5 names/phone numbers and emails... They've now got to CHOOSE. Which one is the guy they really need to call, and which are the ones who put their name on cause they wanted to be involved? Having to think hurts their head, so they decide not to bother.

Or maybe Joe stops by, drops off the stuff, has a GREAT conversation, the deal is all but done, but they need to check some dates. Next day they get out the card Joe left: "Awesome Band", "Call John, Jake, Joe or Joe"... They call one of them to confirm the date, but get the wrong one... Jake doesn't know anything about it, and the venue gives up - they've got 20 other bands who want to play that night, and that nice Joe guy was an idiot on the phone.

One name, one number.

[phobia64]

One person makes things go smoother and easier

[phatbass]

One person. But they'e GOT to have their organisational skills happening.

[ShoeManiac]

The original project I'm working in is a duo that added me and a drummer as their rhythm section. The duo handles the business: one person deals with booking, clubs, scheduling and our recordings. The other deals with most website updates and promotional matters.

The drummer and I have less significant responsibilities. Those vary, but we've recommended some clubs for gigs to our booker, spreading around some social media updates about the band, and when we play a venue where we have to run our own sound we handle that.

Delegating responsibilites can work as long as you focus on people's strengths and can keep the lines of communication open. But it pays to keep some things focused: keep one point of contact for bookings. It's totally cool for other band members to recommend clubs. Anything in pursuit of work can be a good thing. But in order to maintain some continuity, in those instances the band member who knows the promoter/booker for a venue should make a point of introducing the band's booker to whomever books bands at the venue and then let them proceed.

[Jeremy_YStS]

This is the method we implement. I take care of all of the booking and marketing, it makes things a lot less stressful!