Is Your Band In The Yellow Pages?

Phalex · #1 06-03-2010, 07:57 AM

My singer works for Yellow Book. We had a bit of a meeting last night and decided we'd give it a shot. We'll be in the local print publication, and have web coverage in surrounding counties.

We have no shortage of gigs. I think we're playing 43 weekends this year, but the idea is to attract higher paying corporate type stuff. There was only one other band that we found when we looked under "Bands". A fantastic 10 piece funk band with a great horn section.

What do you think? Is the Yellow Book a great untapped resource, or did my band just piss away $360.00?

tycobb73 · #2 06-03-2010, 08:54 AM

Phalex I don't even used it for my consulting business. Most people just go to the web these days. YP sent me some customer experiences trying to get me to sign up but when I talked to actual company owners they didn't get many respones in the YP.

Phalex · #3 06-03-2010, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tycobb73

Phalex I don't even used it for my consulting business. Most people just go to the web these days. YP sent me some customer experiences trying to get me to sign up but when I talked to actual company owners they didn't get many respones in the YP.

That's kinda what I figured for the paper copy, but apparently they can get you right up near the top on Google or Bing searches too. We don't ever get out to the lake shore, and we'd pop up in local searches there as well. I think it's a done deal, I'm just trying to gauge my level of remorse.

Dekker · #4 06-04-2010, 06:00 AM

Whenever I try to find a local service on the Internet, I am often linked to the local YP site for the businesses.

Since you're getting income from your band already, it's a tax-deductible expense, and so worth the effort to drum up better business. It's spending profits you've already earned.

If you were just starting out, I don't think it would have been worth it. It would be an expense with unknown return. It's spending $ without knowing you'll get money back.

ForSix · #5 06-04-2010, 11:00 AM

The Yellow Pages worked well for me back in the 70s, but today, you're better off sigining up with GigMasters.

jive1 · #6 06-07-2010, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

My singer works for Yellow Book. We had a bit of a meeting last night and decided we'd give it a shot. We'll be in the local print publication, and have web coverage in surrounding counties.

We have no shortage of gigs. I think we're playing 43 weekends this year, but the idea is to attract higher paying corporate type stuff. There was only one other band that we found when we looked under "Bands". A fantastic 10 piece funk band with a great horn section.

What do you think? Is the Yellow Book a great untapped resource, or did my band just piss away $360.00?

If you're not having a shortage of gigs, not sure how the Yellow Pages would help. If you're looking for corporate or wedding events, you're better off talking to one of the local entertainment agencies and event planners that specialize in that stuff. They already have the contacts, as well as an ad in the Yellow Pages.

Phalex · #7 06-07-2010, 08:07 AM

That's kinda the rub right there. I've had my fill of booking agents. If I'm paying you 17% off the top, you better actually do something for me. The agent that seems to have all the corporate / casino gigs locked down didn't do a damn thing for us when we were with him. Never again!!!

jive1 · #8 06-07-2010, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

That's kinda the rub right there. I've had my fill of booking agents. If I'm paying you 17% off the top, you better actually do something for me. The agent that seems to have all the corporate / casino gigs locked down didn't do a damn thing for us when we were with him. Never again!!!

Does that guy also do the wedding gigs? Usually it's a different agency or event planner. If there's some type of non-compete, I can't see how it can hurt you since weddings are one-off events. So you can't ever play the Cohen-Epstein wedding again, OK, no problem. At least around here, if there was a non-compete with a different agency, it would be laughable since so many of the casual bands have rotating lineups.

I'd talk to some event planners. Since you guys have lots of gigs, it gives you a leg up on the casuals market in that potential customers can actually see you play. Lots of casual bands don't play in clubs, and have to rely on second-hand materials like videos and recordings to promote themselves.

Marley's Ghost · #9 06-07-2010, 12:21 PM

If you are advertising in the yellow pages, make sure you have a few demo casettes in the trunk of your Pinto to mail to club owners.

Phalex · #10 06-07-2010, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marley's Ghost

If you are advertising in the yellow pages, make sure you have a few demo casettes in the trunk of your Pinto to mail to club owners.

jive1 · #11 06-07-2010, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marley's Ghost

If you are advertising in the yellow pages, make sure you have a few demo casettes in the trunk of your Pinto to mail to club owners.

LOL!