Make a Good First Impression and Get What You Pay For

For regular readers of this blog, you know that names get withheld to maintain anonymity.  In this case it’s a good thing because it’s not only one but two faces that got egg on them.

Shame on the first person for having started this whole thing down the wrong path to begin with, not understanding that Now Hear This is not a booking (only) agency.  The person did not realize that, as a Now Hear This client, you are working with us because you want the full menu of services (management, promotion, and booking).

However, this person brought a musician to a group that I’m a part of with the thinking that I could get that individual more bookings.  That always leads me to have to explain about why Now Hear This will not take on clients on a booking only basis (it’s just not worth it – the experience has proven it, trust me). 

The musician proceeded to make a bad first impression on me in a few ways.  Number one, the musician’s body language during the meeting showed me fatigue, a lack of interest, and likely only wanting to see what could be gotten out of it (meaning, meeting me, with the hope of getting more bookings).  Secondly, this was during the 11am hour and the musician was drinking beer (obviously the only one in the room doing such)!  Lastly, when the meeting ended, rather than make a point of coming over to me, not only was the musician obviously waiting for me to come over there, but, I had gotten stopped by someone else first and as that person continued to talk to me, out of the corner of my eye – and more so with a keen ear – I was able to hear the person initially mentioned above say, “Aren’t you going to wait and talk to Bruce?” and the musician walked out.

Although the musician did eventually come back in and I had to explain again that Now Hear This is not a booking (only) agency, the musician had already made enough bad impressions on me.  The musician’s voice tone wasn’t real kind when saying to me, “So, what do you do?”

The person who had brought this musician attends this meeting on behalf of a roofing company owned by a family member and proceeded to tell me that in addition to that business, efforts have been undertaken to “market” and book this musician too.

Let me assure you that you get what you pay for.

Everybody out there thinks they can book, tries to do it, and fails, which is why this individual was trying to pass the musician off on me.  It goes back to the first ever Now Hear This client, which was a young girl who initially had said that her dad was doing everything for her.  Her dad was a realtor.  Her dad, as a result, doesn’t know the entertainment business.

So, while it is good to have someone who will support you and help you out, especially if you don’t have a big budget, just remember that like so many other things in life, you get what you pay for.  And when you ask somebody whose main vocation is working on behalf of a roofing company, they’re probably not going to be real seasoned and experienced and, thus, successful at booking you gigs.  Of course, you’re attitude needs to be professional, positive, and dedicated, otherwise the two of you will combine to achieve nothing but frustration.

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