{"id":135084,"date":"2021-03-10T08:07:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-10T13:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constantcontact.com\/blog\/?p=135084"},"modified":"2025-06-20T19:29:26","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T23:29:26","slug":"booking-shows-as-an-unsigned-artist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constantcontact.com\/blog\/booking-shows-as-an-unsigned-artist\/","title":{"rendered":"Booking Shows as an Unsigned Artist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When it comes to booking shows as an unsigned artist, persistence and professionalism are key. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every year, more artists are finding success in the music industry without a label<\/a>. While this trend is exciting news for unsigned artists, off-label success comes with hard work and business savvy. If you’re trying to break into the music industry, this article will cover 10 tips for how to book shows for an artist, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Gain exposure for your music <\/li>
  2. Master your live show<\/li>
  3. Develop a solid promotion plan<\/li>
  4. Network <\/li>
  5. Build your presence on social media<\/li>
  6. Research the right venues<\/li>
  7. Contact venues professionally<\/li>
  8. Follow up<\/li>
  9. Book online<\/li>
  10. Keep building <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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    We make it easy to get your work out to your network and beyond with all the marketing tools you need.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Start a Free Trial of Constant Contact for Artists, Writers, and Performers<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Gain exposure for your music<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    If you’re a new artist, you will need a persuasive demo to get booking agents and promoters to look your way. Your demo should be a collection of songs that you use to market yourself, like a resume. Because of this, it is worth the investment to make sure you get a high-quality studio recording of your demo. To gain that all-important exposure, develop your presence on streaming services such as: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Spotify<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    As an independent artist, you will need a distributor to work out the details of royalty fees and licensing with platforms like Spotify. To get your music on this popular streaming service, your music should be professionally produced — another great reason to invest in professional recordings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    YouTube<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    If you don’t have a distributor, YouTube is an excellent choice for launching your music. With a few easy steps, anyone can create a YouTube video<\/a>! When building your audience on YouTube, utilize keywords and tags in your title and description to boost your viewership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Apple Music<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Similar to Spotify, Apple Music is best navigated with a distributor. Once you’ve made it onto the platform, Apple Music provides a broad range of tools and analytics to track your success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Soundcloud<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Soundcloud is an excellent platform for promoting your music as an independent artist. Much like YouTube, Soundcloud gives you the opportunity to gain followers using keywords and consistent posting. Beyond this, Soundcloud can help you funnel fans to purchase your song or share your music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Rainne
    Independent artists, Rainne<\/a>, make it easy to access their music across multiple platforms. This easy-to-use list is linked to their electronic press kit and social media channels.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    2. Master your live show<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    As an artist, you know the importance of honing your craft. Before you start the booking process, it is important that you and your bandmates have perfected your live show and are confident about performing. You want your live set to be persuasive enough to impress booking agents and earn you new fans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    3. Network <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Networking is a powerful tool for independent musicians. Direct message artists in your area to initiate collaborations, gain venue recommendations, and build relationships. Don’t get hung up on genre — local musicians of all types can help you build vital relationships in your music scene. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    While social media has opened a massive avenue for networking in the music industry, don’t underestimate the power of in-person networking. A friendly chat with venue employees, other musicians, and agents can yield great rewards in the future! In the music industry, your next break might be one conversation away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    4. Develop a solid promotional plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    When it comes to marketing for independent artists<\/a>, you are responsible for your own success. The primary elements of a solid promotional plan for musicians include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    An electronic press kit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Once you have created a high-quality collection of demos and polished your live show, it’s time to develop your promotion plan. Many independent artists use an electronic press kit or EPK. An EPK is a short document that includes photos, artist biography<\/a>, and links to your music. An EPK is your opportunity to tell agents and venues how you see yourself as an artist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Rainne's
    Rainne’s EPK<\/a> offers a clear picture of who they are as artists, easy access to their music, and visible links to their social media.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Collaborations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Another tactic for developing a promotional plan is checking out what similar artists are doing. Explore their social media, band website, video content, and music on streaming services. Pay attention to what is compelling about their marketing as you create your own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Take things a step further by proposing collaborations with local artists you admire. These are a great way for you and your cohorts to gain more exposure, share resources, and create new music. It also opens up the door for booking shows together, as unsigned artists this can give you both a boost by attracting a brand new set of listeners for each of you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    An online presence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    As a modern artist, you must be online to make an impact on the music scene. In other words — it pays to be easy to find online. To elevate your chances of booking a gig, invest time in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n