Better late than never. Couple of things........find events that you feel need your music, then manifest it. Accept (and seek!) bookings as far away as a year in advance.....time flies. Do freebies where it will benefit you, or where you just feel you should do it cuz it is right. Yes, having your own event helps, we cofounded a contra dance. ALWAYS have business cards. Our answering machine has the band advert on it, before our names. So does my car. And baseball cap. THANK every benefactor who has ever hired you, and enclose a business card. Mail this thanks, don't do it verbally. Hand address the envelope, and don't use a business size.
We are a little band, but solidly booked 6 months out of the year, every weekend. I collapse in november, then start lining out the year in january. We are just about full for season at this point.