Rick, you asked for suggestions, so here are mine.

First, (Do I need to say this?) don't assume that if you make great music, the world will beat a path to your door. It won't happen. Likewise, don't assume that if you haven't YET had much success at promoting yourself, that it means people don't like your music.

Recognize that getting gigs is a job in itself, requiring hard work, and requiring a talent which is quite different from the talent for making music, and with its own difficulties and frustrations. Furthermore, the person who does it is worthy of respect, gratitude, and possibly extra money. (Too often, a band consists of one person who works hard to get gigs, for no extra pay, and several others who just bitch about the gigs they get. If you're one of those who bitch, knock it off.)

If you don't have the talent or inclination to do this kind of work yourself, consider hiring a manager.

Don't bother sending tapes to radio stations. They won't play them on the air. They want CD's. Tapes are useful (and cheaper) for sending to people who are considering hiring you for a wedding or concert venue.

Do consider compiling a mailing list and periodically mailing out a performance schedule. You may be surprised at the number of loyal fans who will follow you from venue to venue. Venue owners are favorably impressed when you bring along a ready-made audience.

If you're just starting out with mailing, you might ask other musicians, festivals, or venues if you can use their mailing list - but only if their style of music is very close to yours.

Try to make your schedule fit on a postcard. 4.25 by 5.5 inches is a good size because it meets the legal definition of a postcard AND you can print four copies on a standard 8.5 x 11-inch sheet. Be sure the paper is at least .007 inches thick, and thicker is better. At 20 cents per card, postage is a bargain. (Sending schedules by e-mail MIGHT be a good idea, but I haven't tried it.)

Mail your schedule out AT LEAST quarterly. Also, pass these cards out at your gigs. Be sure the cards tell how to contact you.

Keep in mind that SOMEDAY you will have to drop some people from your mailing list. Keep a record of when and why each person was added to your list. After a couple of years, start telling people that they will have to let you know if they want to STAY on your list, otherwise you will have to drop them.

Do get acquainted with other musicians in your area who play the same type of music and are likely to play in the same venues. Swap CD's with them (if you have one). Add them to your mailing list, and ask to be put on theirs. If nothing else, it will remind them that you exist. Once in awhile you may get a referral from them. Return the favor when you can. You will get farther by thinking of them as friends than as competition.

My impression is that putting up posters is NOT an effective way to attract an audience. It's way too time-consuming, and it's not targeted enough to the minority of people who like folk music. It might work in a small compact community like a college campus where people are always looking for entertainment, but I wouldn't bother with it otherwise.

When you accept a gig, do inquire about how the venue advertises itself. Don't assume that their customary methods are adequate. You may want to do your own advertising in addition to theirs. Or you may be able to negotiate with them and get them to pay for additional advertising.

Pay close attention to the arts calendars that appear in your local newspapers, to learn about new venues.

Consider schools, nursing homes, company picnics, trade shows, and conventions. These places often hire musicians to appear at their private functions, and don't advertise to the public, so you need to inquire. These functions are usually in the daytime, so if they fit your schedule, it's a niche you can exploit.