Jed,

I do booking for the Piedmont Guitar Soc. as well as booking my two bands and solo playing. Fortunately my teaching & etc. pays the bills so I don't have to play to survive.

I get 50-100 solicitations from performers wanting to play for the PGS that I do not know. Usually I don't have the time to look at most of the requests to play. The best thing to do in my opinion is:

Before you do anything- take an interest in what they are doing. Make sure that this would be the right situation for you before you invest your time and energy. Try to help their society, club or group, see if you can help them asking nothing in return. After doing some research and joining the society, making a donation to the group etc. you are ready to contact them.

1) Make a phone call and talk directly to the person who does the booking. Find out what they need. Do not send unsolicited letters or E-mail.

2) If possible meet with them in person. Take them out to lunch, establish a relationship.

3) If you can't meet with them, send them the materials that they wanted from the initial phone conversation.

4) Give them two weeks, check to see if they have received the materials. Don't be pushy. Ask them if they are interested.

5) Regardless of the outcome, thank them and check back later.

6) Remember- some people just aren't interested. It may not have anything to do with you.

-Richie