Question:
Is it better to have a third party booking our gigs, like an agent, another person or one of us posing as an agent, or should we do it as ourselves?
It is not a question of better, but rather, what are you ready for?
What is best for the type of performances you are doing or the types of audiences you perform for generally.
As you begin to develop your market recognition, it is necessary to book yourself, at first.
As you grow a loyal fan base, play more often and make more moneyat each gig, getting some help may be necessary.
Find someone to hire part-time. Train them as your in-house agent or assistant to work with you and help you book your gigs. This may be the next, best step to expand your performance territory.
Posing as an agent, using another name may be more comfortable for you when speaking with bookers, but, then may be awkward when they actually meet you at the gig you booked.
Honesty is best from the start. Try using a phase like, “Hi, I’m (insert your name here) and I’m representing my (group, band, act, ensemble, show, etc.).”
For detailed information about working with agents, please see How To Approach Booking Agents or listen to Hot Tips About Working with Agents
This is part of an email series for Indie artists from Jeri Goldstein of Performingbiz.com.