Folk Alliance Conference Follow Up for Artists

I may have written about this before, but a good friend of mine was wondering about how to capitalize on his showcase success at Folk Alliance International in Memphis this year. Here’s what I do:

First off, I try to only do one showcase a night, Thursday through Saturday. I then do everything I can do to invite everyone that I believe might be interested or with whom I am interested in making a connection. By doing only one showcase a night, I am essentially guaranteed a good crowd for each show. This makes a good impression on the folks who come to see you and even those passing by the room.

Secondly, I see as many people as I can at these conferences. It’s good networking and you always learn something, from every single performance that you see by anyone, amateur or pro. I keep saying it and it keeps being true. Not my fault, it’s just the way it is.

Thirdly, while I am there, if there is any way that I can be of assistance to anyone else who is there, I do it. Not because I expect something back, but because it just sets up a good vibe, good karma, whatever you want to call it. It’s just a better way to be and it becomes its own blessing. As the old enema joke goes...”it couldn’t hurt”.

Next, on the plane home, I go through the Folk Alliance Program Guide, which lists every attendee with their mailing address and email address. I circle every person that I met and if I can remember something particular about the interchange with that person, I annotate it. I also circle every person that I wanted to meet that perhaps I didn’t get a chance to, as well as every person that I wished had attended one of my showcases. Those people would include all with whom I had personal contact, all DJ’s, Venues, Presenters, House Concerts, Agents, Managers, Press People...you get the idea.

Then when I get home, I email each and everyone of them and thank them for coming to the show, or for coming to the conference, or something. What I don’t do is lie or fake it. Whatever I write is really what I think, thought, did, etc. Nothing is more resonant than the truth, so that’s just one more reason for sticking with it.

Every DJ that I met or didn’t meet gets an individual post and the promise of a CD. I don’t usually give away CD’s at the conference unless someone specifically asks for it. It is better, more impactful and usually more effective if you follow up the conference with a post and in that post allude to the CD that you are going to send to them.

Think about it. These people go home with a ton of CD’s that they didn’t ask for. How much time do they give those? Some folks might give them a real shot, but my instincts tell me that they give it a cursory listen if at all, somewhere down the line.

My approach is to meet them, perform for them or not, then email them and then send them a CD. Then send them a follow up post in a week or ten days and ask them if they received the CD, and then in a few weeks do a follow up about work or air time or whatever it is you are trying to accomplish.

I send out all the CD’s withing four days of being home so that me, my post and my CD will be fresh in their minds. There are a lot of wonderful singers, songwriters, guitar players and entertainers out there, so whatever you can do to distinguish yourself with your audience can only help.

That’s what I do. If you think of some other stuff that you do or should do, please let me know, I’d appreciate it.

Comments

[Liza Jane]

Sweet photo. Is that Tom Dundee?

[Bobby Brogan]

What CD are you giving out?

I know that may seem abit silly to ask...but since you went back and reworked Traces which do you consider your most recent work?...or rather which represents where you are at the moment?
And one more thing if you had just released a live cd would you send that out or your last studio recording...A live cd would capture you as a live performer but a studio release is more in your control

Pax
Namaste
Bobby

[james lee stanley]

i brought several cd's with me and would give which ever cd i thought would serve me best in that instance. the live cd would be for venues, the studio for radio, the live for radio that plays live and/or has had me live in their studio. you play it by ear, no pun intended.

[james lee stanley]

liza jane, that would most definitely be my old pal, tommy d. yes.
james