As an indie artist, booking gigs can be tough, especially if you have a small following. Usually, the bookings go to the artists with a large following or those with a big enough network to sell tickets to their shows. The show booker is the entry point for most of your potential bookings. However, they like to work with artists who have a following.

Today we look at ways to get around these gatekeepers and address any shortcomings you may have as a new artist or band in getting a big enough following. You'll start to understand that you need to find venues that are the right size and fit your genre, and then convince the booker that your show is something they need to have. It can be a daunting task, but it's not impossible.

In this blog post, we discuss 10 proven ways to book more gigs as an indie artist.

Get a manager

If you're serious about booking more gigs, one of the best things you can do is hire a good manager. A good manager will have industry contacts that you don't and will be able to get your music in front of the music professionals. They'll also be able to negotiate better deals on your behalf.

Make a great press kit

Another way to get more gigs is to make sure you have a great press kit. Your press kit should include high-quality photos, a bio, website or social media links, and samples of your music. If you don't have a press kit, many booking agents and promoters won't even consider working with you. Check out what a press kit is here to learn more.

Play free shows

One of the best ways to get more gigs is to play free shows. This may seem counterintuitive, but playing free shows is a great way to build your fan base and get people talking about your music. Once you've built up a following, you'll be in a much better position to start booking paid gigs.

Hitting the stage is every artists dream. However, to make it the stage is every artists biggest challenge

Play local festivals

Local festivals are another great way to get more gigs as an indie artist. Festivals often look for new and upcoming acts to showcase, which can be a great way to get your foot in the door. Additionally, playing festivals can help you build your fan base and generate buzz for your music for little or no money.

Get involved with the local music scene

One of the best ways to book more gigs is to get involved with the local music scene. Go to local shows, meet other musicians, and network with people who work in the industry. Your own circle of friends can be a great resource as six degrees of separation can help spread the word about your music quickly. The more connected you are, the easier it will be to book gigs.

Play house concerts

House concerts are becoming increasingly popular, and they're a great way to book more gigs as an indie artist. House concerts are intimate shows held in private homes, typically attended by friends and family members of the host. This can be a great way to build your fan base and generate word-of-mouth buzz for your music.

Start a street team

A street team is a group of fans who promote your music within their social networks. Street teams can be incredibly effective in helping you book more gigs, as they can help spread the word about your music far and wide. If you don't have a street team, now's the time to start one. Street teams can be both online and offline and consist of devoted followers of your music that many times will work for free just to see you win.

Make sure you have all the other areas of your music and brand well put together before approaching booking agents.

Get featured on blogs and podcasts

Another good way to get more exposure for your music is to get featured on blogs and podcasts that cover indie music. This can help you connect to new audiences and generate buzz for your upcoming shows. To find blogs and podcasts that might be interested in featuring your music, simply do a Google search or browse through iTunes or Spotify.

Create compelling visuals

In today's social media-driven world, it's essential to have compelling visuals for your music. This means having high-quality photos, videos, and album artwork. Compelling visuals can help you stand out from the crowd and make it more likely that people will want to see you live. It may not be the cheapest, but it is a very effective method to get your message across when you are no longer limited to just audio through your songs. Find a great videographer and your music career will take off.

Make sure your website is up-to-date

To book more gigs, it's important that promoters, agents, and venues can easily find information about you online. That means having an up-to-date website with your latest news, tour dates, contact information, etc. If your website is outdated or difficult to navigate, chances are good that potential bookers will move on to someone else. If you don't have a website, make sure you have social media and that it is active and engaging your audience.

YouTube Video: How To Get Booked For Shows (Insider Details)

Bonus tips

Join a booking agency

Another option is to join a booking agency. Booking agencies are companies that represent a roster of artists and help them to secure gigs. The benefit of joining a booking agency is that they will do the legwork in terms of finding and contacting potential venues, which can save you a lot of time and effort.

Do radio interviews

Radio interviews are a great way to promote your music and reach new fans. Doing radio interviews will not only help you to promote your music, but it will also allow you to share your story and connect with new listeners. Don't just settle for mainstream radio, look into online radio, and college radio as good entry points for you if you are unknown.

Write press releases

Writing press releases is another great way to promote your music and reach new fans. Press releases can announce new releases, tour dates, or newsworthy items related to your band. Press releases can also be valuable search engine optimization (SEO) tools that may help push your website higher in the Google search results by generating valuable backlinks and shares regarding your music. Writing press releases is a great way to get free publicity for your band.

Create a website

We discussed earlier about making sure you website is up to date, but if you haven't created one, you realize that having a website is essential for any band looking to book more gigs. Your website should include information about your band, be easy to navigate, gather emails of your fans, sell merch, showcase your music, tour dates, contact information, and anything else that would be relevant for potential fans or venues. Additionally, your website should be easy to navigate and look professional to make a good impression on potential fans and industry contacts.

Use social media

As obvious as this might be (which is why it's just a bonus tip), social media is an essential tool for any band looking to book more gigs as it provides an easy way to reach new fans and promote your music free of charge. Make sure to post regularly and interact with other users to grow your following on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Time to get things started

Now that you have the tools and strategies to secure your bookings, it's time to get busy putting all our ideas into action. Many of the methods listed above require you have a good understanding of how to promote indie music, which is a topic we discuss in our other blog post, How to Promote Your Indie Music Quickly.

We're excited to see you book your first show, and if you are successful, we hope you pass our tips and strategies on to others by sharing this post. If your progress is slow at the beginning, always remember to stay positive and stay consistent with your efforts to be heard. Find the show booking strategies that work for you and implement them today.