In another article I looked at the advantages of booking a live band for your event through an Entertainment Agency. In this article I’m going to look at the advantages of booking a live band directly.
Just for the record let’s define the meaning of booking a live band directly. It’s simply this: you find the band yourself (you saw them at another event, through a friend’s recommendation, or via the internet), you make contact by email or telephone straight to the Manager of the band (or person who deals with the bookings), and when you have decided to use that live band for your event then the contract that is drawn up is between you and the band.
OK, if you’ve read the article on booking via an entertainment agency then you’ll know that there is a cost involved in using an Agency’s service. So that leads us to the first – and most obvious – advantage of booking a band directly.
Booking A Band Directly Is Cheaper
Because there are no third parties involved – it’s just you and the band – the fee that you’ll be quoted is the band’s fee. It’s what the band charges and no more. If you book via an Agency there will be a percentage or flat fee on top to cover their service.
So if you contact your band directly you’ll pay less than if you go via an Agency.
Booking A Band Directly Will Build A Better Working Relationship
Most Agents like to deal exclusively with their clients. So if you’ve any questions for your band – or they have any for you – then these are usually routed via the Agent.
Which means that the first time you actually speak to a member of the band itself is often on your wedding day.
If you book directly however you will get much more of an idea of how they truly are, because you’re speaking to them semi-regularly. This is reassuring because most people don’t organize events more than once or twice in their lives – so it can be quite stressful.
Booking A Band Directly Often Leads To A Better Service From The Band
This won’t be so obvious – until you think about it. But dealing with a band is exactly the same as dealing with any group of people. If you build up a rapport with them, make sure that they are looked after, and treat them in the same manner you would wish to be treated in a work environment – then though you may not know it, they’ll probably work harder for you. Or go the extra mile if something unforeseen crops up.
Because you’ve built up a trust factor with them. If the band has never spoken to you before then you’re just a job. If you’ve spoken to them at length then you become a face they can put to a name, and a voice. And it’s really just basic human nature: who will you work harder (and better) for: someone you’ve only just met, or someone you’ve spoken to and like?
Are There Any Disadvantages To Booking A Band Directly?
The main disadvantage in booking a band directly is this: you’ve got to find a good band from the thousands of live bands that Google will throw at you.
If you’ve seen a band at another event – or got a glowing recommendation from a family member or friend that you trust implicitly – then this is not a problem.
If you’re searching ‘cold’ however, you need to know that there are thousands of bands out there. And short listing two or three good ones can be a time consuming and frustrating task.
Summary.
Here’s what we’ve learned in this article:
If you’re booking a band directly then you’ll get them more cheaply than if you book them via an Agency. Also you’ll probably establish a better working relationship with the band, and this can lead to a higher level of service.
The one caveat is that if you’re booking a band direct you might find it a chore to sift through the thousands of results Google will return for you.