You’re calling club to book your band and the guy on the other end says, “I can get the same thing from a band down the street for half the price.”

What now? Most musicians start cutting prices. The truth is though, that if you’re not making money on the gig (or getting some other form of payment), it’s not worth playing.

And you’re probably better off not doing ANYTHING. Nothing will happen for your music career, but at least you won’t be tired.

Most musicians have been taught that they have to take ANYTHING that if offered to them, but that’s just not a smart way to do business. Instead of taking a losing gig, you’re much better off spending your time doing something else that will make you money, whether that be research on a new market, networking with industry professionals, or writing new songs.

Before you take a gig, run the numbers in the Gig Calculator and see what happens. If you can’t make it so that you’ll come out ahead, start looking at other options.

But won’t there be potential fans at this gig you’re turning down? Maybe… And this is exactly why you need to know how much a new fan is worth to you. If you know that everybody who walks in the door will eventually be worth $10 (on average) to you, and you know there will be 200 people through the club that night, the gig might be worth playing.

But if you don’t know, you’re going to a crap shoot.

Hey, if you just want to play, be my guest. But if you’re doing this as a business, treat it like one.

About the Author:

David Hooper is the founder of Kathode Ray Music, an artist development organization specializing in promotion and marketing of independent musicians and bands. Visit http://WWW.SONGWRITERS-RESOURCE.COM for more tips and hints for musicians, bands, and songwriters.