Karaoke Forums

You can almost always retrieve it on this site just by using your back button and possibly a Ctrl-Z to undo. If you use Firefox, you can even do an "Undo Close Tab" or "Undo Close Window" and recover it.

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[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

If I might add a helpful hint: If one has trouble remembering names, but does well with faces, come up with a nickname to match the first impression one gets of a singer until the name is memorized.

What's happened with me is that my nicknames have become so popular that people don't have them request one- something like folks requesting an insult from Don Rickles.

I have The Hamster, Sunshine Eyes, The Bearded Sage, Raven-Hair, Quiet Man, Brick, The Evening Angel, The Pocket Cutie, and several others. At this point, they actually wait for their nickname, rather than the real one, to come up.

Lotsa fun, and makes 'em feel even more special.

Eathling is spot on with the birthadays.

Mr. M, a great post, and I'm fuguring that your "greeter/troubleshooter" adds one helluva lot to your attendance!

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

This is HUGE!

It doesn't matter how great one is if no one knows about it.

My mailing packets are probably the ugliest, most unprofessional you can find- on purpose. They are MEMORABLE, and I see them on prospective clients' desks months later.

What I have found is that those glossy, technically perfect, corporate look-alike style mailings hit the circular file rather quickly.

I do three pages ( No one wants to read a novel, they just want the facts). The ad/general description of what I do, a reference page listing past and present successful venues and years there, and a personalized "convincer" page tailored to that particular venue. Then I throw in a couple of cards ( one stapled, the other free) and maybe a 1 page 12 month calender, or a pen, keychain, or some other promotional item. All in a page protector, then a 10 x 13 envelope.

DO NOT FOLD PACKETS TO SAVE MAILING COSTS!! It looks like that is exactly what you're doing to the owner. My packets cost a little over one dollar to mail first class. Seriously, isn't just one new gig worth it?

I get 7-10% replies, as opposed to the 2% average.

GO FOR IT!

Oh yeah: You have your own website or Facebook page? That's nice- but don't depend on it for a solid source of leads. Been there, done that, wasted my time.

Don't get me wrong. They can't hurt. However, they are only direct sources if someone already knows who you are. Otherwise, folks will just be scrolling through pages and sites of your competition before they even GET to you.

However, a web presence must be maintained. My suggestion is to list yourself on as many free sites as you can to keep up on search engines. Some, like http://www.karaokelistings.com actually bring me a lot of leads- for FREE.

I DO list on Craigslist. Yeah, I know, too many price shoppers and cheapies. The thing is, you can always turn them down, OR even better, sell yourself and your skills for your normal fee. It happens.

Run, Forrest, run- from sites that have different listing levels like Free/Bronze/Silver/Gold. Why? Because any reply specifically meant for YOU is also sent to all of the competitors on the site that are on an equal or higher level than you.

In other words, though someone has read YOUR listing, and found it to be what they want, the site takes that info and gives it to your competition, making your closing that much harder.

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

i have wondered about mailer packets Joe, could you possibly put up or pm me one so i can get an example of what they look like? this is something i have never done.

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

I'll play around with that sometime.

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

Mckyj57, this has happened to me as well. Many thanks for the information!

Paradigm, PM sent.

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"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

, I do the same thing. I have

Crazy Dave
Mad Man Mike on the Mike
Super Chick
Howling John
and quite a few other I can't think of, but yes, nick names are a must, and many singers like that, and it makes histories in the computer distinctive for guys like 'john' in your computer if you save by nick name. Using compuhost, the nick name even comes up on the screen, and performers love it.

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Good music, good friends, howling good times!

I've done a few things to improve my show like making it more personal, I like to sometimes interview the singers and ask them funny awkward questions.

I also think the light bar and smoke machine I use helps and I think I'm also going to get a spotlight here soon.

I'm making some prop guitars out of plywood and all kinds of other materials like leather and pink fur. Beer bottle caps for the knobs.

I will agree advertising helps as well, I actually need to make some more for next week.