Fair Price for Fair Book?

[gotrich]

In my area 150$ per night is good. I have had many bar owners tell me that my book is too small and they will give me 100$ to try me out. I KNOW my biggest competitor and I am friends with him. (been to his house for beers and talking him into going MTU) He got 200$ a show. Heres the screw

he has been in this for 14yrs ---me 6 months
his book 15,000 songs ---mine 3,100
his equiptment good sound -- mine (even he says sounds a little better)

he says i should try to hold out for more and I have and everyone here says dont go down in price...but I have still not been able to get a full time gig!!!
What an I do?

[lirics]

GOTRICH,

here's a few suggestions...............

1. GET MORE SONGS, you can find great deals on the internet, if you shop around.

2. EVEN MORE Important, since you do need to prove yourself to these bars,
take the 100. per show with the understanding that normal rates are 150.00
your giving them a break until (key word) the nite builds up, have an understanding
that if his business increases do to karaoke (based on his cash register)
then you get your full amount.

3. tell him and prove it that you get new songs every week (or bi-weekly),
keep a mailing list of your customers, get people in as you build up
a following the bar will be willing to part with more and more money.

REMEMER make sure the people have fun, show them you take
thier new songs requests serioulsy and get the new tracks,
and people will come.

..just my 2 cents (maybe 10 these days), but this does work, I've done
it multple times.

good luck

[gotrich]

I have done this. I added over 1000 songs in the past month at the 1 bar I been too. The lady said I will give you 4 weeks to try at 100$ a wednesday night. So I gave in and did. well since then I have added every single song they ask for or died trying. everyone tells me i am the bset KJ they ever had there. Attendance is low not growing same regualrs all the time that came before me. I even put a spot for peoples email addy on the slips so i been sending out mass emails to everyone tanking them for comeing and when my next show is.

I also have realized I wont buy crappy disk. my favorites are now

1. Legends series
2. DK
3. Sound Imagaes (only have 1 of Steve miller band- but **** its good)
4. RCA
5. KJ Tools Plus
6. Chartbuster
7. Sound choice
8. Sweet Goergia brown
9. Star Disk
10. Top hits Monthly

[lirics]

GOTRICH,

Hey, then your doing pretty much everything you can do
at that particular venue, only other thing!

have you and the bar tired any advertising ?
flyers/ handouts word of mouth ?

..keep pushing and try getting other venues,
here's some places to try:

Retierment / nursing homes (dont laugh seriuosly)
civic centers (any place where they do community functions,
such as churches, rec centers, jr and high schools)
bowling alleys

also other good quality discs
Monster Hits
Music Maestro
Radio Starz
Pop Hits Monthly

...keep on pluging at it, it will happen, but the key to
building up bar nites is promotion, get the word out
and it will happen, the bartender has alot to do with
getting good crowds.

good luck

[gotrich]

I rank music maestro just above sweet goergia brown....what are the others you mention