Tammi went on to explain how when initially sitting down with a band to negotiate, these mutual benefits are laid out on the table. When you are not paying for your entertainment the perks the band is receiving needs to be spelled out to them to make them see why they should play. "We've offered the gig to bands in the past and they've demanded a payment, negotiating with a band that is so set on a paycheck is nearly impossible. We let bands sell their CD's at the show but require them to donate the proceeds to Relay for Life. This sounds horrible at first however, they keep the costs of the item and can say they donated 'x' number of dollars to the charity."
Costs of a CD are not just the cost of manufacturing, a band can include the cost of studio time. So although the CD itself costs a band $1.50 they can add in the amount of producing the album in the studio. For instance a band spends $1000 at the studio, and make a 1000 copies, that's $1 per CD. A band can truthfully claim costs as $2.50 per CD. Understand that the element of having to donate a bands proceeds to a charity might sound bad at first but examine the size of the audience these bands are playing to, and then look at the sales hook, all proceeds go to the charity. People who are at charity events are there to support the cause, generally financially, they are looking for 'mutually beneficial' ways of doing that. Given the option to buy a CD knowing most of that money is going to the cause and they are getting something out of it, is a no brainer for charity goers.
I asked Tammi if they search for bands who are affiliated with the charity. "Generally we ask volunteers if they have any family members in bands or know anyone who is passionate about the cause. Relay is full of people who have first hand experience with the battle with cancer. These people go out and spread the word, raise money for their Relay teams and truly make a difference. Finding a band with that same emotional connection would be a dream come true." Tammi explains.
Me: "So you haven't found a band yet with that affiliation?"
Tammi: "Every smaller band we talk to claims to have that passion, but when it comes to 'show time' they fail to really convey that affiliation. One thing about booking or negotiating in this case, is being honest about what you bring to the table. We may have another offer on the table who honestly is affiliated with the cause but brings in a smaller crowd, if you lie and say you bring in more and are also emotionally connected, then we just lost a band who could of been a better fit, and you just ruined your reputation locally with several people who could of sought you out for other events."
Tammi went on to tell a story about how one year they had difficulties finding a band and went with a younger band that came with a few good reviews. By the end of the night they had people leaving the event because of the band. Little negotiation was needed to make the band say yes, in hindsight Tammi understands why that yes was so easy. The band couldn't recover after some sound issues and they had no true affiliation with the event. They just played and went home, didn't even announce the event on their Facebook page. Negotiating is a skill to master but for an event coordinator it is crucial to negotiate with the right entertainers or you are just wasting your breathe. It can be hard to validate qualifying measurements for local talent, a coordinator may only be able to take the talents word for that.
Embellishments can hurt a band, when booking try to give accurate information. It may be good leverage to say the band can bring in 'x' number of people but if it is a lie it will hurt the band down the road. Don't be afraid to ask how something is going to benefit the band, especially if the band is playing for free. Just remember every show is potentially an open door to the next level, don't close that door before even seeing it.
Tammi negotiates as a volunteer on a daily basis with a range of people, bands and businesses. She is an active leader in the Girl Scouts, Relay for Life, Habitat for Humanity, and several other local branches of organizations. Nearly five times a year she dedicates herself to negotiating with bands to perform for free at various events.
