Talent v professionalism, which is more important?
Senior to competence & talent is one’s own choice to be professional / reliable.
Skill level, age, looks may have something to do with your actual product on stage.
But a very sexy, young, totally talented – unreliable, pain in the arse, apathetic, poorly dressed, grumpy act won’t get as many client requests for rebookings or calls from agents as an ugly, adequately talented middle aged act that rocks the house and is cheerful and just does a great job, delivering a show that really raises the tone of the room.
See here what exactly what clients say impressed them about acts they booked – you can work backwards from that then learn to do those things and then do really well!
Sadly and astonishingly I’ve had more booking requests over the years from clients / venues for averagely talented acts that play the right songs at the right time to please the people than from supremely talent sexy people that just do an ok job.
Also often agents really don’t have time to constantly chase up acts with several phone calls or emails for a simple job booking.
Always answer your phone from an agent or get back as fast as you can.
Why?
Well agent’s make very small commissions per booking so it just not worth lots of call backs – they’ll move on top another act that could do the job and reply faster.
True stories from people at top of their field – On accepting work offers.
If you want to be successful in this business, you never say no until you’re too busy to say yes. I learned this by watchin guys who talked themselves out of careers by being too fussy. If you wait at home for the phone to ring , it won’t.
Bones Howe – Producer – Elvis Presley.
If you’re a freelance musician you can’t turn anything down. Because there is somebody who is standing behind you who is salivating to do this work.
On responding fast to work offers
A producer was stuck for a guitarist – he called Tommy Tedesco – hey how long will it take you to get here ? Lets see 20 mins ( it as a lie – it’d take an hour but he knew they’d wait)
Producer told him man you won’t believe what another guitarist told me before I called you in – lets see I’m having breakfast, I’ll be finished in 45 mins, I can be there in an 90 mins.
Tommy Tedesco – Wrecking Crew Guitarist.
Agents never want to deal with rude, grumpy pain in the arse acts either, there’s too many nice acts out there.
Obviously talent is vital but it seems that in the long term regarding talent v professionalism – common sense professionalism is MORE vital.