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The Performer's Circle

55 members • Free

1 contribution to The Performer's Circle
Strategy for booking gigs
Just Starting? (Beginner) Start local. Go to google and find your hometown and type in the search bar 'senior communities'. Write down the 20 closest communities to where you live. After that, get more specific and experiment with different names of communities in your search.... Retirement homes Assisted Living Independent Living Memory Care Nursing homes Rehabilitation Centers Retirement Village Senior Care Homes...... Write down every community that comes up and create a list of names and numbers... Doing this awhile? (Intermediate) Cluster your shows. Identify communities with multiple neighborhoods. In other words, communities that have BOTH assisted living and memory care neighborhoods. When you call them, schedule a double show at 1:30 and 3pm. Do them back to back. This is the most efficient way to schedule shows. Usually you can tell by the photo on 'Google Search' that the community has multiple neighborhoods. They are usually bigger, corporate, communities that can include the following names.. Benchmark Northbridge Atria Genesis The Arbors Typically, these larger communities have multiple neighborhoods and buildings that you can do a 'double show' and do your gigs with more efficiency. Looking to go pro? (Advanced) Expand your reach. Look well beyond your home town and schedule a trip 80+miles away and begin tapping into the senior communities there. Book a room at a motel in that city and start a new list of communities to call on in that town and along your route to that town. If I'm traveling far away like this , I'll schedule 3 in one day, stay the night in that town, then book 3 on the way back. With a solid booking strategy you can efficiently cluster all your shows and minimize the amount of traveling. Maybe take the next day or so off to rest and recover. When I'm booking shows, I'm looking well beyond the next month and into the next year. Many communities are already booking for the following year and you would be wise to begin reaching out early.
Strategy for booking gigs
2 likes • 10d
My goal for 2027 is to book about 75 gigs. I have 10 existing accounts that I expect/hope to re-book - this will bring me to 30 gigs. The balance will be older or brand new accounts. If I "reach out" with EMail or Voice messages, history has shown a very low response rate where by actually speaking with a director has proven to be the best route. I wish a had a crystal ball that indicated when these directors are at their desk with calendar in front of them. Ha - what planet am I on! Getting back to your inqiury - How many places am I reaching out to? Hopefully as few as possible until I hit my 2027 number. Either way I'll muscle through.
1 like • 6d
@Aaron Turner When I first play a community I'll send a thank you note - this helps with familiarity when I make contact again. In some communities there is high turnaround with activities directors and the person who brought you in no longer works there. At this point your are square one. Our friend Chris Ekblom encourages us to befriend other individuals at the communities to alleviate the turnover problem. Good luck.
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Mickey Wyllys
2
15 points to level up
@mickey-wyllys-3238
seasoned solo guitarist, vocalist and harmonica player. I play spirited renditions of the most enduring songs in popular music for senior audiences.

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Joined Aug 26, 2026