The reasons to produce your own show are plentiful. It’s good comedy karma to create stage time. It’s a way to meet a ton of comedians, quickly. It’s a way to learn what energy level is best for what situation. It’s a way to better understand what bookers are looking for. Most importantly, you canRead more
Everyone writes differently. Some people sit down and force themselves to write, while others only write by riffing on stage. Most of us are somewhere in between. However you write, we’ve all had a desire to come up with something new, only to draw a complete blank. Here are a few methods I have heardRead more
Hi everyone! I’ve been going over a lot of videos lately, and notice some common mistakes. Hope this helps you get the perfect promo video. 1) Start with you. Not someone introducing you, but you. Don’t waste a booker’s time having them wait through an introduction. No need for fancy graphics either, get to theRead more
I know it seems obvious. Most comics know that this is the most obvious thing in comedy. But those that do not, well, they REALLY do not. The light tells you when your shift is over, and you NEED to respect that. Running the light is the quickest way to never get booked again. SomeRead more
1) The most professional URL is your name dot com. If its a hard to spell name, have something easy that forwards to it that you can drop on the radio or tell people quickly. i.e. My website is SteveHofstetter.com but PickSteve.com forwards to it. Never go with a .net or .tv or anything likeRead more
This is one might be sensitive – the case against having the word “comedian” (or something similar) in your Facebook name. This post comes from my having three different conversations this week (one with a comic, two with bookers) where they all, unprovoked, disparagingly said something like “some comedian whose facebook name is ‘comedian’” You’veRead more
Here’s a template I’d recommend for an email to a booker. And NEVER email a bunch at once, its insulting. If you want to send a mail merge, get Max Bulk Mailer (Mac) or Group Mail Pro (PC) to send to a list, while personalizing. That way it looks like you took the time toRead more
Professional headshots are a must. A pretty good picture your friend took of you once is not a professional headshot. Clubs, rooms, any gig – they need these photos to promote. And any comic that doesn’t have a professional headshot looks VERY amateur to a booker. Your headshot needs to look like you. Not likeRead more
Today’s “be the best comic you can be” business tip is about etiquette. There are lots of unwritten rules when you’re a comic. Here’s a few of em: 1) Any feature that doesn’t ask the headliner if its okay to sell merch is a dick. Any headliner that says no is a bigger dick. Also,Read more