The Importance of Following Up After a Gig

Playing a gig is an accomplishment. Once you get a taste of what it’s like, you always want to be in planning mode for the next one. While this is important, there’s also some follow-up work to do after every gig. 

When you follow up after a gig, you can improve the relationship between you, as an entertainer, and the people you work with. After all, your goal is to establish a strong relationship and rapport with your clients. To do this, you need to put in the work after your gig. Some tips to help you do this can be found here. 

Remain Respectful to Your Client 

While playing your gig (including before and after the gig), stay professional and respectful. Be sure to check-in at the start, confirm the end time, and let them know the estimated length of your set. 

When you are done playing, pack up your equipment and get out of the way for other performers (if there are any). Make sure you speak to your client before leaving and thank them for the opportunity to play. 

Never expect a tip. While you may receive a gratuity, don’t wait for this. If you do get a tip, be sure to say, “thank you.”

Stay in Contact with the Client 

When the gig is over, make sure you stay in touch with the client. A great way to do this is with a personalized thank you note. You can send this via email or snail mail – the key is to make sure it’s personal. 

Make sure you thank the person or entity for the opportunity once more and let them know how much you enjoyed it. Be sure to list specific details from the gig that you enjoyed or appreciated and be as authentic as possible. Remember, “the devil is in the details.”

Request a Referral or Review

This is a good time to request a referral or review from the client too. You can include the request as a part of your personalized note.

Once you have thanked them for the opportunity, let them know you would appreciate a review. After receiving reviews, you can begin posting them to your website or have your manager use them to help gain traction on social media or other platforms. 

Along with asking for a review, consider asking the individual to share your information with people they know who may be interested in booking you for a gig. There’s no question that word-of-mouth marketing is still one of the most effective options available today. Make sure you are encouraging your clients to spread the word about you and your abilities. 

As you can see, following up with clients after a gig is a great way to show your appreciation and get more gigs (potentially). Just be sure to keep things polite and professional. This will help ensure your efforts are effective and that the desired results are achieved.