Bridal Show Shocker!

Today, I received in my inbox some startling news from my friend Becca Carter, wedding insurance agent over at the Wedding Protector Plan®. The first quarter of the year is when some of the largest bridal shows happen, so I wanted to pass this information along...

Boston police say thousands of brides-to-be and wedding vendors have been scammed by a web site advertising a fake Boston bridal show. More than 6,000 individuals and vendors have paid and signed up with the web site, promising all that a large, elegant wedding show provides. Vendors discovered it was a scam after they tried to contact the convention center, asking when they could set up their exhibits for the show. The FBI is now involved and the web site has been taken down. Read more about this tragedy from The Boston Globe.

How can you make sure that a bridal show is legitimate?

Tips for Musicians:
Never sign up to exhibit at a bridal show without talking with the producers on the phone. Ask them the following questions:

1. Have they produced any other wedding shows or is this one of their first events? Get statistics of how many brides have attended past shows so that you’ll know how many bookings may be possible for you.

2. Where is the show located? Exhibit at shows in areas where you’ll want to travel to perform.

3. What are the dimensions of the booth? Can you fit your entire ensemble into that booth?

4. What’s in the contract? Yes, you need a contract! Find out what the promoter will guarantee to you, in writing.

5. Use your gut feelings to decide if you want to work with a particular bridal fair producer. If they come off like a slimy used car salesman with a hard-sell attitude, run in the other direction.

6. What is the total fee that the producer will charge to you? Take into account all the extras that might not be included in the standard booth fee: electricity, linen rental, extra chairs or tables, etc.

My book, “The Musician’s Guide to Brides”, contains an entire chapter about getting the most out of bridal shows. It’s available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, amazon.com, and of course, at my website at Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

Tips for Brides, Mothers-of-Brides, Event Planners, And Anyone Attending Bridal Fairs:

In my upcoming book, “The Bride’s Guide to Musicians: Live Wedding Music Made Easy and Affordable”, I’ll be devoting an entire section to successfully navigating around bridal shows.

To avoid spending money pre-registering for a bridal fair that is a scam, make sure that the show is well advertised. If a promoter is spending good money advertising the show in your local paper, on billboards, on radio, and even on TV, the show is certainly legitimate. A con artist is not going to spend money that they stole from people to advertise a fake bridal fair.

You can also contact the venue where the show is to take place. They can verify that the show will indeed go on as planned.

And if something still doesn’t feel right and you are in doubt about the legitimacy of a bridal fair, don’t register online. Simply show up at the appointed time of the show. All bridal shows allow you to pay admission at the door if you have not pre-registered online.

Bridal shows are great places to find all your wedding vendors in one shopping trip. Don’t let this one horrible incident prevent you from attending bridal shows in your local area.

Please stay in touch, write and comment. I’m looking forward to reading your stories and feedback.

Anne :-)

What to Include in Promotional Brochures

1. A headline. You want this statement to catch the reader’s attention and cause the reader to want to learn more about your services.

2. Your contact information: your name or your band’s name, area code with phone number, email address, and website address. Your address may be included or not, depending on how you intend to distribute your brochures. If the brochure will be a self-mailer, just print your return address on the blank side of the brochure, and there will be no need to print it elsewhere. Include this information on the front of your brochure, and even on several other panels of your brochure, for good measure.

3. Copyright notice. Put a © with your name and the year on the brochure, usually on the back of the brochure or in some inconspicuous place. This is giving copyright notice and will help to insure that your competitors do not swipe the printed information and artwork in your brochure.

4. The benefits of hiring you to perform. Review your competitions’ brochures to decide what to include. Not all of the benefits you list have to be uniquely your own. For instance, your competition may list that they provide amplification free of charge. It may be prudent for you to do the same, just so that your clients know you also have a sound system available. However, also add the unique benefits to hiring you. Your clients will believe they are getting more value for their money.

5. Testimonials. These are positive quotes from key people. If you are just starting out, you can use verbal quotes from friends, mentors, and your music instructor. If you have been performing a while, use quotes from the thank-you notes you received from past wedding clients. You can also include brief excerpts of quotes from reviews of your public stage performances and your CDs, but remember your target client, the bride. It will be most important to her that other wedding clients of yours have something positive to say about you. Be honest in all the quotes you provide and respect your client’s intelligence. People can see through boastfulness. If they think you are making stuff up and are full of boloney, will they hire you?

6. Educate your potential clients. What can you tell your future clients about your instrument and the kind of music that is your specialty? Do a little research and include a short paragraph. And if you have been performing for a while, offer brides suggestions about how to select their music, how to hire musicians, or any other kinds of free advice. Give them a little free information, just for picking up your brochure and showing an interest in you. Offering advice establishes you as an authority in your field.

7. Your experience. This is also known as your bio, and this deserves an entirely new blog posting . . .

Copyright © 2008 by Anne Roos, excerpt from "The Musician's Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings", published by Hal Leonard Books. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced in any form, without written permission, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review.

Hundreds of additional tips, are available for musicians (and all entrepreneurs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, amazon.com, Sylvia Woods Harp Center catalog, and of course, at my website at http://www.celticharpmusic.com/.

For Musicians and Entrepreneurs

If you want to keep up with how to use the Internet to reach new customers and fans, and to stay in touch with them, you've got to read Joan Stewart's great free e-book, "The Best of The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week 2009". It's a compilation from Joan's fabulous weekly e-newsletters, which I always can't wait to receive.

I got introduced to Joan when I heard her teleseminar with my friend Bob Baker called "Do-it-Yourself PR Tips for Songwriters, Musicians & Bands on a Budget" . But to me, her very best e-book is her "How to Be a Kick-Butt Publicity Hound", the up-to-date bible on how to get the word out about any business. It contains some very novel ideas. Not your run-of-the-mill business book.

For musicians, you'll find Joan's helpful advice, along with more business advice in my "The Musician's Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings" book, available on Amazon.com, SheetMusicPlus.com, and of course at my website, Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos.

Essential Items Needed When Gigging

Here is a list of essential items you will need when traveling to a gig. Don't leave home without them!

1. Your instrument, of course. You should have a protective,waterproof case for it, either a soft gig bag or a hard shell case. Pack with your instrument,
all of the items that you directly use with your instrument (a full set of strings, drum sticks, bows, rosin, etc.).

2. Your favorite seat to sit upon. Your comfort is tantamount to having a good time
performing. Bring your favorite portable chair, bench, or stool. If you don’t, your client is apt to
offer you something that will be uncomfortable. A client once offered me a chaise lounge chair to sit upon while performing. Can you imagine playing harp while sitting on one of those things? I couldn’t either, and thankfully, I brought my own folding chair instead.

3. Strong, waterproof bags for your sheet music. In case you need to scribble a line or two of music at a gig, also keep some blank manuscript paper, a pencil, and an eraser handy at a gig. Post-it sticky notes are good, too, because you may need to write some last-minute cues on your sheet music. My favorites heet music gig bags are Tuxedo Bags, made by Humes & Berg.
These cordura bags are indestructible, and they’ll fit tons of sheet music. (Humes & Berg also makes a wide selection of cordura soft cases for instruments.)

4. A music stand. Invest in a solid metal music stand, and save the cheap wire stand as a spare. A solid stand is less likely to fall over in the wind or when someone backs up into it, and if you play a cello, double bass, or harp, you’ll avoid scratches on your instrument. You’ll also be able to place large books or heavy binders on a solid stand without their falling off . Manhasset has a solid, fold up stand called the Voyager. It’s more money than a wire stand, but it’s worth the added investment.

5. A soft case for your music stand. It’s a nuisance when a wire stand suddenly opens up while carrying it, and it is pretty painful to drop a Manhasset stand on tender feet. These are reasons enough to have a soft carrying case for your music stand.

6. A tough waterproof bag on wheels. Place all your small peripheral items in this bag. What works best for me is a 20''rolling carry-on flight bag that I purchased from a factory outlet store. Purchase it in person, not online, so that you can see the capacity, the design of the interior, the number and size of pockets, and the quality of the bag. Don’t purchase a bag that will fall apart in a few months. It needs to be rugged. Fill this bag with:

a) An electronic tuner and an optional alligator clip cord or another cord to connect it to your instrument pick-up. Itis easier to tune in noisy environments if you can plug yourtuner directly into your instrument pick-up.

b) Extra batteries for your electronic tuner.

c) A fix-it kit for your instrument: wrenches, pliers, wirecutters, you name it. I place all this stuff in a Dobbs kit (a men’s travel toiletry kit) so that I can easily find it inside therolling gig bag.

d) Gaffer’s tape and masking tape. Don’t bring duct tape, because it will leave a sticky mess wherever you use it. Gaffer’s tape looks just like duct tape and is just as strong, but it can be easily removed without gummy residue. I have used gaffer’s tape for anything from sticking a loose pick up back inside my harp, to taping down cords on the floor to avoid accidents, to fixing the hem on a gown. It’s truly indispensable. Masking tape is also very useful to have handy, just in case you need to write on it. I also use masking tape to cover unused input or output holes on my amp when I’m performing outside (it keeps bugs and sand from ending upinside my amp).

e) Sheet music clips to hold down your music in breezy conditions or to keep your music books open. Don’t use clothespins; they look too tacky for a well-paid musician to use at weddings. You can purchase see through clips at standard music stores or any number of online retailers.

f) A doorstop. Keep doors open while you are loading and unloading musical equipment.

g) Instrument polishes and polish cloths. You’ll be amazed to see the gunk that can get on an instrument, especially when performing outside.

h) Personal emergency items. In the summer, I take mosquito repellent lotion with me, along with antihistamine, since I am allergic to mosquito bites. I also bring along sun block. In the winter, I take hand warmers with me, the ones that can be purchased in camping stores. I place them in my pockets so that when I have some downtime at a wedding, I can keep my hands warm. Aspirin and Band-Aids are year-round emergency items for me, along with a nail file, Kleenex, and cough drops. I usually keep them in my purse or car, but they can also be contained in the rolling gig bag. You might have others items necessary for your own personal comfort that you’ll want to drop into your bag, too.

i) Extra business cards and brochures. You may wish to keep business cards in your wallet or purse, but it’s good to know that you have more in your rolling gig bag if you run out. If you are using amplification, also store the following items inside the rolling gig bag.

j) Lots and lots of extra batteries for all of your electronic devices.

k) Power AC adapters to recharge your electronic devices. If you are using a battery-operated amplifier, these adapters will save you if your batteries run low.

l) Warranties and instruction booklets for your tuner and amplification devices. When your equipment malfunctions, you’ll be able to trouble-shoot on the spot.

m) A wide assortment of cords. Over the years, I have collected cords that I don’t presently use with my equipment. I still carry them with me to all my gigs. Why? I can plug into house sound or into onsite P.A. systems that will enable my harp to be heard well in that particular location. Some of these spare cords will just do the trick, fitting right into asound system built for the wedding or reception site.

n) Velcro straps for tying up your cords neatly.

So, now you are fully prepared to anything unexpected that may come along.

Copyright © 2008 by Anne Roos, excerpt from "The Musician's Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings", published by Hal Leonard Books. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced in any form, without written permission, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review.

Hundreds of additional tips, are available for musicians (and all entrepreneurs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, amazon.com, Sylvia Woods Harp Center catalog, and of course, at my website at http://www.celticharpmusic.com/.

Do What You Do Best---Create a Repertoire

Do what you do best, and you'll love what you do. The music you play that resonates within you carries your own fingerprints. Even if other musicians can play the same songs as you do, what you bring to these sonsg is uniquely your own.

To land lucrative wedding gigs, you need to find your niche among the competition. This is know as "positioning" in marketing lingo. It means researching what makes you different from the rest of the musicians and capitalizing on these differences. Compiling your wedding repertoire is the first step to making you stand out.

"You are more attractive when you break bread with a competitor."-from Attracting Perfect Customers by Stacey Hall and Jan Brogniea of Perfect Consulting Unlimited.

How do you find out what your competition plays? There is no better time than now to enlist some allies. Make friends with other successful musicians in your geographical area and hear them perform. Get together and jam. Check out their websites. If some musicians give you the cold shoulder when you approach them in friendship, they may be viewing you as a threat, and that's their problem. Your competition can be your friends.


Copyright © 2008 by Anne Roos, excerpt from "The Musician's Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings", published by Hal Leonard Books. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced in any form, without written permission, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review.

Hundreds of additional tips, are available for musicians (and all entrepreneurs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, amazon.com, Sylvia Woods Harp Center catalog, and of course, at my website at http://www.celticharpmusic.com/.

10 Tips on What it Takes to Play at Weddings

Here are ten general tips that will help you to be a successful wedding musician. Master these, and you'll start receiving a steady flow of referrals, inquiries, and bookings:

1. Be content with taking directrions from the bride and those she appoints to oversee her wedding, no matter how stange you think her expectations of you may be. Follow instructions with a kind smile and a nod, without being argumentative. Aim to please.

2. Educate the bride about the services you have to offer. Keep the lines of communication open so that there is absoulutey no doubt in the bride's mind that she can count on you.

3. Politely stand your own ground when necessary. Be firm regarding such issues as requesting pay, seeing that you are provided with your performance requirements, and squelching impossible demands.

4. Possess a willingness to offer helpful suggestions about how to select weddings or reception music, without actually making up the bride's mind for her. In other words, if you disagree with the bride's musical taste, or you don't like playing the songs she has chosen, let her know why. If she insists, play what she wants to hear anyway. Understand that she is creating her own personal memories with the music she chsooses.

5. Accept the fact that you will be performing background music while people are talking and mingling. You are not a "diva"-You don't have to be the center of attention.

6. Perform smoothly and with confidence. Understand that if you dispaly a lack of confidence, the bride and the other wedding professionals on your team will have a lack of confidence in you too.

7. Look food, No, look GREAT! Smile. Look like you are having fun when you play, Take good care of yourself and the clothes that you wear. Take good care of your equipment, too.

8. Realize thsat you can learn from other experiences.

9. Know that a positive attitude makes you a magnet for enjoyable, high-paying wedding gigs. You'll be viewed as a calm professional. Brides will appreciate that your feathers don't get fuffled too easily. Better yet, other wedding vendors will see that you can handle
situations that come up at a wedding with ease, and they will want to work with you again. They'll refer you over and over.

10. Love what you do and success will come. Show you love of what your do with gratitiude. Thank the bride, your clients and other wedding vendors, and everyone who crosses your path.

These tips are designed to help your set parameters for what you are and to help guarantee success at future wedding gigs.

Copyright © 2008 by Anne Roos, excerpt from "The Musician's Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings", published by Hal Leonard Books. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced in any form, without written permission, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review.

Hundreds of additional tips, are available for musicians (and all entrepreneurs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, amazon.com,
Sylvia Woods Harp Center catalog, and of course, at my website at http://www.celticharpmusic.com/.

The Right Mindset-The Bride is the Star, Not You

Performing at weddings is much more than simpy playing well. It's more then creating a lovely atmosphere for tying the knot, and it's more than supplying the right party music to get people up and dancing at a reception. Unlike other gigs where you can play any tune you wish within a certain sytle, this is the bride's big day and she is in charge. She gets to select the special music that will make her day magical. This requires clear communication between the bride and the musicians.

This might sound easy at first. So, you just explain to the bride what selections you can perform, she chooses, and then you show up at the wedding and play. Just like any other gig, right? Not so fast...

The bride is unlikely to have hosted or coordinated other big events in the past and therefore will be inexperineced in event planning. Because of this fact, she may have very different expectations of what you can and cannot play, where you can set up, how to pay you, and so on.

The wedding itself, and the planning of it, can be an emotional rollercoaster for a bride. Often she'll hold a picture in her mind of her perfect wedding, and she'll do anything for her wedding day to match her fantasy. She'll enter into wedding planning with these expectations, while she is wrestling with the expectations of her fiance', her parents, and her future in-laws. Sometimes a bride will crack under this pressure, rendering her nervous, indecisive, or overly concerned with non-essential details.

Accept the very real stress a bride may be under and hold her hand through this process. Educate her about what you need from her, from music selection to the kind of performance area that you require, Don't assume she is experienced with party planning. It's also good to do this even with a bride who will be having a smaller wedding, eloping, and getting marrided for a second time, or simply renewing her vows. This bride may be more flexible and relaxed, but she still needs to have the same level of communication with you as a nervous and excited bride with big wedding plans.

Wedding muiscians are an important member of a team of wedding vendors consisting of the celebrant, the event coordinator, the banquet manager, the photographer, the videographer, and any number of other service providers. We all work together to make the bride's day memorable. Wedding musicians are part of the bride's "supporting cast". We are not interested in upstaging or stealing the spotlight from her. She is the star on her wedding day.

Copyright © 2008 by Anne Roos, excerpt from "The Musician's Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings", published by Hal Leonard Books. All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced in any form, without written permission, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review.

Hundreds of additional tips, are available for musicians (and all entrepreneurs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, amazon.com, Sylvia Woods Harp Center catalog, and of course, at my website at Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

Alex the Romantic

I received a phone call from Alex six days before his wedding. He said, “I’m getting married this coming Sunday. Are you at all available?” I get the quick details of the place and time and the answer is, “Yes! I can do it. You’ll have to get your music list to me quickly, but I’ll be there.”

Alex is like many people headed to the altar these days—He waits until he knows all the wedding services are in his budget, and then he phones around to hire those services. In this economy, people feel safer committing to their wedding plans when they know they can pay for them, and sometimes, that means making wedding plans on very short notice.

It turns out that Alex is a romantic, too. He hired me as a surprise to his bride, Gina. He knew that she would love the added touch of live harp music to accompany her walk down the aisle. Here is the music he selected for his wedding (for more information on these songs, check out my repertoire list:

Pre-Ceremony Seating Music:
1. “Beauty and the Beast”
2. “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes”
3. “Earth Angel”
4. “Killing Me Softly”
5. “The Unforgiven”
6. “Yesterday”
Plus Classical music selections of my choice

Processional for 1 Flower Girl and 1 Ring Bearer:
“When You Wish Upon a Star”
Bride’s Entrance:
“Here Comes the Bride”
Music played softly behind Exchange of Vows:
“Sunny”
Recessional:
“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”

Post-Ceremony Music Played During Photo Session:
1. “La Bamba”
2. “Guantanamera”
3. “A Whole New World”
4. “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”
5. “Isn’t She Lovely”
6. “Stairway to Heaven”

Okay, so Alex’s taste is very eclectic, mixing Disney, Rock and Latin music. But he knew his guests’ taste and he knew his bride.

I phoned Rev. Ronald Sayed, Alex and Gina’s minister, to give him a heads up not to breathe a word to the bride that I would be performing for her wedding. He loved the idea that the harp music would be a surprise.

The wedding day came, and I arrived at beautiful Lakeside Beach at Lake Tahoe on a gorgeous, cloudless summer morning for Alex and Gina’s destination wedding. Alex, dressed in style wearing a matching hat with his beige suit, delivered single roses to mothers who were waiting. Then, Gina arrived by horse drawn carriage. As she walked up the aisle to “Here Comes the Bride”, she turned to look over at me, her eyes got very big, and then she smiled from ear to ear.

After the ceremony, guests sang along to “La Bamba” as I played, and a couple danced while I played “Guantanamera”. One guest asked me to play “A Whole New World” again, too. Guys waiting before the ceremony gave me a thumbs-up sign when they heard Metallica’s “The Unforgiven” on the Celtic harp.

Alex had it nailed. He knew what would please his bride, he knew what would please his guests, and everything went flawlessly. It’s okay for guys to get into the planning of the wedding ceremony and to offer a few romantic surprises. I’ll bet Alex had more romantic surprises waiting at the reception and later that day, too...

Tips for Brides and Grooms:

Ladies—Let your fiancé get in on the wedding plans. It’s his wedding, too. Even if he doesn’t want to be the decision maker for all your wedding details, there may be just a few that he would like to handle. It doesn’t hurt to ask and include him in the planning. Perhaps the music is most important to the groom. Or maybe he’s a foodie and wants to make the final decision on the cake or the dinner menu. Be brave and let him get in on the wedding action. Allow him to surprise you!

Guys—Most women simply melt when you spring a romantic surprise on them. Will you provide a special poem during the vows? Will you bring a red rose to give to each of the mothers? Or will you hire a harpist without telling your bride? Many brides may secretly like a little help in the wedding plans, and offering to help make decisions could relieve some of her pre-wedding stress.

Music can provide a wonderful surprise for your intended. I’ve played the harp as a surprise at wedding proposals, anniversary dinners, birthday parties, bridal and baby showers, you name it. Once, a man hired me to play for his wife as a surprise, while they dined on room service food in their hotel suite. I asked him, “What is the occasion?” He answered, “I just wanted to surprise my wife on our last day of vacation.” I played all the songs he instructed me to play for her, and she cried during dinner. She said, “I have the most romantic husband in the world!” It makes me melt just to think about it.

Some general tips about last-minute weddings and surprises: If you are not booking wedding services months or years in advance, it helps to avoid the busiest days and times of the week. You’ll find more wedding services available for midweek and morning weddings, rather than Saturdays and evenings. And if you are planning a wedding in a public area (beaches, parks, etc.), these locations are typically quieter in the morning hours.

Tips for Musicians:

It’s totally fine to take last-minute gigs, especially in this economy. Many brides and grooms don’t know how much they have to spend on their wedding services until they get closer to their date, and they make quick plans as soon as they know they have the money to tie the knot.

You need to prepare quickly when you’re booked just a few days before the wedding. If you are in the habit of taking deposits before a gig, you may need to rethink your policy on collecting fees. And then there is the fact that you’ll have very little time to practice before the big day. Don’t be concerned about the list of music you receive—As long as you can play it, don’t try to make sense of it. Trust that your client knows exactly what is best for the wedding.

And finally, if you and your music are a surprise, there’s no need to worry about how it may be received. The key is to be flexible about it all, and you’ll have a great time watching everyone’s reaction. Alex knew exactly what would make his bride and guests happy, and I was so glad to be a part of it all.

Many more tips are available from my book “The Musician’s Guide to Brides” available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com.

I’m looking forward to reading your stories, comments, and feedback.

Anne :-)

Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

(And contact me at anne@celticharpmusic.com for personal consultation and mentoring—Make a living while gigging)

Gratitude and Contentment

This tip is a simple one, and I am reminded of it every time I perform--Gratitude.

In these tough economic times, I try to turn my mind to being grateful for what I am doing instead of getting nervous about how my calendar is filling up. And when a gig doesn't seem to go just as planned, I don't let it get to me. Instead, I think about how wonderful it is to be providing music for someone's special day or special event. Truly, I can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing.

Performing is never boring. Every wedding, every gig is different. Especially when I'm playing for a wedding, I think about the great honor it is to provide music for a very special day in someone's life. I love being part of the celebration!

Musicians whom I interviewed for my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" had this to say about playing for weddings:

"...It's my job, and I love it and love weddings. People are usually happy and a bit excited, the locations are usually beautiful, and music makes a meaningful contribution to the atmosphere of a significant event in people's lives."--Gwyneth Evans, Concert and Celtic Harpist

"Making a living playing music at wedding is to move, touch, and inspire others."--Seán Cummings, eighth generation bagpiper

"You play for people who might not have heard live music in years. And when things go right (and they usually do) the room is filled with joyful tears and heartfelt laughter. What's not to like?"--Tim Goldsmith, Red Davidson Trio

"I found it to be a very immediate gratification for music. People come up to you right away and thank you and compliment you vs. the symphony where the people are distant and clap politely for 15 seconds and leave!"--Van Vinikow, The Supreme Being of "The String Beings" string trio/quartet

"I love music!"--Destiny, Harpist from the Hood

What about you? What are you grateful for in your gigging experience? Does a feeling of contentment get you through the rough spots when a wedding gets crazy? And if you aren't a musician, have you experimented with taking gratitude to work with you? If so, how has it changed things? Do share your thoughts by adding your comments below. I'll cover some great ways to demonstrate your gratitude in the next blog entry...

The attitude of gratitude and hundreds of other tips are included in my book "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com

I'm looking forward to reading your stories, comments, and feedback.

Anne :-)

Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

(And contact me at anne@celticharpmusic.com for personal consultation and mentoring-Make a living while gigging)

How to Respond to Incompetent Colleagues

When I arrive at a wedding to perform, I do a little research. I speak to the wedding coordinator and the celebrant (the minister, priest, rabbi, pastor, etc.) prior to the ceremony to get my cues and to learn of any nuances before I start playing. My job goes smoothly when I learn about updates to the ceremony agenda prior to my performance. Questioning the wedding coordinator and celebrant about particulars can make my playing seamless during a ceremony.

But what if the wedding coordinator doesn't care about my needs
and doesn't even want to take the time to talk with me? What if
the coordinator does talk to me but ignores our discussion? This
happened to me at a recent wedding, where there were more than
300 guests at a big church and more than 13 attendants walking
down the aisle before the bride's entrance. I went over all my
cues needed and the church wedding coordinator ignored me. She
mentioned she would close the doors to the room and then re-open
them to signal when the processional would begin, but the doors
remained open at all times. The flower girls were to walk in
last, which was my signal to be ready to play the bridal march.
Instead, the coordinator sent them down the aisle first, and I
was left needing to count the 11 bridesmaids before the bride was
to enter.

I was completely confused, didn't get to play the song selected
for the mother's candle lighting and seating, and it took me
until the appearance of the 2nd bridesmaid to determine that I
needed to skip to the processional music.

Things like this will happen, when other wedding vendors will
simply ignore my needs or not know what they are doing in the
first place. I've known ministers who have refused to talk with
me before the wedding to go over the details, actually admitting
that they didn't know what they were going to do anyway. I was
left to watch for a subtle nod of the head to assume that it was
time to play behind a prayer. Professional photographers and
videographers have stood right in front of me when I needed to
see the processional and bride walk down the aisle. I have played
at weddings where the reception band or DJ was within earshot,
testing their sound systems during the ceremony and drowning out
the exchange of vows. I have performed at corporate functions
when sound systems were promised and not provided, or the sound
tech showed up three minutes before I was to begin playing.

What should we do when we're doing our best job and others
muck it up for us? Here are five tried-and-true pointers:

1. Absolutely do not let on to the bride or your client that
anything is wrong! Do not tell the bride, "Oooops. I couldn't
play the seating music for the mothers because the wedding
coordinator didn't give me my cue." Don't tell her, "The sound
guy didn't show up on time so I couldn't begin playing when your
guests arrived." Do the best you can, smile, and behave as if
absolutely everything is going perfectly. (If the bride or client
complains after the event, be careful about dissing other service
providers. If that idiot service provider hears about it, they'll
make your life miserable. Be gracious and simply apologize.)

2. If something needs to be fixed right away, quietly tell the
offending service vendor about your needs. Have your roadie whisper

into the ear of the photographer, "Please move so that our string
quartet can see when the bride is entering." If the photographer
barks back, everyone within earshot will know that the
photographer is a dolt.

3. If you have a bone to pick with a wedding coordinator or other
wedding vendor, and you assume you will cross paths with this
person again, wait until after the ceremony and quietly tell them
what went wrong, as constructive criticism. Don't ever pick a
fight with them in front of your client and their guests.

4. Forget about it if you predict that you'll never be working
with that person again. For instance, I once performed at a
wedding where my amp was misbehaving, crackling and sputtering.
Instead of quietly informing me that my mic or amp needed
adjustment, the owner of the estate where the wedding was held
yelled at me in front of all the guests seated: "The harp sounds
terrible! All we hear is sh_t". I left that wedding venue having
decided that I would never take another job to perform there
again. Thus, there was no point for me to speak to the owner
about her rude behavior.

5. Your best retaliation is to never recommend an incompetent
service provider to anyone. And if a bride or client asks you
about that person, simply say that you have other businesses that
you prefer to recommend. Don't go into detail. Don't bad-mouth
unprofessional businesses. Instead, compliment competent service
providers with referrals. They will return the favor.

These tips, and many more, are available in my book "The
Musician's Guide to Brides". This book is written primarily for
wedding musicians, but it's also filled with savvy information
about marketing, advertising, and promoting your business as a
working musician. It's available wherever Hal Leonard Books are
sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers
including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my
website at www.celticharpmusic.com.

How have you dealt with unprofessional colleagues? Please share
your comments and insights.

Cheers,
Anne :-)

Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos
(And contact me at anne@celticharpmusic.com for personal
consultation and mentoring-Make a living while gigging)

What To Do In a Business Lull

It's April, and here in Tahoe, this is typically a slow time for gigs. It's not quite the summer wedding/tourist season, and my performance schedule is light.

Do I freak out and wonder what to do with myself or where the next dollar will come from? Absolutely not! I make lavish use of my free time, because I know it won't last and my performance calendar will soon be full again.

Need some ideas of what to do when your business is slow? None of these suggestions cost a penny, but they'll make good use of your spare time:

1. Reconnect. Contact those valuable people who have been referring you to their clients. Say "Hello!" And ask if they need more brochures, business cards, demo CDs, or any other promotional products from you. Share some marketing ideas and find out how business has been for them. Making a personal appearance at their office produces a much bigger impression than phone or email contact. So if possible, schedule an appointment and buy them a cup of coffee. You'll be surprised-they will enjoy the little break from their work tedium to visit with you. But best of all, they'll remember you the next time their phone rings with a client needing a musician.

2. Get busy online. Check your website for dead links. Do some surfing around and check out your competition. Then devise a game plan for your next website update with your webmaster. Freshen up your online social networking profiles. Upload some different songs and photos (they don't need to be new songs and photos, just different ones). Add content to your blog (What? You don't have one? It's time to start).

3. Do your homework. Discover new ways to market yourself. Check out the great marketing info available online in podcasts, blogs, e-books, and newsletters. Need help in how to sell? A great site for sales info is salesopedia.com. Need help with publicity and promotion? Check out Joan Stewart at The PublicityHound.com and Joan's "How to be a Kick-Butt Publicity Hound" E-Book. And if you are searching for info specific to the music business, for artists, and authors, start at Bob Baker's site. Refresh your career goals.

4. Go window-shopping online or in retail stores. Plan ahead to make your music sound better. Make a wish list for new equipment that you are hankering to own. Check out equipment reviews on musiciansfriend.com and even amazon.com. Talk to other musicians about which instruments and electronics they like best. Then, when the money rolls in, simply refer to your wish list, find a rock-bottom price, and make your equipment dreams come true.

5. Enter the zone. Work on some new music, play to your heart's content. Discover a new song to add to your repertoire. Create scores for the tracks for your next CD project. Compose or arrange new tunes. Or dust off some of the old stuff you love to play and get back into it. Call some friends over and make music together.

6. Get thee to a library. Read, read, read. Pick up some books on marketing or just get a fun read. You have free time...why not shut off the computer and learn something new? Park yourself in your favorite café, or sit outside on your porch or deck and become absorbed in the printed pages. Or if you are so inclined, start writing that book that you've always wanted to write.

7. Get a life. Enjoy nature: Sit on the beach or hike in the forest. Pick up a new hobby. Go to dinner and a movie with your sweetie. Play with your kids. Take a break!

Relish the time you have off from dealing with clients. Rethink your marketing strategy and make plans to build your music career. Or don't work at all-- take a vacation from your desk, your computer, your iPhone, and your Blackberry. Shut off the email and do something different. Trust that work will return and you'll feel refreshed and recharged.

New to Gigging?

You've certainly heard the phrase, "Don't quit your day job". But in this economy, many are choosing to leave their day job to do exactly what they want in life, and to make a living doing it. If you're between jobs, plan for your next career step. Whether you are a gigging musician, or a gigging freelancer in another field, I can help you to make a living doing just what you want to do, to find your own happy niche in the marketplace (and to help you manage the inevitable lulls in business).

I'm available for personal consultation and mentoring. Contact me via email to get started. And in the meantime, if you have some fabulous ways to manage the lulls in your business, please share them here.

Cheers, Anne :-)

Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos
(And contact me at anne@celticharpmusic.com for personal consultation and mentoring-
Make a living while gigging)

St. Patrick’s Day Tip to Musicians

Do you have a St. Paddy's Day gig? Arrive sober and leave sober. Everyone knows when you've already had one or two drinks when they meet you. It isn't just your behavior--they can smell it on your breath. Don't start off with a bad first impression. At a pub or concert gig, well-meaning guests may buy you a pint while you are performing. A word of caution if you decide to imbibe--sloppy playing and stupid behavior will not get you booked again for next year. Best to wait until after the gig to party (and of course, choose a designated driver).

If you have a private corporate party or a March wedding gig coming up, avoid alcohol altogether. If your co-workers (banquet captain, wedding minister, event coordinator, etc.) see you drinking, they may spread the word that you were drinking while on the job, putting your reputation in the toilet. Learn more about performing at weddings (with useful info about performing at all sorts of gigs) in my book, "The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com

NEW! Consulting and Mentoring Available:
Anne Roos' Guidance to Making a Living by Gigging

You've certainly heard the phrase, "Don't quit your day job". But in this economy, many are choosing to leave their day job to do exactly what they want in life, and to make a living doing it. Whether you are a gigging musician, or a gigging freelancer in another field, I can help you to make a living doing just what you want to do, to find your own happy niche in the marketplace. Contact me anne@celticharpmusic.com to get started today.

Different is Good

A few weeks ago, I received a call from Monica from the Tuxtown tuxedo rental shop. Excitedly, told me that she would be launching a full-service wedding boutique in a few weeks and wanted me to perform at the grand opening! The date was Valentine's Day, a day she hoped to attract many couples that are headed to the altar.

Monica's new store, the Wedding Emporium, is located in the Carson Mall in Carson City, Nevada. I was looking forward to performing inside her new one-stop shop for tuxedos, bridal gowns, and photography. But when I arrived, Monica said, "There's a stage set up in the middle of the shopping mall. I think it would be much better for you to perform there, where everyone will see you, instead of inside my shop."

It wasn't what I expected--A lone harpist on a big stage inside of a mall? That was okay for the jazz band, which was packing up when I approached the stage, but wouldn't I get lost up there? Would anyone see or hear the harp? Would anyone be paying attention?

As it turned out, the shopping mall was fairly quiet, even with complimentary chocolate-covered strawberries handed out to patrons who roamed about on this Valentine's Day. For a harpist, quiet is a good thing. The harp music reverberated throughout the mall, and people gathered to take seats in front of the stage as I played a mix of Celtic music and modern popular love songs (view my complete repertoire list to get an idea of what I played).

Shoppers approached the edge of the stage and asked for requests, and I sold CDs that they wanted autographed. Even Monica could hear me performing as the harp music wafted into her store. When I finished playing, she bought CDs to sell to her own customers and took a large stack of brochures to pass on to brides-to-be.

Originally, I had an odd picture in my head of being ignored on a big stage in the middle of a mall, for I am a solo musician, not a band. Happily, I was wrong.

Tips for Retail Store Owners:

These are hard economic times, and that means you may need to be a bit creative about getting shoppers into your store. Many shop owners attract customers by discounting prices on selected items by 50% or more. Instead, what if you invested in a musician to draw a crowd?

In the above story, Monica didn't slash prices at all, but even on a quiet shopping day, brides were parading into her store. Of course, she sent a press release to the local paper. She also handed out fliers to other colleagues in her wedding networking group, Weddings of the West. She cooperated with other stores in the mall, too, and they all got the word out.

You could host your own musical events. I have seen a Hawaiian luau band playing in Trader Joe's grocery stores, pianists performing in music stores, string quartets in hotel lobbies, and jazz trios playing inside mall food courts. Take a cue from the folks at Disneyland-they have live music at all their eateries and even outside of shops where people are milling about. Music serves to make patrons linger, and if they linger, they are more apt to buy.

Tips for Musicians:

Don't be afraid to take on a different gig than you're used to playing. If you have never played in a department store, in a shopping mall, in a music store, in a bridal shop, or even inside a grocery store, maybe it's time to give it a try.

Sure, you may need to offer a discount off of your regular performance fees to land these gigs, but if you have CDs to sell, you will make it up in sales. Plus, you just never know who may pick up your business card and give you a call later for a much more lucrative gig. At the very least, you'll get some free promotion.

Go where you are apt to meet future clients. If you primarily play at weddings, approach bridal salons, jewelry stores, cake shops, etc., and see about performing in these retail outlets to gain exposure to brides who may want to hire you. If you primarily teach music lessons, approach full-service music stores to demonstrate how wonderful their sale instruments can sound with proper practice (you might even win yourself a spot teaching in that store, too). If you have your CDs commercially available, you can also perform in bookstores that are willing to stock your CDs. Actually, performing anywhere that people can sit down and take a listen to you can attract new fans, customers, and clients.

Many more tips are available from my book "The Musician's Guide to Brides". This book is written primarily for wedding musicians, but it's also filled with advice about marketing, advertising, and promoting your business as a working musician. It's available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com.

I'm looking forward to reading your feedback about performing in retail stores.

Cheers, Anne :-)

Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos
(And contact me at celticharpmusic@yahoo.com for personal consultation and mentoring-Make a living while gigging)