Hey Dave – Love your posts. I have a question that you may be able to share and help me with. I am at an Emcee status. I have worked a few shows with some other good comics and they (believe it or not) are helping me out. My question is I live not far from NYC and Philadelphia. How can I get hooked up with someone that can get me some MC gigs? I look online but it seems like you really have to jump through hoops. The bringer shows are a waste of time because they love you until you can’t bring people in.
I produced a show in my area, and it went GREAT! I had 2 comedians from NYC. Any advice… I know I threw a lot at you but maybe you could give me some feedback. Thanks – PD
Who do you know?
Hey PD – First of all talent, good (funny) material and stage experience are requirements. Since you’re getting on stage, I’m guessing you already know that.
And just about everyone reading this knows what you mean about bringer shows. If not, it means you have to bring x-amount of paying customers to the club if you want to perform. If they require ten people and you only show up with five – chances are you not going on stage that night. But since you made that more of a statement than a question…
When you’re ready to move into new territory – in your case New York City – it’s a lot easier when you know someone already working there. In other words:
Connections.
And it always helps when your connections also have connections and you can all help each other get stage time.
SO, what we’re really talking about here is networking.
This is not the first time (there have been plenty!) we’ve hit on this topic, but that wouldn’t be the case if it weren’t important. Networking is also covered in a lot business (other than the comedy or speaking biz) training seminars. That’s how a lot of companies stay in business. They network to gain new customers.
Comedians and speakers should also network to get bookings.
For example, I did a training seminar at a big conference. They must have liked what I did because they asked me to recommend a speaker for their next event. I gave them the name of a good friend I knew would be great for the gig, and then called her and said to get in touch with the event planner.
She got the booking AND for more money than they had paid me! Fast forward in the networking process…
A few months ago, she recommended me to one of her past clients. They called – we booked it – and they paid me more money than what they had paid her. It’s called pay back.
It’s also called networking and it works.
Let’s get back to your goal of getting on stage in NYC. You have the first step in place…
You’ve already produced a “GREAT” show and brought in two comics from NYC. I’m assuming you paid them (always a great incentive to get comics to leave NYC), which means you have two connections.
- Did you do much talking (networking) before, during and after the gig?
- Did they (be honest) like your set?
- Did you mention you’re interested in performing in NYC?
- Did they offer any help?
- Did you offer to bring them back for another (paid) gig?
- After that – did they offer any help?
- Did you ask for any help in getting on stage in NYC?
In other words, did they have any connections for you? In the quest for stage time, helping someone else can (if deserved) result in a pay back.
Here’s another example…
I got into the comedy biz because I wanted to be a stand-up. I guess that’s how most of us fall into this. And like some of my friends, I wound up behind the scenes. But that’s a different story….
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I knew the importance of stage time. I was living in NYC, but it was tough to find. Yeah, there were lots of open-mics and some of them were bringer shows, but there were also lots of other comedians working hard for those performing slots. You had to arrive early to sign up and then usually wait hours to get five minutes on stage.
Usually other comedians ran these open-mics and if their friends showed up, they would get favored treatment. Unfair? Yeah, that’s what the rest of us that didn’t get “favored treatment” would insinuate behind their backs. It could be very wearing on the nerves watching certain “favorites” go on stage while sometimes I wouldn’t get on until almost 4 am. Other times not at all.
To get around this problem, I started my own open-mic club.
And to be honest, it was very successful. We always had a full audience, no bringer policy, and it became a popular weekend stage for the open-mic comics and some working comics at that time. Included in this group were a lot of the comedians who were also running open-mics around Manhattan.
Are you following me so far?
SO, I started networking with these connections.
If a comedian who ran another open-mic wanted stage time I’d give it to him or her – no problem. AND in turn, if I wanted to go up at their open-mic – no problem. They would return the favor.
* I didn’t invent this. I just saw through experience how it worked and played the connections game.
SO, back to you PD…
If you’re producing a successful show with NYC comics, then you need to start networking and ask for their help in getting you on stage in NYC. Obtaining a name, phone number, email, or in-person introduction to a person booking the shows should be your goal and the least they can do.
If not – book two different NYC comedians next time.
Believe me, there are plenty who would appreciate the opportunity. A personal connection beats the heck out of cold calling, blind emails, countless postings on Facebook or LinkedIn, or arriving early to sign up and hope they find time before the end of the show for your five minutes.
But first of all, you need talent, funny material and experience.
If you can’t deliver the goods – NEVER ask someone to put their reputation on the line for you just because you gave them a gig. That’s one way to short-circuit your potential reputation and have possible connections avoid you at all costs. If you don’t believe me, scroll down to my article from a few weeks ago about being a “pain” when it comes to getting referrals.
Be serious and honest with yourself. If you can back up your act or presentation with those requirements, then start to pay it forward. Help someone else find stage time and hopefully they’ll return the favor.
And for anyone who thinks this is just a topic for a business-training seminar, you’re correct. It is. In fact, successful business people call it good business sense.
Now I’ll sign off before I use the word business again. It sounds too cold and calculated and you really shouldn’t be that way – correct? Well, not unless you want to get your comedy or speaking business going with more stage time.
Thanks for reading and as always – keep laughing!
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