Things to Forget 11

Forget about booking with a verbal agreement only

You’ve just driven four hours to a gig only to find no one there knew you were coming since the person you had spoken with about the performance and booked you didn’t tell anyone and they aren’t there because of illness. So you have no choice but to turn around and go home possibly losing a day’s vacation from work, and all the money you spent on gas to get there. All this hassle because of a verbal agreement over the phone and nothing on paper.

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of a “contract,” call it a “memo of understanding.” Something that clearly defines what both parties agree to provide, the date and time of the event, length of presentation, equipment supplied, and if it is involved, financial agreements. (Even if you don’t charge a fee to do the show, it is okay to ask for travel reimbursement.) This also protects both parties and keeps occurrences as described in the previous paragraph to a minimum.

We showed up at a church to do a program with puppets, music, and illusion. We had spent time preparing, practicing, loading the equipment and driving to the church. I was told by the women in charge of the children’s programs, she had booked us, that she would meet us there to let us in to set up. Upon arrival we found the pastor who knew nothing about us coming to do a program. He had arranged for a special guest that weekend himself and he sent us home. All that time was wasted and we could have been doing an outreach for another church. – Gene


	FORGET ABOUT BOOKING WITH A VERBAL AGREEMENT ONLY
	Forget about booking with a verbal agreement only You’ve just driven four hours to a gig only to find no one there knew you were coming since the person you had spoken with about the performance and booked you didn’t tell anyone and they aren’t there because of illness. So you have no choice but to turn around and go home possibly losing a day’s vacation from work, and all the money you spent on gas to get there. All this hassle because of a verbal agreement over the phone and nothing on paper. If you are uncomfortable with the idea of a “contract,” call it a “memo of understanding.” Something that clearly defines what both parties agree to provide, the date and time of the event, length of presentation, equipment supplied, and if it is involved, financial agreements. (Even if you don’t charge a fee to do the show, it is okay to ask for travel reimbursement.) This also protects both parties and keeps occurrences as described in the previous paragraph to a minimum. We showed up at a church to do a program with puppets, music, and illusion. We had spent time preparing, practicing, loading the equipment and driving to the church. I was told by the women in charge of the children’s programs, she had booked us, that she would meet us there to let us in to set up. Upon arrival we found the pastor who knew nothing about us coming to do a program. He had arranged for a special guest that weekend himself and he sent us home. All that time was wasted and we could have been doing an outreach for another church. – Gene NEXT - MORE GOSPEL ILLUSION TIPS - RESOURCES - HOME