A week ago I proposed this question on several mailing lists I belong to:

"As a performer have you found that in these difficult economic times, that your show bookings are slower than normal, or are you as busy as ever.... or have you found that you are even busier this year than you were last year?"

I will post the answers I get here anonymously so we can get a feel for the entertainment community and how it is affected. Please add your comments to this subject thread discussion. Ax

It seems to be about the same, but much of it is last minute, booked
in the same month as the performance. December looks good right now
and January looks dismal. Probably a "wait and see if we have the
funds" type thing from the customer.

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My bookings for the holidays have been down however for January and February, which are normally very slow has increased drastically.
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That is hard for me to tell. I am shifting my market somewhat from bigger shows to birthday parties that are closer to home. So my bigger bookings are down a bit and birthdays are up. It is too soon to tell why.
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I'm very busy...of course I'm busy, I'm a voluteer....hahaha
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busier this year then last
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Way way up! Ya hoo
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Why did you ask this question in the first place?
Tonight on the news: another 533,000 people lost their jobs in November,
the most lost in a month since 1934.
One out of ten households are either behind in their mortgage payments or
are in foreclosure.

I'm very interested in the answers that come from the question. So far I'm getting more positive emails than negative. (mostly private but I'll compile them and share). Some have said their bookings are good, a few have said they are "way up". A few have said they are good but last minute, like there is a shorter time period for commitments. I'm sure some are way down. Anyway... it seems like a good time to focus on what we can do to increase bookings in difficult times.
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definitely down 20-15% over last year with a few cancellations of existing
bookings in the winter and spring. The proverbial "canary in the mine" was from
a school in a wealthy local .... county that had a $500
school assembly booked for March and called to cancel saying that they'd had a
PTA fundraiser and hadn't raised any funds. I'm going to feel pretty good if
we're doing over half of what we're doing right this time next year. Most
school systems have frozen all school based funds around here leaving only
Title1 and PTA money. My pessimism/instinct is that we'll be doing half by this
time next year. Hope I'm wrong. It's makes bringing on or replacing a performer
very stressful, much less paying the mortgage.
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down
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Well that all depends...
If you are supplemented by grants as we are things are up
But if ur asking for them to pay, then sure things are prolly down.
Your question should ask if you charge for shows- are you up or down.
BC we don't charge and things are going well....
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Down, way down. Library and school funding .... has been slashed. A few weeks back, an arts festival that I had worked
at last year (4 shows over a weekend for $1,000) wanted the same 4 shows this
year for $500. As much as I needed the money, I politely (through very angry
and insulted teeth) turned down the offer.
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We charge. This last quarter Oct - Dec has been really good for us. I have
been worried about the economy catching up with us so I took in more work
than I wanted too this Dec... I am happily surprised but am waiting for the
proverbially shoe to drop. Am waiting for calls about cancellations from
schools.Our bookings were down last December and last winter and sping by
about 20%, but this summer was good as well.
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Way down this fall as a direct aftermath of our flood (classed one of
the 10 worst natural disasters in US history). Venues are still being
repaired and money going to flood relief and repair. Looking much
better after the first of the year (WHEW!). Hope that lasts. I was
particularly impressed by a couple of flooded out venues last summer
that decided to go ahead and hold performances and workshops in
alternate locations.

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I have very been busy, but the shows were booked way before this mess.
I also took on more shows than usual even when the schedule was
stupid (college bills). It is definitely scary looking forward. I am
afraid things will get a lot worse before they get better.
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I'm busier than I was last year. Last year I I had zero vent bookings..
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Despite increased pricing, bookings are up.
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My fall bookings are down after having a great summer

Just to give some more perspective- based on a larger sample I am with a
chapter of ...(an association)...
They include music, dance, storytelling and theatre artists all doing
arts-in-education in the schools.

A few days after Steve Axtell asked for comments, I got a note from ..( association)...

They report that for 2008 there has been an over-all 10% drop in programs
booked,
For this chapter that means a total 294 fewer programs booked.

The are proposing a "sale" with prices for programs 10% below the catalog
price.
They are asking the artists on their roster to accept 7% less during the
period of the sale.
Of course they have no way of knowing if the strategy will work.

One factor that has been reality for several years-
Back some years ago, ..(association)... had a mix of clients that included
suburban schools and inner city schools.

The inner city programs were funded by grants.
Those grants have almost entirely disappeared.
It might be argued that the inner city kids have the greatest need for
programs that promote creativity, and promote learning using alternate
methods.

The advantaged kids in the wealthier districts get the programs. In some
schools it is the parents groups (PTA etc) that pay for the programs.

It sounds like schools and libraries are struggling, which is what happened in California a few years back. The schools STILL struggle. Since they have difficulty raising funds for an assembly one should consider turning the assembly into a fundraiser.

Essentially, you would offer two free assemblies during the school day and then come back that night (or the next, if convenient) to do your "full" family show. Tickets would be sold. You keep the first X amount of dollars and then split the proceeds for any remaining tickets with the school PTA. The advantage is that there is NO risk for the school. The disadvantage is that you may work all day for very little income and lots of expense. (Travel, housing, and food.) Test it locally and see.

Summer was really good, Fall and Winter way down.
You said you have had a lot of private positive
responses, I would be wondering what areas of the
country and what kind of prices the positives are
charging and how they compare with those of us who
are down.

I can say that our School bookings both performance and
residencies are very down. Many of our regular clients
have told us that there budgets have been drastically cut.
Library bookings are also down. And yes we have already dropped
our prices by 10 - 15% to try to bolster sales. It is very
disheartening, as we had a landmark year last year....

My December bookings are down (by 5 shows). But.... I have bookings all the way through August. Last year at this time, I had no future bookings pending. Margaret/Orlando, Fl

I had a few booking that were about to go but due to the ecomomy, the parties had to be limited, all is good. I am doing a vol for a senior retirement community just a song with the choir, and something for the chanaka menorah lighting. All is well.

N J

Well Steve, I have to say that it is slower than usual for December, a lot of
American Insurance company's here on the island of Bermuda keep me very busy
Nov and December with Christmas party's, but not this December, I guess this
will be continuing into my next year also. As USA is planning on taxing theses of shore companys
so I guess they will return home. And because of this also a lot of Bermudians are be laid off now.
This is sad for us as theses companys do help a lot for our charity's here.
It's so bad I even found cobwebs in my Clown shoes last week, LOL

Marion MacPherson
"Have a Bermudaful Day"

May you always have Love to Share
Health to Spare, and Friends who Care.

My booking's have fell 60% with Co's. cutting back.
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This has been one of the strangest years for bookings, months like October and December that are normally very easy to book, took forever to fill in,plus the income?totals are lower than normal for those months. That being said I have ended up with a record income this year. I have found that my main market which is preschools is somewhat more recession proof than grammar schools. It all depends on where one lives and what the economy is doing in that area. For example even though we faced gas prices of over? four fifty a gallon this summer in (this) area things were booming in the preschool market. I have been talking to many performers lately and those that depend on the corporate market or grammar schools have been really hard hit in this area. Say what you want about preschool shows but I'm grateful to be in that market right now.
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Interestingly, I have been substantially busier, it has been very good since September. Knock wood
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I'm getting bookings as far ahead as April!! Which is big for me. I've also noticed a slight and steady increase in the number of children coming to see me at the mall this Chrfistmas season. Parents may be out of work, but they intend to see their children have a happy memory of this Christmas. I'm told photo sales are actually up over last year.

I got another call for December yesterday, and a friend of mine got two calls! So there may be some last minute bookings out there yet.

A magician friend of mine said he got 6 calls this week for possible shows. That's a good week in any year! Keep in mind that those Dec. bookings may still be coming, even if you are a replacement for a sick magician.

I got a "last minute" call for a school daycare. They have the kids during the entire week that schools are closed for winter break and so they wanted a show. You may want to find out what they are called in your area and make some phone calls.

One thing for sure is with difficult times, the competition for the entertainment dollar is going to be greater. You will need to think broad in your offerings and market your show a clean professional way that attracts your target. If someone has $X they are going to spend on an entertainer, they will look around and ask more people for referrals than they might have in times past.

What are some ways you have found that help your show sales when you are slow?

Better Marketing?

Lower Prices?

Higher Prices?

Shake it up with a new look?

New subject matter?

My bookings are about average, this last year was the best on Ive ever had and Im getting more and more events so that this summer will so make up for this slow period.

I encourage people to do a mailout in January to organizations. Schools often find a little excess money in the PTA funds and decide they can afford an assembly after all. Churches schedule their calendar for the entire year. (Some have already done so.) Daycares are looking for entertainment during the Spring Break and need to book you early so they can get corporate permission.

Parks and Recreation are thinking of events that will handle many participants at one time.

Libraries start thinking about the summer and collecting info about performers. Libraries love two things: New performers and good references. (Summer theme is Be Creative @ Your Local Library for many states.)

As per pricing, I was surprised to find that when I went up in price I had fewer "no's" on my birthday parties. Perceived value. I was one of the later ones to raise my price, I think.

IMPORTANT: Make a brochure or flier that says it all in 7 seconds! You use props so use pics of those props. Consider pics of the audience having a great time as well! (Get parental permission before using photos of kids and individual permission for adults as well. If it is a crowd of adults you shouldn't need to worry about it. Correct me if you know something different.)

Color laser printers have come down in price to under $300. The quality is great and you can print fliers cheaper than on a regular printer. I like the 29 or 30 lb. paper for a professional feel. You can also include a cover letter with the colorful flier that gives a list of quotes or places in the area where you have been.

MOST IMPORTANT: If you don't have a website yet, what are you waiting for? They are CHEAP and many hosts offer templates that make it easy for a teenager to get you started. (Check their spelling. My son saw a sign at the grocery store that said, "Use tongs to remove donuts and he stuck his tongue out and put his head in the glass case!" I am always referring phone calls to my website so they can see the beautiful Axtell puppets that I use. They are my best sales agents!