Greetings Reader,

I hope you’re doing well. I had a few things I wanted to pass on to our group, so in this email I’m going to cover:

Woman on the phone during my performance (a fun, sweet story of some of the cool things we encounter performing for the retirement community)

A look at the timeline for planning next year (It’s never too early to get your plan in place and start working the plan)

Performer’s Corner (Weather considerations)

The Woman on the Phone

In writing these emails for folks performing in the retirement community, especially those starting out, I find the subjects are often how to solve problems, what to watch out for, and generally topics that focus on the potential problems or pitfalls that need to be avoided or solved. While I, obviously, think that’s important. I think it’s also important to be reminded of some of the cool stuff that happens doing what we do, which is why we do it in the first place anyway, right? And there’s way more of the good stuff than there is of the other stuff!

So I was at a gig this week, an upscale independent living facility (if you watched the video in the freebie from the Inspire the Retired course you’ll recall there are several different categories of senior housing. These would be the folks that are independent but are living in a community.)

Anyway, there was a woman on her phone talking to someone while I was setting up (she was in the front row, pretty close to me). I noticed when I started playing, and continued, she still had her phone out. She wasn’t talking or creating a disturbance, she was just holding her phone up. I have people do that sometimes recording parts of my performance, but for short periods usually, not for the whole hour.

After my performance she came up to me and wanted to make sure I was aware she was not being rude talking on her phone, it was that her husband was several states away and wanted to listen to the performance. She also made a point of telling me they both loved it. I thought that was so sweet, and of course we always love to hear people enjoy what we’re doing.

I was able to share with her a story that I had read from a book I greatly enjoy called “Jazz Anecdotes” by Bill Crow (it’s a book that chronicles short stories from the world of jazz throughout its history, some humorous, some poignant.) The story speaks of a couple from New Jersey in the ’40’s who were traveling out west. They got homesick for the jazz club that they would frequent to listen to great music. So they called the club and asked the bartender to lay the receiver on the bar so they could listen to the music. The bartender went on about his business and forgot about the phone. About an hour later he remembered and picked up the receiver to find the couple still on the other end enjoying the music. It must have cost them a fortune in long distance phone costs, but it was worth it to them! We were able to muse about that and other things and enjoy a great connection. Again, those times are part of what makes what we do so special.

Schedule Timeline Planning

A word regarding the planning timeline ahead.

If you’ve gone through the Inspire the Retired course you know that a plan is laid out to walk through the steps to prepare to book for the upcoming calendar year. From accumulating data, locating potential performance options, the marketing and sales required, planning and mapping performances, building your program, contacting venues and being ready to book in the fall for the upcoming year, etc, etc, there’s a lot to it. Many people aren’t even aware of the minutia that goes into being successful. It’s not difficult, but it’s important that it gets done, in the proper order, and at the appropriate time.

So, as we’re in the middle of May (I can’t even believe it!), and time seems to fly by (I can’t believe that, either), I’m just offering a friendly reminder that it’s time to start thinking about your plan.

My business is well in place after decades of success in this venue. So I have the luxury of bypassing the steps to get started. But even at that next month I’ll start updating my database to make sure I have the right contacts in place. In July I expect to be hearing from the “early bookers”, those activity personnel that are very organized and want to get their favorite artists on the schedule for the upcoming year before their schedule fills up. Then from August through the end of the year I’ll be working on the various elements of booking.

If you’re just starting out or still growing your business you will likely want to get moving on this even sooner.

Need Help

If you’d like help getting going I’m offering the course at a discount price of $99 (normal price $250) exclusively to my email community friends. If you grab the course now you’ll have time to get through the course and implement the steps in time to be ready to book into the new year.

You can access the course here: https://rich-s-site-850f.thinkific.com/courses/InspiretheRetired​

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​Performer’s Corner (We love the sun, but!)

I was reminded of this earlier this week as I was at a gig and was informed when I got there that they were having the performance outside. I’m in New England so we’re just getting to the point where there are some days that performing outdoors could be considered.

This made me want to remind all my colleagues of the importance of protection from the sun.

I know some of you might be in warmer climates where you can perform outside year round, while for others like myself it’s only a thing for a few months a year. But wherever you are, take care of yourself!

Next month I’ll be having a procedure for skin cancer, the second time thus far in my life. Now, in my case it’s a milder form and serves more as an annoyance than a true danger (I’ll have to take a week off performing, and the whole procedure is pretty unpleasant, but no real big deal). However, there are very dangerous forms of skin cancer that can be life threatening! (Jimmy Buffett fans know this all too well!)

So do yourself, your loved ones, and the people that are so looking forward to hearing you entertain and inspire them, a favor and wear sun block (have it with you), cover up (have a hat with you if your going to be in the sun), consider acquiring a popup canopy if you’re called to perform outside where there isn’t shade being provided (Btw, I add a surcharge if I’m asked to perform outside and I have to provide my own shade). Take care of yourself, you're needed!!

Well, that’s good for now. Enjoy the spring and I’ll be in touch soon. Let me know what’s happening with you.

All the best,

RA