Coaching

In today's dynamic and competitive music landscape, talent alone is not always enough to open the doors of the professional live music scene. It’s vital to understand the “business” side of show business.

 

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY

Many musicians reach out to Rockwood Booking to be added to the roster as a touring act; however, a certain level of development and growth is necessary before a full-time booking agent makes sense for both the artist and the agent.

Our Music Business Coaching program breaks down strategies for sustainable success and guides you through a workflow of brand refinement and gig readiness. Post-coaching, you’ll be better positioned to navigate the industry in pursuit of your musical goals—whether that is acquiring a full-time booking agent, booking tours and festivals, or simply playing more shows in your local area.

The Workflow

Most booking agencies are looking for artists who have established both a good brand and a loyal following in a few local and regional markets. It’s not uncommon for agencies to expect that an artist is able to sell 200-400 tickets for their headlining shows in multiple markets to be considered for a full-time booking agent. While this can initially seem daunting, it is possible to accomplish if you have the right foundation.

  • Talent buyers and festival directors have limited time to get a true picture of who you are.

    • Showcase your musical abilities under a brand that fans and promoters can recognize and get behind

    • Gain the attention of venues with a strong pitch that converts to live performances

    • Learn and practice effective communication skills to conduct yourself with confidence in any musical setting

  • A well-crafted online presence is essential to being seen and heard in today’s digital age.

    • Match the energy of your stage presence with a solid digital presence

    • Understand the elements and assets that are crucial to developing and maintaining a professional website

    • Ensure your content and imagery are up-to-date and reflective of your musical persona

    • Set up a merch store to provide tangible fan engagement and passive income

  • Leverage digital and traditional promotional techniques to increase visibility within the industry.

    • Create a smart and feasible social media strategy

    • Build goodwill and cultivate positive relationships with industry peers and promoters

    • Promote your shows to drive traffic and credibility

    • Pursue PR opportunities across radio, digital, and print

  • Know how to navigate the various levels of promoters and hosts. For FAI, IBMA, and other industry conferences, this is a must!

    • Create strong submissions

    • Attendance etiquette, strategy, and networking goals

    • Post-conference follow-ups to maximize your conference outcomes

  • Be intentional in your approach to gigs to unlock more bookings and better experiences.

    • Find the right venues

    • Secure better paying gigs

    • Create strong submission (“pitch”) emails

  • Understand the “lingo” that venues use to book shows to better navigate the industry and negotiations

    • Learn how calendar holds and ticket splits work

    • ‘Challenge’ a date with confidence

    • Understand the difference between terms like GBOR and NBOR

  • Make the most of every show to build goodwill, good fans, and a good reputation.

    • Learn best practices of gig etiquette to follow at the venue for before, during, and after a show

    • Create a touring strategy that’s right for you and/or your band

    • Tips for staying healthy on the road

    • Run an effective merchandising operation at gigs

    • Respond to return invitations from the venue

  • Building a community is a continuous effort required for success in the music industry.

    • Scale your audience from local to regional to national

    • Monitor and manage your growth with audience databases and distribution lists

    • Segment your audience to send targeted newsletters and communications

    • Provide opportunities for fan engagement and feedback

THE coaching journey

Our coaching journey will give you the tools and knowledge necessary to move your career in the music industry forward:

BOOK A Consult

- FREE -

In a free 10-minute call, we’ll get to know your goals and identify next steps for success through our Music Business Coaching program. Note: This call is not for the purpose of securing an agent. For representation, please inquire at our Contact page form.

ATTEND A WORKSHOP

- $150 -

The coaching journey begins with a group workshop facilitated by Zoom. The date of our next workshop has not yet been announced. Join the Waitlist to be informed when a workshop date is available.

SCHEDULE a 1:1

- $75/HR -

Continue your coaching journey with topic-specific one-on-one sessions with a Rockwood Coach. All first-time 1:1 Coaching clients are asked to attend a workshop first.

the Coaches

With more than 50 years of combined experience in the industry, Rockwood Booking agents Louise Baker and Brian Swenk offer a unique coaching service designed to empower your brand and equip you with the strategies to unlock growth and longevity within the live music landscape.

 

Louise Baker

Before coming over to Rockwood Booking, Louise managed and booked acoustic artists throughout the country under her company Baker Booking. Louise was also a Talent Buyer at Asheville's premier listening room, Isis Music Hall, for more than five years and produced the folk concert series—Mountain Spirit Acoustic Coffeehouse for ten years. 

Louise has been a songwriting judge for Southeast Regional Folk Alliance, South Florida Folk Festival, Falcon Ridge FF, and The New Song Competition. She has served on panels at Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, Folk Alliance Region Midwest, and Southeast Regional Folk Alliance on how to prepare to book gigs and the best practices for house concerts and tour management. She also coaches new artists on best practices for growth and success in the touring music industry.

 

Brian Swenk


Brian Swenk is an accomplished professional in the music industry recognized for his multifaceted contributions as a musician, writer, and business owner. As a member of the band Big Daddy Love, Brian spent almost ten years touring professionally throughout the country, experience which now empowers him to guide touring bands as they grow their presence in venues and festivals across the U.S. He has honed his skills as an agent and promoter in his work with prominent entities such as Midwood Entertainment and FloydFest, and explored his passion for music through writing as a regular contributor to publications such as Bluegrass Today and The Mountain Times.

In 2018, Brian took a pivotal step by founding Rockwood Booking Agency, a venture aimed at connecting artists with opportunities and audiences. The Rockwood team of agents and roster has more than tripled in size since 2022.

 

PRAISE FROM YOUR PEERS

 
Testimonials

This seminar was a perfect mixture of an aerial view of the booking landscape, plus specific action items for musicians to dive into. I've been self-booking for years, and walked away with new ideas to streamline my pitch emails, as well as new resources.

Annie Stokes
Singer/Songwriter

I am grateful to have met Louise Baker in passing at Folk Alliance in 2024. Her consultations on the business of being a musician come first hand from someone who has had years of experience as a booker and an agent. It has been refreshingly eye opening working with her. She showed me the simple details like how to make my calling card, how to organize my website, how to present a live performance video that makes me look more professional to a booking agent. Her courses shed light (very kindly) on what was lacking in my presentation.

The other plus is that her private consultations and courses are very affordable. She and her team are obviously quite passionate about helping aspiring musicians. Their generous offering of information is invaluable. Thanks Louise and Rockwood Booking!

Lara Taubman
Singer/Songwriter

I just finished up this class. What a goldmine of information. You know, these are the things that serious new and up-and-coming artists need to know to get a leg up. We hear all about these little nuggets of information as we come through the game but in the span of years and years and years. 

You have managed to put all of this invaluable knowledge into a 90-minute segment. I, as an artist,  think about all of these things all the time but get overwhelmed with having to wear all the hats. You've done a great job of organizing the information in scale. From Phone #'s to Emails on business cards to how to negotiate a deal and what the terms of a contract mean.  All in layman's terms.. very well done! 

Will Willis
Singer/Songwriter & Guitarist

I recently attended Rockwood Booking's coaching workshop led by Louise Baker and Brian Swenk. I had been feeling stuck on how to get more gigs, so I signed up for the workshop hoping to come away with some ideas. Louise and Brian provided information on everything from practical tips, to useful resources needed by artists, to how to approach the venue about booking jobs. The presentation was well organized and easy to follow.

I had a follow up 1:1 coaching session with Louise that was, again, detailed and practical. She asked a lot of questions to get an idea of my current situation and where I wanted to go from here. She helped me create a plan for my immediate next steps and gave me some tips on how to make my website better. I appreciate how they both provided actionable steps rather than simply talking in abstract terms. I highly recommend the workshop and follow up coaching sessions for anyone who wants help in creating a roadmap based on their specific needs. 

Beth Lee
Songwriter