Listing yourself with a booking company

I am curious if any forum face painters list themselves with booking companies and the results? I have heard of GIG SALAD and several painters use it ...but a bit expensive.
THen I just heard of About Faces...they list painters and add their fee ontop of yours but it does not cost you to list.
Anyone had experiences or suggestions to share, please?

I use the free version of GigSalad, but I can't say it has sent me much business.

I refuse to work with about faces after a recent experience. First time ever contacted by them after being on their site for months and they expected me to hold a date for them without it being confirmed. They got mad at me when I booked someone else after they called me back 2 weeks later! I do not hold dates unless it is confirmed which it wasn't even on their end, he said they are waiting on their client to send back the contract. Also it says that you are not allowed to hand out your own business cards and must instead hand out theirs. I have gotten a few leads from gigmasters and gig salad is slightly better. I get most of my bookings from direct contacts via phone or my site though. I have though to send out a mailer to see how it would work but haven't yet...

P.S. I paid to be featured on both gig masters and gig salad. I have gotten enough work from gig salad for it to be worth it. (Barely) Although, I have passed lots to other artists due to my schedule or the location of the gig. I think it really depends on your area...

I'm going to try something new. I'm going to drop off flyers with my business card attached (which is postcard-sized and has lots of glossy photos of my work on it) to the houses within a four-block radius of my house. I'll offer a good discount (since the travel time will be nil) and offer the special just till Labor Day. This will take some time (I'm going to walk the blocks and tuck them onto doorknobs), but that'll be nice exercise. I may also and a few out at the busstops the last week of school.

I use gigsalad as well. I am featured there because people tend to only hit the fisrt few listed on the sites they visit. I get lots of leads and visits to my web site from them and have booked on average 4 shows a month from them on slower months. I did the free thing with them but never received leads as I was not on the front page big and bold.

JJJJJ wrote:I'm going to try something new. I'm going to drop off flyers with my business card attached (which is postcard-sized and has lots of glossy photos of my work on it) to the houses within a four-block radius of my house. I'll offer a good discount (since the travel time will be nil) and offer the special just till Labor Day. This will take some time (I'm going to walk the blocks and tuck them onto doorknobs), but that'll be nice exercise. I may also and a few out at the busstops the last week of school.

did you do this? sounds like littering...please let us know how it went.

Worst place to be listed thumback.