Article - Why Should I Play For Free?

Why Play Benefits? Why Play Free?

Because it's cool. Because you might get to heaven. Because there are so many people suffering more than you are. Because God gave you a gift... one that should be shared. Because it can help your career and the impression people have about you and your band, and the community in general.

Benefits offer you an opportunity to give back to your community, whether it's your home community or not, or to the planet. When selecting a charitable cause that is meaningful to you, you make a statement that you choose to use your talent in ways that may help others. When you become recognized as a concerned artist, other organizations may seek you out. New performance opportunities become available, new audiences become accessible and you're using your talent for a meaningful endeavour beyond simply getting paid to play your music. It can also make you more popular, increase the audience at your shows, and get you more bookings at clubs and private parties.

By lending your name and your music to specific causes, you're able to reach people that may not normally read the weekly entertainment guides, or newspaper. Even if they do, they might not know who you are and what you play. The organization's benefit might get a feature story in the main news section of the paper. Your name and information are included and even featured since you're the featured performer.This feature reaches a larger segment of the general population in the community, expanding your name recognition in that market. Similarly, radio and television may get involved in promoting the event and again you're included in all of these promotions.

When you get involved with charitable organizations that raise money for worthy causes, you're part of something larger than yourself. The cause being promoted has a purpose beyond simply promoting your career. It's not all about you. It's not all about fun. You are promoting a cause. Many more people may respond to requests for supporting the cause by purchasing tickets, thus expanding the number of people that will see your performance.If you're not necessarily well known, you may want to donate your services or offer your performance for an extremely low fee.

Check out the benefit sponsor's plans. This gives you a good idea of how they expect to promote the event. You can help by conducting interviews on radio, television and print, thus getting yourself more exposure while promoting the cause. You may also donate a few CDs as radio giveaways, again promoting the event and your music. If you work with a number of organizations, they may use a variety of methods of marketing their cause. You will probably gain new awareness of your band and music from these promotions.

If you associate yourself with a specific cause, you may be able to do more benefits for that organization when done in communities spread out over a broader area, rather than just in your own hometown. Benefits will open new doors for you and expand your audience. They will also build a new respect for your group in the market. Next time you are asked to do a benefit, look at the request with interest, enthusiasm and professionalism. A benefit will benefit everyone involved with it's production

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