What to include in a venue booking email

The subject line should tell the venue exactly what the email is about. Include your band name, the date you're proposing and the word "booking."

Good: "Booking enquiry: [Band Name] — [Date]"

Bad: "Hey! We'd love to play at your venue!"

The first sentence should say who you are and what you play. Don't make the venue read three paragraphs to figure out your genre.

Example: "We're a four-piece rock covers band based in [City], playing regularly at venues like [Venue 1] and [Venue 2]."

Don't ask "do you have any dates available?" That puts the work on the venue. Propose one or two specific dates and let them say yes, no or suggest an alternative.

Check your band's availability before you email so you can commit to the dates you propose.

Don't attach large files—photos, videos and audio get flagged as spam or bounce. Instead, include a link to your electronic press kit where the venue can see everything in one place.

Your EPK should have a hero image, bio, photos, video, audio samples and booking contact.

If you've played at similar venues in the area, mention them. Venues want to know you can draw a crowd and handle a professional show.

Keep it brief—two or three examples is enough. Don't list every gig you've ever played.

State what you want: a booking on a specific date, a spot on an existing night, a spot in their rotation. Don't be vague.

If you have a fee expectation, you can mention it or say you're open to discussion. Don't make the venue guess.

Your email should be short enough to read in under a minute. Three or four paragraphs is plenty. If the venue wants more information, they'll ask or they'll click your EPK link.

Check the venue's name. Check the date. Check for typos. A sloppy email tells the venue you'll be sloppy on stage.

If you're using a pitch generator like the one in The Band Planned, read the draft carefully before sending—auto-generated emails can have errors.