One way to get booked more often is to have a strong social media presence and lots of followers. But what you post on social media can also be red flags that turn off bookers.
First, you should definitely have a social media presence that is tied to your name or whatever name you use for comedy. You should use that to promote shows you are on, engage with people, post GOOD clips and get your name out there.
But here are red flags. If I check your social media and see these things, it may keep me from booking you.
Notice its not a Wordy Five or a Meandering Five. When you are working on your material and performing on stage, cut out words, phrases and sentences that aren’t leading to a laugh.
Look at your five minutes. Where do you expect the audience to laugh? What information do you need to get there? Get rid of anything that isn’t needed. You might find room for even more laughs.
When you have your material honed and ready, get to it. If you can get a laugh in your first 30 seconds on stage, you have the audience hooked.
Don’t waste that time asking the audience, “How’s everyone doing tonight?” or to “Give it up for the host and all the comics they’ve seen.”
Also, don’t ask the audience if they are familiar with whatever topic you are about to tell them about.
So often I see comics do this:
“Does anyone remember the band from the 1980s, Hootie and the Blowfish?”
90% of the time the audience will be silent, 9% of the time it will encourage some drunk to shout that they once blew a fish. He will get a laugh and, emboldened, talk all night.
Even worse, that was your punchline.
So find a better way to get into your Hootie and the Blowfish joke.
Good luck!
