Thread: Booking fees - do you charge them?

Hi ladies,

Some of my advanced students are at the point where I can start booking them for jobs when I am unavailable. So, in situations when I do the booking (contracts, deposits, etc) and just send the dancer out on the job, I think I should get some sort of booking fee, no? Does anyone have this type of arrangement with their students? How do you handle it? Do you have some sort of formal agreement with them prior to starting this? (I'm a lawyer, so the lawyer in me says get it in writing!)

Obviously, if I just refer a client to someone and they do all the booking themselves, I wouldn't charge a fee. But if I am going to go through the whole booking process on their begalf, I think I should take a fee....

WWBD?

This is an interesting question. Myself and other students are on the roster at some restaurants and my teacher handles the booking. She nor my other teacher have ever charged a booking fee. I suppose it depends. If I was filling in for something my teacher couldn't do I wouldn't expect her to take a booking fee. I don't think that's exactly what you're talking about, but your wording made me think of it (ie booking them for jobs when you are unavailable...).

Well, actually it would be booking them for jobs when I can't take them myself. But not restaurants - I am doing the schedule for a lounge right now and plan to put them on it when they feel they are ready - i would NOT take a fee for something like that. I am only talking about private parties.

Here's an example of what I am talking about: client calls me looking for a bellydancer. I am not personally available that day, but I tell client I can book one of my company dancers for her instead. She says great. I find out which dancer is available, then draw up the contracts, send them to client, collect desposit, and confirm with client before the event. I send my dancer all the relevant info and she goes and does the job.

here is what I am NOT talking about: Client calls looking for a dancer. i say "I am not available, but so and so may be, and here is her number....."

And like I said above, I'm also not talking about situations where I put my company dancers on the rotation at a restaurant.

So, what do you think?!

Originally Posted by danielabellydance

Well, actually it would be booking them for jobs when I can't take them myself. But not restaurants - I am doing the schedule for a lounge right now and plan to put them on it when they feel they are ready - i would NOT take a fee for something like that. I am only talking about private parties.

Here's an example of what I am talking about: client calls me looking for a bellydancer. I am not personally available that day, but I tell client I can book one of my company dancers for her instead. She says great. I find out which dancer is available, then draw up the contracts, send them to client, collect desposit, and confirm with client before the event. I send my dancer all the relevant info and she goes and does the job.

here is what I am NOT talking about: Client calls looking for a dancer. i say "I am not available, but so and so may be, and here is her number....."

And like I said above, I'm also not talking about situations where I put my company dancers on the rotation at a restaurant.

So, what do you think?!

Right, that's about what I thought you had meant. I have no advice as I haven't ever been formally "booked" as described in your example. I just recently had case number two, here's her number, happen. I agree that the back and forth hassel, haggling, and dealing with the contract should require some sort of compensation.

Originally Posted by mihnea

Right, that's about what I thought you had meant. I have no advice as I haven't ever been formally "booked" as described in your example. I just recently had case number two, here's her number, happen. I agree that the back and forth hassel, haggling, and dealing with the contract should require some sort of compensation.

Me too! Just need to figure out how to do it.....

Thanks!

I have thought about this one and this is the steps I was "thinking" about going. Actually tell the dancers everything you would do as a booking agent. Then tell them that you would handle all negotiations and financial and communication. For this, you would take a (pick a number)% for your work. If the dancers do not agree to this, then keep those dancers on a separate list for when you need a sub!

I think any young dancer looking to "get experience" would go after this. Just a thought.

I think that's a good deal - I would not take a big cut at all (I was thinking only $15-20). When I started out, my teacher took over half of what she charged, and I thought that was ok! I would NEVER do that to my students!

What you are doing is basically the same kind of service an entertainment agency provides. They take a booking fee, so why shouldn't you? When I've worked for entertainment companies in the past, the deposit covers the booking fee. The agency tells the client to pay me in cash when I arrive and this covers my payment. This makes it easier for the agency in that they don't need to pay me directly and therefore don't need me to fill out a 1099 and deal with tax/independent contractor issues.

I absolutely think you should be compensated. No way should you be expected to develop & maintain a website and other expensive advertising (yellow pages or whatever), a business line, answer the phone etc. for other people for free. I doubt your students would expect that from you. (yes, referrals & fill-ins are another matter -- but usually with referrals we're talking about other dancers who also invest in advertising, etc. and will at some point return the favor by sending you a lead generated through their efforts.)

A 20% fee feels right to me. I think it's important to be up front with your students/dancers about how much you're charging and why.

I think a booking fee is just fine. Heck, my Mom always kept a fee when she booked me -- for the very same reasons already mentioned: yellow pages listing, phone, time, etc.

I'd say 10% - 20%. For example, 20% of $200 is $40; the dancer is getting $160 without all the pre-gig hassle!

Deborah

I'd also have them sign a contract that they understand that they are working through an agent and that they are not free to advertise themselves, provide their own business cards, and the agreement should also say that they agree not to dance for less than your established rates, for x amount of time.

Originally Posted by kina

I'd also have them sign a contract that they understand that they are working through an agent and that they are not free to advertise themselves, provide their own business cards, and the agreement should also say that they agree not to dance for less than your established rates, for x amount of time.

I agree with what you're saying on business cards and advertising (though I do allow my booked dancers to hand out their own card if asked, coupled with mine) but the bit about price agreement would actually be illegal in Australia - what's the case in the US? Here, this is called price fixing, and it's illegal whether it's by written or verbal agreement. I just looked this up the other day.

NB: I'm the first to support sharing info on what a 'going rate' is and letting newbie dancers know that if they lower their prices they may supress the rate across the board. Here, it would not be illegal for me to set my prices and someone else to follow suit, by their own volition. But to make an agreement to do so would be illegal, so it would be very unwise to put it in a written contract.

As for the original question - yes, I think you deserve a booking fee! I do as Aazura suggested, and take the fee as the deposit, then the dancer gets paid her cut on the night. I negotiate all the details and write up the contract that I send to the client. I do also pass the client and dancer's phone numbers to each other, because it's easier for them to talk through any last minute details or changes in person...and I trust my fellow dancers not to take the contact and re-negotiate.

Ok, great. So, I think I'll draw up a "contract" just outlining some of the points above - that they agree not to hand out their own business cards at gigs, that I get a certain cut (haven't decided the % yet), etc. That way there are no surprises, and everyone knows what they have "signed up" for!

Rather than mess with percentages, I charge a flat $10. For reference, a 20 minute show runs about $120. Going with a flat rate just seems easier for everyone to remember.

Well...a % does have the benefit of the compensation being greater for higher paying gigs. I suppose it would depend on your area. Sometimes there are $300-$500 gigs here in Vegas, so a $10 cut of that would seem ridiculous.

An agent(cy) takes 15% here and in the other 2 cities I've worked in... fwiw
Blessings,
Rach

Btw, we have a very simple contract with our director that includes this, a code of conduct, and a limitation on the use of her choreos... incidently she also compensates us 5 to 10% (based upon the nature of the gig) on referals that come thru' us. We are allowed to hand out our own business cards at gigs that come thru' her but we include her & the dance school on all of our own promo materials (that includes my poster that is hanging in the restaurant I dance at.) I posted this yesterday but I'm not seeing my post... hmmm...

I do this when I book for another dancer... we all agreed to a 15% booking fee and no one had an issue with it at all since the fee isn't all that high and all the dancer has to do is show up and dance.