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Host asking for donations
#11
I realize now that emailing a script to the host a week in advance of the HC would have been good, PLUS having the same script on a card for the host to read at the HC itself would have been great. My mistake! Good thing that I'm learning this early! Thanks for the "intro and outro", btw!
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#12
(25 Nov 2014, 08:52 AM)benallfree Wrote: Yes, this is definitely true. In fact, I keep a laminated sheet of "intro" and "outro" text.

Here is my intro/outro script. I coach the host before the show and so far it's been great. You should see the relief in the hosts eyes when I had this to them. They say "oh good, I had no idea what to say":

Google doc link here: Ben Allfree's Intro/Outro Script

Thanks for sharing this!
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#13
(25 Nov 2014, 08:52 AM)benallfree Wrote: Yes, this is definitely true. In fact, I keep a laminated sheet of "intro" and "outro" text.

Here is my intro/outro script. I coach the host before the show and so far it's been great. You should see the relief in the hosts eyes when I had this to them. They say "oh good, I had no idea what to say":

Google doc link here: Ben Allfree's Intro/Outro Script

This will definitely come in handy. Thank you! 
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#14
Thanks from me too, Ben. Having an into/outro script is one of those "Why didn't I think of that" things! But YOU did think of it.

Since I come at this from a more community-based perspective, often the guests are people who know me or see me regularly in a church setting. Familiarity can be a barrier to generosity. (Full disclosure - I attend a large Unitarian Universalist church. It's not a typical church environment. 60% of our members are athiest/humanists. That'll give you some idea...).
So, I find it helpful to have the host mention a specific project I'm working on that needs funding - usually the next CD. If people know they're helping to spread my music in a concrete way, and the host is enthusiastic, they are usually more than happy to spread the love.
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#15
Thanks Ben - first two concerts coming up. Will use your Outro script. Must remember to edit the intro one!!
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#16
Question on the donation vessel. We are just starting to use this model and wondered if baiting the vessel is a good idea or does it set a donation limit. If it would work I'd put a $20 and a $50 in it to get the point across!
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#17
(07 Feb 2015, 11:41 AM)Thomdawg Wrote: Question on the donation vessel. We are just starting to use this model and wondered if baiting the vessel is a good idea or does it set a donation limit. If it would work I'd put a $20 and a $50 in it to get the point across!

Hey TD! I'm glad you're bringing this up. I've actually experimented with this some at Shannon's concerts. 

It's not something I've felt a need to do often - typically only when it seems like, left to their own devices, the host might have trouble making an effective donation announcement. Haha. It can happen. Every so often a host will get that deer-in-the-headlights look when I start talking about it, typically because they have anxiety about speaking in front of a group.

If that's the situation, I'll grab a $20 out of my pocket and give it to the host while I'm walking them through the donation announcement. I'll tell them that they should put that $20 in their pocket, and that at the end of the performance they should get up front with the $20 in one hand and the vessel in the other, and put the $20 into the vessel in front of the crowd while telling them "Now we should all do this." It's dead easy to remember, and in some cases that's the most important consideration.

That said, if it seems like the host is more or less getting it, I'll leave them to their own devices. A quick visual demonstration, while effective, is fairly passionless. If someone can make an impassioned case straight from their heart as to why everyone should shower you with generosity, it'll go better for you. Plus, part of what makes these shows magical for me is letting the host bring something of themselves to making it all work.

As to your point about putting a $20 and a $50 in ahead of time - that might be okay, as long as the donation vessel isn't available to people before the show, because you don't want people making their financial contribution before they've heard you play. We go into this in much more detail in the book but suffice to say that it's critically important!

I personally tend to think though that the donations go better if the vessel starts off empty after your performance. I think it puts a little more onus on each person in the crowd to help fill it up - as opposed to giving some people the option of thinking, "Oh, there's already a bunch of money in there, I guess I'm covered." 

But really, things can go all sorts of ways. Experiment. And if you hit on some magic combination of things, please report back! Smile 
--
jamie hill
shannon's husband & partner in crime
co-inventor of the house concert model & co-author of the book
which is why i reply so often on here
i produce, mix, & master records
you can hear my work at  deptofenergymgmt.com/work
Tacoma, WA, USA
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#18
I haven't been getting notifications about all these awesome responses in this thread! Great stuff here everyone, thanks for the info. Makes me feel less alone in this wild House Concert journey, hah Big Grin
Nate Maingard  :angel:
modern troubadour & indie-folk singer-songwriter
100% supported by patrons on Patreon
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