Promotional Videos

Why a High-Quality Promo Video is Essential for Securing Gigs

Are you tired of sending out messages and getting no replies?
Struggling to land the gigs you know you deserve?
Ever wondered why a lower-quality act seems to be getting more bookings than you?

You’re not alone — and more often than not, the difference comes down to promo.

In today’s fast-moving live music scene, competition is fierce and first impressions count more than ever. With so many talented acts vying for the same opportunities, it’s never been more important to put your best foot forward.

At I&G Music, we receive videos from countless brilliant performers every week — but too often, those videos don’t show the act in its best light.

We genuinely try to respond to as many artists as possible, but the truth is, there just isn’t time to reply to everyone. When a video instantly grabs our attention — clear visuals, great sound, confident performance — it naturally jumps to the top of the list.

That’s exactly why we’re writing this post: to help more artists create promo that cuts through the noise and gets noticed straight away.

The simple truth is that most videos we receive are filmed on phones at gigs — often in dark corners, with distorted sound and shaky visuals. And while we appreciate the effort, a poor-quality promo video can stop you from getting booked, even if you sound fantastic live.

In a competitive market, talent alone isn’t enough anymore. The acts that stand out are the ones who back it up with strong, professional promo that makes venues, clients, and agents pay attention immediately.

Why Low-Quality Videos Hurt Your Chances

Whether you’re aiming for regular pub gigs, residencies, restaurant sets, or private events, the people making booking decisions have one thing in common: they’re busy.

They don’t have time to sift through hours of footage — they want to see and hear instantly what an act can bring to their event or venue.

When a video looks and sounds unprofessional, it raises doubts.

Is the band reliable?
Do they sound this way live?
Will they suit the vibe of the night or event?

The truth is, a bad video makes even a great act look average, and average acts take more convincing to book. Instead of a quick “Yes, let’s get them in,” it turns into “Can you send more clips?” or “What’s their price again?”

Venues and other agencies may still accept low-quality phone videos, but we’ve found that to be a short-sighted approach. It slows down the booking process, creates uncertainty, leads to unnecessary back-and-forth with clients and doesn’t give us much in the way of room for negotiation on fees.

High-Quality Promo = Faster, Easier Bookings

A strong promo video doesn’t just look professional — it converts enquiries into bookings.

When a potential client or venue sees a clean, well-lit, great-sounding video, they can make a confident decision instantly. There’s no hesitation, no back-and-forth, and no need to ask for more clips — your video does the convincing for you.

Think of it in simple terms: send out 100 low-quality videos, and you might get one or two bookings. Send out 100 high-quality promos, and you could see fifty confirmed gigs. That’s the power of great promo — it doesn’t just attract interest, it turns interest into action.

That’s why we put so much emphasis on strong promo:

✅ Instant bookings — clients commit faster when they can clearly see and hear your act.
✅ Higher conversion rates — better videos mean more enquiries become confirmed shows.
✅ Stronger reputation — both for you and for us as your agency.

While strong promo can help us negotiate higher fees, it doesn’t automatically guarantee them. The real benefit is that great promo makes acts easier and faster to book, which often opens the door to better opportunities — including the potential for higher fees.

💰 “But Isn’t a Professional Video Expensive?”

Not necessarily. A great promo video doesn’t have to cost a fortune — but it does need care and effort. You can replace high cost with high effort, and get almost the same result: a high-cost promo video is usually high effort, but a high-effort one doesn’t have to be high cost.

You can get fantastic results by:

Filming in good light and a tidy, atmospheric setting.
Using a decent camera (or modern phone) with a tripod.
Recording good-quality audio — ideally separately from the camera mic.
Editing thoughtfully to highlight your best 2–3 minutes.

We’ve seen many acts create impressive, bookable promo on modest budgets. The difference isn’t price — it’s preparation and presentation.

The time and effort you put into your promo directly affects how quickly and how often you get booked. A strong promo video can pay for itself after just one or two gigs — and then it keeps working for you long-term.

💡 Promo Is More Than Just a Video

Your video is the centrepiece of your promo, but it’s not the whole story. A polished promo package makes you look like the real deal from every angle. That means:

Up-to-date, professional-looking photos.
A short, clear bio that describes your act and style. So many Facebook profiles and Instagram bios don’t say anything. Potential clients want to know who you are and what you do.
Clean, consistent social media and working links.

When your video, photos, and branding all line up, clients instantly recognise that you’re a professional act worth booking.

📊 What We’ve Seen Work

From experience, we’ve noticed a clear pattern:

Acts with strong promo videos are booked within 24–48 hours of being shown to venues or private clients.
Acts with poor promo often face days of back-and-forth, extra questions, and requests for more clips.

That difference can be the deciding factor between a packed gig calendar and a quiet month.

🌟 Our Standards & Support

We’re proud to represent acts that look and sound as professional as they truly are. For that reason, we only use promo materials that meet a professional standard. This helps us maintain trust with our venues and private clients — and ensures our artists get the best opportunities possible.

One of the core values at I&G is summed up in a simple question we always ask ourselves: “If it was my birthday party, would I book this act?” This sets a clear precedent for who we represent and what we expect. After all, if it were my celebration, I’d want to see a kick-ass promo video to make sure the act was right for the occasion.

But we’re not here to judge — we’re here to help. We’ve guided many artists through the process of creating effective promo material, and we’re always happy to share that expertise.

Are you just saying all this ?

No! We really mean it! Just this week, we were able to negotiate a 50% increase in the fee for a band from what we were expecting. 50%!!!! The reason ? A wicked promo video! We went in strong with how good this band were, how the feedback from this band had been great in the past and we backed it up with a promo video.

In Summary

In today’s competitive live music scene, talent alone isn’t enough. A strong, well-crafted promo video is your most powerful tool for getting noticed, securing bookings quickly, and showing clients and venues exactly what you bring to the stage. Remember: it’s not about spending a fortune — it’s about putting in the effort to present yourself in the best possible light.

So focus on creating promo that truly represents your act, stand out from the crowd, and let your music do the talking. Here’s to your next gig being just around the corner!

I&G Music