There was the door… slightly cracked open.
Was it an opportunity? An invitation?
At this point, I decided it would be wise to at least give it a little rap and peak inside, because if I didn’t, I would never know.
I am an independent songwriter and unless you are signed with a publisher, getting your songs into the hands of those who might cut them is complicated and difficult. Even with a publisher pitching songs for you, the songwriter road is far from easy these days.
Back to the door…
I got word that one of my favorite bands (all the way from Ireland) was going to be playing locally, so I snagged a couple of VIP tickets. The VIP allowed me to “meet the band” and get early seating. It was going to be a fun night!
Then I started thinking that I had co-written a song with one of my Nashville writing friends that would fit this band’s wheelhouse. I contacted her and suggested we get a demo made of the song with the thought that I might have an opportunity to pitch it to them. She agreed, AND we wrote another song the next day for the group and got a demo made for that one as well.
The opportunity to pitch a song in this type of setting would be rare indeed, but they were coming, and I had a VIP ticket to “meet” them. The door was open, if only slightly. Now I knew that this band writes 90% of their own music, so the chance they would cut our song was slim. I also knew this, if I did not ask the answer was already no.
Knowing in advance how the night would unfold was impossible.
There was at best an outside chance a favorable circumstance would present itself for the pitch. So, prayerfully, with a hopeful heart, a decision to be brave and eyes to see an opportunity, I stepped in.
As it turned out, “meet the band” was the band lined up at the edge of the stage answering questions that the crowd had texted to them. We got a quick picture with them, but that wasn’t the time to chat and there would be no other face to face.
I lingered after the concert, but they did not come out to their merchandise table or to do any kind of autograph signing. I walked to the back of the building and toward their buses to see if anyone might be around. (Certainly not wanting to be a creeper.) Not a soul was to be seen.
I decided to go back in the building, just in case. It was then I saw the guy who opened for them.
I knew that “opportunity” had just presented itself.
I asked if I might bother him for just a moment and presented my request. He was gracious and said he would be happy to share my songs with the other band. I knew full well, they could throw my songs in the trash as easily as listen to them, but it was now out of my hands.
As it turns out, they listened to the songs and the lead singer sent me a very kind and encouraging email, complimenting the songs and the demo we had made. He told me the reason they write most of their own songs is because they want to be personally bought into the message, but he left the door open with an invitation to send more songs, because “you just never know”.
It was a big fat win, if you ask me.
Why am I telling you all of this?
Because I want you to understand a few things that might encourage you to knock on the door that is cracked open for you and to go ahead and step inside.
- If you do not ask the answer is already no.
- Even if the answer is no after the ask, it could lead to a completely new opportunity.
- As scary as it may be to step inside that slightly open door, you will survive.
- The anticipation of the event is actually more difficult than the actual event.
- The experience you gain is invaluable.
- Getting a no won’t actually kill you.
- You’ll will find you are capable of more than you thought possible.
- You will gain confidence in yourself.
- Others gain confidence in you.
- You win simply by doing the work and asking the question.
On top of all that, in my case, the concert was an absolute blast!
This, my friends, is a piece of living Your One Beautiful Life!