Anatomy of a (Missed) Interview Booking

By: Bruce Wawrzyniak

Depending on whether you’re a glass half-full or glass half-empty person will determine whether you are drawn to the artist (or artists) in this post who blew it on potentially getting booked for an interview, or, the individual who seized the moment and was successful in consummating the appearance. 

Here is the timeline of events that I had a front row seat for recently, with names withheld, of course, to avoid public embarrassment.  Like any other entry that gets posted here each Monday, read and learn.

To set this up, understand that Artist A contacted me to initiate the conversation, not the other way around. 

Monday, dinner time – Artist A agrees over Instagram DMs to be interviewed for “Now Hear This Entertainment” that coming Saturday in-person in Orlando.

I ask then and again the next morning what time we can meet to record.  I have gotten a hotel to agree to let us use space in their facility for an hour at no charge, but they are asking me when this will take place. 

Tuesday, late morning – The guest’s mother (manager) is now taking over the DMs and gives me a specific time, so I let the hotel know that we will be there at 1:30.

Tuesday evening – I email the address the artist’s mother provided just over an hour ago, giving the details and instructions, including what I need sent back to me to prepare for the interview. 

Wednesday afternoon – Through Instagram DM I ask if the email that I’d sent last night has been seen.

Wednesday dinner time – The artist’s mother says no (“Haven’t checked it yet”), so I reply and mention that there were assets I was asking to have sent back by dinner time Thursday. 

Early Thursday evening – The artist’s mother DMs me to ask if I got it yet (note that last word).

Friday morning – I write back and say No (and that I’d even checked my Spam folder). 

Friday lunchtime – The artist’s mother writes back and says that someone in the band was supposed to have sent the email.  Thus, the use of the word ‘yet’ above, meaning, (unbeknownst to me) she wasn’t actually the one sending what I’d asked for.

At this point we are just under 25 hours until the interview is supposed to happen. 

Friday afternoon – The artist’s mother explains that the band member is going through some family issues, so instead she “will get into my emails right now and send you the information needed.”

Friday, just before dinner time – I send a message saying that I’m “standing by, watching my email closely as I need to get started with this ASAP.” 

Friday evening – I send a message saying that “I just checked my email and still don’t see anything.  We’re really cutting it close here.  Hoping you’re working on everything I asked to have sent for tomorrow’s interview?”

The artist’s mother responds, “I am I’m working on an (sic) I apologize for how close we are cutting this…”  I answer with, “Okay.  I will keep watching my email.” 

Two hours, 21 minutes later (now 10:28pm Friday night) – I message the artist’s mother and tell her, “At this point we might just have to cancel,” and the response I get starts with, “I think so.”

I text a colleague in California asking if there’s a potential referral that can be made last-minute so as to fill-in (over Skype) Monday (or “Sunday could be a possibility too”) and I even throw out a specific – who we will call – Artist B as a potential option. 

Late Saturday morning – I call the hotel and tell them we won’t be coming in to do an interview after all.

I hang up and wipe the egg off my face and DM who we will call Artist C on Instagram.  This had been a referral from another guest somewhat recently and was filed away in my memory bank. 

One hour later – My colleague from last night texts me saying Artist B “is in” and that an email has just been sent to connect me with Artist B.  I hit Reply All on the email and ask Artist B about availability for Monday (or Sunday/the next day) and note that “I need some lead time for you to email me assets that I will be requesting.”

Saturday, dinner time – I text the guest who’d referred me to Artist C asking if a gentle nudge could be put in towards the Instagram DM that I’d sent.  Thirty minutes later I get back a, “Sure.  I’ll touch base with her!”  Eleven minutes after that I get a screenshot texted back to me of a text conversation that the two of them had, including instructions for me to be given Artist C’s cell number to text.  I immediately text Artist C who responds four minutes later with, “Yes I would love to do it lets work out a time.  I’m at my brothers wedding right now so can you text or call me tomorrow…?”  Admiring that this artist is taking time out from her brother’s wedding to text with me, I ask for an email address, get an answer back immediately from her, and I write an email with the details and instructions for an interview we agreed to do Monday. 

Late morning, the next day – I text Artist C to follow up.  She answers me twelve minutes later while on the road returning from the wedding.  Just 79 minutes later she texts me again, saying that the “email is sent.”  Yes, already.  What a pro.

Around this same time, Artist B is finally emailing me back.  Too late.  The ship sailed.  And as happens so often in this industry, you have lost the booking to someone else. 

Decide which artist you are going to be.  The one that makes excuses and drags their feet, or, the pro who is present, who is attentive, who is timely, and who seizes the opportunity when it comes their way.

Which one are you?  Has the above account inspired you to shift out of Artist A and Artist B mode into Artist C mode?  Share your feedback with me on Twitter via @NHT_tweets or on Facebook, LinkedIn, or even through email.

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I am a manager and publicist, running Now Hear This, Inc., an agency that has served clients across the U.S. ranging from music artists to authors to small businesses and even an Olympic athlete. Since February 2014 I have also hosted a weekly podcast (“Now Hear This Entertainment”), which has gotten listeners from 153 countries around the world. Find more about the company and the podcast at www.NowHearThis.biz. I am also a national speaker. Visit www.SpeakerBruceW.com for more information.