makin projects provide the following main consultancy option:

 

’How to book a tour’ day session

A focused strategic assessment of the potential of your production is the key to a successful tour. These independent one-to-one evaluations are tailor-made to address issues as diverse as tour scale, communication techniques, key selling points, suggested deal structures, contracts, supporting paperwork and partnerships, as well as identifying suitable target venues.

 

These consultancies also focus on touring logistics, budgets, production values, transport, marketing, technical staffing, venue expectations and much more, giving your company a confident start in the process of getting your show on the road.

 

A brief selection of testimonials

 

’Essential training for anybody looking to book a tour, Mark's tailor-made approach ensures that the training is relevant for the organization.’  Nisha Modhwadia, The Birmingham Repertory Theatre  www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

‘I cannot recommend the makin projects tour booking consultancy days highly enough. The quality, depth and breadth of advice and information gained in one day is priceless, the after care service truly invaluable.  We spent a day with Mark in September 2008.  Since then, our fledgling business has taken flight, and we’re now happily in our third year as a successful tour booking agency.’ Helena Richardson    www.richardsonprm.com

 

'The day I spent with Mark was very helpful. Full of useful, relevant and up to date information only an experienced tour booker can offer. Highly recommended.'  Natalie Richardson, Trestle Theatre Company  www.trestle.org.uk

 

'The best money we've ever spent!’ Gilbert Taylor, Unpacked Theatre Company   www.unpacked.org

 

’Thank you for an inspiring day Mark. It was extremely useful and brilliant to get top tips and first hand insights into warts'n all tour booking.’  Danny Schlesinger, Circo Ridiculoso  www.circoridiculoso.co.uk

‘I attended a makin projects group seminar, and was so impressed that I followed it up with a one-to-one consultation. Mark was warm, friendly and very helpful. He demystified the whole process of booking a tour and has given me the confidence and concrete information I need to book our own comprehensive tour. A thoroughly worthwhile investment and should be high on the to-do list of any touring company.’
Feargus Woods Dunlop, New Old Friends Theatre Company   www.newoldfriends.co.uk

 

‘From what I'd been told, I came to makin projects expecting great things, and I wasn't disappointed. On top of the bucketloads of professional advice rooted in years of experience, Mark matched my passion and zeal and raised it tenfold. I'm now highly enthused and can't wait to let venue managers know what our group is made of. Thanks for all the support, encouragement and belief.’ Chip Colquhorn, Snail Tales     www.snailtales.org

 

‘Wow - what a day yesterday! Really useful and informative, and great to meet you. I just wanted to say a huge thank you and I have woken today with a real energy. It was brilliant to get an overview and very practical approach to doing/learning about tour booking that I can then adapt as required for our roles at Arts Agenda. Fantastic.’
Lucy Moore, Assistant Producer, Arts Agenda www.artsagenda.co.uk

 

‘The one-day course we ran at Theatre Bristol with Mark Makin as co-facilitator was incredibly popular – in fact we could have filled the course twice over. The 22 participants came from a wide range of backgrounds and experience and everyone was very positive about the event. Mark knows pretty much all there is to know about tour-booking and he is good at communicating his knowledge with others.’  

Katie Keeler, Theatre Bristol  www.theatrebristol.net

 

‘Just to say thank you for your brilliant course a couple of weeks ago, its stayed with me (which says a lot) and has given us some really useful tools and resources.’
Bec Gee, Once - arts & ceremonies      www.once.uk.com

 

‘Hi Mark, thank you so much for a very informative, eye opening and fun day yesterday. Thanks for your support and if you ever fancy working together in any capacity please let us know. A brilliant day!'

Dan Edwards, citizen598    www.citizen598.com

 

 

Please phone or e-mail makin projects if you would like to further discuss opportunities for the ‘how to book a tour’ a tour consultancy or other more in depth consultancy options.

 

Booking a tour session – general outline

The session covers the following aspects in this order:

MORNING

General outline on what is a tour booker
Getting a production to book
Information on production  (size, scale, fees needed, number on tour, etc.)
Selling points of the production (U.S.P.s’)
Selling to venue (including sales techniques, AIDA, production information to send to venues, telephone techniques, other methods of communication (e-mail/letters))
Time scale of tour booking ­ from taking on a production to finalising contracts
Scales of venues (small, middle, large)

Producing and presenting theatres and what this means to the time scale of tour booking

LUNCH

A chance to ask general questions on what we have discussed in the morning session.

AFTERNOON

Pencilling the tour (including back up letters, etc.)

Deals (royalties, guarantees, calls, % and box office splits)
Finalising the deal with venues and supporting paperwork, booking confirmation forms and contracts with venues
What venues expect from the company (small, middle, large scale venues)
What company should expect from venues (small, middle, large scale venues)
General roundup on UK tour booking
Overseas tour booking deals (fees, freighting, visas and work permits, accommodation, flights, etc.)

 

‘TO DO’ list

Any other questions

After the meeting makin projects will collate a database of suitable venue contacts which are appropriate to the production, the technical outlines, fees, etc. that have been discussed during the day.

Sample paperwork (contracts, producers check list, booking forms, etc.) also supplied.