How to catch their attention via e-mail or Facebook?

[Ernie Sega]

I find myself having to contact promoters, club owners, radio DJs, and restaurant owners via e-mail or Facebook (especially when trying to lang gigs outstide the city) to try and land some DJ gigs.

I usually use use a very generic, brief message. Something like:

"Hi, my name is Ernie Sega, as a local house DJ, I wanted to touch base with you and share my work. I've been mixing for over 10 years. I recently won the following competitions and opened for the following big names. "

I give them a link to my latest demo, links to my social media outlets and website, and contact info for booking.

This naturally does not get me very far (I know very well there is more value in meeting these people in person but that isn't always possible for me).

Any suggestions on how I could spice up my approach when it has to be done by e-mail or Facebook message?

Maybe dropping a demo right away is not the right way of doing it (I would never walk up to a promoter or club owner and give him a demo right away. I would usually talk them up a bit, maybe meet with them a couple times before trying to push my work on them).

Just want to make sure there isn't a better way of going about this.

Thanks

[Mario Mar]

Usually promoters/restaurants/club owners already has their dedicated DJs.

IMO even if you're really good at mixing, noone will just say sure and give you the headliner gig at their events.
I could say the same, as I'm going through the same stage (except I'm much newer than 10years of mixing), that
it really comes down to how close you are to the promoter/owner as a person.
Seems that lot of networking and getting to know the other person is the best bet of getting your future gigs;
unless you have a great music of your own to present, then it's all down to whether they like what they hear or not..but not all DJs are producers so good luck..

[Bassline Brine]

In person, hand to hand. That's the way it gets done.

People just tune out online information. It's just the natural way of things.

[donstone]

In person, hand to hand. That's the way it gets done.

People just tune out online information. It's just the natural way of things.

Honestly this is what needs to be done.

Unless you are referred to me by someone I know or you are an actual headliner with an agent, you have about a 1% chance of getting booked by me if you just email me or facebook me.
If you come to one of my shows it goes up to 10%
if you show up to a bunch of shows and mange to get to an after-hours I'm at and we actually chat you're probably up to 50%
if we've been friends for 5 years and you are a good DJ well then you just hit 100 %

it's just the way it works.
I'll trust someone I know over some random on FB who's claim to fame is "opening" for Skrillax.

[tokenasianguy]

Usually promoters/restaurants/club owners already has their dedicated DJs.

Yup. Don't take it so hard. If your city is anything like mine, you can't walk down the street without tripping over a DJ. Getting DJ gigs is like getting any other job. You wouldn't expect to get an interview from anyone you send your resume to and DJ'ing is no different. If you ask me, you're doing everything right. You're keeping it brief but informative, making sure to mention your achievements. Keep at it and hopefully something will come up. Not too long ago I was in the same boat. I was unemployed except for DJ'ing full time and as such, couldn't afford to just hang out at bars just to try and get gigs. BTW, sometimes going in person isn't any better than just sending an email. I've seen my fair share of DJ's handing out Demos and getting numbers in person. Again, much like any other job, networking is key.

I didn't do it for very long but I never got a DJ gig out of random emails. I DID however get some gigs through facebook by asking people to be introduced to a bar owner.

In person, hand to hand. That's the way it gets done.

People just tune out online information. It's just the natural way of things.

This is a sweeping generlization that assumes everyone has the same preferences...Which they don't.