It’s one thing to be the singer who gets the calls to perform; it’s another to go out knocking on doors to get the bookings. How does Lisa Stanley, president of The Voices of Christmas, do it?
KV: How do you find venues to perform?
LS: I cold call constantly. I just use my imagination to come up with venues, companies and sources that might need or want carolers. (Personally, I would rather not divulge all my ideas.) Basically though, it is a “nose to the grindstone, pounding the pavement” kind of deal.
KV: How do you negotiate fees for the performances?
LS: Usually, we have a flat rate. In the cases of multiple bookings, I ask them their budget and try to find a way to work within it.
KV: What are some of the unusual places you’ve found in which to perform?
LS: We have performed at a fraternity party, which was the worst gig ever. Never carol for a bunch of drunk teens/twenty-somethings. One time, we caroled on Christmas morning at this man’s house, and he was the only one there! I didn’t feel too sorry for him, though. It was a very ritzy house on the hill, and his family came later. We have performed in the “snow,” when someone filled their front yard with snow. We were freezing our bonnets off.
KV: Has anyone ever stiffed you for the fee or for the show itself (no one was there), and what have you done about it?
LS: Knock on wood, I have never been stiffed. I have had some late pays (up to seven months), but I call them and bug them so much they finally pay. If no one is there [at the performance], they have to pay anyway.
KV: Have you considered adding comedy to your routine?
LS: We do have some parodies. It’s just a chore to give it to the new carolers. There are a few comedy numbers, and I pride myself on the fact that most of my carolers have tons of personality and will schmaltz it up. Also, The Wonderelles [an all-girl doo-wop group] are funny, so I leave the comedy to that act, pretty much.
KV: How do you advertise?
LS: Advertising and marketing are pretty much the same thing. We do have a Web site: voicesofchristmas.com.
KV: What is your advertising budget?
LS: My advertising budget is whatever it costs: the Bank of Lisa pays for it.
KV: When do you start advertising and booking dates?
LS: We usually start booking gigs in December the year before. After a gig, a client may call up and say they want the carolers next year. But most of our bookings are from September through December.
KV: Have you ever had to let someone go?
LS: Every year, I let people go. There are many people who don’t understand that learning this music is a daunting task, and a big commitment.
KV: Do you get tips?
LS: Singers sometimes do get tips, especially if they take a request for a certain carol.
KV: Do drunken parties cause problems?
LS: It’s very rare. Usually, we put on our fake smile and handle people in that condition with kid gloves.
KV: Is this your full-time job, and if so, what do you do after Christmas to make a living?
LS: I do have another job. I am the office manager for a real estate expert witness and have my real estate license. “The Voices of Christmas” and “The Wonderelles” are also a full-time job. Now ask me if I have a life.
Lisa Stanley, a multi-talented performer, began The Voices of Christmas so that she could book work for herself. Soon she was getting more gigs than she could fill with just her quartet, so she began a search to get more singers involved. In addition to The Voices of Christmas, Lisa is a founding member of The Wonderelles, a ‘50s and ‘60s doo-wop girl group that performs all over Southern California. Her stage performances include Oliver, Six Women with Brain Death…or Expiring Minds Want to Know, and P.S. Your Cat is Dead. To see more of Lisa’s work, go to
http://www.thewonderbroads.com/images/Lisa1.jpg.
