CB Comedy Booker

For Comedians

How to Email Comedy Clubs and Bookers (With Templates That Get Replies)

· 8 min read

Most comedy emails get ignored, and almost always for the same three reasons: they're too long, they don't include a tape, and they're sent too early in the comic's career. Fix those and your reply rate jumps from "almost never" to "about a third."

This guide gives you the exact templates, plus the rules for when to actually use them.

The rule before any of this matters

Don't email bookers until you have a tape. A tape means: a 3-minute clip from a real show with a real audience. Filmed once, no edits, audio that sounds like the room. A booker can tell within 30 seconds whether you can do the job. Without a tape, your email is asking them to gamble. With a tape, it's asking them to make a low-risk choice.

If you don't have one yet, get one. Find a guest spot, set up a tripod, and film. Then start emailing.

The cold email template

Subject: Available [month] — [your name], [strongest credit]

Hi [first name],

I'm a comic based in [city]. I've been working steadily at [room A] and 
[room B], and recently featured at [room C]. I'm available for [guest 
spots / feature spots] on weekends in [month].

Tape (3 mins, clean, recent): [link]
Credits: [list 3–5]
[website or socials]

Happy to send a longer set if useful. Thanks for the read.

[your name]
[phone]

Why it works:

  • Subject line is scannable. Bookers triage by subject. "Available May" + a credit beats "Hi from a fan of the club!"
  • One paragraph of substance. They have 50 of these in their inbox.
  • Tape link first. They click that before they read your bio. Make the link clean — Vimeo or unlisted YouTube, not a Dropbox folder.
  • No preamble. "I've been a fan of the club since I was a kid" — delete it. Bookers know you're a fan.
  • Phone number. Most bookers don't call, but the comics who include a number look professional.

What to put in the tape link

  • Three minutes, single take.
  • Filmed at the back or middle of the room — not the front.
  • A real audience. Not a packed showcase, not an empty open mic.
  • The first 15 seconds should land. Bookers stop watching at 30 seconds if you haven't gotten a laugh.
  • No host introduction, no "thanks everyone, have a great night." Cut tight to the comedy.

The follow-up

Bookers ignore 70% of emails. Half the time it's because they're busy, not because you're bad. Follow up once, after 10–14 days:

Subject: Re: Available May — Sam Reid

Hi [name],

Just bumping this in case it got buried. Available [date range], tape 
linked above. No worries if it's not a fit right now — happy to be 
on the radar for later in the year.

Sam

That's it. Don't follow up a third time. Don't follow up the next day. Don't follow up on Instagram DMs because email "didn't work." A second email is fine. A third reads as desperate, which kills the chance of a reply six months later when the booker actually does have an opening.

What not to send

These get instantly deleted:

  • Long origin stories. "I've always loved comedy since I was a kid watching Seinfeld..."
  • No tape, just credits. Credits without proof you can do them are worse than nothing.
  • A Google Drive folder of seven different sets. Pick one.
  • A request for "feedback on your material." That's not a thing bookers do.
  • CC'd to 12 other bookers. They can see it.
  • From a Gmail address with no name. [email protected] looks like spam.
  • An attached PDF resume. Comedy is not corporate. Put credits in the email body.

A few situations the cold email doesn't cover

After a guest spot

Hi [name],

Thanks for putting me up tonight. Loved the room — would happily be back 
any time. I have [date range] open if you're booking that ahead.

Sam

Send within 24 hours. This is the single highest-conversion message in comedy.

When a booker passes

Hi [name],

No problem at all — thanks for the reply. I'll keep working and check 
back in a few months. If you ever need a last-minute fill, my number's 
above.

Sam

A graceful pass response gets you remembered. Most comics never reply when they're rejected, which makes the ones who do reply stand out.

Asking for a rate

Don't. State your rate in your initial email if it's a paid spot. "Standard feature rate is $150 — happy to discuss for the right room." If they wanted a different number they'll counter.

How often to send these

If you're hunting your first feature spot, send 2–3 cold emails per week for three months. That's roughly 30 emails. Expect 8–10 replies, 4–5 conversations, 1–2 bookings. That's a normal hit rate. Don't take silence personally — bookers ignore better-known comics than you all the time.

Where to find email addresses: club websites usually list a booking email. If they don't, the venue's general info address often forwards to the booker. Posting "looking for [club name] booker email" on r/standup almost always gets you the right address from another comic within hours.

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