2
Tell them your top price allow a bit of room to come down. Ask them what they think. If they demur, ask them what they were hoping to pay. Ask them if the money they have suggested is negotiable; would they pay your expenses; will the band be fed, could you cut the band size to fit their budget and so on. All the while, you are listening and buying time to consider whether you want to do it or not. Ask for time to make a couple of notes, just ten seconds will do, choose the figure you want and go to stage three.
3
Tell them what you want for the gig and ask them how they feel about that. Just go firm, if you have to come down on the price, you might be able to grind out a bit more by asking them to pay for the petrol expenses in your cars. 15p a mile x 2 cars x 80 miles is £24.00. You can add in a meal as well putting on another £100 for a quintet.
If you don’t like any of this negotiating stuff, then that’s all right, just take what they offer. You’ll be thought of as a nice person and you’ll get gigs. No money, but lots of gigs. You’ll have trouble holding the band together as well as your marriage.
