Thing is, lots of venues want good music. They want good music and they want it supplied regularly. And, contrary to popular belief, many venues are willing to do their best to ensue that their acts are properly reimbursed for putting on a good show.
That being said, make good music. Your fans should love you for your art, and playing one bad concert can have a long-lasting effect. Rehearse often and plan for extra time and extra problems. Be prepared.
Getting Started:
It's best to start with a list of venues you want to try out. When you're a small act, you can book multiple shows in the some county/town area without too much issue; it may even be the best plan, as you're going to need that time to build a fanbase and continuously saturate the area with your sound and name.
Set up a google calendar for the band. It sounds like an unnecessary step that you can skip, but really, it will make life much easier for everyone involved. It helps with scheduling, and it helps members think about how their personal lives affect (and are affected by) this band's work.
Start contacting your venues. If their local and it's at all an option, drive there and ask in person. It's more difficult to say 'no' to someone's face. Often what you will be given is the contact information for the individual in charge of booking for that venue/restaurant/what-have-you. Remain engaged during the interaction, and take notes as soon as you leave the venue. This also sounds like extra work- and it is. However, knowing the name of the person you just spoke to, the little details about what type of music they typically accept, and the name/contact info of the booking manager is a huge advantage.
Usually the contact info you are given for the booking manager will be an email. Occasionally, you will get a phone number, or be asked to call on certain days of the week "..and ask for So-And-So". This is where your EPK(Electronic Press Kit) comes in handy, because it allows the booking manager to view your goods at his/her leisure.
It seems to go without saying, but build relationships. Make friends with the waitress who shows you to the back for your meeting, visit the venue when another band is performing and introduce yourself to the managers who's running the entertainment that night, have your card and cheeriest attitude at the ready for anyone.
When you do finally book a gig,
Ask About Your Perimeters:
-How long of a set do you need prepared?
-What music do they want for the night(style, genre, do they want covers vs. originals)?
-How many of your band members do they want? Do they want a full band, or do they have a smaller space, quieter crowd, and need you to rock a three-person acoustic set?
-What equipment do they provide? What do you need to supply yourself? How much power do they have, what type of stage will you be working with, and how many instrument changes can you do?
-What type of sound system are they working with?
-What time do they want you there for load-in?
-How soon will you be able to leave?
When It Comes to Payment:
Early gigs may pay in nothing but exposure. However, there will definitely be a time where you will have to be able to put your foot down and explain that you're good enough to receive compensation for your work.
There are three main, viable payment options for gigs: split, guarantee, and donation. A third option is pay-to-play, but this is rarely going to be an advantage for your band.
A guarantee is nice, but harder to get. With a guarantee, the venue pays you a set amount no matter who shows up. If no one comes, the venue still pays you. If the venues is packed, you still receive the same set amount.
A split gives your band a percentage of the total earned by the venue. It means that you get a certain amount for each person who comes through the door to hear you play.
A donation payment style can either be really great, or a waste of time. Obviously, it's based around the money that your audience is willing to give you. If you're at a big event or a radio station, donations can work out really well.
This article by Radio-Media.com goes into a lot more detail about the advantages and disadvantages of these different payment types.
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