The Importance of Promoting Your Show

I'm sure this is not secret to anyone out there. Promoting your show is the MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE SHOW. Getting your band ready, having a great merch booth, and learning how to throw your guitar around your body while your play is only cool if you've got people to play for.

I'm sure everyone is sick of playing for the same 25 people or else you wouldn't be reading this, so I'm going to list a few things you can do for your next show to get some more peeps through the door, and leave with a few new fans.

1. Flyers. Now 10, not 50, not even 100. I'm talking 4-500 flyers, everything Friday and Saturday night 2-3 weeks prior to the show. If nothing else this will help brand your band. I expect to take some heat for pushing flyering out their as many will say it's a dinosaur, but mark my words, you flyer it...and they will come.

2. Radio Advertising. This may be a little advanced for some of the bands out there, but having an advertisement on the radio for your show is a big help to get new fans. People think if something is on the radio it's a big deal. $4-500 should get a you a great package for the week or so before the gig. Investigate it, and if you've got a good ticket percentage/garuntee with the promoter, give it a shot...it may make the difference between $200 and $800 at the end of the night.

3. Social Networking. I've said it before and I'll say it again, MySpace and Facebook are two of your best assets. Use them. For more info check out my post on Social Networking/Marketing here.

4. Clubbing. This is what I call going to the club you are playing at and handing out free CD's and swag every Friday and Saturday 2-3 weeks prior to your gig. This is also a great way to see the other bands on the scene, as well as see what their draw is and how they operate. If you're a little weary about giving your CD away for free, let me ease your mind a bit. You are NEVER going to make a penny off your CD without fans, and until you have them you might as well give it away, or at least a sample of it away. And please, at the show don't make your disc more than $5. I'm not going to buy a band's album if it's got 8 songs and is $10, specially if it's my first time seeing them. Keep it cheap or go home with a full box of CD's.

5. Contests/Fan Interaction. If you've got at least a small fan base this is a great way to get them involved. Have them sell tickets for you. For the first fan to sell 5 tickets gets free entrance to the show and a free t-shirt. Get creative and give your fans a reason to come back, even after they've been to your show 5 times and you haven't written a new song in months.

The five ways listed above to promote your show is only a sample of the possibilities. Bands that make it get extremely good at promoting. At times it seems like too much work, but that's the game. It's sad but true, the next Led Zeppelin is in some basement in Your Town, USA...and no one will ever know about them because they have no idea the importance of promoting.

OVER AND OUT.

Gigging 101

Getting the Gig:
1. Send the promoter/club owner an initial email introducing the band with a link to your electronic press kit, or make an initial email requesting an address to send a traditional press kit to.
2. Follow-up with the promoter/club owner 1-2 weeks after sending the email or kit making sure they received it. If they have, ask if they’ve had a chance to check it out. If not, ask them to take time to look at your press kit.
3. After you know the promoter has received the kit, follow-up in 2-4 weeks to negotiate a date.

Promoting the Gig:
1. Don’t expect the promoter to promote! Some promoters will do advertising for bigger shows, but if this is your first time at a club, DO NOT expect the promoter to do as much as put a flyer up. It’s up to YOU!
2. Make a flyer, and email it to the promoter. Also put it up in any and all local shops within 10 miles of the club who will let you. CD stores, book stores, coffee shops are all great places to start.
3. Invest some time in finding local press and media companies who would be interested in checking out your show for review. Send them a package with your album, and some information about the band and the show. Many times the local press will do reviews of albums by the bands coming through town the week they will be there. What better way to promote a show to thousands of people than through press who is praising your work!
4. If you’re a local artist, build a buzz through radio advertising. Most packages start out at $400, and play at great times for bands. To the naked ear, if your name is on the radio, you’re the real deal. Even if people have never heard your music, they’ll be intrigued to see you just because they heard you on their favorite station.

Before the Gig:
1. CALL/EMAIL THE PROMOTER confirming the gig one last time. It’s not cool when you show up and you find out the gig has been cancelled, especially if you’ve driven hours and hours to get there. Be SURE the gig is still on!
2. Arrive on TIME! Nothing pisses off promoters and club owners more than bands who put them behind schedule with soundchecks and getting the club ready for the show.

Your Merch Table:
1. Set up your merch booth. BRING LIGHTS! Every merchandise table needs lights so people can see what they’re buying. Black T-shirts, CD’s, and stickers do not sell well in a black room. And no offense to the guys out there, but it’s a proven fact that a pretty girl behind the table dramatically increases sales.
2. Make sure you have EVERY size t-shirt! There are extremely thin as well as extremely large people out there, so just getting medium and large sizes will NOT cut it.
3. It’s a harsh reality, but no one is going to by your 6 track EP for $10. CD sales have been declining for the past 10 years, so keep it cheap! Good rule of thumb is, 10 songs is $5.00. I know you’re saying that’s low, but I’m serious, you want to get your unknown band known? 10 songs $5.00. Lose the ego.
4. Make a deal. T-shirts 10, CD’s 5, buy both for $12.
5. Many all ages venues that allow 21+ to drink will sell tickets for $10.00, then give $3.00 back to 21+ at the door. If you’re at a club like this, make your CD available for $3.00. It might be a little less than you want, but EVERY person in that club has $3.00 on them. If they like your music in anyway, they’re two times more likely to purchase something when it’s exactly the amount of money sitting in their pocket.

At the Gig:
1. Make a mailing list sheet and ask EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the venue to sign up for it. This is the only way you can track and keep up with your fan base.
2. Have a stage show. No one wants to see Billy, John, Bob and Larry stand on stage with their heads down. Practice moving around and interacting with each other. Performance is more important than the music. Deliver it with passion.
3. Thank the promoter and everyone for coming.
4. PLUG PLUG PLUG PLUG YOUR MERCH BOOTH!
5. Let everyone know about your myspace or website, and have them friend you!
6. Try to talk to everyone there and ask them how they liked the show, it will also help you build relationships with your fans.
7. Don’t get drunk and suck. That’s the biggest turn off for a music fan. A musician who doesn’t take their craft seriously. You’re nothing, remember you’re like a new business trying to get new customers. Be as professional as you can. When you’re backstage and Aerosmith is opening for you, that’s when you can have Jack Daniels delivered to your room so you and Jay-Z can have a good time before you go on stage.

After the Gig:
1. Email everyone that signed the mailing list thanking them for coming to the show.
2. Email the promoter/club owner thanking them for the show opportunity and establish a contact for a follow-up show.
3. If any press or media companies came to the show, or reviewed your album before hand, thank them and offer to send them a merch package or free tickets to your next show.
4. If you’ve gotten pictures of the show, upload them to your myspace/website and put out bulletins letting everyone know they can check them out.