Perhaps you have a band that’s actively touring…
or maybe you are an aspiring show promoter…
or maybe you are an artist manager who is having to fill multiple roles as you build the team…
Whatever the case, you want people to come out and see the show, right?
Teaming up with established agents and promoters is the ideal scenario… but that is not always how it pans out. It’s really tricky to build from the ground up, and it pays to work smarter not harder.
Show promotion should get progressively easier as your brand gains the notoriety of being worth people’s time, attention, and money.
For this blog post, let’s assume that things are still pretty early on. Leverage these strategies to ‘break in’ to a new city or region. Repeat until your fan base if firmly established in every major city that you want to tackle.
And of course, I am making it sound easier than it really is… it takes a TON of work to get a good turnout!
Nobody likes playing to an empty room.
So here are a 3 ideas to help make your next performance a packed house:
Use established influencers to help get the word out.
If people don’t know who you are they probably won’t take the time to check you out unless someone they trust tells them to.
So if you are venturing into a new territory, spend some time on Instagram researching hashtags and locations that are specific to that area. Find the posts with the highest engagement and you will surely stumble across some influencers in the local music scene.
Perhaps they are willing to share some social media posts about your band’s upcoming show? In return, you could offer them and their friends some comped tickets or even a VIP experience!
Shoutout to Gary Vee for popularizing this method through his ‘$1.80 Instagram Strategy to Grow Your Business or Brand’.
Better yet, reach out to a local band of a similar genre that has a significant presence in the area - BEFORE YOU BOOK YOUR SHOW.
If you know they have a draw, you could possibly get your own opening set by offering them a guarantee and helping them book their next local show.
By making yourself the ‘show promoter’ in this scenario, you might even be able to find sponsors and win big if you set the ticket price right… PLUS you get the opening set 🙌
Remember team mentality always wins!
2. Come up with a catchy theme.
You want to get people’s attention right?
The reality of social media and the modern attention span means that you probably have less than 3 seconds to get someone to engage with your message.
Maybe people in the town you are visiting don’t know who you are, but I bet you can still come up with a way to get their attention.
Be creative!
Do something wild and crazy!
People want their lives to be fun and interesting. We are looking for experiences that are unique and memorable.
Here are 3 basic ideas for attention grabbing:
Say something funny or audacious.
Remember - why should anyone care? Quickly give them a reason.
Relate to something they already know and love. “If you like ________ you’ll love this!”
3. Give something away that people love.
It’s no secret that people like free stuff… especially food and drink.
Here’s a wacky idea... reach out to some local pizza joints and see if they would be willing to donate some pies as a sponsorship of your show.
Boost a localized social media post about “free pizza while supplies last sponsored by _______________”.
Or on the flip side of the giving equation, you could choose donate your own performance to a worthy cause and team up with a local charity to promote the event. Like this idea? Keep the Helping Music Foundation in mind 🙏
Sure, you may lose some money on the gig, but I bet you’ll make up for it in positive brand association… and karma!
These are just a few fun ideas for successfully promoting your next concert.