Let’s assume that if you’re running a night of music in your home town and you are in charge of music, you have at least some idea of what kind of musical acts you enjoy and think others would enjoy, and so you know whom to book and whom to pass on. Please let’s hope that’s true. Good, glad we got that out of the way. You have a roster of special singers and songwriters ready to further their careers and win the hearts and fandom of the area hipsters. But how do you get people to your night? You can’t just rely on the performers bringing their friends – this is an outdated way for clubs to run, because in this day and age, people don’t want to leave the house for just anything. You have to get people out and you have to do it in a way that works. Here’s how.
1. Make It Seem Cooler Than it Is
The least successful way to get people to come to your night of music is to beg them. The second least successful way is to guilt trip them. So don’t say things like Please Come out tonight and see some awesome music. That’s begging. And definitely don’t say Support Local Music because that’s focusing the onus of the music scene’s success on the listener, not the performer, as if it’s the listener’s fault for not coming because they’re not being supportive. No – you have to make your night of music seem incredibly cool, so cool that folks would be foolish to pass up on this seemingly once in a lifetime opportunity. There are many ways to make it look cool, like with external decorations or pop up display banners that can be had for cheap at thedisplayoutlet.com. Plus the one time cost will be insignificant if spread over the night’s many nights of shows. Be cool and others will think you’re cool.
2. Drinks for Free
You can’t really give everyone free drinks because you need them to pay for drinks in order for the bar to want you to come back. But you also can give some sort of drink specials. Performers, for example, should definitely get at least 2 and preferably three free drinks. They are artists who deserve the respect of a few free cold ones. But maybe there’s a drink special where your first drink is 50c or something like that – get a ticket at the door and your first drink is cheap. Who can really get away with just having one drink? Most people won’t, and it’s well known that after two drinks, people often are irresponsibly ordering third and fourth drinks, even on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
3. Be Professional
2. Drinks for Free
3. Be Professional
The worst thing in the world for your night of music at an area club or café is for it to be amateur hour. We’ve already determined that you have a good roster of actually talented musicians playing the music so we have that covered. (If not, please go to our other article: why you shouldn’t book bad bands). But if you have a makeshift or terrible sound system, it doesn’t matter if Sir Paul McCartney himself comes to play your show, it’s going to sound bad and people will focus on that. Give them the opportunity, and people will call attention to the negative. Don’t let them. Please get a decent sound system that will allow the performer to sound their best.
