How do you promote an EDM event and get ticket sales?

P

parachuteantics

Bluelighter
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
82
Location
NY
I recently became a promoter for a local venue and I am looking to sell a certain amount of tickets. I don't have a huge list of friends interested in the venue so my friends/family is limited.

Any tips for promoting this event and buying tickets from specifically me versus another promoter?
I have a early bird discount available already but I am competing among other people in the area. I am looking to become part of EDM scene and need this ticket sales to get my name out there and plus, the more I sell the more cashola.

One girl that promotes says she attaches business cards to the flyer (with contact info) and gets a lot of business that way. Should I do something similar? Any other ideas maybe from experience (other than facebook) for getting ticket sales?

Also - what would be the best way for people to contact me? Email, phone, facebook (all)? A lot of people buy tickets online - other than the discount, what would make it more alluring for them to buy from me?

Thanks!
 
Ahhh promoting...

So you know the deal about handing out flyers to people as they leave similar clubs or events? Or posting stuff on electric poles?

And you aren't part of the EDM scene already ...well that works in your favor because people tend to not like promoters anyways.

"ticket sales to get my name out there" ????? Explain that one. Are you a DJ?

One girl that promotes says she attaches business cards to the flyer (with contact info) and gets a lot of business that way. Should I do something similar?

Why, do you run a business? That only works if you are doing directed flyer handouts to people who actually may give a shit, like people like yourself doing business in the club industry. 90% of flyers get tossed when you hand them out anyways unless they collect them or are good quality.

Can you run a guestlist? Like a VIP line to get people in faster?

Forums might be a good idea to post your event and build up a rep in your area, if not make one! Twitter/facebook/email/phone(?? although less so).

You could always hustle your tickets somewhere close to the venue ;)

What would make it more alluring for them to buy from me?

That's a good question mate. If no one knows who the hell you are then why would anyone buy a ticket from you?

Do you even go the club? Mix and mingle in the club, know the regulars, do you have free drink tickets you can hand out? Maybe get people in for free on an off night? Free coat check.

To be fair its always been a dying art this promoting business. And shady as fuck.

Promotion should be done by the event holders themselves? Why are you doing it? Promotion is also done mainly by people, at least in the EDM scene, by the fans and is a paid position although is pretty much minimum wage.

Any colleges in your area?

I'd say don't do it mate. Don't dooo itttt....:P
 
i echo jpgrdnr...

parachuteantics, if you don't know why people should buy a ticket from you, how is anybody else supposed to know? it sounds like you haven't really put any thought into this at all. why did you take the job? what is the commercial arrangement? what tools do you have at your disposal? what experience do you have, if any? what events are you 'promoting'? which city are you in?

alasdair
 
jpgrdnr said:
Ahhh promoting...

So you know the deal about handing out flyers to people as they leave similar clubs or events? Or posting stuff on electric poles?

And you aren't part of the EDM scene already ...well that works in your favor because people tend to not like promoters anyways.

"ticket sales to get my name out there" ????? Explain that one. Are you a DJ?

One girl that promotes says she attaches business cards to the flyer (with contact info) and gets a lot of business that way. Should I do something similar?

Why, do you run a business? That only works if you are doing directed flyer handouts to people who actually may give a shit, like people like yourself doing business in the club industry. 90% of flyers get tossed when you hand them out anyways unless they collect them or are good quality.

Can you run a guestlist? Like a VIP line to get people in faster?

Forums might be a good idea to post your event and build up a rep in your area, if not make one! Twitter/facebook/email/phone(?? although less so).

You could always hustle your tickets somewhere close to the venue ;)

What would make it more alluring for them to buy from me?

That's a good question mate. If no one knows who the hell you are then why would anyone buy a ticket from you?

Do you even go the club? Mix and mingle in the club, know the regulars, do you have free drink tickets you can hand out? Maybe get people in for free on an off night? Free coat check.

To be fair its always been a dying art this promoting business. And shady as fuck.

Promotion should be done by the event holders themselves? Why are you doing it? Promotion is also done mainly by people, at least in the EDM scene, by the fans and is a paid position although is pretty much minimum wage.

Any colleges in your area?

I'd say don't do it mate. Don't dooo itttt....:P
Click to expand...

I am not a total promoter. I am basically trying to sell tickets that eventually make me extra cash on the side and it's for networking. The more tickets I sell - the better for networking my music/DJ career. I have only started DJing and haven't had any gigs so I am just trying "volenteer" my time, get into the business, and try to get some experience. Honestly, it's mostly for networking (some girls are selling tickets to be a dancer onstage or get VIP passes, etc). And it's total really promoting, I am just trying to get people to buy tickets from me at discount versus buying them off the website for a few dollars more. If that makes any sense...

Also, I attend the venue and it's shows all the time, the thing is, this venue normally has a attendance of 2,000-4000 people. There aren't "regulars" other than the people I know who are already trying to sell tickets, etc.
 
alasdairm said:
i echo jpgrdnr...

parachuteantics, if you don't know why people should buy a ticket from you, how is anybody else supposed to know? it sounds like you haven't really put any thought into this at all. why did you take the job? what is the commercial arrangement? what tools do you have at your disposal? what experience do you have, if any? what events are you 'promoting'? which city are you in?

alasdair
Click to expand...

I am in Albany NY. I am only starting to sell 10 tickets lol! It's not that many tickets but if I can sell more I will and I want to get into the EDM scene with this. For example, one kid at 18, 6 months ago, did the same thing I did (for the same venue) and now is a DJ and is scheduled for a huge show opening for Avicii (overrated but whaetver). The point is, all I am trying to do is be passionate about music, the venue, the local scene and hopefully things will work out for me. I am just looking for advice on selling tickets lol. I am not loooking to get attacked for something I am passionate about...
 
Its a nice idea to get your foot in the door, para. A lot of DJs get their start in clubs doing coatcheck or being a bartender. And its an interesting topic worthy of EDM.

But your post was vague:

I recently became a promoter for a local venue and I am looking to sell a certain amount of tickets.
Click to expand...

VS.

I am only starting to sell 10 tickets...
Click to expand...

and you're just starting to DJ. 8) There's a thread for that somewhere...

For me its just that I'm an old dog when it comes to events and its a sketchy business! Good luck!
 
jpgrdnr said:
Its a nice idea to get your foot in the door, para. A lot of DJs get their start in clubs doing coatcheck or being a bartender. And its an interesting topic worthy of EDM.

But your post was vague:



VS.



and you're just starting to DJ. 8) There's a thread for that somewhere...

For me its just that I'm an old dog when it comes to events and its a sketchy business! Good luck!
Click to expand...

Sorry about being vague! Thanks for the encouragement :) that is why i am trying to sell tickets: get my foot in the door for djing and networking. I guess to me, it's harder to sell random tickets to people then learning some DJing. But the more tickets I sell - the more recognition (and extra money for DJ equipment). I am not much of sales person :/ I find it harder being a female as well - I am automatically grouped in "you want to be a gogo dancer girl?" soooo I want to prove that I am passionate about it!

I am surprised that not more people have promoted for venues or themselves even, I guess it is a very much dying culture.
 
If you want to be a successful promoter you are going to need a huge network of contacts. There aren't really any magic tricks, you just need to be a trooper that can pull hundreds or thousands of people to an event. Since you are just starting out you are probably going to have to park your ass outside of venues all winter in order to hand out flyers as most venues won't let people in to flyer(unless you know someone)

As for DJ'ing, how long have you been DJing? You need to realize that in this day and age everybody and their mother wants to be a DJ. Especially now that it's become so easy, no more manual beat matching, no more investing thousands of dollars in records or turntables... that means your competition pool is 10x bigger than it was 10 or 20 years ago. I wouldn't plan your future around being a DJ, it's a nice dream but don't bet your life on it. I don't want to discourage you from doing it but too often i see people going into it with this grand idea that they are going to be the next superstar DJ, they do it because they want to be famous and not because they just love doing it. If you are in it for the money or the fame then you will probably be very sad in the end.
 
Well, I will consider the constructive critism and ideas but it seems I am still lacking on innovative ideas other than standng outside the venue. I do understand that the market is saturated with DJ's but I am not looking for fame or fortune, personally I am looking to follow my passion whether or not it works out. Plus, I would like to do some producing too, not just DJing.

It seems in the end, most of ticket sales will attribute to networking...blech.

^btw that is a hilarous idea! I saw a kid at music festival trying to sell bath salts...reminds me of that haha
 
If that’s your goal then you will probably be satisfied with DJ’ing, the people that do it because they have fun doing it in front of 5 people or 5000 people are the people that last.

Unfortunately there is no way around the networking issue. Luckily your generation has facebook and other social media so you may not have to clock as many hours standing in the snow as we did :)
 
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