Keys to Successful Promoting?

allan51

allan51

Bluelighter
Joined
Apr 18, 2003
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A buddy of mine has thrown a few successful parties in the area over the last couple years and the last one (this new years eve) was by most accounts, a dud.

There was a few problems that I think contributed to this. For one I think he sort of screwed up the time slots for the djs. He had a dnb in the second slot and a lot of the people who showed up during that time, sat around and left to either come back later or not come back at all. Way too early in the night (9-10) for dnb IMO.

Next, during my set, half of the speakers when out for probably 30-45 min and the sound guy wasn't there to fix anything because he had another job that night in a city 45 minutes away that he had to be at. So we had the lights guy trying to fix this other guy's equipment. It was eventually taken care of, but it made the party look weak to anyone showing up during this time. Also the cops were harrassing us at this point, so it looked like it was going to get shut down.

Next problem was that two of the scheduled djs showed up, saw the problems with the cops, saw the small crowd, and the sounds issues - and left. One of the djs was suppose to go on right after me and play up until midnight. (I guess this was actually a good thing since I got to play a two hour set instead of one). We both knew these guys pretty well and it really showed what a lack of character/big ego they have.

Finally, I think new years eve isn't the best time to throw a party in a smaller town anyway. There isn't a huge scene here to begin with, and couple that with a huge new years eve party in this other town that most of the older college kids/bar scene go to.

So I helped out a little bit with this last party, and for the next one I'll be even more involved with it. My question is, what do you guys think it takes to have a really successful party? Does it have to do with the time of the year, the venue, dj lineup, how much promotion is done, the reputation of the promotor? What have you done or what have other promotors done that have made for a really good event. It was a big disappointment for those of us who had a hand in putting together this last one and we definitely want to do better next time, so any ideas are much appreciated.
 
there is no exact formula for a successful parties...a few things that will bring a good show though are:

quality, consistent venue...very important...

quality, recognized dj names (differs by area/popularity)...

having friends promote the show for you...

use the internet, have catchy looking fliers, just basically get people psyched...

also will add to this...need to have people working for you that will successfully bring a following of people to your nights

building a following is so important, cant stress that enough
 
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it seems that threads pop up in this forum at just the right moments for me. im planning on throwing a party in ybor sometime in march and im looking for pointers myself
atri
 
It really depends, it seems as though in your case it's a lack of people, so successful promotion would be; more promotion, like Hydra said, get some nice flyers printed etc.
IMHO if you are organizing a party or spinning at a party you're merely the one who provides the means to a party, it's the people there who need to make it a party and gte the right vibe going.
So in a way I suppose it also really depends on what kind of crowd you're drawing, no matter how big...

--vague rambler
 
agreed...

as for the actually promotion of the last party, we distributed about 4500 two-sided full color professionaly designed flyers, so I don't think that was the issue. I really think we did everything possible on that end.

When I say successful I mean good turnout and good vibes with minor problems. Now that I wrote that, I realize all of those are pretty much decided by the people that show up, but I think you guys get the point.

I guess my question is, have you noticed particular promotors that consistantly have really good parties, and if so, what is it, do you think, that makes their parties better than most.

all you can do is all you can do, but if you guys had any tips, I'd gladly try to incorporate them into the next party, which we might already have a solid venue as well as a theme. Anyway, just thought I'd ask to see if you guys had any key things that help with this sort of stuff.
 
well, all of these things have nothing to do, really, with why no one showed up...

as a promoter, i always stayed away from holiday events unless I had something SPECIAL going on. For NYE, I think everyone expects big and bad and better... and if you're not spending $50Gs in a line-up, then you should not be doing the NYE show.

and 4500 flyers is NOT alot.

I used to pass out 10K flyers for even my smaller parties.

If you're not doing that, they you're gonna have problems.

There is a psychology behind the over-promotions thinking... like, it's Saturday and alot of people still don't really know what they are gonna do... so which ever party they remember seeing alot of, they'll assume that's where everyone will be at.

Also, it's important to have the music that the scene is most into playing when folks arrive.

By 11:30 or midnight, one of your headliners should be playing (playing the genre that your scene really digs) so that the energy level is there right when they get there.

But, all of this, again, doesn't really affect the ppl getting there to begin with.

what was the line-up?

if the line-up was weak, that was probably the main reason why no one showed up.

they see a weak line-up and there wasn't that many flyers passed out (sorry, 4500 is NOT alot) then that's why not that many ppl showed up. And the ppl that did show up probably did so wearily, so then all of the other shit happened when they got there, so they said "fuck it -- i'll go somewhere else..."
 
::more::

I think you should make sure you understand what your area likes as far as music. Then, plan your party around that, even if it's not exactly the music you like or play.

1) DO NOT SKIP on flyer design. Just because you have a buddy that has photoshop 7 or freehand doesn't mean that they have any right to design a flyer. If you can't alot $2-300 for a QUALITY flyer design, knowing that the flyers can make or break an event, then you shouldn't be throwing events. Flyers are the firsst level of offense that you have in really hyping up your show. you must not skip on the flyer!!!!!

2) 10,000 copies. period. and you should get rid of at least 80% of them! no more 4000 or 4500 copies... that's weak. i wouldn't go to that party. there's a psychology behind it.
  • small flyer = small event
  • small amount of flyer = small event
  • B&W flyer = small event

all of this to the patron says, "hey, the promoter doesn't even care about this party to really promote so it must be a small party or a weak party ... if he don't care -- i certainly don't"
 
my g/f and i promote a reasonably successful quarterly night in london. we've been pretty much at capacity since the first party, mostly thanks to word of mouth and the usefulness of bluelight connections, but have always found it necessary to accept at least 20% more than capacity to ensure a good turnout.

from our experience, the surest way to success is to try and get the nicest crowd possible. our night began as an invite only event, and we were able to gather as many of our closest friends - including bluelighters - as possible. because almost all of the 100 or so people at the first night were good friends or good friends of good friends, the vibe was absolutely superb; really friendly, intimate, and everyone was pretty fucked up, which helped as well.

this is important on a number of levels; firstly, it means people remember the night as a good one, and are likely to make an effort to come back. our second party had people flying in from as far away as the US to come along; our third had people travelling from france, the US, scotland, etc. etc. so it enhanced the night's reputation as well. secondly, people will recommend the event to their friends, which will get the whole word-of-mouth thing going in your favour and will swell future events.

we always priced low and gave away profits to various charities; charging the equivalent of US$8 to cover costs meant that compared to lots of london club nights (up to and above $20) looked expensive and impersonal.

we were also lucky to find the venue we did - it's in central london, not massively expensive, and it officially does 'private parties' which means the doors are locked after a certain time. the venue is important, but i understand you're probably much more limited for choice in a smaller city.

having good security is also a real crowd-pleaser. i'm sorry to hear about your fuckups with the cops, that sounds like a nightmare. over here we're pretty spoilt i suppose, because that doesn't really ever happen to proper venues, only sometimes to illegal raves. but anyways, security is really important. if the venue will allow you to shop around, do so. we've had bouncers who not only didn't search anyone, but offered us advice on how to improve the night, looked after someone who over-indulged, and instead of kicking us out for smoking weed in the club they brought round incense to hide the smell. the security were friendly, open, relaxed and chatty - and that just made the night a whole lot better. it allows people to relax inside the club and get into a suitably exuberant mood :)

negotiating everything and have records of when you said you'd pay who what is also important. we've dealt with paranoid cokehead club owners and it's not nice, but it sounds like you're pretty much on good terms with the club anyway.

if they'll let you, get some mix cds done by resident djs and sell them cheap at the night. they will sell, because people like having something to remember the night by and also because drug-induced impulse buying is a known fact of clublife ;)

ventilation is important, if the venue's isn't sufficient. we've had some problems with uber-heat melting people's endurance, so if it's summertime or there are any questions about the ventilation just rent one of those big industrial fans from a hire place. they don't cost much and it can make all the difference.

flyers are also important. we sent out e-flyers as well, distinctive and high-quality ones. keep a mailing list of everyone you email them to and get people's email addresses on the door - it's more reassuring when you're planning the next one to have a long list of people who'd be interested in coming again.

in terms of music progression, this ultimately depends on your target audience and the direction you want for the night. our night relies on a mashup of different styles; we usually start with a house/breaks dj from 10-11, tech house or trance from 11 - 12, and from then on a mix of hard trance, filthy hard house, and banging techno. usually the final dj - who plays from 5 - 6 am - will play house or ambient dnb. it's really nice after a sweaty tough workout to chill for awhile before leaving the club.

the progression is the most important thing. try to place the DJs in order of 'hardness' or 'party-ness' i suppose. there's nothing worse than when a dj who plays a brilliant dynamic and uplifting set is followed by a paint-by-numbers prog or house machine who kills the atmosphere completely. it's got to climb throughout the night, peak when everyone's most fucked, and then gently let them down wanting more.

also, don't rely on people. don't rely on them to turn up - everyone flakes at some stage in their lives - don't rely on them to bring everything, and don't rely on DJs. i've played two and three hour sets before out of necessity and although it's a lovely bonus, i'd rather have peace of mind. make sure you have backup equipment and backup people if possible.

choosing a good date is important as well. we try to do ours around bank holiday mondays, which means people are really in the mood to party since they've got a long weekend. in my experience friday is more popular than saturday!

anywhos not got much time but will post more later if required :)

the single most important element in promotion in my experience is the atmosphere. make your party fucking awesome, and people will follow. make it personal, and they will stay.

good luck!!!! one day maybe you can add dr seuss & titania to your guestlist =D
 
stilvoll said:
I think you should make sure you understand what your area likes as far as music. Then, plan your party around that, even if it's not exactly the music you like or play.

... no more 4000 or 4500 copies... that's weak. i wouldn't go to that party. there's a psychology behind it.
Click to expand...

On your first point, in this area, kids like top 40 radio, country, and rap. I live in South Dakota - if you don't know where that is, turn north when you get to the Middle of No Where and keep going until you run into a bunch of cows. ;) There is a very small punk scene and even smaller electronica scene. and even though the scene around here is small, its pure - meaning the kids that show up are there for the right reasons.

and on your second point - you're right, 4500 would be weak if this were a large metropolis, however, this town is relatively small - maybe 50-60k with and extra 20k in the surrounding communities. We were literally thowing flyers out in the parking lots of a couple of the larger high schools in the area just because we still had a ton left after blanketing colleges and leaving stacks at some local shop. At some point it becomes a waste of money when you factor in how many of those flyers will even be seen before the wind blows them away. But I do agree, flyers are key, and as a professional graphic designer, I will definitely have top notch flyers for anything we do.

And Dr - I really like your mailing list idea, it opens doors for special promotions to those on the list and will help get the word out on upcoming parties. I'll definitely incorporate that into the next party. Thanks :)
 
Actually, now that we have a better idea of what your region is dealing with, maybe you should start things off on the low.

Like, invite-only type parties.

Try and do it at a venue that will allow private-type
parties and do 18+ /21+ to drink

$5 a head, free liquour until it runs out.
(and yes, this can be done -- it's been done in Indy by two different promoters for more than a year)

or better yet, since it's a college town, is there a bar/club that will allow you to have a night? even if it's an off-night.

right now, your problem isn't "i need more heads to go to my rave" your problem is "i need to get these heads into electronic music".

start as cheesy as possible. and work your way down to the underground.

there's plenty of Djs that utilize pop and r&b into their sets, ie remixes and bootlegs. and, you have the circuit-styled house that is pop-ladden.

in fact, your private invite only parties should be free for ladies.

rule of thumb for college towns:

1) guys go where the girls are

2) girls go where they can get in for free

i guarantee you the invite only parties will work, for reals.

set up memberships even, and allow each member to bring 1 or 2 guests. when they get there with their guests, sign them up, and then allow them to bring 1 or 2 guests... so forth and so on.

make the first on free .... have more commercially accessible Djs. not commercial Djs, but Djs who utilize some top 40 or R&B into their sets. For instance, Slater Hogan and myself (here in Indy) both make house bootlegs of familiar top 40 and R&B songs. so, when they play, even the most anti-underground people enjoy it because there was something recognizeable in their sets. Pass out free CDs to people, too.

These are just some of my observations and suggestions.

remember, apparently, your problem is getting ppl to like EDM. So, that's how you should be addressing the problem. No matter how much you dress up your rave, people won't go if they think they don't like the music. You have to get them to like the music. Everything else will fall in to place.
 
true about the remixes - I played a remix of pet shop boys - west end girls on nye and the place went nuts. I totally agree about dropping hints of recognizable songs throughout a set. I love hearing that stuff myself. Not remix after remix, but every so often, you hear that vocal sample that makes you go, hey, I know this song...

and I've thought about setting up a monthly or bi-monthly bar/club night. Something geared towards semi-cheesy dance/house music with hints of underground stuff here and there. I've been watching what happens when the human jukebox plays Sandstorm or Better Off Alone at one of the more popular bars here - people love it. I think the town is ready, they just don't know it yet. Oh, and I happen to work for a beer distributor, so setting up drink specials would not be hard to do.

thanks for the tips, I've got tons of ideas now.
 
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^^^ Yeah, you may know Aaron - he threw a few parties last year, and he mentioned something about you to me a while back. Plans are in the works for a party this spring sometime. once we get the details locked down, I'll post it in the West events forum.
 
its planning well in advance and promoting for as long as poss. its consistency. get as many people involved as you can, people will voluteer to help out to feel like theyre part of a crew... this will help because it gives you better word of mouth promo. never bad mouth a past event, you dont have to lie to talk it up.. just never talk yourselves down.
1) guys go where the girls are

2) girls go where they can get in for free
Click to expand...
yep.

and start building a mailing list.
 
also, i think the main thing you need to be aware of, since you're dealing with limited resources (ie sound guys having multiple jobs) -- stay away from holiday events.

that means no MLK JR Sundays... no V-Days... no 4th of July... no Labor Day weekend... no Xmas, no Thanksgiving, and certainly no NYE ... at least until you get a solid fanbase.
 
Yeah, we definitely learned a lession when it comes to holidays. No mas.
 
I am all too familiar with this situation.

I live in a small, backward ass town with nothing but "BARS"...no clubs. The small (practically non-existant)
EDM following here can be summed up in one word, pathetic. There are around 3 or 4 people here who I would actually say KNOW their shit. The Neoracle can vouch for that. However, successful parties CAN still be thrown. Physix hit the nail right on the head.

Free admission for the ladies, drink specials, and some way for the frat boys to get a reduced admission. Do that, in a solid venue, with solid promotion(ill talk more about the promotion aspect shortly) and you can expect to get a reasonable amount of people there.

Now. As for the promotion side of things, in a small town you have to give flyers to EVERYONE! The worst thing you can do is single people out to give flyers to. Just go out and hand one to EVERY person you see. It doesnt matter if they are wearing a thousand dollar suit, or some old rags that do not look as if they've been changed in years! Give them to anyone you see and you just might be surprised at how many people show up to see whats its like, at least. Then from there its your job as the DJ, Promotor, or whatever to give the people a good time so they come back, or to future events.

~C
 
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