I'm interested in starting my own Promotions/Events 'brand'...
I'm interested in starting my own Promotions/Events 'brand'... Posted on: 29.08.2012 by Shelia Salzsieder I can't seem to find any resources online for me to study, so I'm wondering if you have any tips/advice you could share? I'm not clueless but I'd like to have an insight into how other promo brands have been set up and how they 'operate'.For now, it's just going to be a name and a logo I can put on flyers and posters until the brand gains more recognition - then I'm hoping to move to a better venue/s and book DJs to play at my evening s. I'm not sure how much money I need but it will mostly be going on flyers, posters, 'decor' (anybody got any advice? I was believeing a big banner to put inside the venue as without any decor it will look amateur and bland) and some other misc things. I want to go all out with this as I believe it's not worth doing if I don't. Thanks! | |
| Ethelene Acors 04.09.2012 | I just wanted to pitch in that this has been a great read for me too, as a lurker. Thanks everyone for the posts. And what I agree with the most is this:
Originally Posted by Saurus
Online work is effective, but on its own it's nowhere near enough. |
| Ossie Pooley 03.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by MWagner
I started promoting at the ripe age of 16. 2 years later I became an event manager in London. Cool stuff. A year after doing that, I thought I could handle starting my own evening . 6 months after launch I was barely scratching even. It's a lot more work than you could ever believe. In order to turn profit, I had to lie through my teeth. Eventually I just sold up and went to university. It's hard work but best of luck |
| Werner Bile 02.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by howierivet
edit: it doesn't have to stay that way, but early on especially, you're going to lose money while you establish a name. Sadly, most promoters never make it past that phase. If you look at it as giving back to the community and just want to break even and occasionally make some cash, that can be done by being smart. If you want to make a whole lot of money/make it a career, that can be done, but don't count on it, especially not if you want to maintain your morals. |
| Nena Leos 31.08.2012 |
Originally Posted by DJWilliams
What some new promotional companies in my area do, is that they collobrate with other new/old promotional companies that are established and split the cost/profit 50/50 sometimes 60/40 or even 70/30., you may believe it's a bad deal, but inreality you are getting a lot of experience and networking with people - which you can't put a price on. Best way to get the word out on you party, hands down is word of mouth, best way to do is that is have your friends at different colleges spread the word. Creating a street team is somewhat difficult, you have to network with people and meet the right people. YOu have to have the right social circle, if your circle of people you know just stay at home on friday evening studying, your going to have a hard, but it can be done though. Expanding your networking, going to other events and meeting people, and being scene at events helps a lot. |
| Wanda Insel 30.08.2012 |
Originally Posted by Lilac
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| Cole Maroto 29.08.2012 |
Originally Posted by DJWilliams
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| Shelia Salzsieder 29.08.2012 |
Originally Posted by ToOntown
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| Ethelene Acors 04.09.2012 | I just wanted to pitch in that this has been a great read for me too, as a lurker. Thanks everyone for the posts. And what I agree with the most is this:
Originally Posted by Saurus
Online work is effective, but on its own it's nowhere near enough. |
| Werner Bile 03.09.2012 | also you might know the old sales slogan "ABC - Always be Closing", well in promoting its more like ABN - Always be Networking. This can be the most taxing and yet most rewarding part of throwing parties. You're going to have to be able to smile in the face of people you intensely dislike(and who might dislike you right back). You're going to have long conversations that go nowhere with frustrated local djs who've had a bad day and feel like venting. You're going to have to make diplomatic judgement calls when a group of 15 people show up late in the evening
and don't want to pay full price. And you're going to have to do all of that without ever showing your irritation at the situation. Conversely, you're may pull off some amazing saves where an old work connection comes through with some projectors when your light guys bails at the last minute. Or maybe an hot local DJ that owes you a favor comes through and spins an incredible set when your headliner misses his flight. For me, at least, those moments were the most rewarding part of the game and you're going to have to be happy with them all happening behind the scenes. There's a reason most promoters burn out. I did, but I still wouldn't trade the experience for anything. |
| Werner Bile 03.09.2012 | While I stand by what i just said, I does occur to me that it probably wasn't the most helpful response, so here's some real advice on lineup creation: It's all about balance. Don't fill your lineup with all your buddies You might believe it looks impressive to have a 20 dj, multi-room event but it looks (and is) unprofessional and it does you no good if the music suffers. Believe me, people see through it in a second if they've never heard of 3/4 of your lineup. Don't go headliner happy On the flipside of that, its also a bad idea to fill your card with nothing but big names from out of town. There are a number of reasons for this. First off, it's bad for the scene. I've watched it happen multiple times where promoter oneupsmanship leads to bigger and bigger parties with out of control rising prices(for both the promoters and the partygoers). This is absolute poison to a party scene. Secondly, local DJs will begin to resent you, and then who is going to play your party when you don't have the cash to bring in another headliner to fill your 4-5 am slot? What you want is a balance. Bring in a big name if you have to or want to, but make it someone people haven't seen a thousand times. Balance that out with some hot local DJs that are up and coming and lastly, nail down a core group of locals that you can count on week after week to do their job. And get yourself a "workhorse" and an "x - factor". the workhorse should be the promoter's equivalent of a resident DJ. They should be someone who is just all around solid in every facet of their game and can be counted on every party to deliver a set that might not be mindblowing, but that will universally be described as good. The X factor is simply someone who does one thing exceptionally well, whether it be scratching and tricks, uncanny track selection, ultrasmooth mixing or whatever. This is the guy that sometimes has an off evening , but when he's on, oh man is he on. or do it a completely different way, but this is a way I've seen work well. |
| Ossie Pooley 03.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by MWagner
I started promoting at the ripe age of 16. 2 years later I became an event manager in London. Cool stuff. A year after doing that, I thought I could handle starting my own evening . 6 months after launch I was barely scratching even. It's a lot more work than you could ever believe. In order to turn profit, I had to lie through my teeth. Eventually I just sold up and went to university. It's hard work but best of luck |
| Werner Bile 02.09.2012 |
Originally Posted by howierivet
edit: it doesn't have to stay that way, but early on especially, you're going to lose money while you establish a name. Sadly, most promoters never make it past that phase. If you look at it as giving back to the community and just want to break even and occasionally make some cash, that can be done by being smart. If you want to make a whole lot of money/make it a career, that can be done, but don't count on it, especially not if you want to maintain your morals. |
| Ardell Lafranchi 02.09.2012 | http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2011/10...arties-part-6/ EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO NO IS ON THIS WEBSITE!!!! |
| Nena Leos 31.08.2012 |
Originally Posted by DJWilliams
What some new promotional companies in my area do, is that they collobrate with other new/old promotional companies that are established and split the cost/profit 50/50 sometimes 60/40 or even 70/30., you may believe it's a bad deal, but inreality you are getting a lot of experience and networking with people - which you can't put a price on. Best way to get the word out on you party, hands down is word of mouth, best way to do is that is have your friends at different colleges spread the word. Creating a street team is somewhat difficult, you have to network with people and meet the right people. YOu have to have the right social circle, if your circle of people you know just stay at home on friday evening studying, your going to have a hard, but it can be done though. Expanding your networking, going to other events and meeting people, and being scene at events helps a lot. |
| Shelia Salzsieder 31.08.2012 | I've chosen the name 'Phonic' and I'm currently getting ideas together for a logo... The main thing is to get people through the door and I'm a bit stumped as to what I can do, any suggestions? I was believeing social media, flyers, posters, selling tickets (not sure this would be viable as it's a small venue) and maybe having a street team (not sure how this works) - any advice? |
| Nena Leos 31.08.2012 | Name and Logo is the least of worries. It's all about the execution. First of all decide what kind of event you want to throw, and what type of music. Start of small, find a venu, create an event, create a promotional team. My advice is start planning for everything, once you have a venu, a dj, and a date set, then its all up to promotions |
| Maribeth Tidler 30.08.2012 | Don't believe you can do it all online either. |
| Wanda Insel 30.08.2012 |
Originally Posted by Lilac
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| Ossie Pooley 29.08.2012 | A name is honestly the least of your worries. Finding a venue, gear , staff and promotion are your biggest worries. You can call it 'Peri-Peri Wonderland' and people would still come if you get everything else right. |
| Shelia Salzsieder 29.08.2012 | I want to do club evening s and maybe outside parties/small festivals in the future, so really at the moment all I need is a name and a logo. I believe the name will take me a very long time to pick, even longer because I don't know of many promo companies so I don't know what kind of names they use, I know of Insomniac in America and a few local ones but everything I believe of sounds too cheesy. |
| Cole Maroto 29.08.2012 |
Originally Posted by DJWilliams
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| Wanda Insel 29.08.2012 | Depends what you want out of it really mate. Do you want to run corporate gigs and events or do you want to throw parties and promote? Corporate gigs work on being able to offer quality smooth gigs that all work well and are cost effective. You need to get in with some companies and try to get word of mouth going around as if something goes well people hear about it as you get a chance to network at your own event. If you want to throw parties, create a brand and maybe promote artists etc then its about find an angle, if the clubs/evening s are sown up in your area then maybe look at day parties in a spot near you, all legal obviously so get it above board, but some of the best events I have been to have been day ones. You may even be able to twin with another club NIGHT and gain extra promotion through them as a pre party? Keep using the name and keep people on side and gain a fan base by doing it well and try to offer something not currently out there. Then when the opportunity comes you may be able to take advantage of your new found fame to try it in one of the clubs. Just believeing aloud as I know a few people who have done the same, hope it helps. |
| Shelia Salzsieder 29.08.2012 |
Originally Posted by ToOntown
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| Shonda Soulier 29.08.2012 | I wouldn't worry too much about the name yet--you have way more to worry about than that. But when the time comes I believe you should go with something that sounds like a professional events company. That's how you get corporate gigs. |
| Shelia Salzsieder 29.08.2012 | What should I aim for when I'm picking a name? I don't have many examples so I don't know what's too cheesy or rubbish. |
| Lillia Datson 29.08.2012 |
Watch this. But if your in the UK/London and need someone on board to do it with i'll help for shits and Gigs..... |
| Shelia Salzsieder 29.08.2012 |
Originally Posted by ksandvik
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| Taren Wurstner 29.08.2012 | be prepared to lose a ton of money. |
| Eloy Kiepke 29.08.2012 | Just don't ever believe facebook is a good way of marketing events. Hire people to fucking talk to people about events. Otherwise you're just obnoxious. |
| Celine Surico 29.08.2012 | Start with finding a market -- it might even be that you need to move to a place with less DJs in the area. |
| Ossie Pooley 29.08.2012 | The main thing to know with Events and Event Management is that at some point, you will always fail. The reason for that is almost always a lack of promotion. Don't underestimate it. |
| Brunilda Kora 29.08.2012 | Just do it - get stuck in, and be prepared to learn some things the hard way. |
| Doria Roschel 30.08.2012 | If I were you, I'd read some books on branding and marketing (a good idea for any DJ, even if you aren't starting an events brand). Here are some suggestions for reading/learning material:
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