Members pogo97 Posted May 19, 2017 Members Share Posted May 19, 2017 Since owners around here rarely advertise their players beyond a mention in Facebook, musicians are on their own for advertising. Radio seems expensive, given what we're paid, and advertising in the local paper is also expensive. Posters may or may not work, but it seems to be the only viable way to say "I'm playing at this place and time" for anyone who might be moved to come out. Any effective alternates? Where should the posters go (bakery, grocery stores, Chamber of Commerce, the actual bar … ? [ATTACH=CONFIG]temp_124747_1495230585260_663[/ATTACH] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members senorblues Posted May 19, 2017 Members Share Posted May 19, 2017 I'm astonished at how little effort goes into Facebook promo. Musicians or venues. I don't get it. Some venues up here will post a photo of the month's schedule, but they're in the minority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted May 20, 2017 Moderators Share Posted May 20, 2017 We used to put up posters/flyers in the venue when we were scheduled far enough in advance. I also have put flyers in local music stores where permitted.We also have an e-mial sign up sheet at our gigs, and send out no more than two 'reminders' to that list per month. Plus our calendar is on the FB page [for the new band with horn section]. Most venues [except for the top 1%] here no longer post their calendars in the entertainment section, if they are even listed it will just say 'live music nightly' or just 'music'. Many venues don't maintain their webpages or FB pages regularly...they don't seem to care all that much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted May 22, 2017 Members Share Posted May 22, 2017 That's because NO ONE CARES anymore. Live music is just added value now. Like a Valet or a free drink. It's certainly NOT a draw for the most part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted May 22, 2017 Members Share Posted May 22, 2017 Local community papers can work, if you're using them once or twice a year on a "big" gig. I just did a gig with a trio, and the leader took a picture of us in a recording studio, and then got the local community paper to include a few words about us. I had seven friends come out because of that article. I also personally invited a dozen or so folks that saw me on previous solo gigs - three of them came out. The leader brought in about twenty-five folks. This was on a Friday night in a medium sized lounge. Place was packed. Facebook is another great way to advertise gigs if you have lots of friends and can cultivate friendly online relationships. I know some musicians that will post jokes, post inspirational things, include pictures of their pets, live gig videos.... all to create a friendly guy/girl persona. Videos of some obscure Beatles tune that you are enjoying, pictures of your walk in the woods... the list is endless and frankly to me too much work and a little excessive, but it works well for those that use it. I don't have that many FB friends (670) and I hardly ever use it to promote a gig, but I guess it's there if I wanted to use it. Posters in the venue are a must, and you should also have an online version of the same poster. Also small paper hand outs are nice, if the gig is paying a bunch. Otherwise no, unless you can write in the date and venue name. Music stores perhaps, but musicians are broke. Maybe find a high traffic place where you can always hang your poster in exchange for a small music service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted May 23, 2017 Moderators Share Posted May 23, 2017 That's because NO ONE CARES anymore. Live music is just added value now. Like a Valet or a free drink. It's certainly NOT a draw for the most part. But we care...the musicians...maybe we need to all go on strike for a month...a month of NO LIVE MUSIC in NORTH AMERICA... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob Dey Posted May 23, 2017 Members Share Posted May 23, 2017 Before the internet building a mailing list of fans was a great way to advertise to those most likely to come to your gigs. Facebook seems to work well for those that have fans as friends. Other than that, facebook ads just let everyone know that you're still alive and well! It hasn't worked wonders for me so far. Just a few or zero friends show up when I advertise on FB. When you do get a gig, you could invite folks to like your facebook business page or request friendship. For those that don't do facebook make your mailing list an email list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kbeaumont Posted May 25, 2017 Members Share Posted May 25, 2017 The local venues all advertise in a local publication and internet site for entertainment and night life. Then we have a FB page and every member of the band is an administrator of so in addition to fans, every friend in each band members network gets an upcoming event notice. We also record videos at events and post them to the FB page and share them. Usually just the latest new song we try to add about 2-4 songs a month. In one restaurant once a month we play on an open covered front patio seating area which has rolled down tent walls in the winter. So when we play in the spring and summer we literally play to the whole street. With a sign with our bands name along with the daily specials on the street. People walking down the street stop for a while buy a drink or order a pizza. Win win for the restaurant and for us. Everyone has heard of us and what we play. We no longer have to give press kits to club managers, in the local area they all have heard us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted May 26, 2017 Members Share Posted May 26, 2017 I have a mailing list of about 500 e-mail addresses. It is totally opt-in and if someone wants to opt-out it's done cheerfully. I like that better than Facebook because (1) not everyone is on facebook and (2) coming into the e-mail box is much more personal. Besides, when you have a few thousand facebook 'friends', what are the chances of your ad getting closer to the top of their feed than their attention span and disconnect happens., I add some other content to make them look forward to read the newsletter, like a lame joke and other silliness. But then, I play for an older audience. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted May 30, 2017 Members Share Posted May 30, 2017 youve been drinking the club owners/ managers kool aid... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted May 30, 2017 Members Share Posted May 30, 2017 im working on a new bio, press release, and website. yes, im a moron and doing it wrong according to several of the so called music business gurus... even a couple local musician friends chose to chastise me for methods employed... not everyone gets the difference between paying it forward and playing for free... but its a huge difference. an example:local earth day celebration is well covered in the news here, so when i was asked to kick off the festivities i agreed to do so but i wanted the money i was offered as payment to be donated to one of the local charities reoresented at the festival. you say coincidence that our animal rescue recieved a wonderful donation from an anonymous benefactor, the local artists co- op wants to hire me for a biannually occuring city wide event, three private clients enrolled for services, two churches have asked me to come play and teach about sound therapy and relaxation response, met a doctor that is as intrigued by the human response to sound and vibration as i am..., landed a weekend yoga retreat gig that wants me to headline and all profits to go to my animal sanctuary... and i almost forgot, i was plastered all over everybody's fb and social media pages, covered by the local media, tv and newspapers. yeah, according to some, i played this gig for free... all of this happened the day i performed.i say you make your own "luck". there is no such thing as coincidence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted May 30, 2017 Moderators Share Posted May 30, 2017 most of us do.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted May 30, 2017 Moderators Share Posted May 30, 2017 not all of us are lucky enough to have our own charitable organization... What you did was brilliant in its way, you got plenty of good press and came off as being altruistic...but now everyone will expect you to gig for free...which, if you work the donation angle, is not a bad thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted June 1, 2017 Members Share Posted June 1, 2017 i dont believe for one second that there is a a fricking stroke of luck in life. my,good luck in falling into such a thing is actually not luck just because someone perceives it as such. you obviously have no clue what is involved a real, full time animal rescue , rehab, and no.kill sanctuary even on a day to day operational basis, let alone the legal hoops and paperwork... plus the maintenance of a 50 acre physcal facility. no wild cards, no lucky dice, ive just been a hard working, dedicated mother{censored}er to this cause and another fool says i must be lucky... and i get to " appear" altruistic too! well lucky me... i'm getting to give up huge sections of my life for the welfare of less fortunate beings... for appearances!!! understand this about me, i dont need anyones praise or gold stars for what i do around here with the rescue. this is who we are and who we have been since we were children... all of our lives we have rescued wild, domestic, lost and unwanted animals of all types and until last year, when wewere convinced to apply for a 501c, we have always done it out of pocket... ive never once in my life considered that i do this " to appear" as anything and find your statement insulting. ima bend over now... you pucker up... you know the drill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted June 1, 2017 Members Share Posted June 1, 2017 no wonder this place is dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob Dey Posted June 3, 2017 Members Share Posted June 3, 2017 i dont believe for one second that there is a a fricking stroke of luck in life. Animals that have been rescued sure are lucky. Of course there's more to life than luck or should we call it chance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted June 5, 2017 Members Share Posted June 5, 2017 bob, animals rescued involve hard work... lots of it before and after the rescue...explain the luck in the situation where one finds themselves neck deep in mud and muck pulling out a horse or cow thats been left for days... luck ? no sir... hard work, resilient animals and aware human beings... compassion and skill.... and the unitiated would call what they cant see luck.... theres no luck involved when i dart an animal that could kill me if i screw up... thats kinda like saying thay played that you played gershwins new york by a lucky stroke on the keys... nice luck ndeed...sorry... no such thing... everything happens for a reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted June 17, 2017 Members Share Posted June 17, 2017 Not to make light of what you do with animals -- I had a nice experience back in the 1970s. I had a big, fenced in yard and someone asked me if I wanted to be a foster home for Great Dane dogs. I did a bit of checking and agreed. So when a Dane was given up, instead of going to the shelter, they came to my back yard. The society paid for food and vet bills if necessary, and we just had to feed them, clean up their messes and bathe them. In turn we got affection from the animals. I think we got at least as much out of the situation as the dogs did. We went through about 20 of them in a few years time, and they were all gentle, quiet, and fine great with my children. We had one that wasn't attractive at all, The previous owners cut the ears and tail too short, she was white with black spots but had a lot of pink skin showing around the face. Nobody wanted her for a while. She stayed in the yard when we were out but as soon as our car hit the driveway she bounded over the fence to greet us. The kids loved her and it was a sad day and a happy day when she found a good permanent home. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted June 19, 2017 Author Members Share Posted June 19, 2017 Learned a lesson recently. Posters: GO BIG!!! (within reason) I reformatted my standard "sheet music" poster to work on an 11 x 17 sheet rather than the more usual 8.5 x 11. Twice the size, ten times the impact. Cost a buck each rather than 50 cents. Don't get lost among the other posters (the theatres and ribfest etc all use 11 x 17 these days and anything smaller looks, um, small). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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