Who's still making and posting flyers for gigs out in the real-world?

[rog951]

Seems like, around here anyway, most bands' self-marketing has moved online these days. What do you guys do?

 

We'll try to start putting up a few flyers in the area of a gig about a week or so in advance. There aren't as many bulletin boards as there were in the old days though. Sometimes local liquor stores will have public posting areas, as well as all the grocery stores. Music stores usually have a place to post. Of course, if the venue has a board, we'll post one there too.

 

Sometimes I wonder if it's worth it anymore though; I don't really know anyone who consciously seeks out gigs using these boards. I'm sure we pick up a few random attendees on occasion and I guess anything to increase exposure. Designing the flyers does require some effort though, as does running around posting them, and sometimes we can't help but wonder if we're wasting our time.

 

I was wondering what BSWTB's take on the subject might be. Do you still post flyers and, if so, where? Any feedback on their effectiveness?

[tlbonehead]

Yes, of course we do, along with website and FB. Everybody checks into FB so it seems silly not to use it. As for where to post them, a music store is probably the last place I would put one since only musicians might see it. Convenience stores, grocery stores, mall bulletin boards, etc. The key I've found, is to be somewhat consistent with doing it, as well as in where you do it. I've had people say, "we always look for your poster at ______ to see where you are playing that weekend".

[tim_7string]

I have seen the difference between when I post flyers and when i don't. It's still pretty old-fashioned up here. Flyers at grocery stores and gas stations (the ones that allow them) are the order of the day. I try to put them a couple weeks in advance, but since I know space can be limited and they have to be dated, I'll do it a week before the show.

 

I'll post updates on Facebook and my other websites too and I know that people watch those as well. I experimented with not updating with our latest gigs on the sites and it was like people thought we broke up or something. Once I started posting updates again, it definitely affected the attendence.

 

I would say doing all of it is the way to go. Even when you think it's a waste of time, it really isn't in the long run. People need to know about your band and letting them know is the way to go.

 

 

As for where to post them, a music store is probably the last place I would put one since only musicians might see it.

 

 

I agree with this. I tried posting a couple flyers at the music stores and from what I could tell, it didn't really affect things one way or the other. Musicians don't usually go to see other musicians play, especially if they are in busy bands themselves. I always find it funny when I get "come see my band tonight" requests on FB, especially when it's obvious that I'm playing that night as well.

[SpaceNorman]

The only "postering" we do is at the venue itself (for bar gigs only). Most places we play hang a few around the room to let their customers know about upcoming events. As far as hanging posters around town goes .... it's just not an effective means of advertising for us. We've found it's far more effective (not to mention tons less effort!) to simply ensure that we're timely with our event announcements on FB and reminders to the band's FB friends as well as to our own FB friend lists. It never ceases to amaze me how consistently posts show up on my wall from people I don't really know ... organizing "bar nights" with their friends to come out to my gigs. We typically send out our first wave of announcements two weeks before a scheduled appearance ... and follow up with a second one week prior. Typically, we each post a "status update" a day or so before the gig that mentions we're busy getting ready for our gig at "_____'s" on Saturday and that we're excited about seeing all our old friends.

 

Investing the time and energy in hanging posters around town would definitely be a classic case of confusing motion with progress. It's simply not how things work in our market.

[tlbonehead]

The only "postering" we do is at the venue itself (for bar gigs only). Most places we play hang a few around the room to let their customers know about upcoming events. As far as hanging posters around town goes .... it's just not an effective means of advertising for us. We've found it's far more effective (not to mention tons less effort!) to simply ensure that we're timely with our event announcements on FB and reminders to the band's FB friends as well as to our own FB friend lists. It never ceases to amaze me how consistently posts show up on my wall from people I don't really know ... organizing "bar nights" with their friends to come out to my gigs. We typically send out our first wave of announcements two weeks before a scheduled appearance ... and follow up with a second one week prior. Typically, we each post a "status update" a day or so before the gig that mentions we're busy getting ready for our gig at "_____'s" on Saturday and that we're excited about seeing all our old friends. Investing the time and energy in hanging posters around town would definitely be a classic case of confusing motion with progress. It's simply not how things work in our market .

but it wouldn't be a detriment, would it? And if your posters are free, all you have is your time involved. And some of the places I post at I am going there to shop anyway.

[SpaceNorman]

 

but it wouldn't be a detriment, would it? And if your posters are free, all you have is your time involved. And some of the places I post at I am going there to shop anyway.

 

 

A detriment? As in ... by hanging posters we'd actually decrease the number of folks we see at our gigs? Probably not.

 

Your comment reminds me a bit of all the times I've been told "It wouldn't hurt you to _____" . There was a time in my life where "no hurting" was enough. I'm old and wiser and have "raised the bar" in terms of where I invest my time. I no longer invest my time in things that simply "don't hurt" - these days it's gotta feel good if it's gonna make the cut.

 

FB has proven itself to be a far more effective means of communicating with our crowd. So much so - that we see no need to be hanging posters all over town. Were I to be working in a different town (i.e., something with true "downtown" pedestrian shopping area with kiosks and other areas where posters are welcome), etc. - it might make sense. But I don't. We live and play in a major metropolitan area - posters simply aren't the way we advertise shows around here.

[rocket888]

 

The only "postering" we do is at the venue itself (for bar gigs only).

 

 

That and music stores. I always try to put a poster in front of the urinal at the bar. It usually gets defaced, but you do have a captive audience for a while.

[tlbonehead]

That and music stores. I always try to put a poster in front of the urinal at the bar. It usually gets defaced, but you do have a captive audience for a while.

sure that's a perfect place to put them at a bar! As for music stores, it makes no sense to me.

[rocket888]

 

As for music stores, it makes no sense to me.

 

It lets other musicians in on it. I was traveling once, went into a music store, and saw a poster, which led me to see a gig I would not have known about. It also lets other musos new to the area know of your band.

 

The music store I work at always has a few fliers in the window next to the door, and I see people reading them all the time. Whether they work or not, at least they are read.

 

Its interesting looking at the different poster styles for different genres of music. The big bands and smooth jazz guys put out large 8-1/2 x11 posters. The rock guys, alternative groups, folk duos, etc, typically have postcards left on the counter of the store. The blues guys rarely do much of anything like this, at least at this store.

[Potts]

Yeah I just hang them up at the venue...it would be a complete waste of time anywhere else. I don't use Facebook invites but make up little jpg posters and put this weeks dates on there. I usually post the on Sunday night and repost them throughout the week. I also have a bunch of friends that will share them on their page too. I also have a website- it seems that far too many don't have them anymore. I pay about $120 a year...that's less than a gig. It's also great just to have the server space as well.

[wheresgrant3]

We have posters 20x30 designed by our sponsors (Jagermeister) that we send to each venue. Unless the venue is close we usually mail them. It's up to the venue to put them up which sometimes they don't... and it gives us some leverage the next negotiations.

[Potts]

These are the web posters...

 

 

 

[gruven65]

Creating a facebook group for your project works well, provided most of your group members set up their profile so they get all your event notifications. We almost always put posters up at the venue, as well. I had the posters made by an online printing company. I left an area open for the dates and times. I think I ordered a couple hundred at once. In the long run, it's much less expensive than Kinkos but the up front cost is more.

 

I also had guitar picks made a couple times with the band name and the web address. People seemed to like them. In Tune Guitar Picks is a great place and very reasonable. I had some buttons made by purebuttons.com, as well. They have done a nice job for me a few times. Never got stickers made, but I thought about it.

[Potts]

 

I had the posters made by an online printing company. I left an area open for the dates and times. I think I ordered a couple hundred at once. In the long run, it's much less expensive than Kinkos but the up front cost is more.

 

 

I'm getting sick of Kinkos. Do you have any idea the name of the online printing company by chance?

[Mutha Goose]

We mainly use online methods... FaceBook, Email, websites, etc. In addition we put them up in the venue we're playing in and in many of the watering holes that our fans frequent.

 

I try to make each poster unique. You know, make the posters worthy of looking forward to as well. I can't say for sure that they help the turn-out, but judging from the feedback we get, they are at least getting looked at and noticed (and that is the goal after all). Here are a couple of sample:

 

[Alan Roberts]

I think they're still worthwhile if you're playing in the city and you can post them where people actually walk past them can read them. Not sure how much good it does in rural areas and the 'burbs where people are just driving past and can't actually read them, though. Still good to have them to post in clubs, even then.

[Potts]

Great posters man! Very original!

 

 

We mainly use online methods... FaceBook, Email, websites, etc. In addition we put them up in the venue we're playing in and in many of the watering holes that our fans frequent. I try to make each poster unique. You know, make the posters worthy of looking forward to as well. I can't say for sure that they help the turn-out, but judging from the feedback we get, they are at least getting looked at and noticed (and that is the goal after all). Here are a couple of sample:

[tlbonehead]

Yeah I just hang them up at the venue...it would be a complete waste of time anywhere else. I don't use Facebook invites but make up little jpg posters and put this weeks dates on there. I usually post the on Sunday night and repost them throughout the week. I also have a bunch of friends that will share them on their page too. I also have a website- it seems that far too many don't have them anymore. I pay about $120 a year...that's less than a gig. It's also great just to have the server space as well.

for you that very well could be. But I have people show up at our gigs all the time and say, yeah we saw your poster at such and such a place.

[gruven65]

 

I'm getting sick of Kinkos. Do you have any idea the name of the online printing company by chance?

 

I'm pretty sure it was a company called Uprinting.

[tlbonehead]

Our posters are free for most venues/events. The local Budweiser distributor does them for us. I just send out artwork file to their graphics dept.

[Potts]

 

I'm pretty sure it was a company called Uprinting .

 

 

Thanks!

[Mutha Goose]

 

Great posters man! Very original!

 

 

Thank you

[Kramerguy]

I do all our posters on my PC, and I work next to our company marketing dept, so I just print the posters on cardstock, always put 4 in the venue, and make sure there is one right on or at the girls bathroom door, and same for mens room, but try to place at urinals when possible. For the other two, one at the door on the inside and other one is dependent on the layout, but usually near the bar.

 

We used to put flyers in the local supermarkets and especially the wawa markets (like a 7-11 around here) close to the venues, and I definitely saw a difference, and will be getting back to that for our fall gigs. With postering in public places, it's all about the quality of marketing and getting someone's attention and interest. I lost count of how many events I've gone to just from passing a flyer or ad letting me know what, where, and when.

[SpaceNorman]

 

for you that very well could be. But I have people show up at our gigs all the time and say, yeah we saw your poster at such and such a place.

 

 

If you're based in Worthington Minnesota - it's pretty clear that we're working in two radically different markets. If the census data and maps I found for Worthington on Google are accurate - it looks like you're in a town with a population of roughly 13,000 and roughly 30 miles from the next town of any size.

 

My city has a population of roughly 29,000. We sit in the middle of a mosiac of suburban cities in Detroit's northern suburbs. The 4 cities that surround us have a combined population of roughly 300,000. We have no "downtown" per se ... and nothing that remotely passes for a pedestrian business district.

 

Trying to "paper" local businesses with posters would be like trying throwing a handful of water purification tablets into the Atlantic and expecting it made a difference. How one goes about marketing a band in a small town is different than how one markets in a major metropolitan area. The markets are simply very different beasts.

[kmart]

 

How one goes about marketing a band in a small town is different than how one markets in a major metropolitan area. The markets are simply very different beasts.

 

 

True, however the needle swings the other way from your example as well...

 

I live in a City (with a capital 'C') with nearly 10x the total population of your local 4 'city' combo...not counting the volume of people living in the burbs immediately bordering it or further out (Total for the metro area is roughly 9.7 m; total for my county alone is 5.2 m).

 

You can bet that BECAUSE of the size of the city I live in, there are plenty of areas where postering/flyering can make tons of sense for a band. We don't just have a single club, record or music store standing alone...there are entire neighborhoods known as being artist-friendly, etc., with shop after shop that have windows full of posters for shows...and those places/displays can, will, and do drive traffic for a band based on the posters being seen alone...assuming the band is good/known/etc.

 

Aside from name recognition or quality of the band, though...the factors that will determine if the poster drives traffic in my market, though, are (a) if you're an originals act or a cover band (cover bands only poster in the venues they play, IME, orignals acts poster in public places for the most part) and (b) the venue the band is at. If it's a known entity established 'good' club, it works. If you're playing the corner dive, etc.,...not so much.