Top 10 Showcase Promotion Ideas
We’ve all been there… the infamous showcase. We love ‘em, but we hate ‘em. They’re a part of every up and coming indie band and a lot of signed indie and big label acts get in on the action as well. Why, you ask? Great question…
The showcase is an extremely powerful tool that can put you in the limelight when no one will give you the chance. When the industry has forgotten who your band is and won’t give you the time of day… it’s what you do to “put yourself out there”. Yes. The showcase is every band’s no cost advertising billboard…
The promotion gala of the industry, and if you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet here are 10 reasons why you should and how you can maximize the experience:
- Let’s Get One Thing Straight: The showcase is simply a gig you take part in where you don’t get paid. So take advantage of the opportunity and get your marketing and promotion team on the ball. Pound the streets and toot your horn to all conference delegates and fans the moment you’ve secured your gig. Bring in the bodies and let them see what your band is made of. You never know where it might lead…
- This Is A Great Opportunity to Expand Your Fanbase: Showcases and music festivals/conferences provide you with an opportunity to play in new cities, or local venues that you may not have been able to secure on your own. Why not use the opportunity to build your fanbase and blow the club owner away with your professionalism and rockin’ sounds. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be invited to come and play a future date…
- Networking In “The Industry” Is King: Call the club owner in advance, introduce yourself and find out if you can get some tips on who you can contact in the area to help with the promotion of your show. Perhaps they know which local media and radio stations you can contact for greater promotion power for your gig. Once you’ve made the contact and things seem to be going well, see if they can recommend any other clubs in the area that you can contact for bookings.
- Knowledge is Power: Get to know everything you can about the venue you’re playing in advance. Try to make the most of your showcase by putting on the best show you can. Knowing how big the stage is and where it’s located in relation to the audience will allow you to prepare the most entertaining and best possible performance you can.
- We All Live In A Yellow Submarine: It’s a small world and knowing the local bands that you’ll be playing with can be a tremendous help for your showcase. They know the venues, the city or town your playing in and they’ve probably got a decent fanbase of their own. See if you can get the contact information of at least one of the other acts you’ll be playing with and reach out. Offer to swap email lists. They e-blast their list and you do the same. Get more bang for your buck, make friends and fill the club.
- The More the Merrier: Hey, you’ve already been in touch with the club owner right? Well… if you haven’t then get on it! And while you’re on it ask them if they’ll email their list for the show. Some might do this for no charge but if they charge a small fee dip in your pocket and dish out the expense. It’ll be well worth it to get another 20 or 30 bodies in the club for the show.
- This Could be the Start of a Long Journey: Let’s face it. You’re probably going to be lugging your gear to a new town or city so why not make it a “mini tour” and contact all the clubs you possibly can in a 30-200 mile/km radius of the venue you’ll be showcasing in. See if you can set up some side shows for your band and try to put some dineros in your wallet while your there.
- All You Need Is Love: And so do your fans! Once the show’s done don’t forget to spread some love around the club. Reach out and introduce yourself to the audience. Thank everyone you meet for coming out and politely ask them if they’d like to be on your email list. This is one of the most underused tactics by indie bands but the bands who actually do this, tend to get more return fans to their future shows and their wallets show the benefits of this cost effective method of self promotion.
- Show Me The Money: SELL, SELL, SELL… and SELL some more! You’ve got product right? If not… why the heck are you in this business? Sell your CDs for a reasonable price and if you’ve got more than one release or t-shirts to go with them, package them together and offer your audience a great deal! Offer to give your fans a signed copy of your CDs or T-shirts and don’t wait around for them to come to your merch table… go out and get them. Be assertive! Tell them to come on over and check out your spread. Put on your sales hat my friend. This is what it’s going to take to be able to make it as a musician. You’ve got to be able to push your product. Step to it!
- Develop and Maintain Great Habits: These top 10 tips are just some of the essential keys to a successful showcase. Develop habits that will ensure your success. As long as you’ve got great music there’s no reason you won’t sell CDs and merch while building a healthy email list every time you play. Learn to relax and follow these tips and you’ll be selling the audience like a pro in no time. Remember this is your career and it’s supposed to be fun! I can tell you one thing for sure… it’s more fun when you’re making money and by following this showcase formula you should be putting more of it in your piggy bank right quick.
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