Promotion

Promotion is a tricky business - it was said years ago that for every 100 flyers someone handed out on the street and average of 10 people actually looked at what they were handed, and 1 person may have acted on it.  With the arrival of online forums, followers and the phenomenon that is Facebook it seems promotion (events, products etc) has become easier.  Yes or no?

Maybe, it has become easier for the average Mr Bloggs to promote something through the internet, but now that the average punter is wise to Facebook event invites - I must get at least 20-25 a day and ignore pretty much all of them, people have to get clever in their delivery if they want the masses at their party!

There are several approaches to getting the word out via digital media -

• Facebook groups and following invites
• Blog posts
• Twitter updates
• Forum posts 
• Event pages on RA
• Email 

An event invite has to be carefully worded to actually get people to open it, it has become the new flyer from a person on the street - spam email will be quickly deleted and generic invites on Facebook will be quickly discarded.  Having an intriguing title or opening line - such as a poem or monologue representing the promoter's view may draw people into the content.  There is also the possibility of creating a mysterious aura around it preceeding the first event (if required!)...

Don't discount the value of physical media - the first thing I will do to get an idea of what is going on in a city is to look for posters and flyers in hostels, music shops etc...  Its a quick and easy way of getting an idea of what is on in places... Plus the sight of someone handing out a nightclub flyer on the street now is so rare he/she might have a queue of hipsters forming to get one...

Key points:

Details are needed!  Where, when, who, what... Unless you are a massive label with a guaranteed following theres no way you can attract people with a 'secret' line up...

Don't go in for the hard sell to people you don't know!  Immediate deletion coming up!

Give us some details about what YOU are about - another faceless promoter out to make money or do you care about the scene... Write a blog and link it... 

Include a mix or two from the DJs on the night - give us a clue what the music is going to be like!  No-one is going to turn down free music as well!

Lastly - give us a REASON for going - what is it about your party that is different/great/a night to remember?