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Re: Promotion is essential

Norm Harris wrote:
> 
> I'll deal.  How many bands have a guest book at every concert and add new
names
> from that book to a data base that becomes the basis for a mailing list.?
 Just
> a thought.

I started up a data base for mailshots.  I used the Yellow pages directory
as my bible and targeted organisations, schools and community centres to
try and create a 'snowball' effect with poster displaying.  I also included
a response slip that gave those mailed an option to be taken off the list
if they didn't wish to be contacted in the future.  The result - some
posters displayed, alot of them never to be seen again!  The Problem: There
is already too much 'Junk Mail' in circulation, and people lose interest in
supporting 'yet another local event'.

As a follow-up strategy, I then distributed 'Information Request Slips' to
the audience at the actual concert.  This offered those attending a chance
to be included on a mailing list and the option to discuss a future
booking.  The result - a couple returned on the night, the rest never to be
seen again!  (and before anyone thinks it .... the concert was a great
success for those who attended and all that I spoke to showed a great deal
of interest in our next one!).  The problem: People can't be bothered to
fill in forms.

Not to be deterred, I took a new approach - Email.  After numerous searches
for events listings, musical mailing lists, schools, council offices etc I
was able to compile quite a list.  Then with the ease of electronic magic,
created a 'one for all' Email and sent it out at the touch of a few buttons
and for the price of a telephone call.  At the concert this was
publicising, 40% of the audience came solely because of Email
correspondence!

One other way to get 'free' promotion is through the concert venue itself
.... if it's possible to organise a concert with enough advance warning,
information can be distributed via the Theatre/Concert Hall mailing list
(who normally need about 3 months warning to include the information in
their marketing literature).

Previous comments made on the list about Themed Concerts is also very
useful advice.  Linking back to my recent comments regarding the unfair
stereotyping of brass bands, IMHO it's imperative to generate the interest
in the type of music being performed rather than the media being used to
produce it ....... hopefully then, the audience conversion process can
begin.  So the Theme is the main eye-catcher and the performer details are
secondary.

Complimentary tickets and 'Kids for Free' are also helpful tactics to try
and get an audience interested, with the long-term hope that they'll
support future events.

Finally, it's also worth thinking about including a local celebrity as a
compere to present the concert - local radio DJs can come up trumps here as
you can get the odd mention during their programmes aswell!

Other suggestions would be greatly appreciated, as I'm sure I've only
scratched the surface of potential marketing tools.

Thanks Norm for continuing the thread.


CLAIR TOMALIN
Flugel and Publicity Manager, KM Gillingham Band


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