Been seeing a lot of music lounge/ music subforums pop up here on in the last few weeks and wanted to share a nice tip that has worked out well for me.
As a working musician over the past few years, I've noticed that a big issue is getting a reliable fanbase to show up to your weekday shows (Tues-Thurs). Most bars have substandard pay for weekday shows since not many people typically show up, especially compared to weekends.
One method I have used to promote my band during the week (and stack the house with talent) is to coordinate with the liquor companies to have their promo nights coincide with my bands shows.
Each liquor company has a 'bar rep' for local bars. Part of their job is to make sure the company's bottles are displayed right (on the correct shelf levels, etc), and that the new brand names/brandings are known by the bartenders.
For example, if a high end gin company comes out with a new flavor, this 'bar rep' will either drop by or make a phone call to 'introduce' the brand to the bar and make sure its name and brand are known. They will provide a quick 'spin'/'pitch' that their bartenders will then use to sell the product (in an ideal world for these bar reps)
Anyways, if you can befriend the bar manager, you can connect with these bar reps quite easily. They freely give out their information to the bar managers, and the same bar reps are usually in charge of when/where the promo girls head out with the free shots.
It is possible to align these promo nights with your gigs. The way to pitch it is, you promise the bar rep to mention their liquor brand/promo team on your facebook/twitter/ website fan page or the 'event page' on facebook.
They have to send out these promo teams anyway, may as well be to your benefit. Most of these bar reps have bigger fish to fry than deciding where to send their promo teams, so if you can make it an easy decision(ie SELL YOURSELF APPROPRIATELY), it's something they will gladly do just to clear their plate for more important business.
Free advertising for them and you can advertise your gig as having 'the [liquor company] girls giving away shots'.
Helps to draw people out on a weeknight, usually ends with the bar having an above average 'take' for the night, and you just brought an entire promo team (read: bottle models) to YOUR SHOW, and the girls always hook the musicians up w free booze all night (we tip the girls onstage, make it look 'cool', and make a point to tell everyone else to tip, standard stage game). Numerous times the bar rep lets the lead promo girl know that we set up the promo night, so the band gets 'warm' leads into these promo teams as well, so to speak.
Been working the live music system with my boys the past two years. Hit me up with any questions, open book to help everyone out here
As a working musician over the past few years, I've noticed that a big issue is getting a reliable fanbase to show up to your weekday shows (Tues-Thurs). Most bars have substandard pay for weekday shows since not many people typically show up, especially compared to weekends.
One method I have used to promote my band during the week (and stack the house with talent) is to coordinate with the liquor companies to have their promo nights coincide with my bands shows.
Each liquor company has a 'bar rep' for local bars. Part of their job is to make sure the company's bottles are displayed right (on the correct shelf levels, etc), and that the new brand names/brandings are known by the bartenders.
For example, if a high end gin company comes out with a new flavor, this 'bar rep' will either drop by or make a phone call to 'introduce' the brand to the bar and make sure its name and brand are known. They will provide a quick 'spin'/'pitch' that their bartenders will then use to sell the product (in an ideal world for these bar reps)
Anyways, if you can befriend the bar manager, you can connect with these bar reps quite easily. They freely give out their information to the bar managers, and the same bar reps are usually in charge of when/where the promo girls head out with the free shots.
It is possible to align these promo nights with your gigs. The way to pitch it is, you promise the bar rep to mention their liquor brand/promo team on your facebook/twitter/ website fan page or the 'event page' on facebook.
They have to send out these promo teams anyway, may as well be to your benefit. Most of these bar reps have bigger fish to fry than deciding where to send their promo teams, so if you can make it an easy decision(ie SELL YOURSELF APPROPRIATELY), it's something they will gladly do just to clear their plate for more important business.
Free advertising for them and you can advertise your gig as having 'the [liquor company] girls giving away shots'.
Helps to draw people out on a weeknight, usually ends with the bar having an above average 'take' for the night, and you just brought an entire promo team (read: bottle models) to YOUR SHOW, and the girls always hook the musicians up w free booze all night (we tip the girls onstage, make it look 'cool', and make a point to tell everyone else to tip, standard stage game). Numerous times the bar rep lets the lead promo girl know that we set up the promo night, so the band gets 'warm' leads into these promo teams as well, so to speak.
Been working the live music system with my boys the past two years. Hit me up with any questions, open book to help everyone out here
