The month of August is winding down fast, but not before we unveil the latest edition of the Haulix Advice series. If you have a suggestion for a future column, or if you have a question you would like us to address, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts.
Today we are going to discuss five basic things every artist can do better their tour promotion efforts. Some of these are fairly obvious, while others may be knew to you, but the hard true about both is that neither works magic over night. Social media is about more than momentary brilliance, and one of the biggest keys to any successful campaign is consistency. The following steps might not make you a rock star overnight, but in time they will assist you in cultivating a fan base that feels truly connected with (not to mention are willing to support) everything you do.
We have discussed social media quite a bit in the past, but until now we have stayed away from almost all discussion of tour promotion. We haven’t been avoiding it per se, but the variety of avenues one can take to establish their brand in territories they’ve never before explored is so vast that we didn’t want to rush any of the content we thought could be delivered. This post is a rather simple one that focuses on applying tactics that could be taken from any social media 101 book to the world of touring, but it’s great knowledge to have nonetheless. We plan to roll out plenty more on the world of touring and all the ways bands can maximize the return from such efforts in the months ahead, so consider this a primer for all that is to follow.
1. Research the local market – There are plenty of songs about how life on the road can lead every town to seem the same, but for a band just finding their footing in the industry each town you visit should be viewed as unique opportunities to build your audience. No two towns are the same, and that goes as much for the people as it does their willingness to support art, so when setting up shows it’s best to research how similar events have run in the area. Is the cover charge to your show in line with recent regional performances from other acts your size? Speak with bands who have played in the area (even better if they actually live there), scan tour forums, and do your best to work with fans whenever possible. Ticket prices are one of the biggest factors people consider when deciding on whether or not to attend live events, and as a band trying to build an audience you want to make that decision as easy as possible. This may mean you incur extra costs early on, but if you hook them with your performance the future returns from their support of your efforts will far surpass the whatever percentage you had hoped to gain off the door.
2. Always introduce yourself – When working to promote shows or tours you will likely be emailing, calling, and otherwise communicating with a number of new people in hopes of gaining additional exposure (blogs, radio, newspapers, etc.). Always assume the people you are reaching out to are not familiar with you or your music, and take time to introduce yourself properly. Offer current information about your group, releases, and upcoming gigs, as well as links to additional content such as videos, photos, press clippings, or an EPK. If they’re already familiar with you, great! If not, they can not become familiar without having to do any additional work on their end.
3. Find your audience (Do not expect them to find you) – The internet has an odd way of making people feeling like they’re more known in the real world than may actually be the case. There are exceptions to this, of course, but for the most part early on your band is only known to you, your friends, the people you and your friends have told, and anyone who just so happens to be so interested in discovering new music that they spend hours seeking it out online. While that may help you get a start with your career, not to mention almost guarantee a sold out show at whatever basement or garage in your hometown will let you put on concerts, but it does not put bodies in venues towns, counties, states, or countries away. To do that you need to seek out new listeners, and one of the best ways to do that is through social media. Speak directly to the fans of music that is similar to yours and be responsible for starting their relationship with your band. This can be done on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, or even in the comment threads of music sites. Build an organic connection with the curious music fan and they will seek out your efforts. Even if they cannot go to a show themselves, that feeling of connection to your music may very well lead them to help promote with messaging of their own.
4. Retain and engage your audience through email – Though there seems to be a million ways to communicate instantaneously these days, there is still a lot to be said for a strong email campaign. Collecting contact information from people at your shows is a great way to connect with curious listeners and work towards further developing the relationship discussed in the previous tip. You can use your email list to not only promote upcoming tours, but also push new releases, news updates, and merchandise. (Bonus tip: Hosting regular sweepstakes via newsletter is a great way to retain and build your contact list. People love free stuff.)
5. Don’t forget to promote offline – You can send all the messaging and promotionally-tinged greetings you want online, but nothing compares to the connection you are able to form with people in a face-to-face setting. If time allows, arrive in the town you’re playing as early as possible and seek out locations people who enjoy may your music might frequent (venues may be able to offer some advice). After you check in with the promoter for the evening, visit those spots you researched earlier and talk to people about your music. Share songs via headphones whenever possible and use their interest in what you’re playing to get them in the door that night. Remember: First impressions are everything. Meeting people outside of a setting typically reserved for music (venues, record stores) can be a great way to promote, but if you push too hard people will not think twice about turning away. Be polite, introduce yourself, and always do your best to let them know you’re truly interested in their opinions. They might not be able to make the show, but they may ask about purchasing music or ask how they can stay up-to-date with your future activities.
