how to promote a show (was: Re: Voices of Masada, et.al)

[Keeper of Legends]

Lord Degan wrote: But is Ceremony or the Pitt Goth list being promoted much? 
  I've met over a dozen people at Ceremony in the last year who didn't know 
there was a Pittsburgh Goth list.
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I couldn't tell you if the list itself is being promoted but if you go 
looking for it on the net its not that hard to find.  As for a possible 
decline in members, I don't think so.  I would say that the same members are 
still here when I first joined 5 years ago.  But were if the group were 
better promoted more would join I'm sure.

You are right though about events being under promoted.  Not sure if its 
laziness, a lack of imagination as where to promote their events or a lack 
of funds.  But there are inexpensive ways to get the word out that will 
reach the max amount of people with very little expenditure other than your 
time.

Don't wait to advertise....You need to jump on it right away.  People think 
they can throw an event together in less than 3 weeks and are always unhappy 
when they don't make the amount of money they thought they should.  The very 
first thing you need to do right after you have booked the entertainment and 
the venue is start to advertise.

The internet offers several large goth groups where your welcome to post 
about upcoming events.  In my experience the best way to do this is to have 
2 or 3 people join the egroups, post an announcement about the event and 
then talk about it amongst yourselves.  Stir things up a bit by letting 
people know that the last time this band played your city that you had a 
hell of a great time, or that the music was superb.  It's word of mouth that 
will bring them in and back again.

Every event needs a street team to make sure flyers, posters and such make 
it around to even the smallest populated area's.  They are the one's who 
would drive the distance to hear or see those performing.

If its possible contact the newspapers and city magazines and submit an 
article on the event, band ect.  Don't just put a block ad in, this costs 
$$, but an article will cost you nothing and will advertise your event in a 
way that an announcement simply doesn't cover.

Don't over look college newsletters or even Gothic or Kin newsletters like 
"The City Morgue" www.thecitymorgue.com from the DC area or "Shadow Tymes" 
www.shadowtymes.net that reaches all across the US.  An article in these 
smaller magazines and newsletters reach places that the larger one's don't 
go.  Plus as I said before an article in anyone of them is FREE vs placing 
an ad that costs money.

Mairi

Msn: Misty_Mourn
Yahoo: Amber_Night_Sky

We are not humans on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human 
journey. ~ Stephen Covey ~