ABSOLOUTELY INDEPENDANT HELP FOR MUSICIANS-PUBLICITY

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PUBLICITY

OKAY, SO NOW YOU'VE FOUND YOURSELF SOME GIGS, BUT HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET SOME PUNTERS TO THEM?

DON'T BE FOOLED INTO THINKING THAT THEY WILL JUST TURN UP! OF COURSE, YOU MAY BE LUCKY AND ARRIVE TO A BUSTLING THRONG OF PEOPLE. MORE LIKELY, YOU WILL FIND THAT IF YOU HAVE NOT TOLD PEOPLE THAT YOU WILL BE THERE, THEY WON'T BE!

FACT

LIVE MUSIC IS NOT EVERYONE'S CUP OF TEA

FACT

NOT EVERYONE WILL GO AND STAND IN FRONT OF A BAND JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE PLAYING

FACT

MANY PEOPLE WILL LEAVE A PUB IF THE MUSIC IS NOT TO THEIR LIKING

FACT

LANDLORDS DO NOT LIKE EMPTY PUBS

FACT

IF A VENUE IS CONSTANTLY EMPTY, IT WON'T BE A VENUE FOR VERY LONG

YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON

THE BEST WAY TO SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC VENUES IS TO GET PEOPLE IN TO THE GIGS

BILL POSTING

THIS METHOD OF ADVERTISING USUALLY MANAGES TO ATTRACT PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY INTERESTED IN GOING TO GIGS. IF PEOPLE SEE THE POSTER BEFORE IT IS REMOVED OR POSTED OVER, REMEMBER WHAT WAS ON IT AND ARE ATTRACTED TO WHAT THEY SAW, THEY MIGHT TURN UP. IT IS ILLEGAL TO BILL POST AND CAN ATTRACT PENALTIES FOR BOTH THE ACT ADVERTISED AND THE VENUE.

FLYERING

THE ADVANTAGE OF FLYERS IS THAT THEY STAY WITH THE PUNTER UNTIL THEY ARE DISCARDED. A GOOD LOOKING FLYER MAY BE CONSIDERED WORTH HOLDING ON TO, ESPECIALLY IF IT ADVERTISES A SEQUENCE OF GIGS AT ONE VENUE.

WEEKLY / MONTHLY GIG LISTS WORK WELL IF THEY ARE POCKET OR HANDBAG SIZE AND CAN BE EASILY RETAINED.

GIVE PEOPLE A REASON TO HANG ON TO YOUR FLYER AND THEY WILL. GIVING AN ENHANCED ENTRY PRICE NOT ONLY ENCOURAGES PUNTERS TO YOUR GIG, BUT ALSO ALLOWS YOU TOSEE HOW EFFECTIVE YOUR FLYERING CAMPAIGN WAS. MAKE SURE YOUR FLYERS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE MUSIC LOVING PUBLIC. HANDING THEM OUT ON THE STREET OR PUTTING THEM ON TABLES IN A.N.OTHER PUB IS A VERY "HIT END MISS" AFFAIR AND DOESN'T TARGET YOUR AUDIENCE VERY WELL. THEY ARE BETTER LEFT IN MUSIC SHOPS, RECORD STORES AND CONSENTING VENUES' INFORMATION AREAS THAN SIMPLY HANDED OUT, AFTER ALL THEY COST MONEY TO MAKE AND THIS COMES OUT OF YOUR BUDGET.

FREEBIE MAGASINES

THEY MAKE MONEY FROM ADVERTISING, THEY WORK ON A TIGHT BUDGET, THEY NEED TO FIND NEWS CHEAPLY. THEY ADVERTISE LISTINGS FOR FREE. THEY OFTEN REVUE BANDS.

THEY ARE YOUR FRIENDS.

THE UNFORTUNATE THING IS THAT THEY AREN'T ALWAYS EASY TO FIND. WHEN YOU HAVE MANAGED TO ARRANGE A GIG, ASK THE LANDLORD FOR INFORMATION ON THEM AND THEN MAIL IT TO ME AND I'LL POST IT ON THE GIG GUIDES PAGE.

TV AND RADIO

THEY ARE QUITE OFTEN MORE RECEPTIVE THAN YOU THINK. MOST REGIONAL TV STATIONS AND RADIO STATIONS HAVE SOME SORT OF "WHAT'S ON?" GUIDE TRANSMITTED WEEKLY OR DAILY. REMEMBER TO MAKE SURE YOU REACH THIER DEADLINES.

THE NME

AND THEN THERE'S THE NME.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE SITE

THERE'S PLENTY OF USEFUL INFORMATION HERE

PUBLICITY

BAND REGISTERS

FOLDBACK FEEDBACK

GIG GUIDES THAT PEOPLE READ

PIPELINE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

A ROUGH GUIDE TO THE SOUND-CHECK

THE BEST LINKS FOR FINDING VENUES

MICROPHONE TECHNIQUES