BAND PROMOTION???????

iplaybassguitar · #1 11-10-2006, 09:30 AM

so im in this jazz funk jam trio with a couple friends, and were pretty decent, better than all the bands ive been in before. we got a regular(weekly) gig playing at a coffee house at the closest college, but we have a problem...no one is going.

we dont really know what to do to get the word out and get people to come. before the last time we played there, we handed out some flyers, but it was the same day as we were playing, so i guess it might have been short notice for people to make it.

another problem is that we are all in highschool during the hours that the college has the most people in it, so it is hard to spread the word, with only the people taking night classes around.

the obvious answer would be to get a myspace up with some music, because thats what everybody and their sister seems to be doing today, and we will probably get that going soon, but in the meantime we need some more people there, its boring to play for 10 people.
anybody have any suggestions?

thank you so much.

Jumbotron · #2 11-10-2006, 09:36 AM

In my experience, flyers don't really do squat except get people familiar with the name of your band. Among the ways to build an audience are have a lot of friends who you can get to come to your show, and be really good. If you're good enough, word of mouth will do wonders. I'd also recommend trying to get another gig or two somewhere else, for purposes of cross-promotion.

Bayou_Brawler · #3 11-10-2006, 10:19 AM

well first off you need to play really well so those 10 people who are showing up will come back and will tell their friends good things and they might come to see you too...word of mouth is HUGE..

Then you just need to get people to hear your music anyway possible....invest some money and make 200 promo CDs..which could just be a poor quality live recording...and hand them out around campus...

get a myspace page..

put up flyers around campus...

i disagree with the guy above flyers are a GREAT way to promote when you are semi-established...in the town i live in the main way to find out about local shows is flyers up on poles...

etc..

Juniorkimbrough · #4 11-10-2006, 11:00 AM

it just takes time.

we use myspace, make sure flyers get posted up at the venue a week ahead of time at the very least preferably two weeks in advance... also just word of mouth and getting our friends to bring their friends and so on...

txbasschik · #5 11-10-2006, 11:07 AM

Get that MySpace page going. When you do, browse on your area's zip code, and add everyone in that group that you can. This way, you have a lot of MySpace friends in your area who could actually come to see you.

Get your flyers up earlier, preferably the weekend before you play. Then, mid-week, put out some more.

Create an e-mail newsletter, and send it to all your friends. Ask them to pass it along to others. This works well, and catches the people who won't or can't get on MySpace.

Good luck!

Cherie

NickyBass · #6 11-10-2006, 11:08 AM

I find that handing out free cd's is the best way to go. I've burned and gave away tons. Most people probably won't listen to it, but out of 100, maybe you'll gain a few fans. Flyers are OK..if, they peak the interest. Simply saying "hey, we're in a band and we're playing tonight," won't seem too interesting. There are 100's of bands playing all week, so you need something special.

IanStephenson · #7 11-10-2006, 01:21 PM

Do everything you can think of, and keep doing it...

Nothing really works other than word of mouth, but you've got to get people there in the first place, so you've got to just keep plugging at it.

If you put out a whole bunch of flyers it might bring one or two extra people to a gig - big deal? maybe, but if they come back, and bring a friend. Then if you keep promotign to and you get two new people to every gig, by next year you've got a following.

It takes forever, and you feel like you're making no progress, but eventually it happens - assuming you've actually got the band to go with the promotion.

Ian

ERIC31 · #8 11-14-2006, 12:52 AM

It's all about the promotion. All the above suggestions are solid. You should also make some stickers with a cool logo of your bands name and website. give 'em out, stick em up everywhere. Check out www.stickerguy.com for excellent quality for low prices.

Good luck guys...and have patience...it takes time.