How to sell out an out-of-town music club

Lots of artists can draw a big crowd in their hometown. The big leap comes when you can fill music venues with fans every night on tour.

So, how do you start building an audience in a city where no one’s ever heard of you before?

Here are 5 tips to help you bring a crowd to your next out-of-town concert:

[Note: These same tips can help you build a following in your own hometown if you’re new to performing, or if you’re returning to music after a long hiatus.]

1. Get to know bands in other cities

Opening for established acts in other towns is the best way to build your out-of-town draw, and to ensure that there are people in attendance at your shows.

Find some simpatico bands in every town you want to tour through. Like them on Facebook. Follow them on Twitter. Comment on their YouTube videos. Email them. Ask if you can do a “gig swap”; you open for them in their town– they open for you in your town.

For more information on gig-swapping, see our article “Touring: Friends, Favors, and Fun.”

2. Try to find smaller, quality venues

Bands that can consistently draw 300 people in their hometown are often lucky if they can draw 30 people in a different city. You may be a hometown hero, but check your ego at the city limits.

Most bigger music towns have small, intimate clubs that host quality music and treat bands professionally. Those are the venues you want to play when you’re still building your out-of-town audience.

An added bonus to playing smaller rooms is that when you DO bring out 30-50 people, the room looks that much more crowded! Better to pack a tiny club than to play to a cavernous room.

For more info on this approach, check out our article “Touring Tip: How to Book Your Band So You’ll Sell Out Every Show.

3. Advertise your show

If you’ve found a proven method for advertising your music online (Facebook ads, YouTube, Google, etc.), remember you can use it for tour dates too! Target these ads for people who live in or near the towns you’re booked to play, and — of course — people who like your genre of music.

4. Be active on music blogs in those regions

Whether you’re trying to find professional contacts in another town (talent buyers, promoters, bands, etc.) or you want to get your music heard by music fans in that town (in hopes that they’ll come to your show), commenting on locally-based music blogs are a great way to get the conversation started. As with all things, don’t be pushy or spammy.

5. Don’t forget the usual music promotion and publicity stuff

We focus so much of our efforts on social media these days that it’s easy to forget the basics. Be sure to send a press release about your show (and your tour) to the local newspapers, weeklies, and radio stations at least 6 weeks before your appearance.

Offer to give an interview, provide concert tickets for giveaways, and anything else you think will help spread the promo love.

Send posters to the venue and local record stores well in advance. Inquire about in-store and in-studio performance opportunities at record stores, radio stations, and on local TV news shows.

Also, call everyone you know in that city and beg them to come out to your show. Bribe them. Threaten them. (OK, maybe don’t threaten them).

For more information on approaching local radio stations and podcasts, check out our guide: “Getting Radio Airplay.”

Do you have any tips of your own to add? We’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments section below.

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The post How to sell out an out-of-town music club appeared first on DIY Musician Blog.

Source: Musician Resources

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