Now that things are finally starting to return back to normal, it’s time for you to think about promoting your live shows again.
Post covid marketing is a whole new ball game. People may still be reluctant to spend time in large crowds. And with online alternatives more prevalent now than ever, a lot of folks might prefer new modes of entertainment from the safety and comfort of their homes.
Your goal should be to create a marketing plan that prioritizes health and safety over everything else. Give people a reason to venture out into large gatherings again.
If you can deliver on that, you’ll see that people will keep coming back to your shows. A show that offers great music without compromising on safety? Sign us up!
In this article, we’re listing down some key strategies you need to keep in mind while getting listeners back to your live shows. If you implement them correctly, you’ll have people dropping by to enjoy your music again and again.
1. Host drive-in concerts
This idea is as brilliant as it is insane. But believe it or not, it really grew legs during covid. And it seems that people are still into the idea now.
As many people may still be hesitant to fully put themselves back out there again, a drive-in concert is a great way to encourage people to have a night out safely and securely.
Putting on a drive-in concert may seem like a big task, but really, all you would need is a giant parking lot. You can book the parking lot of a private establishment. However, you will need to do some research on how much space there is, what you need, and how you can contact the owner of the establishment. Once this is done, write a permission request letter to the owner.
Your letter should be formal and respectful, and should relay all important information in a concise manner.
If you’re throwing a concert for a couple hundred people, you should need about 600 to 700 square footage of space, which will cost you roughly $1500. Of course, actual prices will depend on the place itself and on your concert size.
Set up a stage on one end of the lot, some speakers and screens all around, and viola! You have yourself a nice, safe concert.
Here is a list of additional equipment that you will require:
- Generator
- Extension cords
- Mics and mic stands
- Instruments for your band
- FM transmitter
Ask your organizers to add some fun food options and some concert bands.
A drive-in concert is a great alternative to a traditional concert, and it also makes it easier for your organizers to manage crowd control. Plus it’s an automatic way to ensure that people are social distancing.
Canadian country singer Brett Kissel recently did a massive drive-in concert in a parking lot and it was a roaring success. He now plans on holding these concerts regularly because they’re so much easier to organize and manage.
People are really into the idea of drive-in concerts. Not only is it safe, it’s also a new and exciting way to enjoy music with your friends. If you can make drive-in concerts a regular thing, you’ll see the same people coming back to get more.
Read more: xomgiaitri.com
2.Use posters and flyers to get the word out
No strategy is more effective than getting the word out to as many people as possible. Simply put, the more people you reach out to, the more interest there’s going to be in your live show.
This strategy calls for a holistic approach that uses both online and offline techniques to bring in listeners.
Offline strategies:
Create a poster for your band and paste it on all prominent locations around your venue. Here’s some important information that people need to know:
- Where to get tickets (sell tickets online through websites like Eventbrite so that it’s safer and more convenient)
- Health and safety measures being taken
- Name of the show
- Date, time, and venue
Make sure these things are clearly mentioned on your poster. Put posters up in all public spaces such as parks and community centers. Make sure to check with local authorities before you do though, to make sure you’re not breaking any laws.
Convert your poster into a flyer with the same information, print them in bulk, and hand them out in schools, colleges, and other such places around town.
Online strategies:
Your online strategy will be more rigorous. You need to have active Facebook and Instagram pages. Make a Facebook event that everyone can RSVP to.
Take your digital poster and flyer, and put it on your pages. You can accompany these with promotional videos such as behind-the-scenes footage of your preparation, or a Q&A to answer any questions people might have.
Post content regularly to keep concert-goers engaged on Instagram. Here are some more strategies to keep in mind:
- Try to be less salesy and more engaging with your content.
- Put up a poll on your story asking people what song they’re most excited to hear.
- Go live and share some snippets of what you’re going to perform.
- Make sure your page’s bio has all the information about tickets and dates, so new fans can immediately engage with you.
These are the best times to post on social media for maximum exposure:
- Facebook: Tuesdays and Thursdays – 8 am to 12 pm
- Instagram: Wednesdays – 11 am
- Twitter: Mondays and Thursdays – 8 am
Use your social media to get people to keep coming back. For instance, after each show, post pictures and videos so people can reminisce about the fun times they had. Also, tag fans to create a dedicated following. You can even come up with a name for your fans. Make them feel like they’re a part of something special. This will increase attendance at your next big event.
If you’re worried about the cost of getting posters and flyers made, don’t be. There are plenty of sites online that allow you to make professional looking promotional content in minutes. For instance, sites like PosterMyWall have tons of band poster templates for you to browse through. They also have concert flyer templates that you can use to make customizable flyers.
3. Make health and safety your top priority
Post covid marketing is primarily about guaranteeing a good time while keeping people safe. Here are a few things you should do focus on:
- People have to prove they’re vaccinated before being able to purchase tickets
- Ticket purchase should be done online entirely
- If you can, do an outdoor concert
- Sanitizing stations should be set up at every corner at the venue
- Masks should be mandatory at all times during the event
- People should only be able to have food in designated areas
- Special volunteers should be going around enforcing mask and eating rules
- Screen your attendees upon arrival using an infrared thermometer
Make sure to let nervous concert goers know how strictly you’re going to be enforcing these rules. The more confident you sound about your covid-proofing procedures, the better people will feel about attending. And since over the past year, people have been starved of adequate live entertainment, the right amount of reassurance will bring people in, in droves.
Also, check out CDC’s guidelines on how to handle in person events.
4. Get featured on music blogs
Reach out to dedicated fans of music by getting featured on popular music blogs. People who have a passion for music will be more likely to stick around after the first show if they like what you do. This will also create a ripple effect and get you more exposure within the music industry.
Submit your music to any and all music blogs you find, and ask them to review your music. If they like it, give them an option to promote your next gig.
Music blogs are also more likely to be read by record labels looking to sign new artists.
Most importantly, the right endorsement will get genuine music lovers to your show, who will be far more likely to come to your shows again if they like your stuff.
Final thoughts
Getting people back to live shows will be no easy task, but it’s not impossible either. You just have to remember that people are looking for safety and security at your event. So give that the most importance.
But of course, do make promos advertising your music and the other fun stuff you will have. After all, people look towards entertainment for some escapism from real life.
