Any tips on promoting an event to the papers and magazines etc?

Zascar

Hey Guys,

I'm wondering can anyone give me some advice as to how to promote an event? Lots of details on this thread, but myself and some friends are starting a new club night in Dublin - fresh approach, quality music, good people and a great atmosphere - with recession beating prices on entry and drinks. We are not in this for the money, we are in it for the love of the music and the scene and to create a great night where everyone has fun!

We want to try to promote it as best we can, and any coverage in newspapers or magazines would be really great. I'm wondering if any of you guys can give me some advice and point me in the right direction as to how best to do this?

If anyone works in the media or has contacts and would like to help me out, I'd really appreciate it so please send me a pm

Thanks!
Zascar

leggo

Easiest and cheapest way is to get them to run a story about you.

BUT for them to do that you'll need to have a USP that makes it worthwhile to cover. So what does your club offer that others don't and why do the general public need to know this?

CALL the paper first and speak to whoever is best suited to your story. ALWAYS. You need the media to invest in you. Try and get past the editor if you can and get speaking to an individual journalist...the editor has too much on his plate to invest in one particular new pub. They'll always tell you to send in written confirmation...but if you're at least sending that directly to the same journalist you were giving your marketing pitch to earlier, then it's a whole lot more effective than sending it to the general email for the place.

Does no harm to butter them up either. If you've a particular large event coming up, send a few tickets or a press pass into the office for that same journalist (four is what I'd generally send: covers a journalist, a photographer and then two spare for whoever they want. Just to be nice ). Tell him if he can't use it to feel free to pass it along to someone else in the office.

Also make sure that you're targeting the right people. The war correspondant in the Indo doesn't have any time for hearing about a new club...and even if he tells you he'll pass the message on, he likely won't. Sounds dumb but it's an easy mistake to make in practise. Look for industry publications who may have nothing better to do that give you a 4-page spread in exchange for some pleasantries. And, of course, major publications that cover your industry.

And remember, you're looking for just ONE yes here. Don't get disheartened if you've a list of 20 publications in front of you and the first 10 are completely uninterested. Maybe you need to change your pitch up a little...but even so, don't stop calling. The 20th place you call may turn out to be that yes answer that gets the wheels turning on you turning a small business into an empire.

jdivision

Email and then do a follow up phone call to the relevant people in each paper. That means reading each one, seeing who reviews similar events to yours. Also make sure they are based in the paper and if not try to get their address. The amount of invites etc that come into our office for people not based there who therefore never receive them...