… a blog post from Chairman’s Corner.

Hey hey hey there everybody. Sometimes folks like to ask me for a few tips on promoting their local shows – so today’s blog post is about exactly that. Perhaps you’ve booked your show at a venue that’s a bit larger than your usual spots…and now the pressure’s on. There are many, many ways to go about hyping up your show (most of which are all valid). Personally, I prefer to take as many different routes as possible…to attack from all angles, if you will.

First: Street promotion still works! These days, many artists simply use their various social media pages to get the word out on a show (which is great!), and that may even be enough to get a really good crowd. However, I’ve learned that there are tons of folks out there who are only reachable via flyers out on the street – as there are many who just don’t use (or even care for) any kind of social media. IMHO, it’s always helpful to let these folks know that your band exists (or at least remind them about ya)…whether they make it out to the show or not! It never hurts to establish a strong (or stronger) presence for your project, especially in your hometown. The more folks see your name, the more they’re going to talk about you (which is what most artists want)! As a result, I like to roll with posters and flyers of different sizes. Most record stores prefer 11×17 posters; 8.5×11 is great if there’s not much window space at the coffee shop; and a few handbills are always good to spread around whatever businesses might take them. Of course, a poster of any size is better than none at all. Ideally, you’ll want to make sure that all of the really crucial info is large on the flyer: your band name, the venue, and the date of the show. Now of course, you can get tons of posters all over town – and there are many people who will never see them, simply because they don’t pay any attention to those kinds of things (which leads us to the next tip)…

Second (as mentioned above): Promo via social media has proven to be quite effective these days (as many of you likely know). While social media isn’t for everyone, there’s a large audience of folks who are still into it. You can still build up a decent amount of followers on Instagram & TikTok, but it’s also handy to keep up on some of the newer platforms as well. Bluesky is one of the newer options, and it’s been picking up steam quite rapidly. Blasting your show flyer out on as many of these platforms as possible certainly can’t hurt.

Finally: Feel free to reach out to others for help. It never hurts to create a press release, as your local weekly paper just might have an interest in your project (which could possibly result in a write-up close to the show date). A quick search online can provide you with vital info on properly writing a press release for your show. Again, even if you don’t get the press, it never hurts to let these folks know that your project exists. The other bands/artists that you’re performing with might come in handy as well. Someone you’re performing with might be able to help out with flyer/handbill design & distribution (or even printing for that matter; perhaps one of your contacts can utilize the copy machine or printer at their work office). Often, local community radio stations love to talk about what’s happening in town. Feel free to reach out to them too, as they just might play your single and hype up your upcoming performance.

Cheers,

Jeffrey “Chairman” Couch

Music lover, creator & collector

chairman@spinneymedia.com

Chairman currently enjoys freaking out & creating panic with his spastic rock band Nasalrod, which is based in Portland, Oregon. He created this blog to share his serious love of music, the arts, and physical media.