WoHoo! The band is back together!

We are going to pack the house every weekend!! I am going to get on the phone right now and book them every Friday night for the next year. This is going to increase sales and get us back on track!

Are you in the hospitality business? Does your venue showcase live music? Do you rely on live music?

Yes, relying on the band to keep the lights on is a reality to many owners. I’ve met bar owners who thought hiring a band was the quick fix they needed to get their dying business back up and running again. This situation reminds me of the old phrase, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” My first couple year in business I made the mistake of relying on one customer and let me tell you, the outcome was harsh.

Here is what we are going to help create in this blog

• A unique marketing plan that separates you from any other music venue in town

• A unique way to promote the music program

• Setting up visuals

From the minute we walked into the venue, my crew and I felt the ambiance soak into our skin. The place was set up so that you could enjoy the sounds of the featured band or the jukebox. It was a place that I will always return to because the music poured through the walls.

A Unique Marketing Plan

With a unique plan in action…you can do anything. Marketing is by far is one of my favorite areas of business because it allows you to get creative. Why are you any different than the other venues in town showcasing music? What do you want to be known for? If you said “capturing as much money as possible”,  then your plan is bound to fail from the get-go. You need to dig deep, revisit your value proposition and start narrowing down your offer. Check out this example from Uber.

Uber – Tap the app, get a ride.

Uber’s message is very self-explanatory.

What is the one thing that you do differently than all other venues in town, once you figure this out, you can market it. In South Tampa, there is a bar called the Green Iguana they have been showcasing a Blues Jam for over twenty years now and are known for this jam night throughout the entire state. They have stuck with it for many years, and have never pulled the plug. It is their unique offering along with showcasing music seven days a week.

A Unique way to Promote

Hey, you over there….look what we do!!!!! We have live music!!

Once you figure out what separates you from the pack, then you can figure out how to promote it and get the message out. You will need to stay consistent, so developing a schedule for marketing is key. There are plenty of guidelines available for this online, I recommend using The Hubspot free downloadable guide. But… before you begin posting or spreading your message, take a look at the competition. You want to see how they are promoting and then do the exact opposite!

Here are some of my favorite tactics.

• Guerrilla marketing
• A&B test different promotions
• Networking meetings and socials
• Word of Mouth Marketing
• Notifying both your vendors and customers

Visuals

Images help tell a story about your brand. Out of all our senses, 90% of the information sent to the brain is visual. A great way to get your message across to prospecting clients is by using visuals throughout the bar. Table tents, posters, and digital adds work well.

Take a look back at your value proposition and figure out what story you want to tell.

You want your prospecting clients to see and feel an emotional connection to what you are trying to do. Check out these band flyers.

Both of these posters stand out. If you want to draw attention to the eye it has to be appealing.

At CJS Productions we love both learning and receiving feedback. If you have any ideas or comments about this blog please feel free to comment or email us.