I have to come up with an 8 week promotional campaign leading up to a Jazz and Blues club opening. What would you suggest??
Wow this will be challenging.
To start with press releases, calendars, posters and flyers.
I would see if you could get some of the bands who you will have playing at the club to assist you in promoting the opening. The incentive for them would be you assisting them sell their CD’s at the opening.
Put together a press package for radio stations that features the artist that you will be showcasing. http://www.musicbizacademy.com/knab/articles/getairplay.htm
Maybe you could get them booked on radio to play samples and/or do a CD give away and promote your opening.
Maybe the bands could give you tapes you could get played in local shops near where the venue is and see if those shops would let you put up a poster saying that "the music you are listening to is so and so who will be playing at the opening of the new club…" Offer the owners of the shops free tickets or meals to do this for you. Barter. Make friends with complimentary businesses.
Have a Creative name with a catch slogan on the flyer.
Offer free CD for first # of people. Make a deal with the artist to get these.
Ask the bands for the email list of fans or provide them with your info to get the word out to their fans. (after you get going start an email sign up list for customers for up coming events.)
Make up T-shirts with the clubs information on it and give them away for free. They’ve got to have an interesting slogan on them though.
Set up a my space page for the club where (with artists permission) music can be featured. Along with the club calendar
Advertise in the right papers for the area.
I don’t know where you live, but in my area there are local stations that could feature this on local programs. Even the news.
If the club is in the right spot maybe in the evenings a spotlight in the sky drawing people there to find it’s not open yet but will be … and what they will find when you do open. Could maybe have a single artist playing on the parking lot or sidewalk just warming up for the opening.
A bill board might be a good plan. Let people know where you are, and feature a calendar.
I don’t know if you’re wanting to just promote this club, doing a paper/project, or have a vested interest in it. But while doing research for someone else on here I ran across this. http://lib.bioinfo.pl/pmid:15446627
It basically says that the louder the music the more alcohol consumed. I’m thinking you may want to price the alcohol higher as they will consume less than at some other types of (louder) clubs. Or you may want to focus on food as an additional income. Healthy appetizers for the after work crowd and distribute flyers focusing on that at local businesses. ‘After work wind down. We’ll mix, you mingle.’ cheesy.. will have to think on it. Just a thought but that crowd might want wifi too.
Now your menu for appetizers is off topic, but a start…
Menu item – Bluesy Corn Tortilla Chips with Queso (extra salt and spicy and that could sell a few drinks!) And it would a be a good give away at opening if you need one.
It’s not organized, but I hope it helps. Good Luck!