Karaoke Forums

I started a new gig last weekend and I have to say, I am already very attached to the owners. They are super involved in the promotion of their business AND mine. They understand that we have a symbiotic relationship and we have to promote each other to maximize exposure and, of course, profits.

They have a monthly printed/email newsletter and asked me for a high quality logo for print. They ran a special edition of the newsletter just to promote our first week there.

They also printed small posters and hung them around the bar even though I said I would take care of that.

I was also very pleasantly surprised to see this when I went in last night -



By the way....on the second night of karaoke at this location, one of my song books got bombed with little rhinestone stickers....



We have only done karaoke there 2 nights and they have already decided to add Wed nights to the mix starting Nov 20th.

-Chris

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-Chris

Oh......and we are creating special advertising for them to run in the local karaoke magazine and will be test piloting our first paid Facebook advertising run ever as a part of promoting this venue.

The point I wanted to make is that it is a relationship. Most venues expect the KJ to do it all. They may do the token chalkboard notations, but most venues I have worked with place the success of karaoke at their venue squarely on the shoulders of the KJ.

This venue gets it. It is a joint effort. They promote us, we promote them. They know that they have to get the word out to their established clientele through channels they have already established. We know we have our established network we can tap to bring in net new people. We both know that real success comes from working together to support each other instead of leaving the other to promote only their respective piece of the pie.

When you find a venue/owner like that, it is a great feeling!

-Chris

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-Chris

WTG!! Sounds too good to be true. Unfortunately, all my venues rely on me to advertise and market karaoke as well as their venue on the night I work there. It's very one-sided and I am often conflicted. Good luck with the new spot...

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Sound Choice and Chartbuster Certified

I HAD a venue like Chris is describing a couple of years ago. They sold the business and the new owners just want to make money without doing much else. It's still pretty busy, but with a different group of people that don't know how to have as much fun.

I use my pricing model to assist with this. I justify my rate by letting them know that I pay for advertising out of my own pocket. But only to a certain point. For instance, I run a 1/8th page black and white ad for each venue. If they want any kind of creative input, color, larger size, then they have to share the cost. Many just let me handle it. But a few are coming around to the idea that they should be able to have more control over the advertising for their venues.

-Chris

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-Chris

In ALL my bar/ restaurant contracts, i state that THEY (the venue) will be responsible for ALL signage and hard print advertising including all costs associated.

My responsibilities in advertising is word of mouth, social media, and microphone announcements, and printing the venue's name on my books. THAT'S IT.

NEVER had a refusal from a venue. 99% of ALL bars get their banners FREE from the liquor/ beer salespeople including hats, t-shirts, flyers, keychains, bottle openers, etc...

...IF they're smart enough to just ASK for it. Get your venue to ASK FOR IT!

Then you will save yourself a lot, of time, money, and headaches on advertising. NOT rocket science

One thing I learned recently is it is the larger bars in the population centers that get most of the free stuff. Smaller bars can wait forever to get a banner. One venue I'm at goes to their friend's bars in "The Big City" to get their left over swag for prizes because they don't get a ration. They may be packed for a small town bar but guess they don't rate as a major profit generator in the big picture.

Coordinating with the bar is the ideal relationship in advertising but once I had a bad experience where the bar said they would advertise then didn't so I never leave it just up to the venue anymore. My business is at stake.

I have decided I want to control my branding. So I don't leave anything up to a venue. I coordinate with them and/or I will do my own advertising, but I never leave it up to just the venue. I do leverage their connections though and so I do get some cool swag now and then. I think I know some of the beer reps as well as the venues.

-Chris

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-Chris