Karaoke Forums

Hey thanks guys - I was visiting one of those sites for business cards and
was able to create my daughters graduation announcements. I uploaded an
image of her and was able to use one of their backgrounds to create it. I picked the layout, wording, and font. They make the cards for you and I am going to save money on printing. Very Cool! Thanks

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

Maybe a better idea rather than just "cards", is what's the most efficient way for a person to market themselves ?  Where should most of the money advertising be spent ?  What type venue, and area are they targeting ? How about money for layouts in local entertainment sections of newpapers, and flyers ?  Isn't that VERY important ?  Cards are little things often looked at only once in the dark place you initially hand them to a person in.  How about printing out something larger, and hitting bulletin boards at universities too ?  Larger malls, etc ?

Alot of very helpful suggestions with merit to all.  When I had my cards made up most (of what I kept in mind) was what types places was I targeting ?  Upscale lounges ?  or Small dives that often don't really care about "cards". It's pounding the pavement, and reputation as well as who likes you and already knows you that mattered when I was just playing local gigs... Cards might as well have been pencil on a napkin in many cases. Yet of course not all. In my case, I wasn't selling designer clothing, and anything that required an extravagant artistic layout.  I wasn't walking into malls handing cards to JC Penny, Sears or corporations and retail managers that judged me by my attire, nor were these people stickler's and snobs regarding "presentation" Yet this was local suburban work in "bars"... It mattered who I made a presentation to in person.  Who spoke with whom.  I could've left an extravagant card with some peon, and it would've been a waste.  It's not the glitz, it's how efficiently you market yourself !!  OR,  who you leave your cards with... Go in person,  What good does it do for a KJ to indescriminately hand a card out arbitrarily to anyone at the barbershop ?  If a person knows someone who might be interested in your service...YOU GO TO THEM and talk to them  :)

 HOWEVER, if you really are willing to travel, and have alot of prospective new places to entertain in I was also of the school (of course this was before CAD, and home PC's had capabilities of printing out decent graphics) you don't Skimp, or splurge wildly on advertising, you need to know how to advertise your particular service efficiently, and allocate funds appropriately, yet here's the thing... SOME LOVE doing their own layouts, and now it's doable, even printing their own cards... People have done it for quite some time... I can't tell in many cases what source a person used for making their own cards. Yet like I said, I feel this depends on the type market you are targeting. Yet I suppose if I were trying to sell my service in Vegas, or LA, or a strip in NYC I'd hire someone who has expertise in graphic design and advertising.  Around here, ANY card I handed out seldom left the dark bar I left the card in to begin with. The first glance of the card was in dim lighting in a lounge or bar someplace... Often from there it was parking lot pavement, garbage can, or tucked away someplace only to be found upon cleanup years later.....  Wedding work, and smaller private venues I found were where the expenses were channeled into ad layout, and phrasing, ad size, graphics, etc.. Cards themselves, well...I suppose how you sell yourself when giving the card is important too... Alot *I FEEL* depends on the market you are targeting.. I was smaller lounges and bars that really weren't stickler's for intricate detail, I couldn't walked in off the street, and how I presented myself talking to the owner or manager for 5 minutes was what sold, not the card...OF course I was "local" when I did solo work.... Bandwork,  as stated, that wasn't my advertising what-so-ever.

JMO...  Depends on size of business, geography, and venue you are targeting. Some take tremendous risks and do funny absurd things, and it sells !  One never knows !  All depends,  pretty general sounding ?  Yep... Preference for style always changes too.... Poster's or ads must be layed out well, but cards themselves ?  Well, this is an area that I never put HUGE focus on because many looking at a card don't scrutinize it.  They want the number, and name...  They already usually know they are "looking for you"...



but did you go in with a neighbor or parent over 63 on Wednesday so you could use a 10% senior citizen discount ?   Those are expensive !!    I use a radio shack CCR casette player, and Mr. T's sing along casettes. I had the lyrics typed out on recycled paper too.   I've added Marshall TUcker band tapes to my library, but it's tough to superimpose a Panflute over Toy Caldwell's lead vocals !

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I have a promo pack that has my card attached to the front.  Although I don't seek out new gigs anymore, too saturated here to get decent pay from clubs - private parties are another story.  If I lose my current club, I will get out altogether & focus on my other venture - espresso & tanning.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I'm the same but you have double the experiance  :rotflmao:

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ROBDOG *WOOF WOOF*

Coffee house too perhaps with entertainment ? hmmm, maybe nothing elaborate, just an acoustic guitar and singer ??  Dunno.      Things are different out west. Not sure what people are getting into these days.  Here Starbucks, Borders, B&N have entertainment too... It'd be nice to have a soft drink type venue that has light live entertainment closer IMHO, Bar's just aren't the best places for many of us anymore...

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Not in my current location, we only have seating for about 15 max.  There is a new espresso house/deli that just opened here that started doing kids karaoke on a couple nights & a very small combo act on the weekend - although from what I hear they are paying more than they are making.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I say coffee house with karaoke. I still don't understand why KJ in the west ( if they have the mony) to own the club or be a partner.

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

Hopefully they will pick up.  It's a nice idea (Getting kid's wanting to sing, as opposed to playing arcade and computer games all the time)  JMO

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I've done 5 hour Christmas parties for the union I worked in.    All kids under 12.    After you hear each Christmas song seven or eight times you will quickly change your mind about an all kids gig.   One kid hears it and that's the song they want to do, lather, rinse and repeat.      It's cute until the end of the second song.

That was my experience in "Family Karaoke" when I ran it at a place that allowed minors in until 8pm... the family wouldn't drink and rarely ate. Guys, it's the same mindset as the sodapop and coffee drinkers at a bar. RARELY do they pay what they're worth.

Something about the mindset of paying for something that the drinkers aren't paying for (yet because they're drinking a bit, they really ARE paying for it). I always pictured an amusement park. In order to participate, you have to pay money or coupons... and those cost money. If you don't pay, you don't play!

Money is made off LIQUOR sales. RARELY on Food or "soda" or "coffee".

For karaoke, it would almost have to be a pay to participate thing to really work. Unless you really market the place.

I just had to share - I'm so proud! I made this on the vistaprint website.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

good job!

I LOVE Vistaprint. Free cards (you pay the price for shipping) for 250 cards... $5.95 per week... and in a month's time you've got 1000 cards!

NOTHING better!

And as you pointed out, if you want your own card, customize one, and upload it as a .jpg, and you can have them print it for a minor cost!

I used to use them as SONG REQUEST slips once upon a time. Absolutely loved them!

Matt

I was going to cut her image out in photoshop or change her background,
but she liked it this way. It took me about 5 min. to do. I almost feel guilty I didn't spend more.
I tried some other sites,
but their options were limited and not as easy to navigate. I'm going to get matching thank you cards too. This is just fun.

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]

I did a place for a about a year that had kids/family karaoke from 6-9, worked out really well.  We were packing the place.  No kid could be in there without a parent or guardian under 18.  They would generally buy dinner & sodas the rest of the night.  I worked a deal with the manager & only charged them $100 for the kids portion since regular karaoke started at 9 & I was already set-up & still got my regular pay for the regular portion.  It was actually a lot of fun, yes some of the rules go out the window since kids do like to do songs that another has done, not a big deal - they just want to have fun too & i'm not going to squash that by saying that someone else already did that one - pick another.  Adults can deal with it more.  They also tend to get up in groups often rather than who is just on the slip, so that rule was bent quite a bit as well.
Too bad the owner sold the club, he wanted to retire & the entire place is now a Coyote Ugly type bar with waitresses dancing on the bar & a mechanical bull in the corner.  Live music nearly every night with dj & karaoke on the others.  Their dj that they brought down from another club they closed does the karaoke as well, I did put in a bid but didn't have enough burnt discs or downloads I guess.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

Really nice Bab's !

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Lonman, you talkin' to a lawyer?  Just read the fine print.   Anything we should know?

You lost me?  Talk to a lawyer for what?

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

About 4 times a year a venue here sponsers a "family" weekend ... and we are always asked to provide the Karaoke.  They actually have rules that anyone may come into the venue.. but all minors under 16 must be with a parent/guardian ... and once seated ... to keep the seat ... you must have a beverage in front of you.  They seat about 65 ... and there is rarely an empty seat in the place.  We do stick to the "no duplicate songs in a round" ... but we bend on the "back to back" rule. If one of the kids wants to do a solo ... and then sing a duet or a group song with friends.
The December event is usually the most fun ... for everyone.  Yes, there are a lot of holiday songs sung ... but never the same song twice in a round ... and to tell ya the truth ... I'd rather hear four separate attempts at Rudolph .. than have to listen to Total Eclipse ... Mony Mony ... and Summer Nights .. sung one after the other by intoxicated adults..... ANYTIME!!!  

We are working with our Common Council to do a weekly Family Karaoke throughout the summer... on the outdoor stage they just built for community theater, concerts.. etc.  So far, the discussions are going pretty well. We should know in about 3 weeks ... If its gonna happen during July and August.  I think its great to give the kids something constructive, organized... and Fun to do.  So many have way too much idle or tv time .. when not in school.

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[shadow=tomato]If you want your significant other to pay attention to EVERY word you say::
  TALK IN YOUR SLEEP   [/shadow]  

He means this;



The views and opinions are strictly those of Lonman.  Any product mentioned is strictly for your information from the experience &/or knowledge I may have of the equipment or product in question and does not constitute an endorsement or rejection.

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

Okay now I'm lost - Lawyer?

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[shadow=pink][glow=deepskyblue]. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[updown]~*~ MONKEY BUSINESS KARAOKE~*~ [/shadow][/updown][/glow]