Are you a people person who loves to party? If you are, consider starting a career as a club promoter. A club promoter’s job is bringing as many people to a club as possible.
A promoter makes sure the dance floor is always moving, the VIP guests are being treated, and people are buying drinks and food.
But the job is easier said than done. A club promoter needs to have great connections, needs to be popular, and have great marketing techniques as well as people skills.
So you want to start a new career as a promoter? Here are 5 tips to get your foot in the door.
1. Learn as Much as You Can About the Job
The nightclub industry is tough. It may seem like a party, but there are a lot of responsibilities.
There are regulations regarding alcohol and minors, you need to keep guest safety in mind, and there are other business responsibilities nightclub workers need to handle.
A promoter needs to understand this. Since they’re in charge of bringing in the fun, they also need to bring on the business.
This includes having security, making sure there are no underage guests (or they’re properly marked and aren’t drinking alcohol) and there are no other hazards occurring that can hinder guest safety.
When you apply for a club promoter job, explain your knowledge of the nightclub industry and how you’ll handle the entertainment aspects as well as the professional aspects.
In addition, try to make as many connections before applying. Go to clubs in your area and meet the club owners and the staff. Meet different guests who regularly attend clubs, as well as any professional entertainers such as DJs and dancers.
2. Learn Marketing Skills
As a promoter, marketing is your niche. You need to bring guests to the club.
While having personal and inside connections is useful, great marketing skills will benefit you more than anything.
If you already have a background in marketing, you’re on the right path. But if not, you need to improve your marketing skills.
Club owners will specifically look for event marketing. You can start with working for smaller jobs, such as marketing a local concert or a special event at the local bar.
Instead of applying as a club promoter, you can apply as an intern or ask to oversee the promoter for a few nights.
You’ll learn hands-on experience and skills such as flyer creation, social media marketing, and may even make a few connections.
You’ll also learn strategies that don’t work. These include mass texts and social media spamming. An experienced promoter will teach you the tried and true marketing techniques that help bring in a crowd.
3. Connect with Entertainment
While the club itself might be great, great entertainment is what will really draw a crowd.
To stand out from other promoters, inform the venue management that you have connections with multiple different entertainment artists. These can include DJs and other performers such as dancers.
Club owners hire differently than other professionals. They won’t look at your resume and view your qualifications.
They want to know who you know; do you have connections with management, booking, or even DIY entertainers?
In addition, they want to know if you have promoting experience. While this focuses on bringing a crowd in, it also depends on entertainment. When you hire entertainment, you need to accommodate their needs.
This includes fulfilling their guarantees, providing all necessary items on their rider, supplying a backstage area and a dressing room, and meeting to any of their additional needs.
If you don’t have any of this experience, start by booking at a local concert venue and handling smaller bands or performing artists. This introduces you to the entertainment side of club promotion and how to accommodate to performers.
Entertainment doesn’t have to be exclusive to promoters. Many liquor and perfect vape companies host tastings and free samples at nightclubs. Connect with these brands and collaborate ways to connect their brand to the event.
4. Have a People Personality
By now, you probably realize the role of a club promoter is intense. But this doesn’t compromise the importance of being a people person. You need to be someone well-liked and outgoing.
There are times you need to put your foot down; some guests may feel entitled to VIP benefits when they didn’t pay extra. But you should always treat guests with respect.
Don’t be afraid to approach guests.
If you see a group having fun, approach them and introduce yourself. Offer to get them a drink or a table. If you see someone who isn’t having fun, approach them and see what you can do to make their night better.
When you’re more personable, your guests will respect you. This also creates an opportunity to befriend club guests. You can exchange numbers and social media information, and they will know when the club has a great event.
5. Know Your Market
No two nightclubs are the same. Find the nightclub market you’re most familiar with, and dive head-first into that industry.
Market facts mean everything to your job. Certain music performers and entertainers are better-suited in certain clubs than others. More guests will come out for certain drink specials than others.
Your connections will also benefit this aspect. Say you have a lot of connections with DJs in a particular sub-genre of electronic music. Find a club that regularly plays this music, and pitch the DJs performing at these events.
You can also base this off of passion.
If you love a particular genre of music or you love a particular scene, use the knowledge you obtained just by being passionate about the industry. This is sometimes enough to convince a club promoter to hire you.
Time to Become a Club Promoter
A club promoter is a dream job for lots of people. But there are lots of responsibilities involved with the gig. You need to know lots of people and make the right connections.
You also need to accommodate to guests and entertainment.
When you hone your skills, you’ll become the best promoter.
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