Help - how to get people to parties

[mades]

Hello my dear community,

i'd like to ask you for a help. What are the tricks and ways in your city/location promoters use to get people to visit an edm oriented (house/trance/techno) party with average ticket price between 10-20€ ?
I ask because i'd like to write an article in local webmedia about the status of my local edm scene, which is at this moment worser than ever. Let me give you a few examples:

Alex Gaudino (yeah crappy dj but ..) - party for around 5.000 people, 11-04-2009:



Global Underground first party (Jim Rivers, Jon Rundell, club for cca 1200 people, 30-04-2009, 10€ ticket, around 50 visitors):



There are many local-tied issues also i am not going to mention here. All i'd like to know is whether your local promoters/club owners do have some useful weapons (like girls entrance free, etc) to get people to parties and whether it works. Thanks for your help.

[floridaorange]

Re: Help - how to get people to parties

2 for 1's before midnight never hurts

[Dhar_2]

Re: Help - how to get people to parties

no idea!

i guess the pull of a night, has a lot to do with exposure (advertising, flyers, local press, etc), line up, and word on the street. If the scene isnt talking about it, there isnt any free publicity.

[chanty]

Re: Help - how to get people to parties

I wrote a damn essay here and when I hit the submit button it said server too busy and it was gone.
I'll write it again later, gator!

[Dhar_2]

Re: Help - how to get people to parties

opps! almost forgot!

boobies!!!

[hambino21]

Re: Help - how to get people to parties

Tampa used to piss me off about that. There was a stretch of shows put on by balance over a couple of months, and it included Dj's such as Saeed&Palash, Jimmy Van M, Slacker, Mike Hiratzka, Kazell, etc. i went to evry single one of these shows, but the attendance was minimal. I couldn't believe it.

A couple of things I noticed were lack of promotion for the parties. Unless you went to the local record shop or were at a previous party at this club you would have never known about the party, and with such a small scene to begin with as you mentioned, you have to get the word out.

I also noticed that they sometimes put these parties on odd days of the week, and unless you have a good scene to begin with, people aren't going to sho in a tuesday or wednesday.

You have to keep the music in people's ears and try to expand the scene via recorded music/radio or whatever before you can fill the clubs.

Just my two cents.good luck!

[dusk]

Re: Help - how to get people to parties

Women in free before 11:00pm always help. They do it for special events here at the local small clubs and that seems to work 99% of the time - club is jam packed regardless of the dj spinning.

[chuckc]

Re: Help - how to get people to parties

free party favors at the door.

[floridaorange]

Re: Help - how to get people to parties

The promoters I know are out there at all the parties people are at, they practically recruit people from clubs where people are attending by spreading the word and building relationships (and having fun of course).

I've also noticed they throw a lot of smaller parties and build a base of people that they can pretty much depend on to spread the word for free. These smaller parties are at smaller venues like bars and or hotels. Every holiday they throw a holiday related party somewhere, usually themed again at smaller venues. On NYE they rent out ballrooms at hotels. They always have banners up promoting their company: example: www.eventvibe.com .

[bobjuice]

Re: Help - how to get people to parties

Don't aim too high when booking the venue - if you've any doubts at all about filling the place then get somewhere smaller..
A big room, half full will never do you any favours at all. Better to aim smaller even if it means you have to turn a few away.
You have to look after people too - piss someone off and not only will they not come back, they'll do their best to convince all their friends not to come back either.
Everything you can do to make people comfortable at your gig will be in your favour - people are v quick to criticise so if your venue has shit toilets for example then people will look back and say "remember when we went to that place with the fucking worst toilets in the world?" - maybe not how you want them to remember you?

maybes?>
free cocktail on entry
topless barmaids on pogo sticks

[Dhar_2]

Re: Help - how to get people to parties

^ better to aim small and create a demand, then aim high and create a flop!

[chunky]

Re: Help - how to get people to parties

Free Hookers and Cocaine never hurts

[diegoff]

Re: Help - how to get people to parties

1- cheap drinks... men would go!
2- 2x1 for girls... they would go... so, men would go.
3- no police

[mades]

Re: Help - how to get people to parties

Guys, thanks for your answers. Please note, that the parties are properly promoted (using local webmedia, sometimes print media/billboard) and also warmup parties are sometimes being made. It is not that people wouldn't know.
Also i am not the promoter, i just want to write an article about what local promoters are doing wrong and how could they do it better, thats why i hunt for ideas

[chanty]

Re: Help - how to get people to parties

Here in Toronto, party promoters mostly utilize the internet to spread the word. They have extensive email lists, use Facebook, twitter and post events on local message boards. They also offer free downloads of mixes to wet your appetite.
There used to be a time when you'd leave a club and there would be 10 people lined up at the exit handing you stacks of flyers. That doesn't happen anymore but postering is still popular. Every week there are new posters around the downtown core.
Also, alot of promotors offer guestlist for a reduced cover until a certain time. Some places offer drink specials at the beginning of the evening too.
But the attendance at those two parties looks dismal. Don't know what that's about!