Hop in the Van Publicity
July 2003
By Josh Bashara with material from Megan Wendell

That 800-capacity club you and your band finally landed a gig at isn't going to pack itself; It's up to you to promote your bands" shows—something that can be done rather easily and economically when you've got the right strategy.

Megan Wendell, owner of Canary Promotion + Design, knows all about "guerilla" marketing. A graduate of Berklee College of Music and a resident of Philadelphia, Penn., Wendell launched her career in the music business after managing her own band and creating Solarmanite Records in the mid '90s.

One thing she's learned over the years is that it takes more than a pretty face and a polished single to make it in a band. "I think the people that understand that and stick to their own vision have the best shot at a career with some longevity," she admits. "In my experience, the indie bands who have been successful are the ones that hop in the van and just tour as much as possible.

"The bands that plateau and can't get to the next level of success are usually the bands that won't tour because they can't draw as many people on the road as they can in their hometown," Wendell continues. "If you don't take risks, the same 30 people are going to come to your shows, and that really doesn't build a long-term following."

So when launching a tour in unfamiliar cities, what do you need to do to get the word out?

Publicize, publicize, publicize!

In her essay, Independent Tour Publicity: Tips for Making the Most of Your Live Shows, Wendell instructs bands to first get as much information about the show as possible: date, time, price, bands, club address and phone number, age for entry, as well as web sites, if applicable. All of this info is a must for flyers and media that you're going to want to produce.

Wendell says It's also a good idea to call each club you've got a show booked at and ask the talent buyer for the name and phone numbers of local media outlets in that town (Or just thumb through your copy of the Music Phone Book – Ed). Entertainment weeklies—published in most cities—are a surefire way to get your show information in front of the people who would be interested in going in the first place. Call them up and ask for their music or entertainment editor, then ask that person if they'd be interested in running a story on your upcoming show. A good press kit with a well-written bio, photo, press quotes, and details on your show is essential when contacting the press.

Radio is another great way to get free publicity. If your band plays rock, call up all the local rock stations in the city you'll be playing in and ask to speak with the music director. Wendell says that stations—especially college radio—love free stuff, so offer to send them free CD's and tickets to the upcoming show. You might even get them to invite you on-air for an interview before the show.

Make sure that you offer a mailing list that fans can fill out at every show. Email is a highly effective (and free) way to let hundreds of people—who have already been to your show at least once—know when and where you'll be playing next. As an added incentive, announce that a CD, t-shirt or other prize will be given away each month to someone on the list.

Most importantly, Wendell admits, is to maintain your integrity. "When you love and believe in what you do, you have integrity and that will drive you," she says. "This business can be shady, and I think you have to keep things in perspective. A good reputation as an honest and sincere person and business will take you farther in the long run."

To read Megan Wendell's entire essay, Independent Tour Publicity: Tips for Making the Most of Your Live Shows, please visit www.canarypromo.com/resources. Canary Promotion + Design can be reached through their website, www.canarypromo.com.