How To Promote Concerts & Music Festivals

Oct. 19, 2010 - PRLog -- New promoters falsely think sponsors will fund their concerts or festivals. One common misconception of the new promoter is that large companies will write checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars or even $50,000 to fund their events. Life -long promoter Hal Davidson says this is just not reality for the new promoter.

in this economy, even veteran promoters have trouble securing even supplement funding. The idea that your entire event is going to be funded in advance by sponsors by the start of the promotion is a wish and nothing more, Davidson said "you are dreaming".

If you're a new promoter, working club shows, and have ongoing relationships and a track record, there is a possibility of securing $5,000 here and $10,000 there, but the idea that you are going to totally fund an arena or stadium show costing $1.5 million or more with sponsors, is just not going to happen." Davidson said at his Maryland office Tuesday. He also said, "A ton of small sponsors is not worth the effort. Go after the big companies with big sponsor budgets. In this economy, they are the only ones with cash."

"A certain amount of "core funding" is required on any event." Davidson said. Even if you are experienced enough to secure an agreement from a well written sponsor "deck" or proposal, those monies are not seen until well into the pre-production. That's already too late. "Waiting on money to fund a concert or music festival will deflate any momentum or confidence you had up to then," Davidson said

Before you dive into the finer points of promoting anything, it’s wise to have a reality check first. In speaking to hundreds of promoters or wannabe promoters, Hal, who has promoted hundreds of concerts, music festivals, trade shows, circuses, ice shows, resorts and retail, says "promoters need an education before promoting anything. "The idea that you are just going to find a venue and secure an act and start promoting is suicide."

The "Cost Sheet or Budget Sheet" dictates the profitability in everything you promote. Without an understanding of the importance of determining event viability in the due diligence stage before starting to promote, is the difference between the amateur and the professional. The Cost and Revenue Sheet determines your ticket price, break even point and potential gross or "PG". These are the critical components of concert arithmetic.

New promoters need to take the time to price the myriad of details, approach sponsors, figure out the market and do the numbers. "It’s stressful enough already, making crucial mistakes on the front end will reverberate through the entire promotion." Davidson said.

Hard earned promoting lessons from Hal:

1.   FUNDING: Attempting to pay for a festival with just ticket sales or sponsors is fraud. You need a certain amount of core funding no matter what event you do. Have you established a company, obtained a Federal Tax ID number, a checking account and retained a lawyer yet? Promoting without a lawyer’s legal advice in these times is nuts.

2.   COST/ REVENUE SHEET: Do you know the amount of funding you need? The ticket price, the break even point, the net and gross potential? These can only be determined once you complete a cost and revenue sheet FIRST.

3.    VENUE: You can’t do a cost sheet until you’ve interviewed the venue manager and determined exactly what the venue provides. An entire list of questions must be first answered before you call the talent agent. What avails. (available dates) does the venue have? Do this out of order and you will reveal to the talent agent the amateur that you are. Are you aware that the venue requires references from other similar size venues?

4.    TALENT: How can you talk to the talent agent until you have the first 3 items addressed? Without  doing your homework through industry resources like PollstarPro, how do you know what the act is even worth. Determining how many seats the act you are bidding on can fill, largely determines which venue you need. Don’t get emotionally attached to one act. Book a cost level of a performer instead, don't hang all of your hopes on one act. All $50,000. artists typically have a history of filling a certain number of seats.    

These 4 items need to be carefully researched, decided and acted upon first before you can go to the next step. See a complete Promoter Order of Action at Hal’s informative promoting web site: www.concert-promotions.com

Speaking to new promoters with dreams of promoting concerts or music festivals almost every day, Hal Davidson offers initial consultations for free. “What’s so amazing is after reading my book and hearing my advice, more than 90% of all clients still make critical mistakes. They will learn the hard way. Seems like they order the book, only read the parts they like and ignore some of the less interesting legal and professional considerations.” Davidson said.

Hal’s helpful web site offers his successful "How Not To Promote Concerts & Music Festivals", 374 pages, and his recently published more concise, "How To Promote Concerts Simplified", 160 pages. Hal uses his 35 years of promoting experience to help new and established promoters, everyday.

About Hal Davidson and concert-promotions.com strives to add standards to an undisciplined industry full of independent interpretation. Hal Davidson is a member in good standing with the IFEA and UPA. He resides in Maryland, is an active event promoter, producer, concert and festival consultant and author. Davidson's books are considered the premium promoting resource in the concert and music festival industry.