New Concert Promoters Lack Industry Standards

Aug. 23, 2012 - PRLog -- Hal Davidson, a Maryland based concert and music festival consultant talks to new promoters daily. His industry leading book, HOW NOT TO PROMOTE CONCERTS & MUSIC FESTIVALS and his follow up book for those 'not interested in reading the whole thing' HOW TO PROMOTE CONCERTS offers step by step instructions and valuable advice in how to enter the concert and music festival, business and how to stay in it.

In regular conversations with his long-time talent buyer Don Barnard, the two were amazed at the lack of sophistication, void of common sense and ethics of new promoters they try to help. Its in their interest things go right.

One new Indiana event had no generator by the time the sound system was ready for sound check, only for a 'ronco' shop generator to show up, barely capable of powering your refrigerator. Hal spoke of a major festival intended for Australia he just returned from 3 months of preparation for, where the promoter can't return emails or continue to pay. We're talking about a $3.5 million event where Hal's name is out there after securing a venue, meeting with government officials and designing extensive plans for 7 months.

Hal tells Don of multiple new promoters who call to say they plan on financing their event with sponsors, and not only have no core funding, but no experience in the business and want to promote Tier 1 artists costing $300,000 to 1 million each.

'Every industry requires an education before starting, this is especially true of concerts and music festivals', Hal said. Few have worked as stagehands, box office staff, security, marketing executives, in hospitality, logistics and almost none can write.

'How do you solicit investors if you can't compose a One Sheet Overview, Executive Summary, Cost and Revenue Sheet or Business Plan?' Hal queried. Even though his books offer professional samples of each of these, he said 'newbies either feel its not necessary or can't write compelling narrative. Most do not treat the industry as a profession, they just want to do it the way they want with their limited skills, then fail.'  

REALITY ON POLITICS: New promoters have no chance of booking major, expensive artists on their first event. Major talent agencies are not going to risk their prime artists to a fledgling promoter with no track record. New promoters also have little idea of the real costs of these star acts. and if you are new, be prepared to pay 100% up front. Too many bands are getting burned. Hal continued; 'And there's bad information out there. One promotions book said (don't ever pay any deposit because the band may not show up.) WRONG. The band always shows up and if you don't pay 50% down and show you have the balance in escrow you probably won't get the artist.'

'You need all of the money for the entire event up front. Starting with a small amount of funding hoping to use ticket sales to fund the balance is dangerous and could be considered fraud.' Hal said. ' Not only that, if you use an online ticketing company like Ticketmaster or just about any other, you don't get any of your funds until after the event is over. They've been burned to many times too!'

'The system is easy to understand and a good event, good plan and good promoter can ultimately succeed.' Hal said. 'It starts with Promoters learning how to pick up the phone on the second ring, return phone calls promptly, return emails by the end of the workday and use a signature at the bottom of your emails with your name, company, city and phone listed. Sounds simple enough, but almost none do it.' Hal said.

'I used to feel we have a national dishonesty and complete disintegration of best practices and common business courtesy, but its global, reflective of the economic meltdown and what caused it, a complete lack of ethics on an individual basis' Hal said.

"There is money to be made in the concert and festival business if you get the formula right.' Hal analyzes this winning formula in detail in both of his books and offers reasonably priced consulting to help promoters get it right the first time. Logon to www.concert-promotions.com and start bringing people together soon. 'It's the noblest thing some can do' said Stevie Wonder.