Tips for Musical Event Planning

As an event planner, having everything come together perfectly in the months leading up to and on the day of the event is usually easier said than done.

From the entertainment booking, ticket sales, vendor contract fillings and more, there are a wide variety of elements that play into putting on the perfect event.

One of the more exciting and occasionally trickier events is a concert.

From booking the band, finding a venue, finding a good date ante more, there are a wide variety of factors playing a big role in the day’s success.

Know Your Budget and Your Audience

While we all want to bring in the big money maker acts like Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, and more, the cost of these acts is usually going to be a little out of price range for the amount of ticket sales you are really going to make.

Knowing your market and finding an appropriate budget for an entertaining act is one of the first things you will have to focus on locking down.

The other thing you need to focus on is your audience and the community you are in.

If you are living in a more rural part of the country, you likely won’t sell out a venue by bringing in the top name in hip hop.

Picking the right act for the area you are in is crucial or you will never be able to fill out a venue and can be losing money quickly.

Once you have targeted your budget and the act you want, contacting their agent and setting up a show is the next important task. When the details are finalized with both sides, you will have a show on your hands.

Promotional Timetable

Now that your artist is booked and coming to town promotion of the the show is your number 1 priority.

Booking a band or artist should be done roughly four or five months in advance of the show itself if possible, that way you have plenty of time to work on a marketing and promotions strategy and be safe in case an emergency happens that requires a major change.

Roughly three months before the event, you should begin promoting the show itself.

From social media blasts, radio spots, even posters in your local record store, getting the show out and talked about it key building an audience.

At the two month point, you can then begin putting tickets on sale for the general public.

After this point, you can also be sure that vendors are ready to go if this is a larger outdoor festival, and you can even set up local interviews on radio stations with the band members themselves.

Prepare for the Unexpected

Is your show taking place outside?

Be sure to have some sort of back up plan in case the weather does go on the fritz and gives you trouble.

Does your venue have history of power problems?

Try and get your hands on some sort of backup generator or power source. If something happens, the show must go on!