Congratulations! You just secured a date from a top promoter. You locked it in. Negotiated, signed, sealed and delivered. \However, your work has only just begun. Once the show is booked, here are 11 things that you should do right away to make sure you are set up for success and that nothing slips through the cracks.
1. Create SmartURL Links
Once you have the ticket link and Facebook event links, create trackable, smartURL links so you can see how your promo efforts are going.
2. Add the Show to Your Tour Calendar
You can embed a Bandsintown or Songkick calendar to your website. Even if you don’t, you need to add your shows to these sites. Bandsintown and Songkick have each built up communities of active users, over 10 million members each, who use the apps to track artists and get notified when they come to town (via push notifications and customized emails).
If you’re routing a tour, you can schedule the shows to go public at a certain time. Triple-check the ticket link and don’t publish the show until you have the ticket link included (because if fans get a notification about your show and click through but find no link to the tickets, they won’t be able to buy and may forget about the show).
Songkick and Bandsintown have partnered with many digital platforms like Spotify and Shazam. If you’re wondering why your concerts aren’t being listed on various platforms online, it’s most likely because they aren’t on Songkick or Bandsintown.
3. Create a Show/Tour Video
Make a long one for YouTube, IGTV and Facebook, and make shorter ones to roll out on Instagram and Twitter.
4. Send an Email Blast
Include the ticket link and show promo video.
5. Write a Press Release
6. Restock Your Merch
7. Split Up Promotional Duties
Work with the other artists on the bill to figure out a cohesive promo plan and delegate jobs to your street team members.