Is Kloztman a big cry baby or correct:party promoters blues(the blue print)
Staff Writer
2015-01-25
.dmvblogspot.bloggieblog.com .
I was trolling around the internet looking for stuff and I found this local Baltimore promoters essay about the game.
10 Reasons Why Club Promoters Are Now Largely Irrelevant in Baltimore January 25, 2015 at 7:57am *Some veteran promos & I chatted about how nightlife has changed over years. We probably couldn't accomplish the things we did back then now. It was unchartered & we pioneered. Now, there's a road map, but harder to do, w/ fewer companies & long term success resulting. Some points were factors then, but more now.
10 Reasons Why Club Promoters Are Now Largely Irrelevant in Baltimore (I say largely & not completely because there are always exceptions. I cheer on good peeps that succeed and last.)
1) Facebook: Clubs can pay Facebook to promote their page or event and cut out the need for a third party. They now have a direct line in to their audience. Get Down did this successfully early on and now has nearly 16,000 likes / lines into their patrons. (Promoters can still be of some value as reinforcement for special events or at venues that have not mastered in house marketing.) Little replaces a personal relationship, but few promo companies are strong enough today to command that kind of mass regard. That's why smart venues hire popular serving staff to boost attendance.
2) Competing Calls to Action: People go to a venue today because they like it there, they like the DJ that night, they're joining a friend's birthday or are friends with the staff- regardless of who or if anyone outside is marketing it. Guests are also savvier now & develop direct relationships with venue managers for any of their guest list/table needs, and sometimes even get a better deal that way. (Exceptions include the GLB which is super loved by their crew. They've drawn out friends on a regular basis that have enjoyed going through them for years before being a promoter became as cliche as it is today. Jetset, GLB, HNS, E4GP & more were grandfathered in, you could say.)
3) Not Lucrative: The house always wins. Even if you negotiate well, you can often make scraps for what you are delivering to the table, so that eventually becomes undesirable, unsustainable and exhausting.
4) Lack of Target Market: This area doesn't sustain upscale nightlife unless it is a very intimate space, and even that can suffer after novelty wears off. The niche is too small. It's a bar town. They aren't fighting to book bottle service every single night by the droves. People walk to bars in Canton, Fells, Fed Hill, Towson & Mt. Vernon in whatever clothes they're in. The young professional set here is mostly sports-oriented and relaxed. Dancing, which clubs are often centered around, is not always the objective. There's not enough cultural diversity and disposable income within the bracket of those who are interested in clubs to warrant the investment.
5) Lack of Venues: When people think of where to go to dance, they often think of 3 or 4 venues in this entire city. That's pathetic, but reality. Because of the lack of target market existence and/or consistent participation, business owners have become smart enough not to open many of these concepts or to base them around food. They have watched them open only to fail time & time again. The few that have succeeded did many things right, but too few to inspire many others. Most that want to experience exciting nightlife go to DC where there are far more options.
6) Lack of National DJ Talent: The college & early to mid-twenty set is consumed by EDM super stars, DJ's they've heard of, that have produced hits and remixes. These guys are often too expensive for venues to book regularly here, so they become more special occasion nights. More heading to DC in the interim.
7) Seasons: College drives the club life. When college is on summer break, winter break or beach holidays, the clubs suffer. Baltimore college kids are not as heavily galvanized towards club life as the bigger city market kids. It's hard for a promo to draw from a tight, school network set when they are physically back in Jersey & New York.
8) Over-exposure / Backlash: Promoters get a bad rap because they are often douchebags. Lol. I wasn't and I know some that aren't, but there are enough to have given the stereotype merit. (This is not restricted to Bmore. I vomit a little in my mouth every time I meet someone in Vegas & they say they are a "VIP Host." This they say while checking their watch, phone and over my head to see if someone more important is walking in. Ha.) Promos, it may seem like you have a tons of friends, but everyone hates you and reveals it to be so the second you leave the room. Ha. I was fortunate to retain some actual real friends that endured the heavy push periods. People don't like to be solicited. Period. I have been a guilty party to this for years as it was often unavoidable, but tried my best to keep it at a minimum when I could. When we first started promoting parties, (Rob from Jetset, myself, etc.) people weren't receiving a trillion invites a week and several to the same event from different people. It's not as novel or cool to promote as it sometimes was before. Just like everyone became a DJ, everyone became a promo. If you thought we were seen as shady, self-absorbed douches in the promotional heyday of 2005-2010/2012, today we are seen as beyond annoying. Even to ourselves. Hence, the "unfollow/not accepting invites from this person" buttons.
9) People Club "Lite" Now: Since there are fewer options and the scene has been played out, people will instead dress up and go to a lounge or trendy restaurant that plays dance music, but doesn't host the all out dance floor that a club may.
10) Maturity: 21-25 is the height of clubbing. (18-25 for all ages spots.) Ages 26-29 still attend, but less frequently. Ages 30-35 are occasional and more special occasion visitors. 36-39 is even more rare. College kids and recent grads love a loud stupor of a night on a regular basis, yet as you get a bit more seasoned, you want to hear what your friends are saying to you and have a bit of a more laid back night out. For those going out to meet someone, they have usually met someone by a certain age and go less often.
*Takeaway: Always knew there was a shelf life for club promoting & never understood how others didn't perceive this or thought it was forever. The variables rested in terms of environmental opportunity, the patterns of age & priorities that change with it, the monetary value it would water down into and the results of technological advancement. Along with handling social media for brand clients, I still plan and/or promote events. They are mostly charitable events now, hospitality at the casino, dining, production companies, health studios, etc. and yes, still the special event concept at a club. What's cool about all the others though is that there is no age cap on them. There's longevity and security in ageless entertainment. For those that still do this or aim to do this, I would never discourage anyone from doing what they love to do. It gave me my start & I'll be forever grateful. Enjoy it for what it is, be safe, check your ego, learn from those who've gone before you, become wise through experience & keep the long term future in mind.