PAY TO PLAY: Buy tickets in advance. And you have to give the promoter/venue manager the money per ticket and you keep the extra money per ticket. E.g. Buy 50 tickets @ £5 and you can sell for whatever.
Advantage: you can choose how much you make per ticket.
Disadvantage: You need all the money up front.
Question: Can you refund any unsold tickets in the night?
Why do people do this?
A: Stupid.
B: Really want the gig (it might be high profile and boost the profile of the band.)
C: Might have a lot of money and be confident the tickets can be sold.
SELLING TICKETS: No money is paid in advance. Tickets are priced and a deal between how much money the band gets and how much the venue gets. e.g. Tickets face value £5. Split £4 to promoter/venue. £1 to band per ticket sold.
Advantage: The band can get tickets to friends/fans/family. Can avoid a rise in ticket price on the day (additional venue booking fee) Promoter knows how many people came to see your band. People are more likely to attend a gig if they have a ticket in advance.
Disadvantage: Confusing. Time consumimg. Extra responsibility. Requires organisation.
Question: is there a minimum number to be sold before this split occurs? i.e. Band must sell 25 tickets and then receive £1 per ticket sold over specified amount.
Why do people do this?
A: A good gig might seem worth doing to boost profile of band.
B: Band wants to impress certain promoters with high ticket sales.
C: Bigger venues offer this type of deal and bigger venues have bigger PA, better lights, nicer dressing rooms etc.
How to sell tickets: Advertise you have tickets and the price of the tickets through your website, facebook, myspace, mailing list, etc. Make sure you explain the tickets are cheaper from the band than on the door on the night (if this is the case.)
How to get tickets to people: Split the tickets between members, keep the tickets and ticket money in one envelope, wallet or box. Can you meet people on lunch break, at work, after work? *Do not post tickets unless completely necessary. Extra cost to you and not 100% reliable* If you have trouble getting tickets to people do not worry. Make a list of the names of people who you think will come but haven't received tickets and give this list to the cashier/door collector/box office person along with the unsold tickets. If a person is definitely coming you can put their tickets in an envelope with their name on. (And if you have lots of these put them in alphabetical order to save the box office time.)
REMEMBER!** Ultimately it doesn't matter how many tickets you sell for a gig. A promoter may not be overjoyed but do not buy your own tickets. You are advertising a gig on behalf of a promoter. You should not be contracted nor obliged to sell ANY tickets in advance. Any tickets you do sell are a bonus for the promoter. Yes you want people there, you want an atmosphere, you want to impress but you are a band not a promoter. Hand over the money for the sold tickets to promoter upon arrival at venue. Do not wait until doors do not sell to friends outside do not sell to people in the queue to boost your sales. You are musicians not ticket touts.
Concentrate on the gig. Hand your money, your tickets and your names list (people you haven't been able to get tickets to but said they will attend) over to the cashier and let them count while you are there. If they don't, ask them to. Ideally they will give you a form to sign that verifies your count and their count matches.
After you have played. Check to see how many people came to see you play. Don't pester the poor person every two minutes. Do not leave the venue until you have collected your payment. Make sure you read all the paperwork, do not rush. If there is anything you don't understand make sure you ask. If you think there is a mistake don't be afriad to point it out or question it.
*Make sure no tickets are lost. Bands are charged for tickets that are lost! All tickets should be numbered so if you divide the tickets between member you can make a note who has which numbers if any go missing. Try not to leave this to the last minute although inevitably this occurs.
alec@antipoporecords.co.uk
