Keys to creating a brand for a club

[Nephew]

What are some of the most important things when trying to establish a club brand in your opinions?

Have an opportunity to be the music director for a new club going up but want to try and be more involved as far as branding and developing the direction the club will be going.

Any and all input is welcomed!

[BentoSan]

The most important thing is that you fly Bento over for the opening night to rock the house

Seriously though, i am interested in where this thread will go because this isnt really my area of expertise what so ever.

[BestLegsinHD]

i think i would start by booking the dj that dominates the scene which you want to be branded with. Houston has one popular electro/indie dj, i would book them.

idk, this thread is a great idea though...

[LanceBlaise]

The first couple month can really set the tone. I have helped run a few clubs in the past and help one get started in Philly. The most important this is in those first 6 months is to book high profiling DJs in the genre you want the club to be in, as wel as solid local guys in the respective genre...

[Nephew]

Thanks for the insight, already assumed as much as far as booking and music policy is concerned.

But I was looking for insight besides the music and DJs as far as developing a brand. Just have to ponder it a bit more and keep writing down my ideas.

Cheers and thanks again!

[audioel]

I take it to mean you're talking about an actual venue, not running a weekly/monthly at an existing establishment.

First thing you need is to get a real designer to develop a compelling visual identity. If this is done already, try to figure out how to develop a narrative based on it. What's the "story" of the club? Is it a place where you hear the most cutting edge music? Is it a place with lots of girls? What genres of music do you want to support?

Once you've figured out the above, you can start identifying who the promoters and djs you want to work with are. Look for people with a track record, who are professional, and reliable. Ask for references, and call other clubs to check.

The friday/saturday nights are of course going to be the most in-demand. That's where you'll be making money for the club - so make them count. But don't give them all away to only to top, established promoters. Maybe reserve one friday a month for a rotating roster of smaller, upcoming promoters. Help people who are getting their nights going, and they can grow with you.

One really important thing to keep in mind as a music director is that you need to think beyond your own tastes. What are the big nights in your area? What's popular? Use that to base your choices for the calendar. Don't try to be everything to everyone - but pick a solid range of music themes that you can stand behind.

Don't try and directly compete with all the established nights. If "Club X" has a big Dubstep night on the first Friday, don't put your big Dubstep night then. Work with your promoters to develop a promotion plan that involves some of the other venues they work with (your promoters should be working with several venues if they know what they're doing).

Get the promoters to submit proposals for special events - reserve a couple saturday nights a month for out-of-town Djs, special events, etc. Work closely with the bookers if you're not doing the booking yourself. Get everything in writing. Make sure the club is working with a real graphic designer for flyers and online promotion - you really don't want to look cheap and ghetto here - and stay on top of your booking calendar. Make sure flyers get out at least a month before each event. Own your own promotion online - myspace, facebook, etc. Spend a little bit of time every day growing your list of people. Don't spam - try to offer people something they want. Guestlist, passes, 2-for-1, etc.

Offer incentives to bring some of the existing promoters to your venue - no minimums for the first 3 events, or lower minimums, etc. You'd have to figure out what makes sense for the size of the venue. Work with the manager/owner to figure out what the actual costs are per night, and use that to develop your pricing / incentives.

Liquor distributors sometimes have promotions going on that you can get the club or the night involved in. You can usually get some money for flyers, and a special wholesale price on a particular product or beverage - work with the bar manager to develop specials that you can use in the promotion of your nights.

Being a successful music director is hard - you're part booker, part manager, part promoter, part event coordinator, and usually a performer as well. Don't forget to book yourself sometimes.

Don't be afraid to let people go if their events aren't working. Don't be a dick about it - offer some constructive criticism, give them the option to move to a slower night, or maybe reduce the frequency of their event (weekly to monthly, every 2 months, etc).

Most of all - be 100% dependable, do what you say you're going to do, be courteous and professional with everyone you deal with, and try to put together nights that YOU would remember. Your job is to provide the soundtrack and experiences that people have fun to, get laid, meet their wives/husbands, have bachelor parties, wakes, break up, etc. But don't forget you also have a responsibility to bring events and bookings to the venue that draw people and make financial sense.

Have fun!

[Nephew]

You, my friend, are golden! Was thinking about these things, but to actually see them spelled out makes a lot more sense.

Much appreciated!

[cutflow]

as in ean golden? lol


i'm shocked that someone from oregon has just posted something like that. like there arent that many clubs out there? ean golden ftw i mean audioel

[sine143]

Hey man, Some of my favorite artists, electronic and non have come out of portland. I've never been there, but I'd say its a great place for talent.

Also, Factor in he might not have lived in oregon his whole life, and been in some hub of a ton, like NYC.

Now if it was someone from raleigh making that post............. yeahhhhhh.



But i'm loving this thread, I wanna see the ideas you guys man!!! Nightclub environment is so interesting.

[aout6]

one of the most important thing is NOT TO HIRE CHEAP (good, but not perfect) DESIGNERS. lame logo or interior CAN ruin the whole club. invest in it.
try to get THE BEST designers to work for you.
and don't try to be like "that-great-club", be the "great-club".
good luck!!!!