Start your own night
Introduction
If there are no clubs in your area playing your kind of music or if you just want to call the shots, then starting your own night could be the answer. It'll be hard work, take over your life and cost you a fortune but it could also make you a fortune.
This section is about setting up a regular club night but if you are just planning a one-off a lot of advice still applies. Inside you'll find:
- Doing market research
- Finding a venue
- Costs
- The first week of a club
- Building your night
- Promotion
- Fliers
Market Research
The very first thing you need to think about is what your night needs to be a success. By doing a bit of research you'll be able to work out if the night is feasible, where and when to hold it and what you can expect back from it.
You'll probably know what sort of music you want played but how many other people are interested in it. A lot of people start club nights because nowhere else plays the specialist music they like. If this is the case you are probably best off starting somewhere small.
However, if you've spotted a massive gap in the market you could risk starting bigger. If there's already a lot going on in your hometown, you could consider starting something in a nearby town where the scene isn't so strong.
Do your research by going to clubs, record shops and talking to people. Also find out what the best night of the week would be and if anyone has tried it before and failed.
"I'd been DJing in Manchester at the Paradise Factory for about a year and wanted to start a Saturday night club. The nearest town was Liverpool so I went one night to see what was going on and realised that there was absolutely nothing going on in the gay scene for young cool clubbers. That was my market research done and dusted. I knew I wasn't going to have a problem so I approached a club which I knew was going to be good enough to do it and started from there."
Huey - Promoter, Garlands in Liverpool
Finding a venue
Finding the right venue can be tough. If you are looking to start a weekend night there's a good chance everywhere will be booked up. Don't rush into taking the first venue that becomes available, though. It's worth waiting for the right place.
You need to make sure it's the right size and most importantly, not too big. One of the biggest turn-offs for punters is a night that looks empty so it's better to get somewhere smaller and fill it. You can always move to a bigger venue when the night takes off. It's also easier to get into bigger venues if you are bringing over a successful night.
Think about nights out you've enjoyed and whether the venue suits the kind of night you want to put on. Think about bar prices, for example. If you want to draw a mid-week student crowd you'll need somewhere that does good drinks promotions.
You might have to wait for someone else's night to close. Taking over from a failing night can help you get going. For example if the old night is closing because it can only fill half the club, then that half a club is a good start for you.
"The hardest bit was trying to find the venue that was available for hire. Luckily there was a club that was just starting out and wasn't doing too well so I said that I'd try and do a night there, you know, and see if I can do any better."
DJ Elite
Venue Costs
Venues are businesses and can be costly to run. The manager has to pay the staff and some hefty business taxes. Therefore, they'll probably ask you for some guarantees when you book the venue.
One to watch out for is a minimum bar spend (where you guarantee something like £1000 will be spent at the bar). This will be on top of the venue hire charge and could leave you very out-of-pocket if no one turns up.
The more serious and professional you are, the better the deal you will be able to get out of the venue. It will really help if you can present a business plan that shows how many people you expect to come to club every week. This is where your market research comes in.
"Make sure you are in control of the money the comes through the door and who actually comes into the club and who doesn't. You don't want the doorman saying to people they are not dressed right and turning them away."
Huey - Promoter, Garlands in Liverpool
First Week
If you are committed to starting a good regular night it's probably going to cost you money before it makes any. Therefore it's important to keep your costs down. Try not be tempted to spend too much on special things for the first night.
The best thing you can do is make it free to get in. Make sure all your friends come and bring all their friends. But don't just rely on them. Make sure as many people as possible know about your night.
One big mistake made by people setting up a new night is putting everything into the first week. Make sure you plan things for weeks two, three and four. Also make sure you get people along to the first night who can spread the word. Local press and listings magazines are always keen to promote and review new clubs, so make sure they are there.
"The trick is to pin-point the people who are going to spread the word for you and make sure you invite every single one of them. Make sure you get all the local press down, national if you can but that's hard. But also think of the cliques of people so get all the people who work in city centre shops. Hairdressers, for example, what is the question you always ask them: 'Where are you going tonight?'"
Huey - Promoter, Garlands in Liverpool
Building your night
Don't be disheartened if your first night isn't as successful as you had hoped. Good nights can take anything from a month to three months to get going (if it's taking longer, then maybe you should take the hint).
The key is to do something so good that people keep coming back and bring their friends. If you've got the local press down they'll probably give you a good write up anyway and that will help. As word of mouth spreads, your night will start taking off.
"We had one person in on the first night, the second week we had 20 people, then on the third about 150, and it built up slowly from there. Within about six months we were charging £4-5 and getting 500 people in."
Huey - Promoter, Garlands in Liverpool
Promotion
Distributing fliers is the classic way of promoting a night. Everyone does it so you have to make sure you stand out.
If you are printing fliers don't just go to your local record shop and copy what everyone else is doing. When thinking about the design, pictures and text ask yourself whether you are offering something different? Are you making it look exciting?
When it comes to printing ring round local companies and get loads of quotes. You can sometimes get a discount if you credit the printing company but that can look a bit rubbish. Another way of saving money is by splitting the cost of the flier with another club. However, only do this if you really need to save money.
Getting a friend to do the designs always saves cash but make sure they have dealt with printing companies before. Your printer may expect the designs in a certain format and marked up with cutting points.
Make sure your fliers are placed in all the usual outlets (shops, bars, record shops, and hairdressers). You'll need to beg people to hand them out in the streets on the night (or at the local student union). This is never fun so promise free entry, drinks and eternal thanks to anyone who volunteers. For the dedicated, a key time to give out fliers is when the clubs close.
Fliers
Distributing fliers is the classic way of promoting a night. Everyone does it so you have to make sure you stand out.
If you are printing fliers don't just go to your local record shop and copy what everyone else is doing. When thinking about the design, pictures and text ask yourself whether you are offering something different? Are you making it look exciting?
When it comes to printing ring round local companies and get loads of quotes. You can sometimes get a discount if you credit the printing company but that can look a bit rubbish. Another way of saving money is by splitting the cost of the flier with another club. However, only do this if you really need to save money.
Getting a friend to do the designs always saves cash but make sure they have dealt with printing companies before. Your printer may expect the designs in a certain format and marked up with cutting points.
Make sure your fliers are placed in all the usual outlets (shops, bars, record shops, and hairdressers). You'll need to beg people to hand them out in the streets on the night (or at the local student union). This is never fun so promise free entry, drinks and eternal thanks to anyone who volunteers. For the dedicated, a key time to give out fliers is when the clubs close.
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