Everything needs to be in sync during a live concert to really blow the roof off and leave audiences wanting more. For the concert promoter, this means understanding all the critical roles that go into the planning and recognizing shifting industry trends before they fully take hold.
With social media-related revenue growing faster than streaming revenue these days, having the staff to ensure a digital footprint is quintessential to navigating the challenging modern-day music environment.
And yet concert planning doesn't need to be overly complicated. As new software tech steps in to give a concert promoter a significant organizational boost, pulling together the dream concert event is more achievable than ever. Consider the following essential roles that every concert planner should fully understand.
The Critical Importance of Social-Media Experts
There is no getting around it: social media is now a behemoth of the music industry. Across various social media platforms, one study found that about 50% of users are regularly checking for music updates, showcasing a world where fans are constantly connected to their favorite musicians and concert venues. Further, as many as nine out of 10 social-media users are tapping the music industry in one way or another.
While more traditional forms of marketing are still important, social media is now the chief way to get the word out about your event. If you have social-media savvy and plan to promote your events yourself, that's great news. If not, make sure you're working with someone who can do the following on your behalf:
- Match the right social platform to the event
- Make consistent posting a foundation of the strategy
- Take time for authentic fan outreach
- Sync posts to multiple platforms whenever possible
Landing the Right Technicians and Suppliers
One of the keys to budgeting success is working with the right local suppliers. Everything from mobile toilets to security needs to be carefully planned well in advance, so the time to begin finding the right personnel is as soon as an event is booked (or even before). Part of this process also involves putting together a full overview of a venue's layout, giving you a detailed roadmap of the type of suppliers you will need to work with.
This also may or may not mean you have to hire your own technicians; venues often come with their own technical staff, but this is not guaranteed. It's vital for every concert organizer to work with the venue's owner or manager to get a complete picture of the staffing needs long before it's crunch time.
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Working with Booking Agents
Successful concert organizers can put themselves into a booking agent's shoes and work together to achieve the desired outcome. Understanding a booking agent's goals can come in handy, which is why it's a good idea to keep the following in mind while working with one:
- Booking agents tend to have a variety of clients
- Multi-tasking is as essential to booking agents as it is for concert planners
- The musical talent must be respected at all times
- Clear communication with the booking agent is critical
- Real-time ticket updates are appreciated
Similar to managers, booking agents are always looking to cast a positive light on the music talent -- keeping the talent happy is essential to getting more gigs as a booking agent. That's why being anything but upfront with a booking agent is a recipe for a difficult relationship with one of the key players in a successful live concert experience.
Booking agents tend to value clear communication and event organizers who have a firm grasp of the concert's moving parts. It also helps to be able to provide real-time updates, which can keep a booking agent automatically in the loop in ways that were not possible in previous eras.
Livestream Experts are Now Essential to Concerts
Not many good things happened to the concert industry in 2020, for obvious reasons, but there was one silver lining that could loom very large in the long run. Livestreaming concerts exploded during the pandemic, and the trend is likely to stick around into the future.
There was even a significant shift in live-streaming quality mid-pandemic. Although the year started with mostly amateurish free events early on, production quality significantly improved by the end of 2020 as promoters recognized live streaming's potential.
Although the concert revenue model is back to being mostly about ticket sales, the virtual experience is now a supplemental revenue source that cannot be ignored by the forward-looking concert organizer. To that end, concerts that can be successfully streamed can tap an enormous audience of fans who can't actually attend the event.
This can not only bring in additional revenue but also showcase the musical talent and venue to a much wider audience. Having an expert who can perfect the live stream experience will tap an expanded audience and help a concert organizer take a huge step into the hybrid future of music.
Bonus: Utilizing Volunteers to Supplement Event Staff
Not having enough hands on deck is a disaster waiting to happen. While hiring the right number of experienced professionals for event-day tasks is critical, many successful event promoters also know how to utilize volunteers to create a win-win scenario. Consider the following steps for harnessing the value of volunteers:
- Start looking for volunteers as early as possible
- Make the incentives clear (and worth it)
- Don't expect a volunteer to act like a pro
- Remember the basics (e.g., feeding the volunteer staff)
While volunteers can significantly help the bottom line of a concert budget, it's important to remember why a volunteer might sign up in the first place. For the biggest impact, providing clear incentives—such as discounted tickets—can motivate volunteers and create a positive experience for all involved.
Pulling Your Concert Together: A Balancing Act
Although managing the moving pieces of a concert can be intimidating, proper preparation can mitigate stress and ensure everyone is prepared for the big day. For the concert organizer, understanding the roles of the entire staff is a blueprint for consistent success.
But even though it can feel like concerts have never been more complex, easy-to-use software solutions can lighten the load and help create a polished, professional operation. Prism's all-encompassing software, built by industry pros themselves, can be a game-changer for any concert organizer looking to maximize a concert's potential. Just a little tech help can modernize an organizer's approach and allow everyone involved to focus on bringing the house down. Get started with Prism today to see what it can do.
