Here’s a little piece on how I aim to get bodies through the door, butts in the seats, and all ears on the music!

When I first started performing and recording my own music, I went through a phase where I could pack your average-sized singer/songwriter venue.  My new career was a novelty to all of my friends and family and it was easy to fill the seats. But like novelties are notorious for doing, this one wore off. Then I had to start working for the crowd.  But I didn’t know it. So a few years of playing for two to fifteen people went by and my confidence plummeted. I figured I just wasn’t good enough, and anyone who DID come to see me was doing me a favor. (SUPER negative and depressing, huh?) I stopped asking for favors and only sent out one email announcing the show to my slowly growing mailing list (we’re talking tortoise-pace here folks) and that was it.

But I got seriously sick of the bite-sized crowds and made myself realize that my performance, good or bad, wasn’t the issue- the issue was that i was afraid to ask people to come… I was afraid of being a burden, that the wouldn’t like me, etc etc.  Recognizing this fear was a huge breakthrough and led to the entrance of the next major player in my life: self-promotion.

I have a show tomorrow, with my band, and I want to play for a big crowd more than anything. Besides the obvious emailing, facebooking, and twittering, I’ve gone on to send individual and personal email invitations, made phone calls and got in touch with old acquaintances, colleagues, friends and fans.  Anyone who ever bought a CD or showed any interest at all in this music.

At rehearsal last night, I filmed small segments of a new song and made a quick “video-invite” (you heard it here first!) for the show, playing glimpses of what to expect and showing off the goofy band.

And I am writing this article, blogging about my process, hoping you’ll be curious to see if my methods of promotion work for tomorrow night. Well, all i can say is….. come on by to Sullivan Hall and find out!!