Do You Want a Huge Turnout for Your Event?

So, I had a great time performing for North Central College (Naperville, IL) over the weekend. I wanted to share some thoughts from that booking. First things first, we had a huge turnout. It was way more than what they had expected. During my conversations with Ebony (the lady in charge) she explained that 1)North Central is a relatively small campus, and 2)there were two other events going on at the exact same time on campus. They were expecting a good turnout (maybe 150-200 or so), but were totally surprised by the huge turnout (probably about 350) that we had. Not only was it standing room only, but there were actually people who stood in the hall looking over other people’s heads for the entire show. That was very cool from my perspective and it contributed to an electric atmosphere and a great show.

So, I made sure to talk to Ebony after the show and ask what they had done to spread the word. I thought others would be interested in the kind of massive success this small campus had planning, promoting and staging my show Jason Michaels…Unplugged.

Thinking back on our discussion, I have realized they did four important things. The first thing Ebony and the folks at North Central College did right was to pick a date that coincided with their family weekend. Moms, Dads, brothers and sisters were on campus visiting their kids/siblings. An interactive comedy and magic show is going to appeal to everyone. It’s a safe bet for the family. And when I looked out at the crowd, it was mixed with students and families. #1 check.

The second thing they did right was to promote the show with table tents in the high traffic dining areas. For the entire week leading up to the show everyone who ate in the dining areas had table tents promoting the show right in front of them. Ebony and her team actually created their own table tents and posters by downloading my image from my website. They also could have downloaded my pre-made table tents, photos and posters right here. #2 check.

The third thing that worked for them was sending out a campus wide e-blast the day of the show. There are a lot of things competing for our attention and the students at NCC needed a quick reminder that there was something that would be fun to do that night. #3 check.

And the final thing that the campus life team at NCC did right was to have me do teaser performances during the dinner hour a couple of hours before the show started. The truth of the matter is that until someone has actually seen a performer, they have no idea if the upcoming show is going to be any good or not. By walking around the dinner areas, doing some street magic and freaking everyone out, I was able to let everyone know that the show was, in fact, worth their time. Once they knew the show was going to be cool, then they started texting and telling all their friends and the message to come see the show went viral. #4 check.

Obviously there are other ways to promote a show, but this is an excellent case study on how these folks did it very successfully. My congratulations and thanks to Ebony and her team at North Central College. I hope to see you guys again soon!