5 Things to remember when throwing a party at a club

Whenever we do something at StereoType Records, we hope to learn something from it, whether from the mistakes or simply be looking back and trying to see what we could have done better.

On Saturday night some StereoTypes and some of you hooked up at Living Room to celebrate the completion of Chad‘s Album “Chasing Melodies.”  Since the photo shoot went down at Living Room, we figured it would be the right place to have the party. Here are some things we learned for the next time we have a bash. Who knows, you might find them useful too. If you have any suggestions or insights, drop us a comment and let us know!

5 Party Tips

1. Talk to people

We used a bulk SMS service to notify our winners of their spot on the guest list for Saturday night. One thing that I wished I could do on the night was to communicate with our guests in the club to let them know about free drinks or photo opps, etc. I spent a lot of time talking to people one on one, which is always great, but not always efficient when you have lots of guests. Here are two ideas that I had while at the club:

• Access your bulk sms application from your phone (which is possible).
• Save your guests’ numbers as a contact group on your cell. This way you can talk to them live and also view their feedback by checking replies. Personally, I like this option more.

2. Mark your territory

It’s great to have a special section of the club just for you and your guests, but you need to make sure that your area is visible for it to have maximum effect. Before your guests arrive at the venue, print a poster that clearly states that this area is for your brand and your guests. This serves 2 purposes:

1. It lets your guests know where to go. There’s nothing worse than wondering around in a club not knowing where you’re supposed to be.
2. It stimulates “the  envy response.” Clubs are built on the premise of exclusivity, that’s why VIP sections and members only places are still around today. You can create your own exclusivity by clearly stating that your area is for your guests only. People always want what they can’t have, so something like this will spark some interest. When you see people casting an eye at your area or peeping at your sign – invite them in for a  drink. It makes them feel special and you’ll probably gain a fan for your brand fro the price of one drink.

3. Get there early

This seems like a pretty obvious one, but ‘early’ doesn’t mean arriving as the club opens its doors. You need to be there before doors open to make sure that everything is laid out and ready for your guests. Once the doors open, chances are the club manager and his/her staff won’t give a toss about your party since they’re too busy running their club. Get to the club early to lay out your drinks and snacks and put up the poster we spoke of above. The earlier you get there, the more time you have to acclimatize and react when things go a little sideways, and something always goes sideways.

4. Get free stuff

Clubs are notoriously difficult to deal with. Most owners and managers have boulder sized chips on their shoulders and are of the opinion that you need them more than they need you. Not true. Clubs don’t exist without their patrons and if you’re bringing through a crowd, you’re bringing them revenue.  Remember – when you get spots on the guest list, the club isn’t losing any money on the door, they’re gaining money on the bar. I’ve seen very few clubs at capacity lately, so your guests are not taking up space that could have been used by someone else, they add to the atmosphere and the bar revenue. The club should be grateful to you for bringing your guests to them, so make sure they show it by getting some free stuff from them. Free drinks for your guests are always great and an ice filled bucket of Champagne on your table looks cool too. Get the club to put out a bottle of a little something for your guests and chances are they ‘ll like you that little bit more. If the club really gets sticky on free drinks and won’t budge,  compromise and bring in your own champagne. If they won’t even allow you to do that, then get another venue.  Remember – they need you more than you need them, even though sometimes it doesn’t feel that way.

5. Get your guests a gift

I love getting stuff from brands, and I suspect so does everyone else. Give your guests a small gift as they arrive and you’ll set the mood for the night by telling them “You’re special, and we like you enough to give you stuff.”  Gifts can be tricky tho….your gift should be economical, but not cheap. And it should be relevant  to your guests and your environment. Handing out sachets of shampoo at a nightclub is hardly going to get you remembered, but something like a branded lip gloss for girls and and lip balm for guys might just do the trick. Try and give your gift legs; by this i mean try and get your gift to walk out of the club with your guests so they can see it again at a later stage and pull your brand back in to focus. For some great branded gifts, check out www.brandgear.co.za.

I had a 6th thought that I wanted to put down here, and I’m pretty sure it was very useful – but I can’t remember it right now. If I do, I’ll post an update.Happy Monday folks.

Lester