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Everything To Know About Club Promoters In The Nightlife Business

There are many reasons why you could be looking for information about club promoters. Perhaps you want a job as a club promoter. So, you are researching how promoters get paid or how to get your feet into the nightlife business.

Maybe you are considering hiring club promoters and want a better idea of the kind of promoters you should hire, how much you should pay them, or what you can expect of them.

Or maybe you’re an avid party-goer looking for a great promoter. But you want to learn which ones can put you into the best VIP section or help you get free drinks! And if you’re street smart, you will also want to know which ones you should stay far away from.

Whichever your reason is, you will quickly find there is not much reliable or detailed information out there about what being a club promoter entails, the differences between great promoters versus bad promoters, or how to find the right one for you.

Even the most popular Youtube videos about promoters are often just shallow stories about college students who magically turned into mega promoters overnight. They’re more promotional than they are informative, so take their advice with a grain of salt.

This article will remedy all this by explaining just about everything you could want to know about club promoters and the nightlife business around them.

I can offer these insights because I’ve worked in the nightlife industry and as a top club promoter for over a decade with popular NYC clubs like PHD, Lavo, Slate, Etiquette, Up & Down, Marquee, Troy Liquor Bar, and many more. These experiences led me to create my nightlife marketing company, Always The VIP, where I connect guests with the best nightlife and help clubs and bars with promotional strategies to grow their businesses. This makes me what you could call an “expert source” of information.

So enjoy the ride as we dive into the club promoting business and debunk a few myths along the way.

Contents

The Truth About Being A Club Promoter

You may have come across a few rich and famous promoters who make the promoting job all the more alluring. I don’t want to burst your bubble, but your chances of becoming one of those iconic promoters are slim to nill. So don’t get your hopes up.

Yes, being a club promoter has its perks that you could enjoy:

Virtually unlimited drinks
VIP tables at clubs and parties
Being surrounded by beautiful people

However, for most people, club promoting is gig work that many stumble into and fall out of just as easily. After all, the barrier to entry is low to becoming a club promoter.

The basic soft skills you need to become a club promoter are typically good communication skills, good social skills, and a little charm. These simple skills are more than enough to land you a job as a club promoter.

I go deeper into some important hard skills that you need to be a successful club promoter in another article. But don’t jump the gun just yet, because we have a lot to cover here. Your first step is to understand exactly what a club promoter is and does.

What Is A Club Promoter?

A club promoter is essentially an event marketer who is hired by clubs to support marketing efforts and/or independently organizes parties, social events, and concerts with the primary goals of driving attendance and increasing sales through advertising across any viable marketing channels, social groups, and their following.

A club promoter’s job description and responsibilities include all the marketing tasks required to support a party or event:

Marketing and advertising to attract target audiences
Building brand awareness and a loyal following for a club, venue, party, or event
Increasing sales revenue from attendees via advance tickets, food and beverage purchases, bottle service, cover charges, etc.

Club promoters are normally hired as independent contractors, as opposed to being permanent employees and part of the “in-house” marketing team. So they rarely have any hands-on involvement with marketing operations or event logistics behind the scenes.

Additionally, most club promoters do not organize or coordinate parties or events – this is a widespread misconception. Most club promoters supplement ongoing promotions and events that are planned and managed by the club, so their role is relatively minor and often dispensable.

What Are the Types of Club Promoters?

Club promoters often find guests on-site (near the venue), from networking, through online promotions, and/or telemarketing. The way that they procure, retain, and service their guests also indicates the type of promoters they are.

Club promoters can be categorized into 3 distinct types:

Image Promoters
Street Promoters
Head promoters

Image Promoters

Image promoters are both brand ambassadors and nightlife hosts. The image promoter’s goal is to bring a great-looking crowd that matches the venue’s target audience and reputation. Their target demographic is often young fashionable women, so they regularly host ladies’ night promotions.

Image promoters are normally among the highest-paid types of promoters and get VIP treatment at clubs. The perks include VIP sections, complimentary bottle service, dinners, and more. Image promoters also have many aliases for their title, such as VIP hosts, VIP concierges, and brand ambassadors.

How To Find Image Promoters

Image promoters can be found on social media, YouTube, and even blogs. They will naturally gravitate towards social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, where they can post pictures at VIP tables, pretty ladies, and promote their parties.

Of all the types of promoters, image promoters are probably the easiest to connect with since they actively seek to grow their following of guests and clients

In case you haven’t realized it yet from this website, I’m often an image promoter and head promoter.

VIP section Hosted By Nez and featured on PHD’s Instagram. Cool eh?

But, if you think every promoter pops bottles and stands on couches, then you would be wrong. Which leads us to our next type of promoter.

Street Promoters

If you have ever walked past a club and been abruptly offered to come to a party nearby, that was likely a “street promoter.” Street promoters, also known as “streat team,” stand outside near the venue, in the rain, sleet, or snow, soliciting guests on the street to attend the venue or party. Thus, being a street promoter is one of the most physically demanding and challenging kinds of promoter jobs.

Street promoters aren’t in VIP sections partying. And they don’t care much about image. They are primarily focused on hitting their high attendee quotas, getting paid, and going home.

How To Find Street Promoters

Since street promoters are mostly concerned with procuring guests who are in the immediate vicinity, you will rarely find them online. Just look for them near nightclubs when parties are happening.

There is not much glamour to the street promoter job. And it is very challenging for most to excel in. To be a successful street promoter, you must be able to handle rejection well and adept at convincing 15-second sales pitches.

Head Promoters or Top Promoters

Head promoters have established brands in the nightlife industry, a large following, and the potential to get the best compensation of all promoter types. They often manage promoters with smaller followings and rarely interact with sub-promoters (further explained shortly).

Head promoters are professionals who lead promotional strategies for parties and events. Promoting is their profession, so they often have longstanding careers where they built connections to owners, celebrities, and high-value clientele.

Because of the large followings they have amassaed and their reputations in the industry, head promoters normally get all the VIP benefits at clubs they have relationships with. However, there aren’t many of these O. G.’s around. And the way nightlife has evolved, their numbers are dwindling.

How To Find Head Promoters or Top Promoters

Head promoters can be found on social media. And some run hospitality companies (e.g., Always The VIP) and manage promoter teams. Having established their brand and following, they often choose to work behind the scenes, so they don’t spend much time promoting themselves.

Since head promoters often move to a more administrative role, you are more likely to find a promoter who works them. But, if you actively attend parties and network, you will eventually cross paths with a head promoter.

To learn the best ways to find and connect with club promoters, read my new article, “How To Find A Club Promoter.”

The 3 Types of Club Promoters Infographic

Now that you understand the different types of promoters and what each entails, I’d like to debunk our first myth:

Despite what many current promoters in the industry claim, most people do not go directly to being bottle-popping club promoters right away!

C. Nez Byrd – Nightlife Consultant and Growth Marketing Expert

Before you can get there, you normally have to work your way up to it or partner with an experienced promoter. Which starts our discussion about how to become a club promoter.

How to Become A Club Promoter

Typically, there are 3 ways to become a promoter:

Become a Sub-Promoter
Get An Invitation From Management or a Head Promoter
Use Job Search Websites

The first one is significantly important. So let’s break this down a little more so you can understand what’s happening here and the pros and cons.

Become A Sub-Promoter

If you go to a popular club, search for the table where all the ladies are. If you see a guy that stands out or is wearing all black and a fitted cap, that’s likely the promoter. If you connect with this promoter and he invites you to promote for him, then you have become his sub-promoter.

The worst-case scenario, that you always want to avoid, is becoming a sub-promoter for a sub-promoter.

But generally, being a “sub” has pros and cons that you should weigh depending on your goals and level of commitment you can dedicate to the job.

The Pros of Being a Sub-Promoter

Being a sub-promoter is a great way to get your foot into the door. You can learn the ropes, have some fun, and build up your following at your pace. This is the least stressful entry-level position for being a promoter.

As a sub-promoter, you have the most flexibility. The promoter you work for has made contractual commitments to the venue, not you. Your commitments are to him/her only. So, you can work on your schedule and make side income at your convenience. There is likely very little pressure placed on your shoulders to perform.

The main benefits of being a sub-promoter include access to a ton of venues, perks, and deals that you otherwise would not have access to. And, not only can you learn the ropes from that promoter, you can build many connections.

When you find a good promoter team to work with, they will treat you fairly, especially when it comes to payouts. You will quickly know if you are working with the right promoter based on that alone.

I started my nightlife career as a sub-promoter and it was a great stepping stone for me.

The Cons of being a Sub-Promoter

Depending on your goals, one con of being a sub-promoter is that you have more degrees of separation between you and the head promoter. This means that you are less likely to be involved in those important meetings or move up fast in the ranks.

But, this mostly depends on how supportive the promoter you work with is, and also whether you are trying to build a career as a club promoter or if it is just a gig.

Another con to be aware of is that when payouts are divided through more promoters, so a sub-promoter’s cut is smaller. However, this may be fair since your contribution is likely smaller also.

Perhaps the biggest con, and situation to be wary of, is that sub-promoters are less likely to get paid if they partner with an untrustworthy promoter. This presents the risk of getting stiffed on payouts.

That is one big reason why sub-promoters often “burn out.”

“Burn out” is when a promoter is overworked, underpaid, and/or abruptly quits due to the pressures of promoting.

C. “Nez” Byrd – Nightlife consultant and Growth Marketing Expert

Sub-promoters are often unable to endure the strenuous nights of promotion. Mostly, because the work is harder than they anticipated.

Finally, it is important to note that no one gets paid if the promoter team doesn’t hit their goals. So, choosing a reputable and high-performing promoter team to work with is vital for any sub-promoter.

Invitation From Management or Head Promoter

If you ever go to a party and your crew stands out in the room, then you may get an invite to be a promoter. Night managers and head promoters often survey the room. When they like what they see, they may personally offer to “take care of you” if you come again.

This hookup could pave a way for you to break into promoting. The trick here is to come back a few times with your great-looking crowd to show you can do it consistently – That’s the hard part.

Build rapport with the manager or head promoter each time. Then casually ask about promoting for them. Likely by then, you will have earned enough cool points to get put on the payroll!

Pro tip: Just because you are hired by a head promoter or a venue it doesn’t mean you can trust them to give you a good deal or pay you for your work.

Online Job Search Sites

If you do not have experience in promoting, have a huge network, or have a big crew of reliable alcoholics, then be very cautious about looking for promoter jobs online. It’s hard to find legit promoter jobs online or at job search websites like indeed.com or glassdoor.com.

If you happen to come across an online job listing that you are interested in, then be sure that it includes training, a ramp-up period, and a documented pay rate and commission structure. Generally, these online employers want telemarketers. Which is likely not what you are looking for!

As a telemarketing promoter, your job duties would mostly include cold calling, booking parties, and supporting the operations at the club. Although this may not be the type of glamorous “club promoting” that you were hoping for, it is however another way in the door – Albeit a boring one.

For any job that you find online, just make sure that everything is in writing and your duties are clear. Otherwise, you may end up doing a job that you hate and getting paid pennies. On that note, let’s discuss how promoters get paid.

How Are Club Promoters Paid?

First, let’s debunk a myth. Most club promoters are not paid a salary. Club promoters are normally on a sales commission based structure, where they are either paid a flat dollar amount for a set number of guests, a tiered payment based on performance, or a set dollar amount “per head” (“per head” means “per guest”).

Since club promoters are typically independent contractors and are rarely ever salaried employees, they are not guaranteed any wages.

Cub promoters’ potential earnings largely depend on the deals that they negotiate with management and their capability. And not every club promoter may get the same deal.

Of all the time that I have been promoting in NYC, I have yet to come across one club promoter who earns a “salary.” The people who get paid salaries are normally on the management or marketing teams who hire the promoters.

The marketing team often has a set budget to pay promoters, which is normally based on performance. So it is possible that a promoter won’t get paid a dime if they didn’t meet their quota for a given night.

How Much Do Head Promoters Get Paid?

A “head promoter” or top club promoter will often partner with club owners or other promoters teams and take ownership over the marketing and promotions for a venue or party. With this larger stake in the marketing operations, they stand to make the greatest level of profit from commissions on the total revenue generated by the party.

Partnered head promoters are normally paid either a flat percentage or on a sliding scale between 20% – 35% of all sales at the bar, which includes drink purchases, bottle service, and food purchases.

In the nightlife industry, the revenue that is generated from the bar is called the “bar ring.”

C. “Nez” Byrd – Nightlife Consultant and Growth Marketing Expert

When the commission is calculated on a sliding scale, the higher the “bar ring” is, the higher the percentage the promoter will receive. Thus incentivizing higher levels of performance.

Negotiating for either a split, or the entirety, of the covers charged at the “door” for general admission, is also common practice. Generally, the best partnered promoter deals would include the “bar ring” and the “door.”

Ultimately, the percentage earned by a promoter is determined by how much time, effort, and resources are needed from the promoter and how much the venue participates in promotions. If the promoter owned 100% of the promotions, they would and should demand a higher cut of the revenue generated.

This brings me to another laughable myth to bust that is commonly found online: Club promoters do not always make a percentage of the entire “income the club earns each night.”

For example, if they promote a night at a strip club, they won’t be able to take a percentage of the money the strippers earn. Nor would they be able to take a percentage of the charges at the coat check. And they surely wouldn’t be able to take a cut of the bathroom attendant’s revenue.

I could easily come up with more examples, but you can already see that clubs could have many revenue streams which promoters may not be able to tap into.

How Much Do Image Promoters Get Paid?

An “image promoter” can generally get paid between $200 – $400+ a night. This is called a “flat,” which is a set payout based on meeting an attendee quota comprised of a specific target audience (typically a group of beautiful people). Any nights these goals arent met, a flat may be decreased or void.

A successful image promoter with great deals that works 5 nights a week could get paid at least around $48,000 – $96,000 in a year.

How Much Do Street Promoters Get Paid?

A “street promoter” generally gets paid per head, which can range between $8-$12 per person. Normally, this commission only applies to guests who paid a cover charge to enter. The higher the cover, the higher the payout may be.

Since commissions and guest turnouts can vary widely every night, it is very difficult to determine an exact salary range for street promoters.

Typically, every promoter can get paid a percentage for any bottle client’s purchases. Which is usually commissioned around 10%-20% of the total spend for that table, not including tax or tip.

While these are all fairly standard promoter deals, many variables could affect how venues pay promoters:

Some clubs hire fewer promoters, so their payouts and nightly quotas are higher.
Some venues don’t charge covers or have low maximum occupancies, so their profit margins are smaller.
Popular venues may not offer high payouts unless you can significantly boost attendance or sales.

Additionally, if there is a celebrity appearance planned, venues often won’t even pay promoters. It does make business sense to pay promoters only when they are needed.

Lastly, and possibly most importantly, promoters do not get paid for guests who don’t check in on their guest list! So a guest forgetting to say the promoter’s name at the door is a sin in the nightlife.

At this point, you should have a firm understanding of the club promoter job, which type you would like to become, and what the potential pay would be like. So now, I’d like to give you a primer on some key things great promoters do, and some key things that bad promoters do.

The Signs of a Great Promoter

Great promoters make the night more enjoyable for their guests. They are personable, they make conversation, and they dance and share laughs with attendees. They build bonds while pouring shots down throats. You can spot these promoters easily because they are often in a large group of girls at a VIP section having a great time.

But great promoters also wisely set boundaries, and make sure that their guests always come first. These are just a few things that guests would and should look for when they want to find a great promoter.

They Are Attentive Hosts

Great promoters make their guests feel welcome, respected and appreciated. Making a guest feel like they are just a number is not the way to build a following. There is a customer service element there that shouldn’t be ignored.

When it is cold outside, they should wait with and help their guests in the line to get in.
When the waitress doesn’t come around for their bottle client, they step in.

A great promoter doesn’t stop at promoting a party, he/she helps people have some of the best times of their lives.

They Never Get Too Wasted

Great promoters never get more wasted than their guests. Remember, promoters are also hosts, from beginning to end. They should always have their wits about them to attend to guests.

So, if you are a promoter, keep in mind that this is a job and the club is your workplace. If you go overboard, your reputation spreads on the lips of both your guests and your colleagues (the managers, the waitresses, etc). Great promoters pace themselves.

They Build Long-Lasting Connections

Great promoters build lasting connections. They let guests know that they are more than just a number on a guest list.

Generally, nightlife offers many opportunities to build real connections. You will be surprised at the type of people you will meet at a party. They can be doctors, politicians, or someone that you could start a business with someday.

The Signs of a Bad Promoter

The characteristics of a bad promoter can be summed up by a derogatory term, often uttered from the lips of disgruntled guests, the “douchebag promoter. ”

Being a Douchebag Promoter

A “douchebag promoter” is a club or party promoter who is self-centered, flirtatious, disrespectful, and cocky. They often look at people as nothing more than ticks on a guest list and have little regard for their well-being or experience. He/she is often well-groomed and wears a stereotypical all-black club promoter outfit.

Douchebag promoters tend to treat women like they are a dime a dozen, often attempting to sleep with as many as possible. And they look at men like they are ATMs who aren’t welcome unless they are spending lots of money.

This is the type of promoter that most experienced partygoers avoid.

Sleeping With Guests

A big mistake that many promoters make, is getting too “friendly” with their guests.

If you are promoting just to get laid, then it should be fairly easy. You will be partying with intoxicated people, so it will often happen naturally. Many promoters take on the job just for this opportunity to take someone new home every night!

But, Tlto this, I recommend an old saying, “don’t defecate where you eat. ” Hooking up with every desirable guest burns bridges and makes promoting problematic. No one wants drama in the club because your flings crossed paths.

Overselling A Party

Guests are not idiots. One of the worse things that promoters can do is give misleading information or make a party sound better than it is.

Many promoters get so caught up in trying to make a buck, that they take on any party, with no standards and will say whatever a guest wants to hear as long as they get them to the party.

Great promoters keep it real and connect people with the right parties:

If someone says they don’t like house music, don’t invite them to a rave.
If someone prefers upscale venues, don’t invite them to a hole-in-the-wall club.

Promoters that lie to guests are the reason why many people literally “hate” promoters.

Allowing or Promoting Drugs

Another huge mistake that bad promoters make is allowing drugs into their circle. Most people don’t want to be around that, but there are always exceptions to the rule.

If you are a promoter it’s best to keep your “nose clean” and your guests in nothing worse than a drunken stupor. Having to explain why your guest overdosed on something that you gave them never ends well.

There will always be guests who ask for the “plug.” Let them find it on their own.

By this point, you know just about everything you need to know about being a club promoter. It would easily take years of mistakes to learn all this on your own. And now you are in the right position to move on to my other related article, “How to Be A Successful Club Promoter.”

If you are looking for a club promoter, now that you understand the different types, where to find them, and things you should be aware of to help decide which is the best one for you. And the good news is, now you know one great promoter!

So, if you want to join some of my parties at top clubs or ladies night VIP sections with free bottle service in NYC metro, then connect with me on Instagram @Nezalpha and my brand @alwaysthevip or @Facebook! And you can also subscribe for invitations to my latest promotions and blog updates!

Finally, always remember, when you find a good promoter, be loyal, and you will reap the benefits!

How To Find Club Promoters & Connect With The Best Ones

Bar-hopping and clubbing are two very different animals. Nightclubs often present unexpected challenges to contend with:

Obnoxious bouncers
Long waits in line
Exorbitant cover charges
Ambiguous dress codes for men and women
Discriminatory pricing and policies

Party-goers are bound to encounter any of these headaches at clubs to varying degrees. And there’s only one way to avoid them: You have to “know somebody!”

At bars, being cool with a bartender is enough to get special consideration. But, at nightclubs, the best connections are owners, managers, and club promoters/ party promoters who can help with guest lists, bottle service reservations, and making the clubbing experience more enjoyable.

However, nightclub owners and managers are normally too busy running operations to connect with others. So your best option is a club promoter. A club promoter’s primary job is to connect with guests and encourage patrons to attend parties, which means they are incentivized to be sociable. But, the challenge is finding them!

So, I’ll offer my expertise as a top professional club promoter in NYC to teach you “How To Find Club Promoters and Connect with the Best Ones” in any city, the pros and cons of each method, and a few nightclub industry secrets that you won’t find anywhere else!

Cut to the chase and connect with the most trusted club promoter team in NYC

Contents

Check The Area Around Nightclubs

The most direct way to find local club promoters is where they work. Club promoters are often stationed in the vicinity and near the entrances of nightclubs, especially during peak nights and weekends, making them easily accessible to the general public. So, all you have to do to connect is walk up to one and inquire about their clubs!

There are a few work-related reasons why club promoters stand near nightclubs, each of which affects how helpful they may be:

They are waiting for their guests or bottle clients to arrive.
They are scouting the area for pretty ladies.
They are asking random passerbys to join the party.

In party cities, like South Beach in Miami, Las Vegas, and NYC, it is common to encounter the latter of the three. At nightlife hubs, where competition between nightclubs is high, you will often find street promoters (also known as “Street Teams”) scouring the area for pedestrians to coerce into joining their parties.

Typically, you can expect street promoters to offer you free or reduced entry and possibly a free drink ticket. Other types of promoters (e.g. Image Promoters) may not be as inclined or incentivized to assist unless you are their target audience (e.g. pretty ladies or bottle clients). But, regardless of their primary objective, most club promoters will be open to connecting if your style is on point.

Inquire With The Staff

When you are on the hunt for club promoters, a well-known idiom becomes very useful: “It never hurts to ask. ”

The most direct way to find local club promoters is by asking the staff at the club. Any “front of house” staff members like doormen/doorwomen, bouncers, security guards, and even waitresses are often able and willing to introduce you to club promoters upon request.

Doormen/door women and waitresses are typically familiar with every active club promoter at parties and likely to connect you to their favorite one. And, if the doorman thinks your fashion and style are great, then you can expect them to assign you to the best club promoter to keep you coming back.

On the other hand, bouncers or security guards are likely to direct you to any club promoter they recognize, not the best. After all, they are only concerned with crowd management, not customer satisfaction or marketing, and just want you to be on your way.

In any case, when you ask the right person at a club, you will be on the fast track connecting with a club promoter with minimal effort!

Scout the VIP Sections

Another great direct method to find local club promoters is by searching for them inside clubs. By scouting the VIP sections, you can often approach club promoters while they are working and/or hanging out to make the connection – a method that works best if you are dressed to impress.

However, to accomplish this you must do more leg work and know how to identify club promoters. Which is no simple task if you don’t know what to look for!

There are a few telltale signs that can make club promoters easy to spot:

A club promoter is often the only guy at a table full of ladies.
Club promoters typically do not adhere to dress codes and wear stereotypical all-black clubbing outfits.
A club promoter is often the only one preparing and serving drinks to guests they are hosting at a VIP table.

For example, in the image below, you can see a VIP section where I hosted a promotional ladies night with free bottle service at a popular rooftop club in Manhattan, and I stand out as a club promoter:

Once you have located someone who fits the description of a club promoter, you need the confidence to introduce yourself to a perfect stranger and the charm to make an instant connection without coming off like a weirdo looking for handouts. But, if your style and clubbing outfit are on point, then you just might end up partying and popping bottles in that VIP section!

Search for Club Promoter Websites

As an alternative to the direct offline methods, you can also find club promoters in any city across the world using the internet. Some professional club promoters create brands, companies, and a website where they list their upcoming parties. So, you can simply fill out a form online to contact them!

Club promoter websites are ideal to find well-established promoter teams online. If you are a business owner, club promoter websites (e.g. Www.alwaysthevip.com) are the best places to find teams of professional club promoters to hire for your club or party. The next best alternative is by networking with other club owners who can recommend club promoters they have worked with.

Learn about The Best Club Promoter Team in NYC nightlife for over 15 years

Professional party promoters often have extended networks to party cities like NYC, Miami, Las Vegas, and more, which could save you time and effort in the future when trying to make new connections in new places.

To avoid confusion, it’s important to know that nightclubs often promote parties on their owned website, known as a “branded website.” Branded websites offer information from the source, but they will not connect you to club promoters for whom they must pay commissions.

For example, if you search online for “Paradise Club” in NYC, you may find their branded site and this popular club promoter website, “Always The VIP.” This team offers detailed party listings with insider tips, exclusive bottle service packages and disounts, and VIP concierges for top trending clubs like LAVO, PHD Rooftop Lounge, Nebula, Hotel Chantelle, Marquee, and more.

To illustrate, here is a step-by-step instructional video showing how to find a club promoter using Google Search engine on your mobile phone in 13 seconds!

Search Social Media Platforms

Another convenient way to find club promoters in any city is by searching for them on social media platforms. Any club promoter that takes their job seriously should have a presence with public profiles on popular social media platforms to connect with potential guests.

You may find a few club promoters among pages and groups on Facebook or in communities on Meetup – but the options are often limited and of low quality. Currently, the best app to find and meet club promoters on is Instagram, where they are easily searchable and abundant. Here you can find many leading club promoters like Always The VIP.

For example, you can find club promoters in NYC on Instagram in 3 steps:

First, start a keyword search using terms related to club promoters and parties in your target area using the following formats:

“target city” + “club promoter”
“target city” + “clubs”
“target city” + “nightlife”

By experimenting with different queries, you will eventually find posts from local club promoters in NYC or any target city:

NYC Club Promoter (5,000+ posts)
NYC clubs (104k posts)
NYC nightlife (1M posts)

These keywords will yield search results in multiple content categories, including trending recent posts, user accounts, audio you can use in reels, and hashtags you can follow.

The second step is to examine the search results for promotional party flyers, clubbing pictures, videos of parties, and other user-generated content in posts from or including club promoters:

Finally, when you have identified the club promoters, you can visit their profiles and scroll through their Instagram feeds. This will reveal the quality of their parties, the types of crowds they cater to, and any perks they may offer. This portfolio is the unique benefit of social media searches; you can research club promoters before reaching out to them:

Example of A Top Club Promoter in NYC Profile On Instagram

Once you have found a club promoter that intrigues you, just send a direct message to connect. Chances are they will be very receptive!

Analyzing An Instagram Influencer profile

There are many amateur club promoters out there. And, as you analyze Instagram profiles, it becomes very easy to distinguish professional club promoters from amateurs. One big red flag is when you find feeds with limited information and activity.

The best Instagram influencer pages make who they are and what they do clear and compelling. Great club promoters will make the effort to show that they are well-connected and active in the nightlife industry.

For example, on my Instagram influencer profile @NezAlpha, you can see my credentials, a link to my popular lifestyle blog, lists of current parties in my Stories Highlights, pictures and videos from my parties in my feed, and fun Reels with party clips pinned to the top.

And, if you follow my profile, you would also see promotions with free VIP guest lists, bottle service specials, ladies’ VIP sections, and even secret alcohol brand activations with free drinks in my Stories!

When analyzing a club promoter’s social media profile, you can also gauge their popularity from their follower count and user engagement on their posts. But, perhaps most importantly, you can get a sense of the person they are and the energy you can expect them bring to enhance your guys’ or girls’ night out.

Browse Event Directory Websites

Another convenient method for finding club promoters in virtually any city is on event directory websites or apps (also known as event discovery or event ticketing sites). They are particularly helpful in major cities like NYC, Miami, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago.

Event directories offer searchable listings that typically include detailed descriptions, ticket options, guest list registration options, and organizers’ contact information. Since party listings are normally for local clubs, the contact information will likely connect you to a club promoter!

Well-known event discovery platforms in the U.S. include Eventbrite, Meetup, and Facebook Events. But, different sites are popular in different cities and countries. So, it’s best to use the prominent one(s) based on your destination.

Although event directories make finding parties easy, finding great club promoters on them is hard. Inexperienced club promoters often post parties on multiple directories for easy ticket sales, not to connect with people – so, set your expectations appropriately.

Ask Friends Who Love To Club

Perhaps the best way to find a great club promoter and connect with them easily is by checking your network. Even if you have a small circle, ask any friend or colleague who loves to party (or used to) and they will likely know a club promoter they could connect you with.

This is the most reliable recommendation possible since it comes from a trusted source (your friend) who could also personally introduce you to them. So, you won’t have to worry about cold outreach to perfect strangers.

But, the best part of meeting a club promoter through mutual acquaintances is the preferred treatment that often comes with it! For example, every time my loyal or past guests have asked me to help a friend who is “visiting from out of town” or “looking for good parties,” I would roll out the red carpet and treat them with extra care.

Dirty Little Nightclub Industry Secrets

There are a few dirty little nightclub industry secrets that you should keep in mind when looking for club promoters:

First, nightclubs don’t always hire promoters. That decision depends on their business model, brand, and level of local competition. Some clubs have a marketing team that serves that function, with “in-house” promoters who invite a closed circle of guests and are not as motivated or approachable as outsourced club promoters tend to be.

Secondly, there are multiple types of promoters, each with different roles, skills, and goals. Although each could help in different ways, some won’t if it’s not in their best interest!

Learn about the different types of promoters in my popular article, “Everything To Know About Club Promoters.“

Lastly, many club promoters are not passionate about the entertainment business or care about making the club a fun experience – most do it as a short-term side gig or to hook up with girls, get free drinks, and make a quick buck if possible. So, don’t set your expectations too high, and choose wisely.

In summary, you can find club promoters at clubs, online, and through your network, and contact them via club staff members, the internet, or a friend. The main challenge is finding ones that will enhance your clubbing experience. And, by reading this comprehensive guide, you have already found one of the best!

So, feel free to connect with me on my influencer profile on Instagram @nezalpha, follow my promoter brand page @alwaysthevip, and contact me to join some of the best parties at top clubs and nightlife in New York City.

Cheers!

Sinisa Lazarevic: “Beautiful girls are the key to success”

Promoter Sinisa Lazarevic, known for such clubs as We Are Family Disco Hotel, “Dyagilev”, “Winter”, “Summer”, “Autumn” and many others, started new project. Together with the Ginza Project, he opens a restaurant-club with the eclectic name “R.I.Ts. Carlson”. On the eve of this event, Sinisa Lazarević gave a lecture for students of the specialization “Management in the music industry” RMA. The discussion during the lesson was about the development of club concepts, the principles of staff recruitment, attracting sponsors and other aspects of promotional activities.

About the target audience of clubs:

“The success of any club, its earnings (namely, it should be the main goal of any self-respecting promoter) directly depends on how clearly you imagine your target audience. “For whom are you going to work? “, “What do your guests want, what are their life values, consumer preferences, what can please them, and what, on the contrary, upset them?”. Correct answers to these questions will allow you to decide on the idea of the club, its concept, style, and finally understand , whose sponsorship you can count on (a club whose target audience is students should not even try to secure a partnership with Mercedes or, say, BMW, just like in clubs focused on accomplished (and wealthy) gentlemen, it is absolutely pointless to advertise cigarettes like L&M.

The worst mistake that can be made when determining the target audience is to open a “club for everyone”. In nature, such clubs do not live. “Club for everyone” is the same as “club for nobody”. And vice versa: the more clearly formulated the signs by which you define your target audience, the greater the chance of getting into the top ten.

As for me personally, I decided on my target audience 20 years ago, since then my colleagues and I have never changed it. In short, we are focused on rich people, people who are able to determine public opinion and influence it. Accordingly, beauty, luxury and comfort have always been and remain the defining elements of our style. Here, however, it is worth making a reservation: by beauty, I do not mean at all some breathtaking interiors, in the same “Diaghilev” they were, although pretentious, but absolutely sham. When I talk about beauty, I first of all mean the presence of a large number of beautiful girls in the club.

There will be beautiful girls in the club, there will be rich, influential men. There will be Rolls-Royces and Bentleys at the entrance. What are Rolls-Royces and Bentleys? This is your free advertisement. These cars at your entrance literally shout: “It’s fashionable to go here, it’s prestigious to go here, the best people of Moscow gather here!” And now the rumor has already gone, the “word of mouth” has begun to work. With such advertising, believe me, no television commercials and billboards can compare!

However, back to beauty. According to my calculations, half a million girls aged 18 to 23 now live in Moscow. Well, even if half of them are not beauties. But the remaining 250,000 are waiting for our invitations. The scope of work is huge. Institutes, universities, academies – our promoters are constantly there for the sole purpose of meeting new girls, making friends with them and inviting them to our parties. Remember, beautiful girls are the key to success!”.

How to keep guests in the club:

“I repeat, the main task of the club promoter is to earn money. It follows by itself that the more guests there are in the club, the longer they stay at the party, the more money they will leave

A good party should develop progressively. A good party, like a good literary work , there should be elements such as the prologue and opening that prepare the guest for the climax, followed by the denouement and epilogue. club Dima Bilan.And you – took and staged his concert at the very beginning of the evening.

What will happen in this case? Most likely, most of the guests will leave the club immediately after the concert, and this will only happen because you planned the script incorrectly, mixing up the plot and the climax. However, a special art lies precisely in keeping the guest in the institution after the climax.

In “Diaghilev” we used a lot of different methods and tricks for this. For example, at the New Year’s party, we repeated the ceremony of welcoming the New Year every two hours, replaying the chiming clock and the President’s address over and over again in the recording. At almost all of our events, a free breakfast was served for the remaining guests in the morning. And only after it began the distribution of invitation cards for the next party.

Finally, it was in the early hours of the morning, after the departure of the VIP guests, that other visitors also received their five minutes of fame: for example, we congratulated those who celebrated their birthday on this event from the stage. And, you know, they were happy: “Well, we were announced in such a club!”

A few more tips for working with guests directly during the party. In no case should guests be “mixed”. When arranging seating arrangements, you must ensure that bankers and oligarchs side by side with their own kind, and access to the VIP seats of what is called simpler guests was completely excluded (of course, this is a one-sided rule: if a banker or oligarch suddenly wants to merge with the people on the dance floor, or invite a girl you like in your box, in no case should you interfere with him). I would also advise “zoning” the seating of guests depending on what drinks they ordered: those who drink vodka will most likely be more pleasant to coexist and communicate with lovers of this particular drink than with those who prefer champagne.

Now about the most important thing, about the atmosphere that you must create for your guests. It is you, and not the artists you invited, showmen, and so on and so forth. Believe my experience: within an hour and a half after the end of the party, none of the guests will remember which singers entertained them that night, and whether they were entertained at all. But how they were met, seated in their places, how and what they talked about, how, finally, they were served, they will remember for a very long time.

If they like the reception, if it seems sincere to them, they will want to come back to you again and again, if not – however, everything is clear here anyway … In this regard, one more piece of advice: the promoter must be able to find common ground , topics of conversation with each of the guests. At the same time, he must be aware that the guests in his institution are the main ones, more important than himself, at least the guests themselves like to think that way. Guests – whoever they are – oligarchs or middle managers – are not interested in talking with the promoter about himself, they are more interested in talking about themselves. Give them this opportunity, and you will benefit, including a purely commercial one.

But remember that trying to become a “mother” for one of your guests should not go too far. After all, they can communicate with their mother when they want, and with you – only when you yourself provide them with such an opportunity. The promoter cannot turn into someone’s “personal party-goer”, he works for all guests and must be good for each of them. 2-3 minutes of conversation with one, with another, with a third. The tone is friendly. Topics – the most common: houses, apartments, cars, tours, fashionable clothes. And in any case, nothing personal, nothing that “tearing the soul.” Otherwise, you turn from a promoter into a friend, but you are not a friend in the full sense of the word, you are “friends” with these people for money. This is work. And you don’t need any other relationship at work.

How do you know if you are meeting your guests’ expectations? What to do if, despite your best efforts, the guests leave the party long before it ends? The answer is simple: it is necessary for the promoters to discuss each past party in their own circle. In addition, understanding what you are doing wrong can come from interviewing waiters serving guests and having the opportunity to hear their conversations among themselves.

After analyzing the situation on the basis of these sources, you will only have to try to correct the existing shortcomings as soon as possible. That is, until the next party starts.”

About working with personnel:

“The profession of a club promoter takes a lot of effort and time. It is no coincidence that the vast majority of those involved in it do not have a family. This is not a mandatory requirement, it’s just that our occupation does not leave time for

If we talk about the principles of selecting a club team, the main thing is the principle “one for all and all for one”. It is unacceptable for any of them to feel like a “private shopkeeper.” It is impossible for a waiter to think only about tips and be polite and helpful only with those guests from whom he expects these tips, and on It is impossible for a cleaner in the toilet to demonstrate class hatred for guests with her whole appearance: they say, I am an honest worker, and you are fat thieves and insolent prostitutes. It is unforgivable if the promoter confuses work with leisure and, communicating with guests, gets drunk drunk in the morning.

Each such “blunder” will certainly not go unnoticed by one of the guests and can damage the reputation of the institution many times more than a devastating press review. Based on this, when selecting staff (now we are talking about waiters, bartenders, cleaners), we first of all look not at the experience of their previous work (we don’t favor experienced ones at all), but at the general mood, manners and everything what is called education. Education, I tell you, is a great thing in general. Here I have one familiar princess, an avid party girl. She lived in Italy and walked so widely that she eventually drank everything up, even her own house. Then she stopped, decided to return to normal life. And since she didn’t know how to do anything else but hang out, she organized a promotional group, started organizing parties and achieved great success in this field. So, this same princess told me: “You know, Sinisha, I work only with educated people. Because education is the only thing that cannot be drunk away.”

If we talk about the requirements that club promoters themselves must meet, then, in my opinion, creativity of thinking, communication skills and the ability to negotiate with people are very important. Let’s say if you’re planning a cowboy-style party, then the promoters must convince a certain number of guests in advance that they need to dress up as cowboys. It may not be easy to do this, but it is absolutely necessary, otherwise what kind of “cowboy style” will it be?

On the other hand, if you manage to negotiate with 20-30 people, then the rest of the invitees, having learned about this, most likely, will rush to look for the necessary costumes themselves. In general, members of a good promo group are not limited to developing party concepts in the most general form, relying on the performers in detail … They plan the party themselves, delve into every little detail, come up with everything from the invitation card design idea to the elements design of various club areas. And then they monitor the rigorous accuracy of translating their plans into reality. Only in this way can a club style be born, a certain zest inherent only to your institution, which will distinguish it from all the others, will appear.0009

About working with sponsors:

“All the parties that we have created and held in our clubs can be divided into three categories: events that are fully funded by institutions; events organized with the participation of sponsors; special events conceived under specific major sponsor and, accordingly, provided exclusively by his funds.However, even in the latter case, you should not be led by sponsors and blindly comply with all their requirements. 0009

It will be much better if you can offer them something of your own and convince them of the correctness of your concept of the upcoming party. Here, for example, sponsorship advertising: experience shows that the vast majority of sponsors working with club promoters, not possessing a sufficiently developed imagination, would be happy to simply cover up all the spaces available in the club with their logos.

Meanwhile, such a trivial, hackneyed approach is not beneficial to anyone: not to you, because in this case, the held party in the eyes and minds of the vast majority of guests will be associated primarily with its sponsors and only lastly with the club. Not for sponsors: because the people are tired of the endless wave of frontal advertising and perceive it much worse than the one that is served in a different, less intrusive manner.

Here are two examples. One of Diaghilev’s sponsors was the Russian Standard vodka brand. Hosting their parties, we have never limited ourselves to placing direct advertising on banners, lightboxes, etc. One of our finds in this sense was the placement of the Russian Standard logo on gilded cushions, laid out in large quantities in the guest boxes. The same applies to a party sponsored by one of the largest champagne companies. Here, direct advertising was replaced by a solemn removal of ice buckets with this drink into the hall, accompanied by fireworks and fanfares – this ceremony was repeated more than ten times in one night.

A few words about how to write a sponsorship proposal. First of all, it should not be too long. One page, no one will read anything further anyway. The second moment: the appeal to the sponsor should be personal, that is, it should begin with a greeting to the person on whom the decision of the issue depends. Thus, you will demonstrate respect for your potential partner and the seriousness of your own intentions. Third: never send a sponsorship offer by mail, such documents should only be passed from hand to hand. Fourth: the creative employees who develop the concept of the party must certainly coordinate it with the commercial director of the club. After all, it is he who will have to draw up a sponsorship offer, and if you cannot convince him of the correctness of your concept, then how can he convince the sponsor of it?

Finally, the last thing to keep in mind: if you are opening your first club, then sponsorship contracts for organizing parties, at least the largest and most significant ones, you need to conclude even before the project is launched. Sponsors themselves will certainly not come to you. In general, offers from their side will begin to arrive not earlier than you are well recognized in the market. To do this, you need to gain a reputation as a successful promoter who has managed to implement at least two or three interesting club projects. “

Nikolai KISELEV

P.S. We remind you that you can also follow the news of the specialization “Management in the music industry” on Facebook and Twitter. Join now!

Legendary Moscow establishments of the 90s and 2000s

Continuation of the story from

Media news2

Archive rb. ru

July 17, 2015

Archive rb.ru

July 17, 2015

Ekaterina

In the 2000s it was fashionable to have breakfast at the Gallery or Vanilla, dance at the Diaghilev or INFINITI and in many other establishments that are no longer even on the map of Moscow.

Catherine

In the 2000s, it was fashionable to have breakfast at the Gallery or Vanilla, dance at the Diaghilev or INFINITI, and in many other establishments that are no longer even on the map of Moscow. During the evening in “Paradise”, “Dyagilev” and other similar places, the budgets of small regions were burned. The owners were beaten, the establishments lost their popularity, but they, like Phoenix birds, rose from the ashes and new clubs were opened in the same places – often by the same people. The end of an era was a fire in 2008 in the Diaghilev club.

Photo: Soho Rooms

“ Paradise ”

Photo: RIA Novosti. Celebration of Halloween in the night club “Rai”. 10/31/2010

Founder – Andreas Lobzhanidze.

In 2007 the “Red October” club opened the “Ray” club, which became one of the brightest manifestations of the era of “Putin’s glamor”. It was possible to rent lodges in Paradise, and promoters rounded up people who could afford entry in their best years all over Moscow. At the best of times, “Paradise” was a real club Disneyland and was bursting at the seams from acrobats and gilding.

It was said that “Ray” was going to be closed almost six months after the opening (a residential quarter was supposed to be built on “Krasny Oktyabr”), but in the end it lasted more than five years.