Responsibility 

The ultimate responsibility for promoting your engagement lies with the presenter (unless the engagement is a self-present or a percentage split). However, you have a vested interest in helping the presenter in any way you can.

Materials

The most important thing you can do is to provide the presenter with first-rate artwork. It is recommended that you provide on-line access to your promotional materials. It is common to have a password-protected section of your website for this purpose so that you do not find your quality photography or video in use in ways to which you did not intend it. Certain items like video files may be too large for easy download and will need to be shipped to the presenter in DVD format. You may wish to send a PR Materials Request Form [PDF] to the presenter along with the signed contract. 

Artwork:

In addition to a variety of high resolution photographs, you will want to have the artwork for your artist’s logo or show graphics available in various sizes and formats. You may also wish to have poster artwork or artwork for flyers (with a space they can personalize with their local information). 

Video/Audio:

Presenters also appreciate broadcast-quality video if you have it. Provide a  “b-roll” featuring two or three short (two- to three-minute), well edited segments for use by the local television station. Also, some presenters may want to have a promotional video, often called a “sizzle-reel,” 5-10 minutes in length that they can show to staff and board members to help them get aquainted with your show. They may also show this video in the lobby at performances taking place before you come to the community or other public spaces. 

Descriptive copy:

Be sure to also provide copy to describe your show/company in various lengths, from a single promotional line or two that would be suitable for a print ad, to a paragraph that would be suitable for a brochure. If available, provide a few positive review quotes of varying lengths and appropriately annotated with the name of the media outlet and the date published.

Press Materials:

Fill-in-the-blank press releases as well as other kinds of background information like artist biographies, history of the company, tour itinerary and favorable reviews from other communities are useful. In addition, a “backgrounder” article one or two pages long with an engaging description of your company covering style of performance, artistic highlights and/or information on the art form may be able to be useful for the local paper, for a newsletter prior to your visit or for additional onine content on your company.

For an example of an electronic press kit format: www.sonicbids.com.

Merchandise

If you have promotional items on hand (e.g., CDs for music artists, books for authors or souvenir t-shirts or caps) provide a few of them to the presenter as a good-will gesture. The presenters may use them as prizes in enter-to-win contests or to reward volunteers.

Media

Participate in telephone interviews with local journalists prior to your engagement. Make the presenter aware that advance notice may be needed to find a suitable time and that interviews should be scheduled as far in advance as possible. If you have an in-house publicist or have hired one for the tour, make sure that local media calls are coordinated in advance with the local presenter. And never solicit your own interviews without first consulting with the presenter. 

The presenter may arrange for interviews with local radio and print media prior to the performance and local television media may be invited to the afternoon rehearsal. Cooperate in these efforts as much as possible, even if the interview will be published or aired after you have left town. They are important for the visibility of the presenter.

Social Media:

Many presenters are also actively using social media. If you or artists in your company are able to contribute to their blog, facebook wall or tweet schedule, be sure to let them know.

It is good to promote your tour engagements on your website and/or in the social media channels you are using, with links to the presenters site and to purchasing tickets.  Be sure that the information you are posting has been approved by the presenter in advance: the last thing you want is to provide inaccurate information about the venue location or how to purchase tickets. 

Permissions:

You may request local photographers and videographers to sign a Photographer / Videographer Waiver Form [PDF]. This will ensure that photographs are used exclusively for local publicity and not for any other unauthorized commercial purposes.

Post-Performance Reception

The presenter may ask you and your artists to attend a post-performance reception with members of the audience. This opportunity to meet the artists adds a lot of excitement to the event for those who attended and can be an incentive for local sponsors. Whenever possible, notify the presenter well in advance that you will be attending this reception so that the event can be promoted and used to secure sponsorship. Remind your artists before they leave for the venue that they will need appropriate clothing for meeting the public. If you have a large company, it may be appropriate for only some of the cast to attend. Consider organizing attendance for half of the company on alternating nights throughout the tour.

Signings

If you are a music artist (and you have lots of energy) and your CDs are for sale in the lobby, you may ask the presenter if you can sign copies after the show. If the presenter agrees, tell the audience that you will be available after the performance. If you are not able to meet with the audience, consider taking time along the way to pre-autograph some lobby CD’s since they are going to sell more copies than ones that are not autographed.