How can I describe the marketing plan, or absence of such, by places who are having their adult-themed costume contests this weekend. Saved by Zero? If you are working for the weekend, it will be mostly a kids night out and that can be OK too, as those are mainly the ones that advertise, even if only flyers on most every wall around town. More of that in a bit, and I do have a bee in my (suitably ugly) bonnet. And I do hope I’m not being too harsh in my analysis. But if Facebook is your only stock and trade …
Here is some good news!
There are others, and I will name them, who have stepped up to the plate and actually done the legwork to get the word out about there cool offerings, not just leaving it to chance. And not be weak in the knees about it. As was recommended by their peers up and down the main drag. So they show us the way, shining like White Knights on this Hallowed Day and Eve.
Take that example, The Bees Knees boutique in downtown Hudson. In addition to offering cool Halloween gear — I personally love the Halloween twist of treatment they gave to a non-needled Christmas Tree loaded with spooky decorations as this becomes a place for all seasons — they will on Monday give a clever 31 percent off any one item when donating a toothbrush and toothpaste for Operation Help … sweet treat samples and giveaways all day … bring in your dressed-up trick or treaters for a special treat. They describe their venue as a special place with just a bit of sass and it shows. And their mainstays will be dressed on a secret theme, with paw prints as a hint. And for those adults, at nightclubs in the immediate area, there will still be some semblance of fare for those over 21, even though its a Monday.
But beforehand …
Dick’s Liquor in New Richmond has free wine tasting on Friday, Oct. 28, from 4-7, p.m. of course for you vampires, but well before the witching hour. Three wines are offered, one partially and fittingly named Gnarled Head. And a friend who I think I could refer to as a hipster, has a secret surprise get-up for those coming into her abode to get libations. She had thought being Sully, and Scully, and Mulder from the X-Files — truly spooky — but has usually found it hard to get another better half. So here’s a hint: She describes her look, aided by a friend from The Continent, as a combo of American slob, in a good way, and European chic.
Then to the Hudson Public Library, which has close to 13 different types of Halloween events going on that are mostly ongoing, most involving book reading and nerd science, but also the typical pumpkin and costume party in the nearby park on Saturday — and you gotta love that on the table hawking these activities, there is some green pudding-like goo to stick your hands into, with even speckles of slightly different tones spiked into it. (But scary costumes discouraged, as the night approaches the day? OK I guess we can be cool with that). And the usual slate of Chamber sponsored Halloween parties is also on the day itself for New Richmond and River Falls, but — boo! — early on the 27th in Hudson, on a single street named Locust, where if you had the best carved pumpkin you would also merit a glowing string of plastic light. Or more than one? All these activities are on kid-friendly, boutique-shopping-style hours. As are things like the again, Halloween evening of, Rotary Club costume parade in Hudson and its typically hundreds of minions.
And thus for some of the rest, the New Richmond Rotary teams up with the local Kiwanis for a haunted trail drive-through. Scary (Mary) Park option. Like a Cross-Eyed Mary by Jethro Tull for all those classic rock parents? Let’s make this first-time thing an annual event.
— As is and has been two of the top value parties of Saturday. As far as cash and dueling deejays, not their ads. So far off-the-brow-beaten-track I put them under Uncategorized, as not to be further scattered around. —
And as always, for more info on any of these various offerings, see their Facebook entries. Put’s a new face on things?!? Maybe.
But why do I be coy? Read below.
As for some of the holiday’s rest, (or rust in peace this season?), how many times have we not heard it at a nightclub: Oh we do all our own social media marketing, thank you. All their eggs in one basket, to reference another holiday.
Translation: Having someone like a yahoo regular maybe, or maybe not, throw something up on Facebook and hope for the best.
This could be called the new cronyism, (no longer just political), done for only one reason and’s this — its basically free.
Cronyism is the practice, speaking for this particular purpose, of delineating assignments due to knowing someone personally, not taking into account any type of real qualifications. Networking gone amuck, in the worst way.
It’s marginalizing your marketing so it does not reach the masses — at worst times having it delegated to one of those same guys who sits at your bar every night, or at least some such person working behind the bar, and in some cases not even being to pass all of a moderate-level grammar or spelling test.
So this is an inside club inside an inside club.
After a beer or two see what you can compose, not having the writing done by a professional journalist. And the results show. Big time. And yes, they may have a (high-priced) pro marketing team, or go through with the idea that likewise, the bands should bring in their own entourage, cart blanche.
But Facebook? A few of the problems with this approach: (1) The content is not crafted by a skilled writer and “woo hoo the band is awesome” just doesn’t cut it in a non-caveman world, and many times does not even say what kind of music a band plays. (2) The only people seeing and reading the posts are those who are the same old hangers-on anyway and so the ad does not even reach hardly anyone new, who wouldn’t see it unless they are always there anyway, and therefore are some of the only tuning in. (3) In a good percentage of the cases, by the time the information finally gets posted, its too late for people to make plans anyway. (4) Often what is posted is simply a hard-to-read screen shot of that same poster that is — up again the wall in the bar. Only seen by those who step inside …
So the only ones at your bar for your big Halloween event are those who are there so often it would be hard for them not to know. Having people who are not regulars showing up? Forget it. And that dream of having a party bus come in from the Twin Cities. It will forever be just a dream. And want to bring in a whole new crowd. Psst, hey buddy, can you spare a Benjamin? Or even less?
So as club owners get cheaper and cheaper with their ad money, ask them for a ten-spot and they choke on their beer, the comprehensiveness of a report such as this one, which costs about a penny for interested viewer, on Halloween to-dos can lag.
If you are not on Facebook …
Then you won’t know what’s to be had from The Bungalow, to Bobcat’s, to Bobtown, to the Badger, to Broz, to the bowling alleys … your option is to stay home and help geeky kids stumble to the door and stuff their faces full of chocolate.
Actual example. Quite some time back at the Village Inn in North Hudson, I was having a beer and at the other end of the bar was the owner, Leigh, who again was how can I say this … sloppy. He was lamenting how often his bands simply tank, and I told him that he needs to advertise, so people will even know that music is to be had there. (This was before he put up his admittedly cool, and very expensive neon sign, that will only be seen by those driving past on Hwy. 35). His response to me? So you think your website is an answer, and I said basically yes, as a small part of an overall planned strategy that is not dreamt up what, the night before the haunting starts? But he continued, The Jorgenson band gets results. Uhm, because they can present a persuasive argument, much less compose a sentence? For that fancy sign, I could probably give Leigh a hundred three-paragraph ads.
So if a sign only says, “live music.” That could be reggae or rock, folk or funk, blues or country, disco or death metal? People won’t know so they will just keep on driving.
So diversify your getting the word out, my friends! And there are plenty of avenues for such even on this side of the river. Yes, this onslaught of ad hopefuls can be overwhelming for a club owner, but it is in fitting with this season, your blessing and your curse. Make it the former.