Last Night's show
Last Night's show
Had fun last night at my new show. Numbers are getting better. But the dreaded C word came up. Yes, I said c (contest) word. It took me all of two minutes to convince the owner's son that it was a bad idea. Hopefully they will quickly forget the idea especially since I said that there was no way I would help fund a contest putting all the responsibility for the prize on the bar itself. I explained that while there would be an increase of singers and patrons during the contest, once the contest ends the crowd will disperse as fast as it showed up unless I give them a reason to stick around after the contest ends. Not to say I don't have the ability to keep people but that's a lot of pressure to place on someone, knowing it's the KJ that gets blamed for any drop in attendance or profits. Besides a great host does not need gimmicks like a contest to bring them in.
One of the bars I play in started a Name That Tune kinda thing. They are giving away $50 in coupons each night. They said they have planned their budget to keep giving away the $50. 
I told them it's like a junkie starting on Heroin, once they start giving the money away they will have to keep doing it or lose the crowd. Just like with karaoke contests.
A bar I used to do was taken over by a KJ I know. The bar down the street has had karaoke contests. The old bar owner knows the crowds were big for the contest and he suggested they do a contest.
Every night I drive past the bar that's doing the karaoke they constantly have a contest. The parking lot does look full. Now here comes the Catch 22. Once they stop having the contest the crowd will disappear. But at some point it may be worth giving away money because it brings in more profit. If the money given away helps to double the crowd nightly was it worth it to keep doing a perpetual contest?
They wouldn't care about building a regular crowd as long as the bar is filled with people spending money.
The KJ has to worry about a steady crowd of loyal people, not the bar owner. If the crowd is only loyal to the money prize. The money looks sweeter in economic hard times. Everyone is looking for a tax free payday. Easy work, singing for your supper. The bar owner can piss off everyone in town because there will be a bus load coming in from the next town.
The KJ could stand to lose any following they ever had from the perpetual contest way of thinking. The bar owner doesn't care about the KJs reputation or following. He is using the KJ for his own needs. The KJ has to decide if the perpetual contest will be worth doing. I would never do it unless the money was excellent. But then again what happens when you need to go out and build a karaoke crowd again from scratch. You just killed your loyal following. Was your reputation worth the money to you in the long run?
Let's put it this way. I'm never going to find out. I'll take my chances running my business, don't leave it up to a stupid bar owner. I think a perpetual contest will kill the KJs business long term.
I told them it's like a junkie starting on Heroin, once they start giving the money away they will have to keep doing it or lose the crowd. Just like with karaoke contests.
A bar I used to do was taken over by a KJ I know. The bar down the street has had karaoke contests. The old bar owner knows the crowds were big for the contest and he suggested they do a contest.
Every night I drive past the bar that's doing the karaoke they constantly have a contest. The parking lot does look full. Now here comes the Catch 22. Once they stop having the contest the crowd will disappear. But at some point it may be worth giving away money because it brings in more profit. If the money given away helps to double the crowd nightly was it worth it to keep doing a perpetual contest?
They wouldn't care about building a regular crowd as long as the bar is filled with people spending money.
The KJ has to worry about a steady crowd of loyal people, not the bar owner. If the crowd is only loyal to the money prize. The money looks sweeter in economic hard times. Everyone is looking for a tax free payday. Easy work, singing for your supper. The bar owner can piss off everyone in town because there will be a bus load coming in from the next town.
The KJ could stand to lose any following they ever had from the perpetual contest way of thinking. The bar owner doesn't care about the KJs reputation or following. He is using the KJ for his own needs. The KJ has to decide if the perpetual contest will be worth doing. I would never do it unless the money was excellent. But then again what happens when you need to go out and build a karaoke crowd again from scratch. You just killed your loyal following. Was your reputation worth the money to you in the long run?
Let's put it this way. I'm never going to find out. I'll take my chances running my business, don't leave it up to a stupid bar owner. I think a perpetual contest will kill the KJs business long term.
