Kurt, I appreciate your feedback. I'm not sure if you or the other forum members know, but my "day" job for over 25 years has been advertising and marketing. I'm a former agency creative director, as well as played key marketing roles at companies like America Online and Microsoft. There are lots of things I don't know in life, advertising is not one of them.
SwingcatKurt @ Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:42 am wrote:
I'd drop the "Wannabe Pop Stars"----Instead something to the effect "Our Professional Hosts always spotlight and make our customers sound great!!"
Sometimes it's necessary to say some provocative things to make a clear value statement and get the attention of your target audience. Everyone says they're "great". I'm sure even the "wannabe pop stars" think they're "great" hosts. My philosophy is I never want to upstage the patrons, nor do I have aspirations of being known for my singing. I have a sneaking suspicion that many bar owners not only dislike hosts who think their singing is "all that", but they actually have contempt for them. So by outright making the "wannabe" statement, the owner recognizes I'm not there for ME to have a singing showcase, but their CUSTOMERS.
SwingcatKurt @ Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:42 am wrote:
Change "HUGE" to "EXCELLENT"---owners equate HUGE to 100K
Kurt, realize that you are looking at this ad through a KJ/singer's eyes. You'd be surprised how many working KJs there are with a couple of SC Foundation sets and an SGB library totaling maybe 3,000-5,000 songs. With that as the baseline, 10,000 songs IS huge.
SwingcatKurt @ Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:42 am wrote:
The Post-it is VERY CLEVER! But change "BETTER" to "NEW"---doenst slam others
But why should owners make a change just to get a "new" host if that new host isn't "better"? Getting a better host is the biggest reason bar owners hire someone new! They are dissatisfied with their present one and want someone BETTER. I'm not slamming anyone by saying they are bad. I'm merely saying that I am *better*. (Remember that terms like "better" or "worse" are entirely subjective.)
SwingcatKurt @ Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:42 am wrote:
Get a different pic professionally shot---the lighting on yours is poor---your eyes have red eye, skin tone is not complementary, facial expression not most appealing---or drop the photo completly----REMEMBER---this is how the first look your new prospective client will get of you---plus its in the public forum of a MAGAZINE AD---in over 13,000 copies throughout WASH, Oregon, Vanc BC and parts of western Idaho.
Kurt, keep in mind on the website you are seeing a much larger hi-res version of what will be printed in the newspaper. I'm not a fashion model, I'm a real person. So I'm not worried about a tiny bit of red eye or skin tone variances. I don't imagine people would be hiring me for my looks - those owners are getting some cute little girly for $100 a night. I'm a big fat 6'6" 300# guy!
SwingcatKurt @ Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:42 am wrote:
Would possibly reconsider the neon sign also----the wording looks cluttered being that its a neon sign---or photoshop out the cluttery elements in the background of the image--that would clean up the image considerably.
The background elements are what makes it LOOK like a real neon sign, instead of some type Photoshopped OVER a real sign. Again, when you see it in the actual newspaper, it will be able half the resolution, and half the size but totally readable.
SwingcatKurt @ Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:42 am wrote:
Do you ACTUALLY USE the silver mic in your shows for the singers to use??? If not do not advertise it.
I do not use that mic in my shows, and wouldn't think that anyone except a host or singer would jump to the conclusiion that it's not just a prop for my logo pic, but something that is actually used in the show. Again, you are looking at this from a different perspective than a bar owner. They are not generally attuned to such details.
SwingcatKurt @ Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:42 am wrote:
My personal thing is not to SLAM other with ads. ALWAYS KEEP IT POSITIVE OR NEUTRAL and ABOVE ALL ELSE----PROFESSIONAL. Dont get a rep for slamming others publicly.
I appreciate your opinion. But I'll be honest. I don't give a flying flip what other hosts think of me. If they have a great show, are bringing in customers and making the register ring, why should they care? I *do* want owners to realize that not every karaoke show is the same. There are differences not only in the host's talent, but quality of sound, number of songs in the library, and the host's prowess at advertising and promotion in helping bring people to their bar.
Again, that's my goal. To come up with an ad that is so different and grabs their attention in such a way that they'll give me a call. It might well be I have no interest in their venue. As you know, there are hundreds of karaoke bars in Washington and Oregon and they're not all in big cities like Seattle or Portland. But I want the bar owner to make the first move, otherwise it's like hitting on a girl while she's with her boyfriend.
The newspaper will be out soon and it will become apparent if my phone rings off the hook, or rings at all. More to come!