On this page
- 01The timeline
- 02Step 1: Nail the concept and the announcement
- 03Step 2: Make your artists your promoters
- 04Step 3: Content that sells tickets
- 05Step 4: Work with creators from your scene
- 06Step 5: Ticket tiers and pricing
- 07Step 6: Paid ads, used well
- 08Step 7: The last week
- 09Step 8: After the night
- 10Build your team on Backstage.dj
Most club nights don't fail because of the line-up. They fail because nobody knew, or nobody felt they had to be there. Promotion is what turns a good line-up into a full room.
This playbook gives you a week-by-week plan for promoting a club night or rave, the content that actually sells tickets, how to get your artists and creators to push it, and what to do in the last seven days when it matters most.
Key takeaways
- Start 4 to 6 weeks out for a regular night, 8 to 12 for anything bigger.
- Your best ads are clips from your own past events. Film every night.
- Give artists ready-made assets so they actually share.
- Creators from your scene sell tickets because their followers trust them.
- The last week is where most tickets sell. Plan it like a campaign of its own.
The timeline
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 6 weeks out | Save the date, ticket link live, early bird tier |
| 5 weeks out | Line-up announcement, artist assets sent |
| 4 to 2 weeks out | Artist spotlights, mixes, past-event clips, creator posts |
| 2 weeks out | Tier change, timetable, venue and practical info |
| Last week | Daily stories, countdown, final tier, creator coverage |
| Day of | Doors, set times, last tickets, live stories |
| After | Aftermovie, photo album, thank-you post, next date |
Adjust the weeks to your scale. The order matters more than the exact dates.
Step 1: Nail the concept and the announcement
People don't buy a ticket for "a techno night on Saturday". They buy into a concept: the sound, the room, the crowd, the artists. Make it clear in one line, and make your announcement look like it belongs to that world.
A strong line-up announcement has:
- A clean visual with the artist names readable on a phone
- Square and vertical versions for feed, stories and reels
- Date, venue, city and ticket link, every time
- One clear reason to come: a debut in your city, a back to back, a closing set, a new room
Step 2: Make your artists your promoters
Your line-up has followers you don't. Use them.
Message to artists with promo assets
Hi [Name], Excited to have you at [Event name] on [date]! Here's everything to share it: - Announcement (square + vertical): [link] - Ticket link: [link] - Suggested posts: line-up announcement on [date], reminder story on [date], "see you tonight" story on the day - Tag: @[event] @[venue] If you'd like a custom clip or a different format, just tell us. Thanks for helping us fill the room! [Your name]
Step 3: Content that sells tickets
The content that works best for club nights is rarely polished advertising. It is proof that the night is worth it.
- Clips from your past events. The drop, the crowd, the lights. Film every edition, even small ones.
- Artist spotlights. One post per artist with a short clip of their mix or a past set.
- The venue. The sound system, the room, the details that make it special.
- Practical info. Timetable, transport, cloakroom, door policy. It answers questions before they become reasons not to come.
- Countdowns and tier updates. Honest scarcity works. Fake scarcity gets noticed.
Step 4: Work with creators from your scene
Content creators who go out to nights like yours can reach exactly the people you need, and their followers trust them more than an ad.
- Pick creators by audience, not size. A creator with followers in your city and your sound beats a big general account.
- Offer a clear deal: entry and VIP for stories, or a fee for reels and a vlog.
- Agree on deliverables, dates and usage rights in writing.
We wrote a full guide on how to work with influencers for your event, including a brief you can copy.
Step 5: Ticket tiers and pricing
Tiered pricing gives people a reason to buy early and gives you natural moments to post.
- Early bird: small, limited, announced with the save the date
- Tier 1 and tier 2: the bulk of your sales
- Door: the highest price, or no door sales at all if you expect to sell out
Only post "tier 1 almost gone" when it actually is. Your audience will notice if every tier is always "almost gone".
Step 6: Paid ads, used well
Paid ads work best when they push content that already performs organically. Take your best-performing reel or creator clip and put budget behind it, targeted at your city, the right age range and interests that match your sound. Start small, check which post sells tickets, then increase.
Step 7: The last week
Most club nights sell a big share of their tickets in the final days. Plan this week like a mini campaign:
- Daily stories with a countdown
- Timetable posted, artists share their set times
- Creator posts and stories scheduled through the week
- Final tier announced when it really changes
- A "last tickets" post the day before, if true
- Practical info: doors, transport, cloakroom, ID
- Day-of stories from the setup and soundcheck
Step 8: After the night
The promotion of your next event starts the morning after this one.
- Post a thank-you with photos and clips within 48 hours
- Share an aftermovie or highlight reel within a week
- Tag artists, creators, photographers and the venue so they repost
- Announce the next date while people are still talking about this one
Build your team on Backstage.dj
A full room needs more than a line-up. On Backstage.dj, promoters can find and book the whole team for a night in one place:
- DJs with full presskits, mixes and tech riders
- Photographers and videographers with portfolios, packages and delivery times
- Content creators with their audience numbers, past collabs and packages, including perks-only offers. Rates are visible to promoters only.
Send booking requests from their pages and keep every conversation in one inbox. Still building your line-up? Start with our guide on how to book a DJ.
Find DJs by genre
Frequently asked questions
When should I start promoting a club night?
For a regular club night, start four to six weeks before the date. For a bigger event or a new concept, start eight to twelve weeks ahead. The most important moments are the line-up announcement, each ticket tier change and the last week before the event.
What is the best way to promote a club night?
Short video from your own past events, clear line-up announcements, the artists sharing the event to their own followers, and creators from your scene covering the night. Paid ads help, but they work much better when they push content people already respond to organically.
How do I get the DJs to share my event?
Make it easy. Send each artist ready-made assets: a square and a vertical announcement with their name on it, the ticket link and suggested posting dates. Artists share more when they don't have to make anything themselves.
Should I use early bird tickets?
Tiered pricing (early bird, tier 1, tier 2, door) is standard because it rewards people who commit early and gives you natural moments to post 'tier 1 almost gone'. Keep tiers honest: only announce a tier change when it actually happens.
Is it worth paying influencers to promote an event?
It can be, if the creator's audience goes out to the kind of nights you run, in your city or region. Small creators deep in your scene often sell more tickets than big general accounts. Agree on deliverables, dates and usage rights in writing.
