How to create a comedy show that people will recommend to their friends

Because marketing is for suckers

But first perhaps this?

Why you shouldn't start a comedy show before you get good

I’m no marketing person but this seems so simple to me:

MAKE A SHOW YOU WOULD LOVE TO SEE!

MAKE A SHOW YOU WOULD LOVE TO PERFORM AT!

Don’t waste time brainstorming what you think other people like as if they’re some alien race you’re not a part of.

People always think of these things the wrong way around. They think: how can I stand out in an over-saturated scene? How will people notice my show? What is a hit idea nobody has thought of. THIS IS WRONG AND DIFFICULT! Create something you love, and put some effort in to it. Be consistent and patient. That’s all!

Create a show, create an experience, create a community. Create you, but as a show. Is this a correct use of italics?

What’s a kind of poster that would make you stop and say “That looks like something ***I*** would love”.

If you like old computer games, use these type of graphics. If you love sketch comedy then create a sketch show. if you’re a horse girl called Lindsey, create Lindsey's Horse-face galloping horse themed open-mic - NEIGH!

Lindsey, the open mic is about to start!

I get it, you’re probably trying to create a show in a very over-saturated market. You want to stand out from the other 97 open mics that are on Tuesday. Having branding is a good idea, having gimmicks is not. Gimmicks are pretentious ideas you have about “the market” and they might rope in a couple of curious idiots, but ultimately people will see it’s a desperate swing.

Anyway here are my tips:

1. Do your own artwork, or use an artist you like
   Your show should be an extension of yourself. So actually try and create your own artwork, even if it’s kind of bad! But OK if it’s very very bad and looks like murders happen there, you might want to ask a more talented friend to help you. Good branding doesn’t even have to have amazing graphic design. It just feels like someone gave a shit that made it which means they probably give a shit about their show.
   

   

   

   

   Please don’t use drama masks or those vintage microphones or brick walls.

2. Try and change your artwork every show(!) if not regularly
   You’ll be surprised how quickly the initial excitement about running your own show dies down, and it suddenly becomes an enormous burden. Before you know it you’ll be posting this same JPG you made 4 years ago to an unenthusiastic algorithm, and friends who have long since unfollowed you. Personally I loved making artwork for my show We Are Not Gemüsed, it was the highlight of my week! I’m no designer, but it was fun to come up with a new film/vegetable pun and try and put it together in Photoshop. Even if you don’t have an idea like that, at least change the artwork to say who’s going to be on, or change the photos or something. Make it modular in some way so people aren’t looking at the same damn thing. If you don’t care I promise you nobody else will.

3. Focus one idea
   Be realistic about what you can achieve past the honeymoon period. Having too many things happening in one show is not adding value, it’s confusing. If you’re creating an open-mic then focus on making it the cutest best damn open mic in town. It doesn’t need a roller rink and a puppet show and speed-dating DJs and apple bobbing.

   

   All I want is AI to illustrate my point, but all I get is nightmare fuel

4. Don’t do it alone
   It’s a lot of work so try and have a friend help you out. Maybe you’re a total control freak and have to do it by yourself, that's fine too. The best case scenario is that you can find someone that compliments your skill set. Maybe you’re not so hot on socials, but are happy to host. Perhaps you’re not so “front of house” so find someone that likes hosting and networking you and you can make all the horse memes. If you take on too much of the work, you might find the quality of the show suffers.

5. You need a good host, or at least one who is not actively bad
   It’s likely you started this show to get some hosting experience, and it can be daunting to host a show yourself if you don’t have any experience. How to host a show is a whole other article but here are some quick tips:

   1. Serve the show not yourself

   2. Take a genuine interest in your audience

   3. Don’t ask the audience questions if you don’t care about the answer

   4. Try to do as little material as possible

   5. Keep it brief

   6. Your failure is never the audiences fault, never turn on them

   7. Don’t do hacky audience participation bits “We’ll start the clapping at a 2 then go up to 10” make your own!

6. Find a cute venue you already have a relationship with
   A venue can make or break a show, so take your time picking one that works. As this show is hopefully a labour of love, it makes sense you would have it in a venue you already like. Look for interesting places like book shops, laundrettes, galleries. Not everything has to be in a bar, but it probably will be! If it is in a bar, try and make sure they have a separate room away from bar noise. Shushing people the whole damn time is no fun.

Tomorrow I’ll be posting an article about turning notes in to stand-up for my paid subscribers :-)