The Backline blog
Practical guides for promoters, artists and booking agents: selling tickets, growing your audience, email, SMS and WhatsApp marketing, and keeping your fan data legal.
Selling tickets
- Co-promoting a show: share audiences without breaking data rulesCo-promoting a show? How to share audiences legally under UK GDPR and PECR: joint sign-up forms, ticket buyer data, sharing agreements and who can email whom.9 min read
- Door check-in: faster queues, fewer arguments, better dataDoor check-in best practice for gigs and club nights: staffing, scanning, ID checks, guestlists and problem tickets, plus how to use check-in data afterwards.7 min read
- Getting your customer data out of ticketing platformsHow to get your customer data out of ticketing platforms: what you can export, what consent covers, how to clean and import buyer lists, and mistakes to avoid.7 min read
- Guestlist management: run a guestlist without losing moneyGuestlist management for promoters: how to set limits, allocate places, set cut-offs and track who turns up, so free entry stops costing you ticket sales.7 min read
- How to get ticket buyers to come back to your next eventHow to get ticket buyers to come back: capture their details, follow up after the night, reward regulars with first access and track repeat attendance.7 min read
- How to sell out a club night: a 6-week plan for promotersHow to sell out a club night: a week-by-week 6-week plan covering presales, tiered pricing, street teams, email and SMS, and the final push before doors.8 min read
- Presale codes: how to run a presale that sells ticketsPresale codes explained: what they are, how to set one up, how long a presale should run, who to give access to, and the messages that turn it into sales.8 min read
- Street teams for events: recruit, track and reward themStreet team marketing for events: how to recruit reps, give each one a tracked referral link, set fair rewards and keep them selling right up to the night.7 min read
- The event marketing timeline: what to send and whenAn event marketing timeline for gigs and club nights: what to send before, during and after on-sale, by week, with the right channel for each message and day.7 min read
- Ticket sales are slow: 12 things to do in the final fortnightTicket sales slow with two weeks to go? 12 practical things promoters can do in the final fortnight, from messaging past attendees to group deals and texts.7 min read
- Waitlists for sold-out shows: turn "sold out" into future salesHow to run a waitlist for a sold-out show: capture demand, release returns fairly, avoid touts, and turn everyone who missed out into buyers for next time.7 min read
Email, SMS & WhatsApp
- 40 subject lines for gig and event emails (and why they work)40 subject lines for gig and event emails, from announcements and presales to final tickets and post-show follow-ups, with notes on why each one works and when.8 min read
- 5 automations every promoter should set upMarketing automation for events: the 5 automations every promoter should set up, from welcome emails to post-show follow-ups, with triggers, timing and tips.9 min read
- Email marketing for music promoters: the complete guideEmail marketing for music promoters: build a consented list, set up your domain, plan the emails that sell tickets, segment fans and measure what works.8 min read
- Email vs SMS vs WhatsApp for gigs: which to use whenEmail vs SMS vs WhatsApp for gigs: how each channel compares on cost, reach, speed and consent, and which to use at each stage of selling tickets to a show.8 min read
- Gig announcement emails: templates that sell ticketsGig announcement email templates for every stage: announcement, presale, on-sale, final tickets, know before you go and sold out, plus tips on what sells.8 min read
- How often should you email your fans?How often should you email your fans? Practical frequency guides for promoters and artists, warning signs you are sending too much, and how to send more safely.8 min read
- How to segment your fan list: city, genre, spend and attendanceHow to segment your fan list by city, genre, spend and attendance, so every email, text and WhatsApp reaches the fans most likely to buy a ticket.9 min read
- Sending texts from your own name: alphanumeric sender IDs in the UKAlphanumeric sender IDs in the UK: how to send texts from your own name, the 11-character rules, why people can't reply, opt-outs and choosing a good name.7 min read
- SMS marketing for events in the UK: rules, timing and costsSMS marketing for events in the UK: the PECR consent rules, soft opt-in, opt-outs, when to text, character limits and how to keep campaign costs down.8 min read
- WhatsApp for gigs and events: what's allowed and what worksWhatsApp marketing for events: the UK consent rules, Meta's opt-in and template policies, broadcast lists, Channels and the API, and messages that sell tickets.8 min read
- Why your emails land in spam: SPF, DKIM and DMARC explainedWhy your emails land in spam: SPF, DKIM and DMARC explained in plain English for musicians and promoters, plus the Google and Yahoo bulk sender rules from 2024.9 min read
Growing your audience
- Facebook and Instagram custom audiences for eventsHow promoters use Facebook and Instagram custom audiences to sell tickets: which lists to upload, lookalikes, exclusions and the UK GDPR points to get right.8 min read
- Fan sign-up forms that convert: at gigs, online and on InstagramFan sign-up form ideas that convert at gigs, online and on Instagram: which fields to ask for, consent wording, headline examples and where to put your forms.8 min read
- How to build a landing page for a gig or tourHow to build a landing page for a gig or tour that sells tickets and collects sign-ups: what to include, page states from presale to sold out, SEO and tracking.8 min read
- How to build an email list as a musicianHow to build an email list as a musician: where to collect sign-ups, what to offer fans, how to stay legal in the UK, and what to send once they have joined.8 min read
- Link in bio for musicians: what to put there and how to track itLink in bio for musicians: what to put there, how to order your links for releases and tours, and how to track clicks, sign-ups and ticket sales from each one.7 min read
- Pre-save campaigns: how they work and how to keep the fansHow pre-save campaigns work, what data you really get, and how to turn pre-savers into email fans you can reach on release day and for every show after.8 min read
- QR codes at gigs: how to get sign-ups from the crowdHow to use QR codes at gigs to collect fan sign-ups: sizing for screens and posters, where to place them, what to say from stage and how to track every scan.9 min read
- Turning Instagram comments and DMs into ticket salesHow promoters turn Instagram comments and DMs into ticket sales: keyword campaigns, DM reply templates, capturing consent and following up to sell.8 min read
- Why musicians need to own their audience (and how to start)Why musicians need to own their audience: what it means, why followers and streams aren't enough, and a 30-day plan to start building a fan list you control.8 min read
For artists
- A tour marketing plan for independent artistsA tour marketing plan for independent artists: routing around your fans, city-by-city emails, working with local promoters and rescuing slow-selling dates.8 min read
- How to find your superfans in your dataHow to find your superfans in your fan data using attendance, spend, engagement and referrals, with a simple scoring method and what to do next.7 min read
- How to make an EPK that bookers actually readHow to make an EPK (electronic press kit) that promoters and bookers actually read: what to include, what to leave out, the best format and how to send it.7 min read
- How to promote your first headline showA practical plan to promote your first headline show: choosing the room, pricing, a six-week timeline, using your fan list and filling the venue on the night.8 min read
- Release week email plan for independent artistsA release week email plan for independent artists: what to send before, on and after release day, with example subject lines and how to avoid annoying fans.8 min read
- The merch table: sell more and capture fan detailsHow to run a gig merch table that sells more and captures fan details: layout, pricing, card payments, bundles, QR sign-ups and getting consent right.8 min read
For agents
- Artist statements explained: commission, expenses and payoutsArtist statements explained for booking agents and artists: how commission, expenses and show settlements add up to a payout, with a worked example.8 min read
- Holds, offers and confirmations: a booking agent's guideHow holds, offers and confirmations work in live music booking: first and second holds, challenges, releases, what an offer needs and when a date is confirmed.7 min read
- Invoicing as a booking agent: deposits, balances and commissionA practical guide to invoicing as a booking agent in the UK: deposits, balances, commission, who invoices whom, payment terms and the VAT questions to check.9 min read
- Live performance contracts: the clauses that matterThe live performance contract clauses that matter most for UK gigs: fee and deal, deposits, cancellation, radius, rider, merch, recording and settlement.8 min read
- The advancing checklist: what to confirm before show dayA complete show advancing checklist for agents, tour managers and artists: timings, production, hospitality, travel, guestlist, merch and settlement to confirm.7 min read
- Tour routing basics for agents and DIY artistsTour routing basics for UK tours: anchor dates, drive times, weekend markets, radius clauses and days off. A step-by-step method for agents and DIY artists.7 min read
- What a booking agent's CRM should doWhat a booking agent CRM should actually do: roster, holds, offers, contracts, advancing, invoices and artist statements in one place. A practical checklist.8 min read
Data & compliance
- Consent for marketing texts and emails in the UK (PECR and the soft opt-in)When you can send marketing emails and texts in the UK: PECR consent rules, the soft opt-in explained, service messages, WhatsApp and keeping consent records.8 min read
- GDPR for promoters and artists: a plain-English guideGDPR for music promoters and artists in plain English: what counts as personal data, lawful bases, privacy notices, fans' rights, sharing and security.9 min read
- How long should you keep fan data?How long to keep fan data under UK GDPR: there's no fixed period, so here's how to set retention periods for mailing lists, guestlists and tax records.7 min read
- Unsubscribes and STOP replies: getting opt-outs rightHow to handle unsubscribes and STOP replies for email, SMS and WhatsApp: what the UK rules require, suppression lists, messy replies and stopping re-imports.7 min read
Guides
- Spreadsheet vs CRM for promoters: when to switchSpreadsheet vs CRM for promoters: what a spreadsheet does well, the signs you've outgrown it, and how to move your contacts and consent into a CRM safely.7 min read
- What is a music CRM? A plain-English definitionWhat is a music CRM? A plain-English definition, what it does for promoters, artists and agents, and how it differs from an email tool or a ticket platform.7 min read