(As Printed in the Quarter 4/2005 issue of The Belly Dancer Magazine)

Getting the Word Out
By:  Nizana

     An event sponsor recently lamented to me that they needed to know more about "getting the word out" about their events.

     Since I have sponsored events, I have some input on that subject, and told them I'd write an article for Zaina's magazine covering that very thing!

     There are many costly ways to advertise and get the word out. You can take out ads in newspapers and magazines, as well as on radio and TV. You could rent advertising space on the sides of buses, on bus stop benches, and billboards. I suppose you could even have an airplane trail a banner, or wear a sandwich board, or many other creative means of advertising.

     However, there are low cost ways to get the word out as well, such as making and hanging, or mailing out flyers or posters. There are many bulletin boards at grocery and music stores, community centers, colleges, libraries and other places. (Keep flyers and pushpins or tacks in your car to post when you see bulletin boards. You might want to check for notices or bulletin board posting rules.) You can also bring flyers to other entertainment or dance events where they welcome these to place at a table for such. You can ask dance instructors if they would mind you sending them a batch of flyers to hand out in class. Ask local businesses or sponsors to allow you to post or hand out flyers in their stores or offices.    

     There are also many free venues that you can use to get the word out too, that are very effective! There is always word of mouth, for starters. Talk to as many people (not just dancers) as you can, and ask that they spread the word. Post it on your dance site, as well as the sites of those who are performing in the show if they are agreeable to that. There are many belly dance event listings all over the web, including mine (home.att.net/~nizana/events) and Zaina's (http://www.zainahart.com). There are also many "Calendar Events" listings that are sponsored by city tourism or info sites, independent entertainment sites, and all-encompassing upcoming events lists hosted by individuals or organizations in an annual or monthly format. These can easily be searched on the web. Additionally, you can join on-line "groups," such as Zaina's Yahoo Belly Dance Group. This has event information on site, as well as group e-mailings for those who sign up.

     Then, there are these same types of listings in newspapers, local magazines, and community events listings on TV and cable channels. Almost all of the time, these formats are free to the community. These are ones to take advantage of, and you should send your event and contact information in as soon as you have set your event date. Many times, these listings repeat on a weekly or monthly basis, and the multiple exposure is good. You can also contact local newspaper and magazine writers to give them a "story of interest" to consider for their arts or entertainment pages.                

     As you can see, there are a myriad of ways of getting the word out. The more people who know about your event, the more people will attend your event. Advance notice is really important, and using a variety of ways to get the word out is most effective. Consider your budget, your timeframe, your geographical area, and your intended audience. Best of luck!!