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Dear John

Any tips on starting my own not-for-profit club?

First published 8th June 2006

Question:
I want to start my own club as a way to build up my stage experience. I am not aiming to make a fortune but I don't want to end up broke either. Do you have any tips on what I should do - and what not to do?

Answer:
I think that anything you can do to get out of 'waiting for the phone to ring' mode is to be encouraged. I normally hear two kinds of lament on this theme from performers who are just beginning - as well as some established ones - all the time. It is usually either the 'big city' version, where existing venues and open mic spots are booked up for months in advance or, for those based somewhere more remote, the problem of not actually having a regular club at which to learn the ropes.

Given that your goal is to actually increase your stage time, though, I think it is well worth hearing from two people who have been down this road before, in the worlds of both music and comedy.

Hopefully applying some of their tips beforehand will mean that you can get the club running smoothly enough so that you actually get time to perform in it as well as dealing with the inevitable logistical and organisational challenges.

What the experts say:

Jack Jaffe

Jack Jaffe is a singer, writer and composer who has performed his own productions at the Edinburgh festival for five years, winning an award in 2003 for the Lives, Loves and Music of Sinatra and Garland. He is also the founder/organiser of the Singers' Club, which is now in its seventh year and the only weekly open mic for singers of jazz and standards in London.

Creating a club for singers requires persistence and a long-term, not for profit view.

My motivation was to create a regular opportunity for people to sing jazz standards in a pleasant ambience, with excellent musical accompaniment.

The first requirement was to find a weekly venue which would be a) not too costly and b) attractive. Initially, I erred in favour of b) and we began in Ronnie Scott's upstairs room. It certainly attracted singers but it was far too expensive and we moved away after five months to a convenient central pub. In London, a central location is a must.

From the outset I put in place a structure which was seen to be fair. Members can sing two songs and visitors one. Each week a different member - rather than me every time - presents the programme and does not pay the admission fee or can sing four songs. Neither the admission (£6) nor the membership charge (£3 per calendar month or £25 a year) is excessive. The money raised is used to pay the excellent pianists on my rota and to help promote the club.

Promotion is difficult and since we can't afford to advertise, we have to make use of free listings and, of course, the internet. Word of mouth is the most potent promotion but it takes time. Regularity is essential - people know that we meet every Monday evening come rain or shine.

Every weekend I email my free Words & Music newsletter to the 400 plus on my mailing list. I take care also to respond promptly to newsletter feedback and/or telephone enquiries. And the club website has been running for three years at www.singersclub.org.uk

Veronica McKenzie

Veronica McKenzie has written for BBC TV and radio, and Channel 4, and worked as a storyliner on Coronation Street as well as performing on the comedy circuit. In addition to her own work she has run a variety of events ranging from regular comedy clubs to workshops and seminars for writers, performers and film-makers.

The first thing to do when starting a club is to identify all the people with key skills that will help you.

Ideally you'll need people skills, financial ability and a marketing person you can call on. It is also very important to look closely at a number of venues before deciding.

Ask yourself, is the venue well known and liked already? Does it already draw a crowd or are you expected to bring in new people? What kind of local reputation has the venue got?

When we ran a comedy club in west London, many locals didn't go into this venue as they considered it too snooty, so it was difficult to break down that perception.

Do you have enough contacts so that you can book fairly well known comics? If it's going to be mainly open mic spots, what incentives can you offer customers such as a happy hour or music afterwards?

You'll probably get a midweek night when custom is traditionally lower - be sure to know what your competition is and have a marketing plan that will get your club's name out there. It can pay to book a well known comic and use their name to promote the club until business picks up.

Ensure that you have enough time and expenses to cover the cost of phone calls, flyers, etc. Be sure to stay passionate and get regular feedback. Good luck!

John sums up

I think both our advisors have made it clear that sound business planning is essential even if profit is not the primary motivation for the club. I think Jack's point about regularity is important too - you don't build an audience overnight. With that in mind, it is a good idea to be sensible about how ambitious you intend to be at the beginning. A small club in an upstairs room can develop into something bigger if the original small gigs are a pleasure for the audience and the acts. I've often seen Veronica's point borne out when 'big name' acts return to play their favourite smaller venues simply because they enjoy being there.

* Jack Jaffe is appearing with Shelly Goldstein in 20th Century Legends - the Lives, Loves and Music of Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland every Sunday at 8.30pm at the Bath House, 96 Dean Street London W1 while the Singers' Club runs every Monday, except bank holidays, at the Spread Eagle, 7 Woodstock Street, London W1C from 8pm.

* Veronica McKenzie currently works on a one to one basis with writers who want to develop scripts for TV and film. She can be reached on ronkenzie@gmail.com

* Feedback/queries are welcome to dearjohn@thestage.co.uk

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