Are you a small act wanting to make it big? The Edinburgh Fringe Festival was the original stomping ground for some of the UK’s biggest acts including Steve Coogan, Stephen Fry, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Rowan Atkinson to name just a few, and you too could have a Fringe Success Story.
If you’re wanting to make it big in the arts and culture scene, here are four ways to get started.
- Have a Strong Marketing Strategy
Whether you’re an established act, or just getting started, having a solid marketing strategy will take you a long way towards attracting audience members and committed followers.
You may want to go old school and create some leaflets and posters to distribute. These leaflets and posters should reflect your act and your identity as a performer. Using bold colours or an eye-catching theme will help you to establish a brand that will stick in your audience’s minds.
Alternatively, upping your social media game will enable you to have a greater presence online, and help to increase your reach too.
To do this, publishing posts regularly to publicise the dates and times of your gigs will boost awareness, and potentially gain you more followers. Platforms like Instagram will allow you to make collaborative posts that will feature on both accounts, and are likely to pick up greater traction than you posting alone.
You also might want to consider sharing exclusive content on your website with your followers to help build anticipation for your shows. With help from SEO experts like Maratopia, you can create an excitable atmosphere in the days, weeks and months before your show, whether that takes the form of sneak peeks of props, costumes, or an extract of a script, this can
- Prioritise Your Self Care
Creating a show and performing can be incredibly stress-inducing, and it can be easy to allow your self care to take a backseat whilst you’re preparing and rushing around.
However, by looking after yourself, you will increase your stamina for shows, and reduce the likelihood of burnout. Self care looks different to everyone, so finding solutions that work best for you will enable you to work more efficiently and to the best of your ability for longer.
Whether you opt for frequent facial treatments, exercise, or partaking in a hobby as part of your self care plan, this will undoubtedly boost your mood and help you to prioritise your wellbeing.
Exercise in particular can be one of the best self care activities. Not only does exercise with a gym like OneGym stimulate the release of endorphins, but it can help you to regulate your stress levels and keep fit at the same time!
If your show is particularly physical, keeping fit will allow you to continue performing on consecutive nights, and ensure that you can keep up with the tiring demands of the festival.
- Network with Other Performers
The Fringe Festival is about more than just putting on a show, it can be an ideal opportunity to market yourself as an act, and as an individual, so ensuring that you mix well with other performers can help to get your name out there.
The Fringe frequently holds events for performers, so make sure you sign up to them early to make the most of your experience. If you meet other professionals in the industry, having some business cards handy can be great for quickly distributing your details in a space efficient manner.
It’s also a good idea to try and network with the local and national press if you get the opportunity. Interviews can buy you valuable publicity. Aside from the press, many bloggers and influencers will be visiting Edinburgh during the Fringe Festival, so reaching out to these on social media or through their websites could also bag you some publicity.
- Be Prepared to Fail
Although it may sound negative, for many performers, the Fringe Festival is a fluid movement, and many will have attended to see specific acts. Others will wander around the city picking random events that appeal to them, and for this reason, some nights may be more popular than others.
Any experiences you have will form an important part of your preparation for the following year, so all feedback can be valuable to your evolution as a performer.
Do you have any tips for succeeding at the Fringe Festival? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
