How to Promote a Poetry Reading

Poetry readings can take place anywhere-at bars, coffeehouses, colleges, concert venues or even in someone's garage. Regardless of the venue, promotion is a must for every poetry event. With the glut of entertainment and literary choices out there, any marketing tactic you can use to get more people in the seats to promote poetry is more than welcome.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Print up flyers and invitations to promote a poetry reading. Pin up the flyers at coffeehouse bulletin boards, or hand them out community centers, college hang-outs or bookstores. Send snail-mail invitations if your budget allows it. It's a nice, literary touch.

2. Email friends and readers who belong to mailing lists for the performing poets. Check out MySpace, Yahoo and Google for poetry groups and readers in your area and sent a short but informational email to them. If you're feeling creative, use Photoshop to make a virtual flyer or email post card.

3. Place a listing in your local alternative (i.e. Village Voice) newspaper for poetry reading. If your mainstream daily paper accepts poetry listings, send one there too. These listings are free.

4. Publicize your poets by booking them as podcast, cable access or radio show guests. These new media always need more material, and you need publicity for your reading, so it's a perfect match.

5. Use the old media newspaper or magazine interview as promotion if the article will appear in print shortly before the reading. Contact college and high school newspapers in addition to more mainstream publications.

6. Promote the reading on your blog or website and have the other poets do the same. Do this as soon as you book the event and mention it occasionally up to and including the day of the reading.