the hit men legendary performers with frankie valli, carole king

THE HIT MEN: Legendary Performers with Frankie Valli, Carole King, Cat Stevens & more!

Marketing Handbook….Guidelines for a Successful Show

Dear Presenter: This manual is designed to help presenters of THE HIT MEN: Legendary Performers with Frankie Valli, Carole King, Cat Stevens & more understand the most e ve ways to market show(s) booked with THE HIT MEN. These are guidelines that have worked well for the band during the past few years as this legacy rock and roll show con nues to bring Baby Boomers into venues in droves from coast to coast. While each market has its own unique nuances that Presenters must tap into to cket buyers in their area, there are some tried and true concepts and t s that you should be aware of as you plan your marke ng and promo n campaign for THE HIT MEN. About THE HIT MEN: THE HIT MEN are real rock and roll Legacy performers – not the actors from the Broadway shows, but the former stars of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons – who toured the world with Frankie back in the day and are now on their wildly successful Reunion Tour across the US. Members of THE HIT MEN were also performing and recording a with Tommy James and the Shondells, Carly Simon, Cat Stevens, Jim Croce, Elton John and other mega-star acts of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. In their mul -media experience show, THE HIT MEN perform their great Four Seasons hits and many more #1 songs they helped make famous, and share with the audience great back stories from their days on the road and in the studio with Frankie, Tommy, Carly, Cat, Jim and Elton. The perfect show for Baby Boomers! www.thehitmenlive.com The Target Demo: THE HIT MEN are the #1 Baby Boomer show in the country. In planning your adv ng media, look at a target range of 50 – 65 years of age, although we do have younger ket buyers who love the music of Jersey Boys and lots of “seniors” age 65 – 75 in the audience. Baby Boomers typically make their cket-buying decisions late in the process. Unless you are with a venue that has a subscrip on series or you are in a market where your local public television liate has agreed to run The Hit Men’s TV special as a pledge drive program, be aware that on average, THE HIT

MEN will sell the majority of their ckets in the last 2 or 3 weeks leading up to the show. In fact, a lot of the ckets are sold the week prior to the show. (More about the public tv show opportunity later.) O�cial Billing for this Show: The Key Communication THE HIT MEN are a popular act all across the U.S. However, unless they have already played your market, chances are they will be r vely unknown to most of your ket buyers. That is why we insist that the billing for the show always be:

THE HIT MEN: Legendary Performers with Frankie Valli, Carole King, Cat Stevens & more! This immediately telegraphs who THE HIT MEN are. And the use of the phrase “Legendary Performers with….” makes all the di erence in consumers’ excitement about ge ng ets for this show. This al Ar billing should be used on all website ev ngs and landing pages, print headlines, brochure pages. Wherever the name THE HIT MEN appears for the rst me, it must always be immediately followed by the phrase “Legendary Performers with Frankie Valli, Carole King, Cat Stevens & more.” The ensuing Communica ons Hierarchy should be:

� The mega stars that THE HIT MEN played with: o Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Tommy James and the Shondells, Carly Simon, Cat

Stevens, Jim Croce, Elton John and other mega-star acts of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. � The names of the hit songs they either recorded or performed on tour…Song es such as:

o “Who Loves You”, “Oh What a Night”, “Dawn”, “Let’s Hang On”, “Sherry”, “Walk Like a Man”, “Can’t Take My Eyes O of You”, “My Eyes Adored You”, and other Four Seasons hits, plus the Shondells’ “I Think We’re Alone Now”, “Hanky Panky”, and “Mony Mony”; Jim Croce’s “Bad Bad Leroy Brown” and “Don’t Mess Around with Jim”; Carole King’s “The LocoMo on”; Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” and “You Belong to Me”; Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock” and “Saturday Night”, Cat Stevens’ “Peace Train”.

We cannot emphasize enough how important it is for you to communicate THE HIT MEN’s credentials and the major hit songs they were involved in producing and performing. Unlike other groups comprised of Jersey Boys cast members or Frankie Valli tribute bands, THE HIT MEN really were there…touring the country and recording the hit songs with Frankie and other mega-stars of the day. They have the back stories to prove it, and it’s their touring and recording history that makes their show so much be er and so much more auth than the tribute groups and Broadway cast shows. Marketing Materials for THE HIT MEN: Legendary Performers with Frankie Valli, Carole King, Cat Stevens & more You should only use the authorized marke ng materials to create your adv ng and promo on for THE HIT MEN. DO NOT troll YouTube for video links. DO NOT use images from Internet searches. You can obtain everything you need from a password-protected sec on on THE HIT MEN’S o cial website. There, you will nd the primary promo onal image and other high resolu on photos,

approved copy for your website, a link to their o cial YouTube video, customizable TV spots, radio scripts and audio beds, press release copy, sample print ads, Facebook adver sing recommenda ons, even Program Informa on for your Playbill. Please note: all of your creative communications MUST be approved in advance by THE HIT MEN’s marketing director, Fran Heller. Please send everything you create – in advance of any web posting, publication and broadcast – to fran@bicoastalproductions.com for approval. We promise quick turn-around time. To access the materials,

� Go to www.thehitmenlive.com � Click on the Marke ng & Promo naviga on bu on

� The case sensi ve password is: Buyers

For Your Venue’s Website Listing

� Be sure to feature the name of the event as THE HIT MEN: Legendary Performers with Frankie Valli, Carole King, Cat Stevens & more on any page where the event is listed on your website.

� Please use the approved website copy in the marke ng sec on of THE HIT MEN’s website as “body copy” on your webpage. Do not use copy other than the “approved copy”.

Use of Traditional Media Trad onal Media – Newspaper ads, Direct Mail, Radio, and TV – are s l the best way to reach THE HIT MEN’s Baby Boomer target audience. Direct Mail:

� Whether you use postcards, brochures, or self-mailers, please make sure that you prominently feature: THE HIT MEN: Legendary Performers with Frankie Valli, Carole King, Cat Stevens & more when you announce the group’s show.

� Use the “approved website copy” for direct mail purposes. Newspaper Ads:

� Baby Boomers like to read…and newspaper adv ing gives you an opportunity to use a “long copy approach” to tell the full story about THE HIT MEN, their legacy and their hits.

� There is a sample print ad in the marke ng sec on on THE HIT MEN’s website. Please refer to it as a great way to promote the show. If you are going to the expense of newspaper adv ng, use the medium for its ability to communicate a complete story…not just the name of the show, date/ me, and cke ng inform on.

� If you are buying newspaper adv ng, try to get the local paper to do a feature story about THE HIT MEN. Members of the group will only be too happy to ipate in interviews with reporters…and have a lot of great stories to tell about their history touring and recording with Frankie Valli, Tommy James, Carly Simon, Jim Croce and other mega-star acts of the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Local Radio:

� Use “oldies” sta ons to get the word out. There are audio beds and scripts for :30 and :60 spots in the marke ng sec on of THE HIT MEN’s website. We nd it best to have a popular local DJ record the spots for you.

� Since Radio is an impulse medium, and the majority of HIT MEN ets are sold 2 to 3 weeks out, we recommend that you wait un t least 3 weeks out to run your radio campaign promo ng their show. Frequency in a concentrated period of me is best.

� Added-value merchandising opportuni es with local radio include, but are not limited, to the following:

o Ticket giveaways can be used to leverage more coverage and promo on. o If you want to “sweeten” the ket giveaway, o er a “special VIP Meet & Greet” with

THE HIT MEN before their show as prizes for people who call into the sta on. No more than 25, please.

o THE HIT MEN have a number of CD albums that they s er their concerts for $20 each. We would be happy to provide a small quan ty that you could use as radio sta on giveaways.

� Radio phone-in interviews are a great way to promote the show. Most DJs are very excited about the opportunity to interview Legendary Performers with Frankie Valli, Carole King, Cat Stevens & more on the air…and THE HIT MEN do an excellent job of promo ng the show at your venue.

� If there is no “oldies” sta on in your market, we suggest that you go with a Classic Rock sta on. The other op on is an all-news sta on, as Baby Boomers usually tune into all-news sta ons for a quick catch up on the news of the day or to check tra d weather. Ad adjacencies around weather reports are always a good media buy…especially since we are adver ng Legendary Performers with Frankie Valli, Carole King, Cat Stevens & more.

� TV Adver ng:

� TV is l the best Medium to use to get the word out. � We have :30 and :60 pre-recorded spots in the marke ng sec on of THE HIT MEN’s website; the

back end of each spot can easily be customized for your venue, date, and ke ng informa on.

Use of Digital & Social Media

Email Blasts:

� Take advantage of all email lists you have access to when promo ng a HIT MEN show. � In add on to using your venue’s email list, contact your e ng service about having the show

featured in their emails to push the show from all possible email angles. � The subject line should be: “Legendary Performers with Frankie Valli, Carole King, Cat Stevens

& more – get tickets now for [Date]!

� We suggest you include either a demo video or the :60 TV spot in your eblast, so that consumers can see some live footage. The TV spot and the youtube link to the demo video are both available in the marke ng sec on of THE HIT MEN’s website.

Facebook and other Social Media

� Facebook has proven to be e ve way to hyper-target poten HIT MEN cket buyers by age, geographic loca on, and special interests/keywords such as “Golden Oldies music”, “Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons”, “Doo Wop”, “Jersey Boys”, “Rock and Roll Concerts”, “Tommy James & The Shondells”, “Carly Simon”, “Carole King”, “Cat Stevens” and similar music interests.

� For the marke ng of THE HIT MEN, use geotargeted Facebook ads and keywords, with a click-throughs to e her the cke ng page or other site landing page that contains show details. Your Facebook ad campaign should start approximately one month out from the concert date.

� Some theatres have created a “countdown calendar” with planned social media posts every day for the 2-3 week period prior to the show date. See the a ached example of a c ve countdown calendar that can be customized for your market on the last pages of this document.

Customized Video Clip Promo

� THE HIT MEN will be happy to customize a video clip about their show at your venue that you can push out over social media.

� Just give us the main ‘talking points’ you want them to men on in the video clip, and we’ll produce a fun promo piece just for you!

Other Local Ac va ons

� If there are a ve adult (55+) gated commun s in your market, everyone who lives there is a prospect for a HIT MEN show. Send a ‘group discount’ o er to the Ac v s Director of each community, with a promo onal poster, a package of yers or other marke ng inform on that they can distribute to residents of the community. O ncen ve (free cket) to the

es Director for ge ng the word out. � Senior Centers in your market also provide a wealth of ket buying prospects for a HIT MEN

show. Publicity and PR

� As we have men oned, THE HIT MEN are available for interviews with local newspapers, magazines, radio sta ons and even TV st ons. Most interviews can be conducted via phone. If THE HIT MEN can’t be in the market early enough to do a morning TV show appearance on the day of their show at your venue, you can work with us to schedule a TV interview via Skype.

� There are a couple of great PR story angles you can pitch to your local media:

o The Reunion Tour of the Real Jersey Boys is coming to our town! While we cannot adv se the name Jersey Boys in connec on with THE HIT MEN, a newspaper or TV/radio sta on can certainly have a reporter talk about them as the Real Jersey Boys,

since members of THE HIT MEN were with Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, and most of THE HIT MEN were born in or s ll live in New Jersey.

o Living the Dream: How a group of Baby Boomers came out from the shadows behind

Frankie Valli & other rock & roll legends and became stars in their own right….40 years later. When members of THE HIT MEN toured and recorded with Frankie Valli, Tommy James, Carly Simon and others, they were in their late teens and early tw . Now in their six es, they have become – in just a few short years – one of the most popular acts in the country, playing to huge crowds at major theatres, casinos, symphonies, corporate events, fairs & fe vals from coast to coast. Their reinven on in Act 2 of their lives is inspira onal to their Baby Boomer target and makes for a wonderful Lifestyle story.

Public Television Pledge Drive Tie-In THE HIT MEN are partnered with Short Girl Produ ons who will work with your local public television sta on to broadcast - as part of an upcoming membership (Pledge) drive - a one-hour fundraising program called THE HIT MEN: Live from Mohegan Sun a few months in advance of their scheduled performance at your venue. This promo onal opportunity works on several levels: it is a partnership that ben all - the public tv sta on raises the necessary funds to help con nue providing outstanding programming to your community, the ar st and venue gain tremendous community awareness, and the venue receives valuable promo on for the upcoming concert date. Indeed, each me the program is aired, it serves as a ninety-minute infomercial for your venue. And, for every person who picks up the phone to obtain the ckets through the television sta on, nine other viewers will go directly to the box o ce to obtain seats once the public on-sale begins. The value for this TV coverage is priceless. The cost for this promo on is a quan y of complimentary

ets and a number of discounted kets made available to the sta on prior to the public on-sale date. In support of this program, you are requested to o er the following in order to maximize the public television sta on ipa on:

� 50 complimentary ckets to be held in the 5-10 rows.

favorite songs. And The Hit Men will regale you with lots of great stories about what it was like on the road and in recording sessions. Relive the glory days of rock and roll with The Hit Men. You'll leave the theater saying "Oh, What a Night!" (Paste Ticket Link)

Hit Men Live clips - h ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hse4T-kFVmg

BOOST Post: $20 - Oldies, Jersey Boys,Frankie Valli, 4 Seasons, Tommy James, Shondells, Golden Oldies, 60s music, 70s music and Concerts

TW The guys who made and played the hits that made up the soundtrack of your life in the 60s, 70s and 80s perform in (City) on (Date)! image with details

Feb. 4 G+ One week un l The Hit Men! Hit Men Live clips - h ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hse4T-kFVmg

TW 1 week un l The Hit Men! Hit Men Live clips - h ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hse4T-kFVmg

Feb. 5 TW Meet @TheHitMenLive: Lee Shapiro was a member of Franki Valli & The Four Seasons and Tommy James & the Shondells performing and ac ng as the musical director and arranger on others including “Who Loves You.” - h ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8MNLUpJDZk

Feb. 6 TW Meet @TheHitMenLive: Singer, composer, arranger & producer Russ Velazquez has worked with S ng, Carole King, The Ramones, LL Cool J, Luther Vandross, Korn, Paula Abdul & Chicago. h p://www.strazcenter.org/Events/1415_Music/The_Hit_Men.aspx#&panel1-1

h p://www.strazcenter.org/Events/1415_Music/The_Hit_Men.aspx#&panel1-1

Feb. 7 TW Meet @TheHitMenLive: Jimmy Ryan was lead guitarist, vocalist & co-songwriter with The Cri ers and worked with Carly Simon, among others. "Don't Let The Rain Fall Down on Me" which Jimmy penned - h ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpxbYzTl04s

Feb. 8 TW Tonight at 8pm!

� Between 100-250 kets in rows 10-25 of the o hestra be made available to the sta on at a 15 - 20% dis ount. Your lo l sta on may request addi onal blo of ets subje to your approval.

� Publi on-sale date held un after the sta on has o ered the kets during the pledge drive. � Sp in the venue given to the sta on for t Meet & Greet opportun for a limited

number of patrons. In e nge, the sta on will air the fundraising-forma ed program.

� me it airs, during ea of the three pledge breaks, your venue and the on t date will be m oned repeatedly throughout the break both verbally and in on-s en graph

� In add on, the sta on will promote the kets and on in advan of the pledge drive to their viewers.

� All et holds that have not be lized a minimum of thirty (30) days in advan of the on rt date will be released to the box o e for publi sale.

A partnership of this type has proven to be essful throughout the publi television system and has helped pu ket sales while posi oning the venue as a supporter of and partner with the lo l publitelevision sta on, a valued and trusted lo resou . This is a win-win for all.

(See next page for a sample So l Media Countdown Campaign for THE HIT MEN that you n ustomize for your market.)

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO BRAINSTORM ADDITIONAL IDEAS, CONTACT:

F r a n H el l er Marke ng Dir tor for THE HIT MEN fran@b oastalprodu ons om o e: 212 268 6969 mobile: 917 686 3313

SAMPLE SOCIAL MEDIA “COUNTDOWN TO SHOW DATE CAMPAIGN” FOR THE HIT MEN:

THE HIT MEN

Final Stretch - Social Media Marke ng Plan (Template)

Example based on concert date of Feb. 11th

TW – Twitter; FB – Facebook; G+ - Google Plus

Jan. 17 TW When @TheHitMen come to (City) on (Date), you'll know every word in every song in this night of mega hits!

legacy video: h ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1S09fgC4IM

Jan. 18 FB When The Hit Men come to (City) on (Date), you'll know every word in every song in this night of mega hits – performed by the ar sts you heard on the original records, listened to on the radio, watched on TV and saw in concert.

Post legacy video: h ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1S09fgC4IM

Jan. 23 TW Experience the greatest hits of the 60s, 70s and 80s the way you st heard them….from the guys who made and played them all. (Paste Ticket Link)

G+ Experience the greatest hits of the 60s, 70s and 80s the way you st heard them….from the guys who made and played them all when The Hit Men come to (City) on (Date)! Post legacy video: h ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1S09fgC4IM

Jan. 28 FB You loved Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. Tommy James and the Shondells. Carly Simon. Cat Stevens. Elton John. Jim Croce. Come see The Hit Men, an amazing look back through rock ‘n’ roll history featuring former members of these mega-star acts performing your