Young comedians are eager to please comedy club owners and they know the importance of writing new material on a regular basis. However, this is only one element in the larger picture of comedy as a business and career. It is equally important to develop business skills and good marketing habits. Surprisingly "being the funniest" will not necessarily propel you to a headline spot. There is something much more important that will make you shine and get you booked often and for increasingly good pay.
Comedy Club owners are interested in headline comedians who fill their seats. Ultimately, that is what will keep the comedy club open and thriving. To recognize this is a new talent is invaluable. Building a mailing list and a successful social media campaign will connect you to friends, family and fans. If a club owner sees that you are motivated to bring patrons to his door, your value has increased tenfold.
Because comedians are prone to creativity, they generally focus on "funny." The reasoning is that "funny" brings rewards. "Funny" gets the emcees spot. "Funnier" gets the feature spot. "Funniest" gets the headliner spot. I have performed as a stand up comedian for over 20 years and I have seen some of the "funniest" never quite make it. The brilliant comedians can fall by the wayside, appreciated for their genius only by other admiring comedians. This occurs when business sense does not quite catch up to creative sense.
Last year, I booked a small comedy room and I experienced first-hand what comedy club owners see as "value" in a comedian. The comedy room was new and desperately needed patrons. I initially made efforts to create the funniest show possible. With a limited budget for advertising, I was reliant upon word of mouth and basic internet social media to get the word out in a very short amount of time. Ironically, the "funniest" no longer had the same value to me when I was on the other side of the booking fence.
The comedians who were most valuable to me were the ones making an all-around effort. They were contacting friends, making mentions on Facebook and Twitter and writing blogs. My most valuable act of the year was a new comedian who did a great guest set and invited thirty friends. He did his homework, created a buzz and got the laughs. The club had a great night and made me understand the true value of a working comedian.
