Ask a Nightclub Promoter anything

210 Questions

Last Answer on March 11, 2016

How is promoter compensation calculated? I have heard varying answers from the number of people brought in, a percentage of bottle sales, and even a percentage of bar sales.

Asked by kipnir almost 14 years ago

All are true. The lower-tiered clubs that depend on everyone paying cover will usually pay their promoters based on heads coming thru the door. Most promoters get a share of the bottle sales they bring in (usually 20%). And percentage of bar sales is pretty common, much more so in smaller clubs. Like everything in life, just depends on how much leverage and bargaining power the promoter has. But let's be honest, the real promoter compensation is lips, hips and fingertips.

1360 Votes

What's the craziest thing you've ever "accepted" in exchange for entry?

Asked by YMCA over 14 years ago

A drink from a girl... in all my time as a promoter it was the first and last time a girl has ever paid for anything.

1354 Votes

Im 16 & female (located in the UK), i want to be a nightclub promoter or a podium dancer part time when im 18. I love dancing, im lively, fun and fairly confident... im a very social person when im in that enviroment. How old do you have to be?

Asked by Sophie over 13 years ago

Stay in school

1354 Votes

Can you give a time schedule on what your average day is like

Asked by Anthony over 13 years ago

10am - introduce myself to the girl sleeping next to me Ha, I'm half joking Keep in mind, I'm currently retired from the nightlife business. My button-up shirt is matted and hanging from the rafters and my scarfs and rings are gathering dust in my closet. When you first start out you are just hustling. You spend all day on facebook trying to engage girls and get them out, you shop for clothes in your spare time so you can look cool and you think about your clever text that you are going to send. As you build a client base and more of a reputation, you spend more time hanging out during the day with your girls to keep those relationships strong (and most of them don't work regular jobs either so they are free and bored during the week) and going to meetings with the club management. Mostly though you have more free time... lots of promoters are actors or move into DJing eventually. Many are big video gamers. Another thing that changes over time is how late you sleep. The weekends spent up until closing time morph into late night eating and the occasional afterparty. Before you know it you are regularly pounding Red Bulls, going to sleep at 5am and waking up a 1pm. It's now time to quit promoting.

1352 Votes

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What's the right girl-to-guy ratio for a nightclub?

Asked by Caleb C over 13 years ago

99% women, 1% high end bottle service (men)

1341 Votes

I'm thinking about just moving to Vegas and start promoting, any suggestions on how to get started and work my way up?

Asked by Al over 13 years ago

Drugs. Lots of drugs. I'm half joking. Vegas is it's own animal. They have less of need for promoters because everyone is from out of town so they don't care that much about repeat business. As a result curating the crowd takes a back seat to packing 'em in. And the start up / capital cost of a Vegas club is so great that they couldn't do that anyway. They've got to run people through and charge them all cover. The promoters I know that have done Vegas do it for special events or have graduated to dealing primarily with ballers so they actually have something to offer a Vegas club that the club can't do on it's own, namely people to drop 20k in a night. I would suggest reading a recent GQ article called "The Best Night $500,000 Can Buy"

1337 Votes