When you think of a warehouse party, you’re
probably thinking of something that isn’t quite legal. A disused building, a
hastily rigged DJ setup and some blinking lights, these types of raves might
sound fun on paper, but it definitely doesn’t make good business sense! Yet if
your local area has an opening for exactly this type of party, there’s no
reason why you can’t be the one to organise it in a 100% legal, fun, and
profitable way.
Budget
Before you start organising any type of
party, you’ll have to come up with a working budget. While there are many
venues that you can hire on a minimum spend basis, for larger warehouses, this
might not be the case, so you need a budget that breaks down estimates of all the
costs that you’re going to incur. Think about everything you are going to need,
including DJ fees and security on the night. Remember that you are trying to
host a safe, legal rave, so there will be costs involved. Yet if you promote
your event to the right crowd of people, they will be happy to pay a ticket
price that will not only cover your costs, but provide you with a profit as
well.
Theme
What type of a party are you trying to host
exactly? Is it going to be themed? Having throwback parties to a certain decade
are always popular and people love to be able to dress up and party the night away.
At the same time, there aren’t that many venues that play modern EDM or trance
music, and so this is a market that you might be able to tap into by hosting a
modern rave. Deciding on your theme early and sticking to it will help you
through all the next decisions. It also means that you’ll be able to start
promoting as soon as you have the date and venue set – even before this with a ‘coming
soon’ teaser. Knowing what the goals of the event are will help guide you
throughout the planning process.
Find the Venue
If you are looking to host an old school
style rave, then you’re going to need an old school style venue. Luckily, if
you are trying to hire a venue, the range that London has to offer will have
you covered. Warehouse and industrial locations are increasingly popular, and
the owners of these building have done them up in such a way that they are perfect
to hire for a range of different events, raves included. If this is the type of
party that you want to throw, then check out one of the warehouses for hire in
London and you won’t be left disappointed. Think about the size that you need
for the amount of people you are expecting as well as the layout of the venue.
Are there any major health and safety concerns? Are there enough amenities for
everyone? These are the types of questions that you’ll have to ask yourself
when searching for the perfect venue.
Hire a DJ
What’s a rave without a good DJ blasting out
the tunes? This is when you really need to do your research and hire someone
that not only has a good reputation but is well enough known to draw the crowds
as well. Get a contract signed with them as soon as you are able to and make
sure that you ask them what they require for the night. Show them around the
venue and where they will be set up and don’t be afraid to ask their advice of
lights and other aspects of the night. Most DJs will be only too happy to share
their opinions on what makes a rave a night to remember.
Insurance and Security
Make sure that your venue, DJ, and you as a
business all have the right licences to be able to host a rave like this. Know
the capacity of the venue and hire security to check IDs and bags before people
enter – as well as keeping an eye on the numbers. Having the correct insurance
is crucial. It’s unlikely that you’ll ever need to use it, but going without is
illegal and can get your rave shut down before it even starts. Everyone working
in the building needs to be fully briefed on health and safety and of course
there needs to be a few trained in first aid as well. Making sure that you are
hosting a well organised and safe event for both customers and staff should be
your first priority.
Promote
If you don’t get the word out in time, you’re
not going to have a paying crowd. Set up a website to tease interested
customers about your upcoming night and encourage them to sign up to your
mailing list. Once you have a list, these are the first people you’ll contact
when tickets for your event go on sale. Offer these early subscribers a
discount and word will soon spread about what you’re trying to do. Having good
graphics will also help your marketing to take off. When you have good
branding, you immediately gain a certain about of trust and respect from
potential customers, and it will show that you mean business and are serious
about putting on the best rave of the year.
Gone are the days of dingy dockside raves,
but a warehouse venue doesn’t need to be dismissed! It’s easy to bring back
that old school feel in a way that’s authentic, yet above board. This is a
market that has a lot of potential to it, all you need to do it get planning
and soon you’ll have a queue of people outside a warehouse door all looking to
be a part of your party.
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