Regarding the Pope

Becoming a professional comedian is hard, and like most things that are enjoyable, it can take a while to get right. Aside from being funny, promoting yourself is probably the most important thing to do to stop being an up-and-coming comedian and become a star. I don’t claim to be an expert, as you can tell by my lack of an entourage, but I have some tips that might help others looking to get big.

Promote
If you are serious about becoming a comedian, you’re probably going to have a few gigs planned every now and then. Reach out to your friends on Facebook and ask them to come out and see you. They can help build word of mouth, and hopefully they already like you, so you barely have to win them over.

ex. I’m gonna be doing some new material this Friday the 25th at 80 Boylston St. around 8pm. Please come on by.

Take Comedy Seriously
People tend to remember bad things far better than good things, so when you try to be funny, make sure you are funny. You’re typing things out, so hopefully you have time to stop and plan your jokes.

Groups
If you have, or want to have, a dedicated group of people who like going to your shows and following your career, start a Group that will allow you to message your followers and keep them updated.

Fan Page
Until you actually have followers, it might seem pretentious to start a Fan Page. If you happen to have enough of a following, or ego, these can be used like more professional Groups.

Profile Picture
Make your profile picture reflect your interest in comedy. Make it something intriguing even when small that will make people want to further investigate it. If you can have a picture of you performing, it can help attract random Facebook friends that don’t even know you perform.


Link
Hopefully by now you have a Twitter account. They’re great for posting small, simple jokes, or even just humorous observations. Let people on Facebook know about it. Post links to your Twitter, blog, youtube channel, etc whenever you can. Give people as many opportunities to find you funny as possible.

ex. www.twitter.com/d_rubes

Show Your Stuff
If you have any videos of performances, post them. This is probably the easiest way to disseminate your stand-up, skits, etc.


Be Genuine
Remember, you’re a comedian. Be funny and be likable. It’s great to promote yourself, but remember to be a respectable Facebook user as well. Don’t spam your friends, simply keep them informed.

Update
It is very important to stay relevant. Any time you have something to new, be it a gig, video, joke, whatever, tell people. Your fans will care, and if they don’t they probably weren’t very big fans. Remember to keep at it, and don’t give up.