We asked six promoters how to start a successful party in Ibiza

I don’t think you can just decide, “right, today I’m going to be a promoter.” Instead, it’s more of a development. You might find yourself in a club one day; you’ve invited all your friends, one of your mates is DJing and you know the venue owner. That’s when you suddenly realise: you can throw the party yourself.

It’s often a good idea to develop these things in the UK, before coming over to Ibiza to implement everything you’ve learned on a much bigger scale. Take a year to prepare and make a plan. You need to know concisely what you are going to do. Then get to the island in early May at the very latest. You have to be settled, you need accommodation. Then there are the legalities – NIE numbers and things like that. It’s essential to get your base sorted in May. Once you’ve done that, it’s time to go out and meet everyone you can; bar owners, venue managers, fellow workers who will support whatever it is you’re going to do. If you’re partying at one of the big superclubs and you find yourself standing next to the promoter, make sure you introduce yourself and shake his hand. Get to know the DJs, the other promoters. This is how you build a network around you, people you can say hello to or call upon if you need advice. Once you’ve created that base, it’s time to start throwing free parties in small backrooms. If you’re able to move people through the door, one of the smaller superclubs like Eden or Es Paradis will definitely want you.

I also think social media is essential. You can grow a brand so quickly nowadays. In the beginning, we were reliant on print media, posters, flyers, word of mouth, bodies on the street. But that can be quite expensive and it’s also illegal now in certain parts of the island. It’s much easier to reach people online and you can be more reactive. You can control your market and your marketing to a much greater extent without having to plan so far ahead in terms of printing posters and distributing them around the island.

The thing with Ibiza is, if you’re going to try to get into a superclub straight off the bat, all I would say is: money talks. You need to make sure your concept is fresh and be realistic with who you book. I’ve seen new promoters come out here like a firework and in two weeks they are gone, 50k out of pocket.

I think it’s more realistic for young party promoters to score a slot at one of the bar venues. There are so many spaces in San Antonio where you can hold small parties, either that or a boat party. When you approach these venues, always ask to speak to the manager. I think you have to be a bit cheeky and upfront; let these people know what you can bring to the table. They have bills to pay like everyone else. You’re going to hear the word “no” quite a lot at first. And it’s a pain in the arse. But just keep at it! Hard work counts for a lot. People who are organised and willing to work hard tend to rise through the ranks in Ibiza.

When it comes to booking DJs, obviously SoundCloud is an easy way to listen to music. But a lot of people who work for me are people I’ve heard playing in clubs. There are a lot of DJs out there who are keen, but you really need to go and see them perform because online mixes can be misleading.

In terms of promotion, social media is huge. It is the easiest way to reach people; you just have to put the time in. But you still can’t beat getting out on the ground in Ibiza with your promo material. Networking is also huge. You need to have good ideas, but you also need people to hear those ideas. Always take everyone’s number. That is something I was told once and I’ve always stuck to that.