Miss Marcella hosted our first year's nationals on her very first night of karaoke hostessing for E.T.'s Cosmic Karaoke & DJ. A little nervous that first year, she now has gained the experience and a raw enthusiasm for hosting
contests. She requested to remain KWCUSA's official National Hostess. KWCUSA is pleased to have
Miss Marcella handle our USA finals events in the coming years. She is hosting a KWCUSA tournament of her own (like all KWCUSA hosts, and hostesses)
and will also focus on the annual KWCUSA Nationals (All 3 divisions.)
Miss Marcella writes a column entitled "Out and About with Miss Marcella" for the NW Karaoke & Entertainment guide
You can help to build
the KWCUSA Prize Fund
by donating any amount
through PayPal.
This goes to our finalists
as travel (or cash.)
(c. If you
wish to donate to the contest's
management and offer extended
support, contact us.
directly with your proposal.
Judges
Judges at 2004 USA finals.
James White
Guitarist having performed with Elvis and the Legends, Bo Skags, Ammy Lou Harris and others.
Bob "Mad Dog" Johnson
Performing musician most reciently as bassist for the "Rainier Movers".
miss paula
Jazz singer, model, and actress now residing on her horse ranch near Olympia and teaching at her "Miss Paula's Arts and Music Studio"
Tim Prelwitz
Performer for 25 years, and currently engineer for Little Rock Recording Studios.
Press
Yelm karaoke singer "Doogle" and Spin Reporter Ben Kaplan relaxing after 2003 finals.
Radio
Follow Miss Marcella's lead and march right down to your local radio station and ask if they would like to have an interview with you concerning KWCUSA contests.
Make sure to be prepared by bringing flyers and other information.
Like Miss Marcella, you should arrive a little early for your interview with your favorite radio DJ, ...even if it makes you a little nervous waiting for your first radio interview to start.
As you can see, Miss Marcella's interview with "Sunny" 102.1 FM's Rhys Davis in Aberdeen turned out to be a lot of fun! (It will be aired on Monday morning Sept. 17.)
FM 102.1's DJ Rhys Davis rhys@sunny1021.com stopped by Aberdeen's Route 101 Bar & Grill later that evening at Miss Marcella's sing-vitation and became part of the story she was writing for theNW Karaoke and Entertainment guide on Dave's Karaoke at the Route 101 Bar & Grill.
Flyers! Click below to view then print.
Click below to view then print.
Flyers to show other hosts.
Full Color (1 page) Flyer
Black and White version
Flyers for singers.
Full Color (1 page) Flyer
Black and White version
Awards
Contestant's Prize Fund...
Out first place finalists share the KWCUSA Prize Fund
(50% of all entry fees) in the form of air fare to world finals or they will split the prize fund
as a cash award (if the fund is less than required to cover the cost of the trip.)
From KWCUSA...
KWCUSA will also award original trophies to first second and third place male and female finalists. Click here for our store with KWCUSA trophies and other items.
Sponsors contribute additional prizes...
Our top finalists will also recieve a Fresh Flower Card
Compliments of FreshFlowerCard.com
Our first place finalists will also recieve a complete training program for the full voice.
This double CD includes:- "A live vocal lesson" plus a "Complete vocal training program" with Hollywood's"Top Vocal Coach", British Vocal Consultant "Jon Dunmore Sinclair". And a live (or internet) vocal consultation.
Compliments of
Jon Sinclair SingClear.com
A Tip for Hosts!
Click here for Marc Whealdon's Tutorial on finding sponsors
Helping others
KWCUSA USA Finals Hostess Miss Marecella has contacted NW Harvest, and
there will be a canned food donation box at our USA National Finals. Everyone attending is encouraged
to donate as the enter. If you represent a charity which would like to do something similar please contact the host nearest you. You can find them by clicking on REGIONAL MAP and then clicking
on your region from that page.
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Miss Marcella held entry level contests for the 2005 season at Mehfil's in Lacey WA.
Contest Dates:
September 11, 18, 25, 2004
October 2, 9, 16, 2004
Entry fee was $25 plus 1 can of food (food will be donated to local food bank or NW Harvest.)
KWCUSA 2004 Finals were held on May 28, 2004 at Mehfil's in Lacey WA.
KWCUSA 2005 Nationals can be found by clicking here. Under consideration
are seperate venues and contests for young and adult singers. KWCUSA has secured the
use of 80 acre "Monarch Arts and Sculpture Park" (with facilities for R.V.'s,) for our two young
divisions (ages 6-11 and 12-15) as a Karaoke Kampout in August. Also of interest is the use of
convention center facilities. Let us know the type of venue you would like to see our
USA finals held in, next time you write!
USA finalists are reminded that they may need a passport if headed to Finland. http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html
From Miss Marcella...
Hello all,
I'm Miss Marcella your KWCUSA National Hostess
and I work on a voluntary basis directly with KWCUSA
to help in promoting KWCUSA and making it a success.
I'm starting out with what I
call my network campaign, contacting folks directly and
communicating by telephone.
I'm also volunteering to spend time on the computer
reaching out and coresponding with all of you or
contacting possible sponsors by email.
In years to come, I hope to have the privilage of
working with each of you personaly and share the
national spotlight with all of you.
Sincerely,
Miss Marcella
KWCUSA National Finals Hostess.
karaokemissmarcella@yahoo.com
Miss Marcella's Tips and Tricks.
Transportation.
Car pooling of contestants may be one way of cutting expenses, ...and it might be possible to find a sponsor
for the vehicle.
Sponsors want exposure in return which may involve putting their logo next to yours and
KWCUSA. Go for it! Add their logo on to your contest forms, and mugs, T-shirts, banners and other promotional materials in return for a donation of goods or services which could be auctioned or raffeled off at your events to help your finalists with travel expenses.
Another way of helping your finalists is to hold a raffle for them.
A microphone, or other item (perhaps donated from a local music store)
could be given to the raffle winner and the proceeds
of the raffle tickets used to purchase transportation
and lodging for finalists.
Preparing for the contest.
Use our KWCUSA forms to help you get started. We have images and logos and the name KWCUSA itself which can
be used by every KWCUSA host in their advertising. We will continue to add to this, and remember, your ideas are always welcome.
Here is a sample poster I made (...okay, I got help from Jon.)
Here is last a poster from Finland
Note! They have their co-sponsors logos on the posters.
...And they are selling tickets.
...And combining the KWC event with other entertainment.
Speaking of banners...why not do as Scott did?
There are over 700 independently owned and operated Anheuser-Busch distributors across the nation.
Our hosts are all invited by Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. to locate your local Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. distributor by visiting www.abwholesaler.com. Thanks Bud!
Advertise.
Doing something a simple as putting up posters
or a banner can make a difference.
Handing out flyers or putting
tent cards on the tables, use your imagination and take advantage
of what can be done at little expense.
Here is an example of a
foldable cardboard exhibit I made from Newspaper clippings and
photos from this web site. In the forground are my KWCUSA business
cards, a KWCUSA trophy, and a notebook of pages from internet news site
and KWCUSA itself including the various forms.
Community Involvement
Get the community involved. Look into using local public facilities
such as auditoriums in which to hold your finals. While not a
charity, your community may wish to back your efforts to bring KWCUSA
to the area. It could have a positive effect on your community
by bringing in folks from out of town needing lodging and meals etc.
If you charge the audience admission, consider giving some or all
of it to a charity you believe in or support. Perhaps a voluntary
donation of a can of food for the local food bank? Using KWCUSA
events to help your community will make your contest helpful to
the entire community and encourage the press to take more notice
as well.
I have contacted Northwest Harvest and at the national finals we will be
asking for a volunteer donation of a can of food from those who
attend. Northwest Harvest offered to provide boxes and posters and pick up the
food collected. Local charities staffed by volunteers are often the best, and
you have the best chance monitoring them when their offices are not
across the country.
Miss Marcella's tips on contacting the press.
Alert the media. Write a press release (include 'who what where when
why' and a couple of photos or logos and mention any sponsors names)
and send one to each of your local papers. Call the disk jockeys and
talk KWCUSA witrh them. Send vidio clips to others. Contact puplic
television, your local cable company and private tv stations.
Here are some general links to the press which migh help:
United Press International World Headquarters
1510 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
USA
Telephone: +1.202.898.8000
FAX: +1.202.898.8057
pressreleases@upi.com
tips@upi.com
Submit Your News To Be Featured On Mi2N, Music Gorilla & Many Others:
Associated Press
ONLY if the story has national or international significance,
they direct you to e-mail info@ap.org
Do not send attachments in e-mail messages
You can also mail your press release to
AP's General/National Desk
or International Desk
Associated Press,
50 Rockefeller Plaza,
New York, N.Y. 10020.
We suggest you visit their
web site for local contacts:
www.ap.org
Submit Your News To Be Featured On Mi2N,
Music Gorilla & Many Others:
http://www.mi2n.com/input.php3
In the Northwest, send your press release to the Northwest Karaoke & Entertiainment Guide.
Around the Chicago area you might contact our KWCUSA Illinois State Finals Host Bart Loiacono at Karaoke NiteLife, and ask about sending your press release for inclusion in his magazine... Karaoke NiteLife
Press World offers free online press release submission and distribution services. Here you can submit your press release for free.
Merchandising
Merchandise as much as you want! Selling CD's of the competition,
or T-shirts, or any number of things is another way of raising funds
to help you or your finalists or make hosting events profitable.
KWCUSA has some items which you might want to examine also.
We are marketing them at cost to leave you room for mark up and help spread the word.
KWCUSA Store Page
Sponsors
As your event gains attention and exposure you may find it easier
to find help from local business as sponsors. A banner across the
stage with their name on it as a sponsor would be a fair trade for
their help in sending your finalists to nationals.
Ask local business to participate by contributing; flowers for the
winners, gift certificates, movie tickets, pizza, coffee, CD's or
car rentals etc. In return, proudly include their names or logos
in in your press releases and on your posters and flyers etc.
Click here for Marc Whealdon's Tutorial on finding sponsors
Networking
Network with the other KWCUSA hosts. You can combine resources to
help your state or regional finalists. Being aware of the contests
leading to yours and where your finalist go can help you decide
which finalists need the most help with lodging and transportation.
A larger venue may wish to sponsor contestant's entry fees. Ask them.
If funds are real tight in your community and the entry fee is just
too much for your singers, hold a series of non-KWCUSA contests and
give away as a prize, the pre-payment of entry fee to your official
KWCUSA contest or tournament. Smaller venues unable sponsor the whole
club might be will to sponsor a couple each week leading up to your
KWCUSA tournament.
Follow up after the contests. Send another press release to everyone
telling about the event and the results. Invite them to the next one.
The 2004 KWCUSA National Finals have been announced in the May 2004
issue of Northwest Karaoke & Entertiainment Guide, FROM the
press release sent out on the KWCUSA Washington Finals. It included
a picture of the finalists and contact information.
Finding judges.
Put some time into finding good judges.
Call the local schools and
ask the music instructors if they would be willing to judge. You
might ask the venue to cover their tab, or you might tip them for
their efforts. Local music stores may prove a good resource in
finding music professionals, ...often they have a bulletin board
everyone to posts to. Prepare something ahead of time and bring
it with you to post there. Music studios and theaters are another
resource of musicians.
We have been contacted Jon Sinclair
who is interested in Judging. We don't know yet if
Jon will personaly accept the invitation to judge KWCUSA Nationals
but Jon did explain that he was interested in helping out in general,
as contest events are a great place to make contacts.
Finding extra hands to help.
Accept the help of your local karaoke junkies. They can be a great
resource of free labor in distributing flyers and even in helping
you manage the event by handing out forms, collecting fees, and
answering questions.
Invite a guest to co-host. You can break in a new kj or delight
the crowd by inviting a professional singer. (They get a plug and
sing a song in return, ...check with local talent agencies to see
if any are available, or again, post your request on a bulletin
board at your local music stores.)
Extras that should be brought to the event.
If this is you first contest, run through it once in your home or
studio. Go through the motions physically of setting up, passing
out forms, collecting fees, preparing the judges, announcing
the contest and running through the entire event. Fill out a
couple of judge forms and the judges worksheets to be sure you
know how they work. Practice your announcement of the winners
and thanking of any and all sponsors.
Bring a calculator to the contest for your judges to use in
adding things up. A small flashlight will help in dimly lit
clubs, ...remember to bring extra batteries.
Pens are going to be needed including the (special) pen you
will use to write names on the certificates with.
Bring a camera, or better, bring several in the hands of others.
Get photos of each singer, the venue, staff, the winners, and
the audience and press. Don't forget the club owner, judges, and
any sponsors. These can go into an album documenting your contest
over the years to come, and provide a souce of images for your
ads, web site, and press releases.
You may want to record or film or video. As host you will be
too busy to do this yourself, so ask a friend to handle it.
Tabletop Tents.
Include some folded cards or "tents" to place on the
tables. These could announce your events, thank sponsors and
even invite singers. Click on the image below for some help.
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