If you want to be a comedian, you need to accept that part of becoming a successful comedian is getting your name and face to be noticed by many people. How do you do that?
1. Go to Open Mics
The best way to get recognized is to go to open mic nights and do stand-up comedy as much as you can. Go to your local comedy club every night if possible. This will help your audience recognize you, which will eventually help you get noticed as a comedian.
Open mics are where you show your comedic talents. The more you show your talents, the more people will see you, and the more you will get noticed as a comedian.
2. Travel to Other Cities
Travel to other cities as much as you can. If you only perform stand-up comedy shows in one city, then you will only be noticed by so many people, and you will only be seen as someone who performs in that city, rather than a comedian that is good enough to perform comedy shows anywhere.
If you travel to other places, even if you just go to the city next to the one where you live, then you will be seen by more people and you will be noticed by more people (source). You can also test out your jokes on a variety of audiences to see how broadly they appeal to people.
3. Establish a Relationship With Your Audience
Talk to the people who have just seen your stand-up show after you finish performing. The more you talk to people who have seen your shows, the more you establish a relationship with that audience. If you establish a relationship with your audience, then they are likely to talk to their friends and family about you and your jokes, which will bring people to your shows. The more people that come to your shows, the more you will get noticed as a comedian.
Be nice to everyone that you meet after your shows, even if they are rude to you and tell you that they did not like your jokes. If you are nice to everyone, then they are more likely to tell others that you were nice, and they will want to support you more. If they want to take a picture with you, then take a picture with them.
4. Show Your Personality
Show your personality during your stand-up comedy shows. Comedy clubs and venues look for comedians that they can showcase who have good personalities. People look for comics that they can relate to that they also find funny. If you show that you have a good personality, then comedy venues will want to showcase you, and people will want to see your shows, which will help you get noticed as a comedian.
5. Get Your Name Out There
Get your name out there wherever you can. Even if you do not like acting, get onto a comedy T.V. show if you can. This will make you more recognizable as someone who is very funny, even if you don't want to act. If you get onto a comedy T.V. show, it will show that you are funny and can get people to laugh, which will get you more stand-up comedy gigs, which will help you get recognized.
6. Get a Comedy Agent
Get a comedy agent. They often go to comedy shows and open mics. Talk to them if they come up to you after a show. They will help you get comedy gigs, which will help you get noticed.
7. Get a Promotor
Get a promoter, or get in contact with a promoter that your agent knows. They will help you book shows, and they will promote you as a comedian, which will help you get noticed.
8. Talk to Comedy Club Managers
Talk to comedy club managers. If they like you and think you are funny, they will allow you to perform more often. They also likely know agents and promoters that can help you get noticed. Be respectful of them and build a good rapport so they will have good feelings toward you.
9. Get People to Come to Your Shows
Get a lot of people to come to the shows you are performing in. Advertise the shows you perform in, whether it is through signs on the street or through social media. Get your friends and family to come see your shows. The more people see you perform, the more you will get noticed.
10. Contact Bookers
Contact bookers for comedy clubs. They will help you book a place for a comedy show. Before you contact them, check and make sure that the venue they look for wants comedians that tell the kind of jokes that you tell.
11. Talk to Other Comedians
Talk to other comedians. They can tell you where to perform, get you in contact with promoters and agents, and maybe have you perform in shows with them. They can help you get noticed as a comedian. Don't turn down the opportunity to open for a bigger comedian, since you can build your reputation by performing to their audience.
12. Have Stand-Up Comedy Material
Have a lot of stand-up comedy material. Comedy clubs typically need 10-15 minutes of stand-up comedy material, and outside of comedy clubs you typically need 30-45+ minutes of stand-up comedy material. The more material you have, the more you can perform without people getting tired of your jokes, and the more you will get noticed (source).
13. Have Multiple Stand-Up Comedy Acts
Have multiple different stand-up comedy acts. If you only have comedy acts that are appropriate for adults, and you want to move away from performing in comedy clubs, you will not get very far. But if you also have comedy acts that are suitable for children to hear, then you will be booked for more shows, because your audience can expand. This will get you noticed as a comedian (source).
14. Get an Electronic Press Kit
Get an electronic press kit (EPK). An electronic press kit is something that you can give to the press and promoters that showcase your comedic talents. Typically, Facebook or other social media platforms will not work as an EPK. The EPK will help you book more shows, and get you noticed as a comedian (source).
15. Establish a Presence on Social Media
Establish a presence on social media. Use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to get your name out there, and allow people to follow you. Then their friends will see that their friends enjoy your comedic talents, and maybe see the jokes that you have showcased and follow you as well. On social media, you can put where and when you are going to perform, which will help get people to your shows and help you get noticed as a comedian (source).
