We were lucky to catch up with Abby Wilson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Abby, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I came up with the idea for my business in 2019, at the time I had been involved in the local live music scene in Lake Geneva Wisconsin, and wanted to come up with a way to promote and work with local bands. I started off volunteering for a local live music page and got to know a lot of local cover bands. Towards the end of 2019, I realized that there was a serious lack of diversity in the types of bands that were booked in town, too many of the same faces playing everywhere. As a live music fan, I got bored pretty quickly on Friday and Saturday nights, and after talking with a few friends, they felt the same way. I knew then that I wanted to launch a business booking bands and bringing new talent to the area. I felt that new bands in town would not only help the bands find new fans, but also more customers for the local venues. I then posted on social media looking for suggestions for a business name and started doing my research on what being a booking agent and promoter entails. One of my good friends came up with AWE LLC. AWE is Abby Wilson Entertainment. That immediately struck a chord with me…it was simple and to the point, but didn’t exactly describe what I was about to do. So, I added the Booking and Promotions part. No one else in the area was doing this at the time. It was mainly the bar owner communicating directly with the bands, and many of them had full time jobs and families, and very little free time to be on the phone negotiating pay, set times, dates, or setup/takedown. I was most excited about introducing something new and different to a venue I hadn’t previously been a customer of.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hi, my name is Abby Wilson the Owner of A.W.E Booking and Promotions. I’m 32 and have lived in Lake Geneva Wisconsin since 2010. I love rock and roll, horror movies, true crime, and cats. I have been involved with my local live music scene since 2012, going to shows around town, supporting our local record store, even getting to volunteer for our local live music Facebook page, Geneva Lakes Live in 2019. My main client is legendary horror creator Hart D. Fisher, the president of the American Horrors linear streaming television networks, free to watch worldwide on Roku and online at www.americanhorrors.net.

On January 25th 2020, I launched A.W.E Booking and Promotions. I started talking with various cover bands in the Milwaukee and Chicago areas, focusing mainly on classic rock acts that I knew would draw a crowd. Then the pandemic happened…once things began to open back up that summer, I had a few bands to work with, but no venue. One of the bars in town reopened with new management, and was in the process of setting up a weekly entertainment schedule.

Towards the end of Summer 2020, I had been consulting with the owner and president of the American Horrors television networks, legendary horror creator Hart D. Fisher. I needed advice from someone with knowledge of the music industry and booking live events. Hart has over 20 years of experience working with bands and directing music videos, including the first music video 4-time Grammy Winner Billie Eilish appeared in as a child, The L.A. alternative rock band, Herd The Humans, song “Hollow” features a young Billie Eilish playing Little Death.

Hart Fisher is also the festival director for the American Horrors Film Festival, featuring short horror films, feature films, and music videos from filmmakers from around the world. He had booked bands for the opening night party on Halloween weekend 2020 at the venue I had hoped to start booking bands at myself, and needed help promoting the show. I was hired to help promote the opening night concert featuring 3 original rock/metal bands as well as the film festival itself. The rock show was one of the only open to the public live rock shows on Halloween weekend and the American Horrors Film Festival was the only film fest screened in a theater that year. I utilized the A.W.E Booking and Promotions Facebook and Instagram pages to promote, as well as the Facebook pages for American Horrors and the American Horrors FIlm Festival.

As part of my work for the American Horrors Film Festival in 2020, I had a chance to appear on camera for the American Horrors TV network, appearing on screen for the film introductions, assisting Hart in setting up cameras and lights for filmmaker shout outs, and selling tickets at the theater. Thanks to the success of the festival itself, I was asked to come back for the fest in 2021.

In the summer of 2021, I began booking bands at the venue I had planned to work with the summer before. Unfortunately I had to part ways with the venue not long after I had successfully booked my first gig. During this time, I was working directly with Hart Fisher managing his social media presence and working a few shoots for the American Horrors channel. As we were getting closer to the 2021 film festival, he re-launched his comic book publishing company, Boneyard Press. I was hired on to help promote his Kickstarter, Bill the Bull Omnibus. We had a goal of 2,000 and after 30 days raised 7,410.

In 2022, I was tasked with revitalizing and creating content to promote the American Horrors online store, which features original branded horror apparel, Boneyard Press comic books, and more. At the end of 2022, I was hired to promote Hart D. Fisher’s Big Book of Dahmer campaign, which again was successful, netting 2,100, surpassing the 2,000 goal.

Currently at A.W.E Booking and Promotions, my main skills are social media management and promotions for the American Horrors television networks, which have had over 23.5 million viewers in the last 3 years. I promote Hart D. Fisher’s publishing company Boneyard Press, fostering connections with fans through social media and selling collectable comics. I also manage the American Horrors online store, adding new products, ensuring orders are completed and processed correctly. I have appeared on camera for several small shoots for the American Horrors tv channels and work behind the scenes to ensure the shoot goes smoothly.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

When I started A.W.E Booking and Promotions in 2020, I started a brand new Facebook and Instagram page for my business. I started out following friends, family, and other local businesses, then as I created content I began to follow relevant accounts (mostly other horror creators, comic book creators, and fans of both comics and horror). I used a variety of formats (single photos, reels, and carousel posts on Instagram, crossposting to Facebook). Stories are your friend and I post to mine daily! I also used relevant hashtags and joined Facebook groups for horror and comic book fans. My advice for those just starting a social media presence, start slow, and know your content. Rome wasn’t built in a day. You may not be able to post daily right away or have 100 people viewing your posts, but for every post you make, every view you get, you’re growing. Ask for help and collaborate with other like minded creators in your niche. Read up on current Facebook and Instagram advertising policies and guidelines. Talk with other social media content creators and ask what formulas may work for you. You may be surprised at what works one day, doesn’t work the next. Don’t obsess over the algorithm or keep checking your insights constantly. Always check your emails and messages, and get back to followers as soon as possible. Set boundaries around your social media presence and don’t be afraid to take a day off at least once a week!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Word of mouth and working hard, providing results.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: awebookingandpromotions
• Facebook: Abby Jean Wilson
• Linkedin: AbbyWilson22

Image Credits
Abby Jean Wilson Hart D. Fisher