Is anyone really good at this and do they have any useful tips on how to do it?

Obviously I'm aware the bottom line is that it's incredibly hard to get people out to see a band if they've no idea who they are but nonetheless I wondered if there were some ways that were better than others?

There's loads of out-of-town acts I want to put on that I know damn well won't bring much of an audience in London but I still think are well worth putting on but I don't wanna waste their time by getting 'em down and playing to no-one. Obviously I can try (and have tried in the past) putting them on with good London-based bands but even then

a) it's unfair to rely on one band to bring the bulk of the audience

b) it's disastrous if that band happen to have a bad night in terms of bringing people (as we all do sometimes).

So, any tips of things you've found worked well in the past in terms of getting other people to your gigs/getting you to a gig of a band you don't know?