Paul F. Tompkins and the Tompkins 300

Facebook can be a great place to catch up with old friends, share a funny link or two. But for comedian Paul F. Tompkins, Facebook can be a crucial business tool. Last year, some fans of Paul’s contacted him and asked him to do a comedy show in Toronto. Paul said that if they got 300 fans to commit to coming to see him in Toronto, he would arrange a show there. So they did, Paul booked a venue, and had a terrific night performing for dedicated fans. Paul soon realized the idea had legs and encouraged the creation of “Tompkins 300” groups all over North America. It’s become an efficient and effective way of arranging shows since he knows he’ll only be performing where he’s really wanted and usually to an enthusiastic crowd. We talk to Paul about social media and what it means to his work.