The most commonly asked question to the A&R Reps is how can I get noticed by the people the man? The answer is that your efforts need to start locally and work your way out. Following are some very useful tips, suggestions and music promotional ideas that should be applied in your plan of attack for getting noticed.
#1.Rule to live by: Never send your package to a label that doesn’t accept unsolicited material. Unfortunately, these days, this applies to most major labels.
#2. Build a Press Pack: This is the best musician resource for you to use because it is an independent piece of product that can be used for booking your band, writing or reviewing your material or perhaps just forwarding it to a friend. It should include the following: Your CD, properly labeled, band name, song titles, and contact person.
#3. Live Shows: Have your stuff together at your show! Know that this is how to promote your CD and promote yourselves to whoever may show up.
#4. Your Photo: One of the best music promotional ideas is a killer photo of you or your band.
#5. Fanbase: Constantly grow your fan base because they know how to promote your CD. How many people come to your shows? Do you have a mailing list? How many CDs have you sold independently? How many T-shirts have you sold? Make sure you have a place where new fans can sign up for your mailing list which is a powerful musician resource itself.
#6. Don’t underestimate the power of local press: Get all of the willing and able local media involved in the happenings of your band.
#7. Identify Local Resources: Make use of all your local resources , such as record stores, schools, colleges, festivals, holiday events. Build locally, first then work on expanding. Never consider yourself to big for anyone’s music promotional ideas.
#8. Network! Network! Network!: People are the best musician resources there are. Meet as many people as possible and give your card to everyone. Remember, it is not always what you know, but who you know.
As a musician searching for how to promote your CD or looking to get noticed by A&R then live by these tips. A career-minded artist never should sit back and wait for things to happen to them. Start small with big goals and only good things can come your way!
If you are an independent musician, then I know that coming up with great music promotion ideas is one of your main goals. Gone are the days where musicians and artists have to rely solely on record deals to make the big bucks. With the rise of online music promotion on the Internet, the possibilities are literally limitless.
One of the most effective ways to market yourself and your music is through a website. But, the trick is driving traffic to that site. Fortunately, through the use of search engine optimization, this is not an impossible music promotion idea. Using keywords and title tags throughout your site will definitely help you achieve these results. Get your link out there. Post it on your MySpace page, your friend’s pages and exchange with other bands.
Another way to achieve this is by placing your music for sale on sites that cater to independent artists trying to maximize their online music promotion exposure. These sites list your CDs for sale and end up giving you a pretty fat chunk of the profits. This is a relatively new music promotion idea but quite a few artists are reaping the benefits. Remember, this is in addition to offering your music for sale on your site.
When making your CDs, include a barcode on the package. This way, you can offer local music stores the opportunity to sell your album. Local music stores tend to be particularly favorable to Indie musicians from their area. Independent music promotion doesn’t have to be difficult, you just need creativity and the drive to succeed.
You should also look into getting a MySpace page. MySpace music is a powerful tool for unsigned artists and independent music promotion. You gain maximum exposure and it will cost you absolutely nothing at all. You can’t beat that!
Include your web address on every piece of material that goes out. This will ensure people get the word about your site. Your website will be your connection to the world around you. Keep it current and up to date, no matter what. Keep it interesting and constantly changing. No one wants to constantly visit a monotonous site.
Independent music promotion has been proven a successful path for artists to take. If your ultimate goal is to get signed then will hard work and dedication it will happen. Implement the above techniques into your online music promotion routine and you will be on the track to raking in profits and hopefully fame and fortune! Keep in mind that you are always learning. Don’t be afraid to seek help for problem areas but most importantly, stay positive!
Former owner of an independent label, owner of Platinum Millennium Pub. & music industry seminar speaker/panelist. Also the author & creator of 40 + best-selling “How to” resources, that have helped 1000s find their way in the music biz. Visit http://www.SellMusicOnlineLikeCrazy.com for more info on Online Music Promotion, Music Promotion Ideas & Independent Music Promotion.