THE BUZZ FACTOR E-ZINEMusic marketing tips, promotion ideas and morefrom Bob Baker and TheBuzzFactor.com September 23, 2002
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Three reasons OASIS CD DUPLICATION should top your list for CD manufacturing: 20,000 Music Industry Contacts to get your music Heard, Promoted and Sold Worldwide! Includes Addresses, Phone & Fax #'s, E-mail Addresses and more to Record Companies, Radio Stations, Promo Companies, Distributors, A&R's, Managers, Attorneys, Booking Agents, Music Press, More!
Question: Do you have a good press kit? If not, what do you send when you want to impress music editors, writers, booking agents, program directors and other industry people? Are you happy with the publicity materials you have to show? Putting together a great media kit does not have to be complicated or expensive. In fact, the most effective ones are quite simple. The thing that sets them apart is that the people who create them know a few things that the vast majority of musicians are clueless about. That's why I just released "Killer Press Kits: The 29 Most Important Elements in Creating Sizzling Music Publicity Materials." This special report spells out the key things you must include in a promo package (and exactly how to present them). So ... are you getting all the publicity, gigs and industry attention that you deserve? Find out how to boost your exposure level at www.bob-baker.com/buzz/presskits.html Have a great week! -Bob P.S. I'm in the process of updating the look of TheBuzzFactor.com. Some of the pages have been revamped, but many still have the old look. Please excuse the disjointed appearance while I complete the redesign.
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"Sometimes the first duty of intelligent people is the restatement of the obvious." -George Orwell "Do not seek to bring things to pass in accordance with your wishes, but wish for them as they are, and you will find them." -Epictetus
ARE YOU CLEAR AND CONSISTENT? Clay Dog Records once put out "Street Dreams," a collection of music from some of Chicago's more visible street musicians recorded live at the corners and subway stops they frequent. It serves as a good example of a fresh angle for a compilation CD. Lesson: If you put together a compilation, make sure there's a logical and appealing thread that holds together all of the songs and acts. Saying, "Here's a bunch of cool bands" doesn't cut it. But a lot of cool music centered around a common theme will stand out and attract attention. The same thing goes for promoting your own act by itself. Always keep your image consistent. When fans and media people see your photos, fliers, post cards, CD artwork, business cards, etc., they should know without a doubt that it's all coming from the same act. You keep things consistent by making sure all of your materials reinforce your identity -- your songs, images, logo, typefaces, descriptions, everything. This might seem bland and repetitious to the person designing the pieces. But always changing the look and feel of your marketing will only confuse people. And what would you rather have: Lots of people who know exactly what your act is, or a lonely portfolio of widely varied press kits and artwork? Want hundreds more self-promotion tips just like this? You'll find them in the "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook." C.J. Chilvers, President of the Association of Music Writers and Photographers, says, "This book proves why Bob Baker remains THE authority on music marketing." Discover how you can use dozens of creative, effective and low-cost promotion tactics at www.bob-baker.com/buzz/music_marketing.htm SEE BOB IN NASHVILLE ON OCT. 12 Attend my live workshop, called "27 Things Every Musician Should Know About Self-Promotion," Saturday, October 12, 3:30 to 4:45 pm. I'll be talking about the special relationship between artists and fans, and how you can develop new ways to get exposure and build a following. At the Ramada Inn in downtown Nashville, TN. As part of the Nashville New Music Conference. Head to www.2nmc.com for more info.
TAKE THIS MUSIC MARKETING QUIZ
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197 PROMOTION TIPS FOR INDIE MUSICIANS
A FEW WORDS ABOUT WORDS The next time you're online, go to a favorite web site and look at it. Now imagine you have to strip away all the technological flash. Take away the logos, the cool graphics, the dancing icons, even the basic color palette and font-sizing options. What are you left with? That's right, words. Of all the elements that make up a successful web site, words are the most important aspect. Sure, I may be biased because I'm a writer, but I believe the heart and soul of your web site is imparted through the words you use within it. The manner in which you use language reveals your attitude, your confidence level, your knowledge of your specialty, your personality and a lot more. No amount of flashy animation or dazzling special effects will ever overcome the drawbacks of lackluster verbiage and ho-hum prose. Your identity is what you write about it, so make sure the words that appear on your web site are power-packed. The founding fathers and mothers of the Web created HTML to make text simple documents available online. They had few notions of streaming media, java script codes and so on. It was all about words. And it still is. When people venture onto the Web, it's usually because they're in search of specific information. Spend time thinking about and crafting the words that will represent you on your web site. What personality and mood do you want your potential fans to be greeted with when they visit your site? If your brand identity is lighthearted, be sure to use humor and levity. If your approach has a spiritual slant, make certain your words reflect that perspective. Are you a serious, straight-talking person? Great. Write that way on your web site. Whatever slice of your personality you've decided to emphasize as part of your image, make sure it shines through on every page of your site. Learn more about using the Internet to carve a rock-solid identity and attract thousands of ravings fans. It's all in Bob's 350-page paperback book, "Poor Richard's Branding Yourself Online." Get details at www.bob-baker.com/buzz/byo.html HOW VAGRANT RECORDS IS BEATING THE SLUMP The music industry's in a slump, but Vagrant Records is on the rise with rock for teens bored by Britney and the boy bands. Read more about it here: www.msnbc.com/news/807731.asp
72 FREE MUSIC DOWNLOADS
How to Break Into Heavy Metal (VHS video, still in shrinkwrap) List Price: $19.98 - Bob's Price: $6.95 Label Launch: A Guide to Independent Record Recording, Promotion and Distribution Music Law: How to Run Your Band's Business
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