Bob Baker's "The Buzz Factor" Delivering music marketing tips, self-promotion ideas and more since 1995 - http://TheBuzzFactor.com/ April 24, 2003 - Vol. 9, Issue 11 In This Issue: - What Music Industry Slump? - No Record Label, No Problem - Music Business, Edition 2.0 - The New Online Music PR Hot List __________________________________________________ See the end of this message for details on how to get on and off the Buzz Factor mailing list. __________________________________________________ Killer Press Kits: The 29 Most Important Elements in Creating Sizzling Music Publicity Materials "This info is incredible. Every piece of advice in your 'Killer Press Kits' report is so important, especially for artists who are just starting a publicity campaign." -Rhonda Kelley, Rainmaker Publicity More info: http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/presskits.html __________________________________________________ WELCOME! Okay, spring break is over and summer doesn't start for at least another several weeks. So school is still in session. With this issue comes some eye-opening homework -- a few reading assignments that are sure to get your mind clicking in new directions. The music industry (and the world) have changed drastically. Yet I still hear aspiring musicians focusing on the old, outdated priorities: getting signed to a label deal, luring industry bigshots, being wrongly obsessed with commercial radio airplay and retail distribution. There's a better way. Read on and absorb the news ... Have a great week! -Bob __________________________________________________ SPREAD IT AROUND Forward this issue to your friends and music associates. Encourage them to subscribe. It's easy ... and it's free! __________________________________________________ => WHAT RECORD INDUSTRY SLUMP? First off, be sure to print out and read Lynne Margolis' article for The Christian Science Monitor at http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0411/p13s02-almp.htm Some highlights: - While executives at [major] labels wail about the industry's imminent collapse, indie labels and artists are singing a much happier tune. Profits are up -- in some cases by 50 to 100 percent. That's in contrast to overall album sales, which dropped about 11 percent in 2002. - "We don't do too much crying over here," Cameron Strang, founder of New West Records, admits proudly. The home of artists like Delbert McClinton, the Flatlanders and John Hiatt has doubled its business for the past three years and is projecting a $10 million income in 2003. - Paul Foley, general manager of the biggest independent label, Rounder Records of Cambridge, Mass., happily brags, "2002 was actually Rounder's best year in history. We were up 50 percent over 2001." You won't hear many of these labels' artists on pop radio -- and ironically, that's one of the secrets to their success. By avoiding the major expenses associated with getting a tune on the air -- which can cost upwards of $400,000 or $500,000 per song -- independent labels are able to turn a profit far more quickly, and share more of those profits with their artists. Another secret of their success is that the labels target consumers -- namely, adults -- who are still willing to pay for their music, rather than download it for free. Bob's comments: Yes, I know the examples above are established, fairly large indie labels. But these same principles are at work for solo acts, indie bands and artists of all kinds. Don't try to compete on the same turf as the big labels. Focus on making great music and attracting fans. If you hit on something that clicks with enough people, you can make money and develop as an artist. __________________________________________________ => NO LABEL, NO PROBLEM While you're at it, head to the Long Beach Press Telegram web site and read Fred Shuster's article at http://thebuzzfactor.c.tclk.net/maaa1BeaaXz8jaaaaaab/ Here's the lead: "The struggle for autonomy in the pop world has broken out all over the map. While the corporate music machine grinds on, too big for what was once considered a street art, musicians of all types are shipping out to parts unknown to produce and market their own albums." Other highlights: - In the old days, the goal of most would-be music stars was to enlist with one of the dozen or so major labels that sold popular music to the masses. But with just five money-losing global corporations dominating mainstream music, self- sufficiency has become the mantra of performers who find they can live just as well or better setting up shop on the Internet, at gigs or through independent distributors. - Minus huge budgets that cover radio, MTV and print exposure, self-motivated artists must depend on long- standing forms of promotion -- word of mouth and the quality of their live shows. That's how Jack Johnson, String Cheese Incident and No. 1-selling rapper 50 Cent gained early notice and Amazon and other Web retailers carried the self-produced work of each of these top-drawing acts before they became internationally known. - Composer-musician Tesh -- famous for his 10-year stint as co-host of "Entertainment Tonight" -- records, books tours, manufactures and sells his music with the help of seven staff members based in a Sherman Oaks garage. While he uses a major worldwide distributor to get his records to stores, Tesh has complete control of his product, doing a healthy business through his Web site (www.tesh.com), where he also sells autographed copies of his albums. "My biggest piece of advice to anyone who wants to do this is to play live," said Tesh, who normally sells about 1 million copies of each new title. "Play anywhere they'll take you. Look, I've played Nordstrom's shoe department at Christmas. When you do it like this, the overhead is really low. You don't have to pay radio promotion or hire a giant staff." __________________________________________________ => MUSIC BUSINESS 2.0 You should also soak up the Music Dish commentary by Gerd Leonhard of LicenseMusic.com at http://www.musicdish.com/mag/?id=7776 His advice to major labels: "Let's make Partners out of Minions. Drop the charades, eradicate indentured servitude mindsets, and finally make artists and composers your equal partners. Yes, it's time for 50-50 across the board. Shred the template 'plantation' -style contracts; invest trust and loyalty into the artist and watch the pendulum swing back to you. Become the artists' agent, their advocate, their trusted partner, not their owner, their creditor or their bank." And ... "Let's unchain the music we already have. Allow the 95% of your music catalog to emerge from obscurity by getting this stuff into the network, no matter how, where, when and for what. This means a solid YES to free music services, free online radio and even free media products make it free if it has to be, and charge for it when, where and how you can." Lots of great ideas here. I hope you really read through this stuff. There will be a pop quiz next week :) __________________________________________________ => THE INTERNET IS BIG. REALLY BIG. You know you need to use online publicity sources to promote your music ... but where do you start? There are so many. How do you know where the most worthwhile music web sites and e-zines really are? Good news. I just completely overhauled and updated my "Online Music PR Hot List." It's an electronic directory packed with what I consider to be the most potent music publicity sources on the Internet. Armed with this list of web sites and e-zines, you'll be able to submit press releases, get reviewed, uncover PR connections and promote your music more effectively than ever before. You can find out more about it and some cool new bonus reports that come with it (and a new, lower price) at http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/music_pr.htm __________________________________________________ => WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT ... "The 'Guerilla Music Marketing Handbook' has been a bestseller since it was originally released in 1996. It's been updated many times since and is filled with some absolutely invaluable advice for any unsigned musician. Bob also offers several special bonuses, including a report on 'How to Double Your CD Sales (in 90 Days or Less).' This book is well worth the obscenely low price he sells it for. I'm still learning new tips every time I read it." -Marc Gunn, The Bards Crier and Brobdingnagian Bards, www.marcgunn.com More info: http://bob-baker.com/buzz/music_marketing.htm "When I picked up 'Unleash The Artist Within' my intention was to read it when I had the time. Ha! I started reading it right away and I simply could not stop. I finished the book in nearly one sitting. What a great book!" -Lee Silber, author of "Self-Promotion for the Creative Person," www.creativelee.com More info: http://bob-baker.com/buzz/unleash.html "'Branding Yourself Online' hits the branding nail smack on the head. Loaded with wisdom served up in an exceedingly readable style. If I was king of the universe, I'd make Bob's book mandatory reading for every person who owns a computer." -Jay Conrad Levinson, author of the Guerrilla Marketing series of books, www.gmarketing.com More info: http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/byo.html "My head was overflowing with ideas after reading 'Ezine Music Marketing.' I'll have to read it a couple more times to process all the information packed into this report. It's already inspired me to outline a number of action plans that I'm certain will greatly increase my band's online promotion efforts." -Jason Van Orden, Desmo, www.desmoband.com More info: http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/quiz.html =========== Cool Music Stuff You Need =========== Guerrilla Music Marketing Power Course http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/gpc.html For the go-getter who wants it all -- more than 600 pages of marketing ideas and self-promotion tips. Three powerful resources, one awesome discount! 2003 Windrift Music Songwriting Competition http://www.windriftmusic.com/2003 Earn Cash as a Buzz Factor Affiliate Make 40% on every copy sold through your affiliate link! http://www.bob-baker.com/af/BuzzAfil.html Get Your Own Domain Name for Only $15 a Year http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/url.html __________________________________________________ REPRINT PERMISSION Would you like to run some of the content from this issue on your web site or in your e-zine? You may do so for free as long as you add the following credit: "Reprinted from Bob Baker's The Buzz Factor, featuring free marketing and self-promotion ideas for songwriters, musicians and bands on a budget. Visit www.TheBuzzFactor.com for details." __________________________________________________ Current circulation: 8,727 subscribers To START getting The Buzz Factor, send an e-mail to subscribe@thebuzzfactor.com with the words "Subscribe Buzz" in the Subject line. Or visit http://TheBuzzFactor.com/ __________________________________________________ The Buzz Factor is published by Bob Baker PO Box 43058 - St. Louis, MO 63143 Phone: (314) 758-7578 - E-mail: bob@thebuzzfactor.com http://www.TheBuzzFactor.com/ (c) 2003 by Bob Baker - All Rights Reserved |