The Buzz Factor (Are You Ready for Fall?) Bob Baker's "The Buzz Factor" Delivering music marketing tips, self-promotion ideas and more since 1995 - http://TheBuzzFactor.com/ September 3, 2003 - Vol. 9, Issue 25 In This Issue: 1. Get Ready for the Fall Buying Season 2. Meet Me in Nashville and Minneapolis 3. Feel the Love __________________________________________________ See the end of this message for details on how to get on and off the Buzz Factor mailing list. __________________________________________________ Welcome! => 1. Get Ready for the Fall Buying Season Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! The late summer doldrums are winding down, people have returned from vacation and are preparing to blast into the fall and winter shopping seasons. I always see my sales pick up in the fall. It can be the same for you and your music ... if you take a few simple steps now. Those simple steps include: - Getting clear about who you are as a musical artist - Knowing how your music affects people physically, emotionally and spiritually - Defining your music and the benefit you deliver in a clear and concise manner ... on all of your web pages, post cards, fliers, press releases, cover letters and more - Getting over the mindless notion that you need a record label, hotshot manager or other "industry" entity to be successful - Knowing who your fans are and where they can be reached - Going directly to the people most likely to embrace your music and hitting them with a well-defined message that screams "this music is meant for you!" To help you on your worthy quest, here are some useful resources. Some you may have heard me mention before; others may be new. But all of them hold the potential to boost your career ... if you take them to heart and act on them. Here we go ... Texas Music Office http://www.governor.state.tx.us/music/ It's hard to believe a government office put this together, but when a state has a music history as rich as Texas, it makes sense. Not only does this site give you an extensive directory of Texas radio stations, record stores, venues, studios and more ... it also has many helpful guides, such as "Getting Started in the Music Business" and "Musician's and Retailer's Guide to the Internet," as well as tips on copyrights, trademarks, licensing, you name it. Check this out. Publications from St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers & Accountants for the Arts - http://www.vlaa.org/publications.asp I may be biased because this is in my hometown, but the St. Louis chapter of the VLAA appears to be one of the best in the country. On this page you'll find dozens of handy guides on intellectual property, publishing law, collaboration and more. Many of these tips are for visual artists, but you should find many useful applications for music, too. Plus you can find the VLAA chapter nearest you. For Buzz subscribers only: - Four Ways to Attract More Music Fans Faster (PDF handout) - Two free chapters from my "Branding Yourself Online" book - Smashing the Press Release Myth by PR expert Bill Stoller - How Radio Promotion Really Works by Bryan Farrish All of the above and more are available on the Buzz Factor Premium Content site at http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/zine/pc.html Artist Couch Exchange http://www.couchexchange.org/ An interesting concept for a web site. Here's a description: "A place where touring indie artists can find a couch to crash on when passing through an area. They in turn offer a couch to other artists coming through their hometown. You don't need to be an artist to offer a couch, and you don't need to offer a couch to join, but you do need to be invited into the community." Read a free sample section of the highly acclaimed "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook" at http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/gmmhintro.html Read six free excerpts from the book "Unleash the Artist Within" at http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/unleash/ That should keep you busy for a while. Now get out there and promote yourself! -Bob __________________________________________________ => SPREAD IT AROUND Forward this issue to your friends and fellow musicians. Encourage them to subscribe. It's easy ... and it's fr-ee! __________________________________________________ => 2. Meet Me in Nashville and Minneapolis The Nashville New Music Conference (www.2nmc.com) is the place to be Sept. 10-13. I'll be attending for the third year in a row. On Saturday, Sept. 13, at 1:30 pm, I'll present a workshop called "How to Attract More Fans & Sell More CDs." Here's the description on the 2NMC web site: "An interactive session with the author of the 'Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook.' Work with Bob as he walks you through 10 steps to widespread exposure, sales and success and as an indie artist. Learn how to stay motivated, get clear about your identity and pinpoint the best ways to build a following and boost your music career to a higher level." At 4 pm that same day, I'll sit on a "Guerrilla Marketing" panel with Peter Spellman, Al McCree and Jon DeMezzo. And on Saturday, Nov 1, I'll be heading to Minneapolis to speak at Musicians Expo 2003, held in nearby Bloomington, Minnesota. Check out www.musiciansexpo.com for details. __________________________________________________ => 3. Feel the Love: What They're Saying About ... "This grass roots guide ['Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook'] by self-marketing wizard Bob Baker could be the one thing you need to launch a profitable music career. Learn how to exploit the media, send CDs flying off the racks, and start turning heads in your town." -Jake Sibley, Musicians' Exchange guide, About.com More info: http://bob-baker.com/buzz/music_marketing.htm __________________________________________________ "I absolutely love 'Unleash the Artist Within.' I've printed out all the Commitment Statements and am planning to frame and hang them over my desk." -Ingrid Heldt, singer/songwriter, www.iheldt.net More info: http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/unleash.html __________________________________________________ "'Branding Yourself Online' is 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 More info: http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/byo.html =========== Cool Music Stuff You Need =========== Killer Press Kits: The 29 Most Important Elements in Creating Sizzling Music Publicity Materials http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/presskits.html E-zine Music Marketing: Powerful Ways to Promote Your Music with a Fan E-mail Newsletter http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/quiz.html 197 Promotion Tips, Tricks and Resources for Indie Musicians - http://www.bob-baker.com/buzz/197.html How to Promote Your Music Successfully on the Internet http://www.rainmusic.com/htpma/buzz.htm Earn Cash as a Buzz Factor Affiliate Make 40% on every title sold through your affiliate link! http://www.bob-baker.com/af/BuzzAfil.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." __________________________________________________ To START getting The Buzz Factor, send an e-mail to addme@thebuzzfactor.com with the words "Send Me the 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 |