Bob Baker's The Buzz Factor
Music marketing tips and self-promotion ideas for independent songwriters, musicians and bands.
Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog
News, notes and ideas on music marketing, self-promotion, artist empowerment and more
January 17, 2005
Guerrilla Music Book #3 on Amazon
Pardon the horn tooting, but I'm pretty thrilled to see that the Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook has climbed to #3 on Amazon's Music Business Book Bestsellers list. That puts it right behind Richard Branson's Losing My Virginity and Donald Passman's All You Need to Know About the Music Business.
(At least it was #3 as of this writing. The bestseller standings change often. Click here to see a screen shot.)
I can't tell you how excited I am that this book has helped so many people and been recommended so often. Just when I think the buzz may be running its course with this title, I have another record sales month. And keep in mind that all of this momentum was created using the same indie marketing principles I cover in the book. I ignored the traditional advice on how to publish and sell a book (as I encourage you to reconsider everything you've been told about how the music business works).
Until just a few months ago (when Mel Bay Publications started distributing the book to the retail market), I never pursued retail sales or distribution at all. I've rarely spent money on advertising. Instead, I decided years ago to use the Internet to reach out and go directly to the end users -- the songwriters, musicians and band members who would benefit most from my self-promotion ideas and guerrilla philosophy. It wasn't a quick-fix strategy, because it's taken years for the buzz to slowly build -- but build it has, beyond my expectations.
I hope this serves as an example for you -- that passion, positive expectations, consistent effort and a stubborn determination to avoid a regular day job can pay off ... if you have a quality product that your target market expresses an interest in.
Another thing: Amazon recently started selling the Guerrilla Music book at a 15% discount, and I sometimes sell new, autographed copies at a discount as an Amazon Marketplace title. See the book's main Amazon sales page for details. Of course, you can always order an autographed copy from the Buzz Factor site at any time.
Thanks for your support and for allowing me to keep this train rolling!
(At least it was #3 as of this writing. The bestseller standings change often. Click here to see a screen shot.)
I can't tell you how excited I am that this book has helped so many people and been recommended so often. Just when I think the buzz may be running its course with this title, I have another record sales month. And keep in mind that all of this momentum was created using the same indie marketing principles I cover in the book. I ignored the traditional advice on how to publish and sell a book (as I encourage you to reconsider everything you've been told about how the music business works).
Until just a few months ago (when Mel Bay Publications started distributing the book to the retail market), I never pursued retail sales or distribution at all. I've rarely spent money on advertising. Instead, I decided years ago to use the Internet to reach out and go directly to the end users -- the songwriters, musicians and band members who would benefit most from my self-promotion ideas and guerrilla philosophy. It wasn't a quick-fix strategy, because it's taken years for the buzz to slowly build -- but build it has, beyond my expectations.
I hope this serves as an example for you -- that passion, positive expectations, consistent effort and a stubborn determination to avoid a regular day job can pay off ... if you have a quality product that your target market expresses an interest in.
Another thing: Amazon recently started selling the Guerrilla Music book at a 15% discount, and I sometimes sell new, autographed copies at a discount as an Amazon Marketplace title. See the book's main Amazon sales page for details. Of course, you can always order an autographed copy from the Buzz Factor site at any time.
Thanks for your support and for allowing me to keep this train rolling!
posted by Bob Baker @ 2:25 PM 1 comments
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What About Bob?
Bob Baker is an author, indie musician and former music magazine editor dedicated to showing musicians of all kinds how to get exposure, connect with fans, sell more CDs, and increase their incomes.
Bob's Books
Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook:
201 Self-Promotion Ideas for Song-
writers, Musicians and Bands on a Budget
55 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Book on the Internet
A easy-to-read overview of online marketing
- Killer Music Press Kits
- 70 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Music on the Internet
- Music Marketing & Publicity Crash Courses
- Indie Music PR Bootcamp
- Killer Music Web Sites
- How to Triple Your Music Income This Year
- Online Music PR Hot List
- How to Make a Living as a Full-Time Musician
- Do-It-Yourself Internet Music PR & Publicity
- How to Use Video to Promote Your Music Online
- How to Publish Your Own Indie Book
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- Best Music Marketing Tips of 2004
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