Bob Baker's The Buzz Factor

To effectively promote yourself on the Internet, you must "sell" yourself. That doesn't mean you have to "sell out" and degrade your integrity. But it does mean you must reach out and communicate who you are and why people should care.

So what's the best way to do that? How do you get the attention of fans? Do you accomplish that by announcing where you're from, who produced your CD, how many music awards you've won, and what process you used to master your latest recording?

No. Those details can help persuade some people, but most folks will become fans for a reason that has nothing to do with the facts and features of your musical product. They will be attracted to you because of the way your music and personality make them feel. That's right, feel.

The most powerful response you can get from someone is based on emotion and the way your music affects them physically and mentally, and sometimes spiritually. In the Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook, I refer to this mysterious phenomenon as a "state change."

Your most hardcore fans will react to your music in a way that makes them feel different (and usually much better) while they listen to your music. Their heart rate and body chemistry will actually shift when they hear your songs -- and sometimes, after they know you, the shift may occur when they only see your picture, hear you speak or read about you. Like Pavlov's dog, they salivate when you ring their bell (so to speak).

It's your job as an independent self-promoter to understand the powerful effect your music has, and to use that knowledge to spread those great feelings to even more people.

For example, you could announce, "We're a four-piece band from Kansas City. Our new CD is getting airplay on 12 stations in the Midwest." Or you could say something more "state change"-oriented like, "Our blend of rap and rock is for you if you crave an adrenaline rush with a touch of humor. Feel the edge and a good belly laugh at the same time."

See the difference? From now on, always use this principle to attract more fans.

If you missed them, be sure to read Internet music promotion principles #1 and #2. Note: These posts are excerpts from the special report 50 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Music on the Internet.