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
May 25, 2007
Everything You Need to Know About Music Marketing
Confused about music marketing? Read this and you won't be ...
Last month, Mark Cuban posted some thoughts on the changing music industry on his blog. These two sentences really caught my attention:
So, let's get introspective about this for a moment. Ask yourself: "What does my music say about the people who listen to it?" What kind of socio-economic vibe does your sound plug into?
It is earthy and rugged? Sexy and grooving? Smooth and sophisticated? Hard and heavy? Upbeat and bouncy?
And if we compare music to other shopping choices that people make, where do you fit in: Neiman Marcus, Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, Winn-Dixie, Barnes & Noble, Sears, or Dollar General?
Fans are attracted to music that either resonates with who they already are or reflects the type of person they wish they could be.
It's about hopes and dreams and aspirations and finding one's place in the world. It's about using music to support self-image and express your personality to the world.
In other words, music is personal.
When marketing music, we may talk about niche markets and target audiences, blogs and podcasts, radio and TV, retail and online sales, etc.
But all it's ever really been about is one thing: Connecting with real people through your music in a very personal way.
Always remember that and you'll never be confused about marketing again.
-Bob
Check out the revised and updated edition of Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook, with four new chapters on Internet music promotion. Get more details here.
Last month, Mark Cuban posted some thoughts on the changing music industry on his blog. These two sentences really caught my attention:
"Music is not just entertainment, but a tool for people to describe themselves to those around them. We use music in our ring tones, on MySpace pages, blasting through the windows of cars to let people know something about who we are."
So, let's get introspective about this for a moment. Ask yourself: "What does my music say about the people who listen to it?" What kind of socio-economic vibe does your sound plug into?
It is earthy and rugged? Sexy and grooving? Smooth and sophisticated? Hard and heavy? Upbeat and bouncy?
And if we compare music to other shopping choices that people make, where do you fit in: Neiman Marcus, Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, Winn-Dixie, Barnes & Noble, Sears, or Dollar General?
Fans are attracted to music that either resonates with who they already are or reflects the type of person they wish they could be.
It's about hopes and dreams and aspirations and finding one's place in the world. It's about using music to support self-image and express your personality to the world.
In other words, music is personal.
When marketing music, we may talk about niche markets and target audiences, blogs and podcasts, radio and TV, retail and online sales, etc.
But all it's ever really been about is one thing: Connecting with real people through your music in a very personal way.
Always remember that and you'll never be confused about marketing again.
-Bob
Check out the revised and updated edition of Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook, with four new chapters on Internet music promotion. Get more details here.
posted by Bob Baker @ 9:58 AM
9 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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Previous Posts
- June 2 NYC Music PR Workshop, 2nd Session Added
- 11 Reasons Not to Sign With a Major Label
- Is There a Book Inside You?
- How to Hit a Marketing Home Run
- 4 More Music Sites You Need to Know About
- Music PR Workshop June 2 in NYC
- Attract Subscribers, Not Visitors
- No More Codependent Link Love!
- 12 Steps to Niche Music Success
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Copyright 2004-2010 Bob Baker
Great blog, Bob. It's true. Very true. And even though it may not seem fair to you artists who haven't been noticed by a major label yet (grrr..why not?! You're awesome, right?) it's really a luxury as an indie for you to connect with the fans you want to connect with instead of who they tell you to. You control your image which makes you happy and lets you keep being YOU. And it's always easier to sell something you know about than something you haven't gotta clue on...
Keep up the good work!
Kerianne Mellott
Mellott Marketing Group
www.myspace.com/kmellott
True. At my label, we used to have a fairly idealized notion of whom our listeners were (nerdy, music-savvy, young, educated, blah, blah, blah), but then we never saw anyone like that at our shows! It took us a while to realize that we should try to communicate to our REAL listeners, instead of our idealized vision of them.
We have also learned a lot about our real fanbase by exploring website profiles of people who list us under 'favourite music' or 'listening to now', and sometimes even contacting them directly on their sites! I hope this helps us be closer to our fans.
Nice write up Bob.
Going along with what you've stated I would like to direct you to reverbnation.com. These guys have made some incredible tools for indie musicians. I know I'm not a smart man to begin with but they have really blown my mind with what they've done.
The various tools really help you understand your audience, what they like, what they don't, what your listener demographics are, etc.
and if you've tired of myspam(aka myspace) this is a fantastic site.
Cheers again Bob!
Matt Larson
www.mattlarson.net
www.reverbnation.com/mattlarson
It´s a fantastic blog!
Thanks!
Really valuable....
Best wishes,
Catya Maré
composer / violin-singer
www.myspace.com/catyamar
what a nice quick reminder about how to visualize yourself. It occured to me recently that I should
focus on the fans I already have and then visualize
finding more like minded people and imagine a huge party with all of them together having a blast. Bruce Springsteen's concert was like a huge party, very intimate even though it was in a stadium. The Cure also. Next time you go to a show check out the vibe of the audience and think of that niche approach to marketing.
Kathena Bryant The Hippy Nuts
Great blog, Bob. We know better who we are than a major label trying to make us into an image that they want us to be so that they can line their pockets with money.
question: as an "indie publicist", so to speak, how can I get my band to recognize this necessity to connect with the fans. Although I love the guys to death, the majority of them have naturally abrasive and egotistical temperaments. I've discussed the necessity of identifying who you're trying to identify with, but they're insistent on their mixed messages. I also attempted to "poll" their fanbase by perusing their myspace friends. Unfortunately, the majority of people they are connected with are for business purposes. How can I reach out more (or get the band to) to the actual listeners?
I was also wondering if you ever lecture or do workshops in Asheville or Atlanta. I'd love to attend one your events, but unfortunately I never will if they're constantly in New York and other far away places. :(
Funny drawing.
IMHO, there is an obvious link between music and how people's mind works, but clothes and general attire are somewhat different, especially as people get older. Their style might have changed due to pressures from work or partners, but their taste in music remains their own, especailly on the internet where they can freely browse through music without having their friends criticising their CD collection.
Jess, That's a tough question. If the band members are abrasive and/or anti-social, I'm not sure how to force them to be nice to people and appreciate their fans. You can't fake that kind of thing. You may just be dealing with the wrong types of musicians. OR ... use it to your advantage, and have their image be dark and mysterious.
I hope to hit the road more this year and next. Atlanta is on the list. Nothing booked yet. If you -- or anyone -- has ideas on venues, events, etc ... let me know.
-Bob