Bob Baker's The Buzz Factor

Tonight (Wednesday, January 28) I'll present another "Ask Bob" music career and marketing teleclass. Joining me will be Natalie Gelman, a gifted and successful indie singer-songwriter from NYC. She will co-host and add her own wisdom to my answers.


Look below for the list of questions we'll discuss tonight. Here are the call-in details:

Date: Wednesday, January 28

Starting time: 9:00 PM Eastern
(8:00 PM Central, 6:00 PM Pacific)

Dial-in number: 218-486-8700

Access code: (enter this number when prompted) 37251

I'm supplying the conference call line. But please know that your regular long distance charges will apply. Hopefully, you have a phone plan that will allow you to call in at little or no cost.

Time permitting, here are the questions we plan to answer tonight:

From Elaine:
Why should a band give away its music and set up profiles on every music site and blog? Giving away music builds an audience ... but how will I ever make a living?

From Jordan:
For the past few years I've been putting a lot of your guerrilla music marketing techniques into place. By doing so I've been able to score a lot of great press for my band The Gorgeous Hussies. In the last two months specifically, we've received glowing press, interviews and reviews in some of our region's biggest press outlets. But we received almost zero response from the public. We didn't see a big boost in show attendance, and our web site only saw a small bump in traffic. So what should I expect to come from all this press?

From Vikki:
How soon should you start creating a buzz about your upcoming CD?

From Chris in Brisbane, Australia:
How do you stop from burning out and keep believing you have something to offer?

From Neil:
What are the 2 or 3 top considerations to make prior to starting a Guerrilla-style career in music? What questions should I unreservedly answer "Yes" to before deciding to start such a career?

From Matt:
When it comes to Internet marketing, should the artist go to the fan or should the artist provide a place for the fan to come to the artist?

From Jeanine from Richmond, VA:
What's the most creative way you have seen a musician use Twitter lately?

From Peter Woolston from New Zealand:
What are the 3 simplest and most successful ways you have seen developing artists raise sufficient funds to record a new album.

From Sherri:
Assuming I have already recorded my album, am playing live shows, and have a MySpace music profile, what are the top 5 things I should be doing right now to promote myself as a new artist and sell music downloads?

From Lona in Saskatchewan, Canada:
Concerning an artist's online marketing campaign to release a new CD: is it more effective to have a gimmick and focus on this specifically? How important is a gimmick vs. the generalized online strategies?

Want an MP3 download of this and future "Ask Bob" teleclass calls?

I'm not charging anything for you to access the live call. But if you'd like an MP3 audio download of it (whether you were able to join the live call or not), that will be available for just $10 within a few days.

However you consume it, I look forward to sharing my ideas with you on this and future teleclasses. Get on the teleclass notification list here.

Did you miss the "Ask Bob" call I did in November?

You can purchase the MP3 audio and a PDF worksheet that includes a list of web sites mentioned during the call and space to take notes as you listen to the audio recording. Get details and see the 10 questions I answered that night on this page.

-Bob

Check out Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook, the classic guide to indie music promotion. Now revised and updated, with four new chapters on Internet and Web 2.0 music marketing.

The 5th term of my "Music Marketing 101" class at Berkleemusic.com recently wrapped up. The twelfth and final assignment asks students to create a 12-month marketing plan they can use in the real world.

Most students do a great job with it. But it amazes me how many include goals such as:

"Book a lot more live shows."
or
"Sell a buttload of CDs and music downloads."

Hmm ...

Let me ask you: Exactly how many is a "buttload"? How do you know when you have arrived at buttload status? And how much is "more"?

For goals to be effective, they must be ...

• specific
• measurable
• with a deadline

You must have a clear target and be able to know whether you are moving closer to or further away from the target.

Fuzzy goals lead to fuzzy actions and fuzzy results -- things that won't serve you well.


 More concrete goals would be:

"Book 3 live shows a month in Atlanta."
or
"Sell 100 physical CDs, 200 single downloads, and 50 album downloads by June 1, 2009."

These goals are more effective because you will know right away if you reached them, exceeded them, or fell short.

So get crystal clear about what you want. That specific destination will influence the focused actions you take, which will lead to results.

And when you effectively evaluate the results -- which you should do often -- the insight you gain will help you adjust your plan and your target.

That's right. Goals and plans aren't set in stone. But having one to begin with sets you on a definite course of action. And action is what you need to make progress with your music career ... and your life.

Another helpful post you should read is Ariel Hyatt's "Musician's Guide to Setting and Achieving Goals in 2009."

-Bob

P.S. Did you enjoy this blog post? Get more tips like these when you subscribe to my Buzz Factor ezine -- the longest running music career tips email newsletter on the Internet. Since 1995. Go grab your free subscription now.

Ready to turbo-charge your music marketing campaign? Check out all the new Crash Course packages on Music Marketing, Music Publicity, and Internet Promotion at TheBuzzFactor.com.

Here's a video interview shot last week during Eurosonic / Noorderslag:



Thanks to Hilde Smetsers and the good people at We Cross for recording and editing this! You can also watch it online here.

-Bob

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Get your FREE copy of my Music Marketing Secrets special report. It shows you how to get more exposure, attract more fans, and sell more music! Go here to grab your copy now ...

Thanks to the following bloggers, artists, and media sources who mentioned me, quoted me, recommended me, or reprinted one of my articles last month:

Top 11 Music Business Books and Resources

Top 50 Best Blogs of 2008 Award

Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

Derek Sivers 7 Rules of Marketing

Do It Yourself Interviews

The Art of Creating Raving Fans and a Thriving Music Career!

Music Connection

I appreciate the kind words!

-Bob

Check out Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook, the classic guide to indie music promotion. Now revised and updated, with four new chapters on Internet and Web 2.0 music marketing.

Ever wonder what your grand purpose with music and life is? This message will give you some perspective and inspiration.

My pal David Feder, a Florida-based guitarist known for his "Hillbilly Flamenco" style, wrote this in an email to fans a few months back:

"Because of the ego's trappings, it is often hard to distinguish our personal desires from true good ...

"Sometimes I think I should be working for more global, bigger concerns: Cancer society, AIDS research, world hunger, peace, animal rights, etc. And I do often participate in those.

"And sometimes I think that time used supporting the arts in my little corner of the planet may not be the best way to give.

"Then I think about what my natural talents actually are and start seeing clearly again. I do believe that a big part of my purpose here truly is to help the present and the future by bringing art and music into the lives of people, or even one person.

"And maybe this is a slower route, not so grand and noble and earth shaping. But sharing artistic experience and exposure to the arts will build a healthier minded, more compassionate, more tolerant, less ethnocentric future society, right? And maybe that will make it a little easier for the big Earth shapers to have their effect realized.

"One of the most difficult problems in human experience is learning how to see things from other people's point of view, instead of thinking only of and for oneself.

"Many very smart people don't do this very well. But adding this ability to the working mind is like adding tin to copper. The result is bronze, which is so much harder that it seems like a different metal."

Awesome words of wisdom!

Yes, I believe everyone has within them a calling -- a talent, a skill, an ability, or an instinct that is meant to serve others.

Some people live their mission as musicians, authors, artists, and actors. Others reveal their calling by being teachers, scientists, administrators, or chefs.

In the ongoing pursuit for "more," it's easy to beat yourself up for not doing more for global causes like David mentioned: hunger, world peace, disease, poverty, the environment.

But it's important to realize that everyone serves humanity in different ways. Some on a worldwide scale; some just in their immediate communities. Some for massive goals to erase suffering in the world; others to simply bring a little light to a small group of fans.

Perhaps your gift is fun party music that brings euphoria to people who experience it for a few hours. That's serving your mission.

Or maybe you create music that helps stressed-out adults relax and renew. That's a valuable contribution as well.

So is punk rock, blues, rockabilly, techno, film scores, and more.

What's your gift? How do you use it to serve others -- on whatever level that may be?

Focus on that. Then let all your marketing goals and action steps flow from that mission.

Do that and you just might find your music and life filled with greater purpose and accomplishment.

-Bob

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Get your FREE copy of my Music Marketing Secrets special report. It shows you how to get more exposure, attract more fans, and sell more music! Go here to grab your copy now ...

A week ago, I hope you celebrated the first day of 2009. But now, 7 days later, I encourage you to celebrate again by wishing you a ...

Happy New You!

Yes, you read that right. It's my way of reminding you that it's a new year and a fresh opportunity to create the life you are meant to live.

I'm pretty psyched about what the new year holds in store. Despite what the headlines proclaimed about the global economy, I had a wonderful 2008, with so many great experiences. I'm so grateful.

2009 holds the potential to be even more -- for you and me. I encourage you to break through the recession mentality of last year, step forward, and shine more of your light on the world.

That's really what living an authentic life is all about.

You have musical gifts and talents to share. Don't hide them. Don't play small. Don't deny people a chance to enjoy your music and enrich their lives because of it.

Are you serious about your music, and do you desire to pursue it as more than just a part-time hobby? Then you have an obligation to develop your craft and serve others (meaning your fans and supporters) with your talents.

So commit to making 2009 the year of your musical comeback tour -- even if you're just starting out.

Try this quick exercise:

Close your eyes and project yourself (mentally, of course) 12 months into the future. Imagine it's New Year's Eve at the end of this current year. Really do this.

Now look back on the past 12 months of 2009. See how far you've come with your music. Think about all the new songs you've written and recorded, the growing number of fans you now have, and the impact you are having on their lives.

Now come back to the present day. Then get busy making that future vision a reality.

It can happen. It should happen. And it will happen. You deserve it!

But it won't happen without effort on your part. You have to take action to make your ideal life a reality. You have to interact with the world and keep your eyes open for new opportunities that arise as a result.

Are you ready? Will this be your year? I think so.

Like I said at the beginning ...

Happy New You!

-Bob

P.S. My third and final "New Year's Prosperity Plan" workshop comes to St. Louis, MO, this Saturday, Jan. 10. Get details here.

Will you attend the Noorderslag conference in the Netherlands next week? If so, look for me. I'll speak there next Thursday afternoon on Internet music marketing.

Want some new tools and inspiration to turbo-charge your career in 2009? Check out all the books, audio programs, special reports, and other resources on this page.