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Watson-Guptill This Business of Music Marketing & Promotion - 2nd Edition
The maxim in the music industry has always been ;You can't make it on talent alone,; and with this book, you don't have to. In language that is simple and direct, author Tad Lathrop details promotional skills, publicity plans, royalty guidelines, and more, all supported by real-world examples. He shows how the web and other technological developments have revolutionized not only how music is made, but how it is marketed and promoted. The old rules still apply, create a marketing plan, know your audience, be familiar with the laws of commerce, but there are a host of new ones as well, along with new strategies on how to give your recording the exposure it deserves. This streamlined, reorganized, and updated edition features an all-new chapter (;Twenty Profile-Building Ideas to Use Right Now;), which will help readers get a running start in the recording business. They'll also find completely updated material about Internet sales and promotion techniques, the latest information available on integrated marketing and e-marketing strategies, and brand-new listings of information resources.

Promoting Your Band
by Marc Gunn

I first started publishing my band newsletter during the Summer of '98. I tried the snail mail route. It was exhausting. Electronic newsletters (aka ezines) were the way to go.I must've tried it all too. I promoted gigs, told of our latest accomplishments, gave away a free mp3 every month. Some of it worked. Some didn't.

Here are some tips I've learned about running my band newsletter:

1. Give away something for free. It can be as simple as an MP3 download at MP3.com. Or a sticker. A free CD once a month. Well worth the cost for their loyalty. And it can be a great promo tool to draw people into signing up for your newsletter.

2. Hype your band. Tell your fans about all the band news. Who's reviewed your latest CD? Post rave testimonies by your fans. Post them on your website too. Be positive and let them know you are the best! In the two years I've managed my fan newsletter, I've had scores of fans write, saying, "Wow! I'm glad you're doing so well." We weren't. And I didn't lie. But our many small successes sounded like big ones to our fans. That is what hype is all about.

3. Keep it short. Write as if you were writing for a newspaper. Compose brief paragraphs about your greatness. Use headlines that make your fans want to read it. Provide frequent links to your website where you can post articles or more "further info".

4. Publish every 7-10 days. This depends on how much info you get. But as long as the content is short and informative, people won't mind. If you add a little drama, like how you're doing on MP3.com, and how they can help, you'll keep the fans reading. But if you're not gigging much, and don't have much news. Don't publish. Give your fans what they deserve, the best.

5. Don't get upset if people unsubscribe. It happens. If you lose half your list, consider adjusting your publishing schedule. But expect that some people can't deal with a newsletter every 7-10 days. Perhaps every two weekes is better. I was doing every two weeks until I realized how much more effective a 10 day schedule was for our fans. But less than two weeks, and you are no longer on the fore front of your fans' minds.

* Article by Marc Gunn of TheBards Crier. Marc has helped 1000's of musicians make money with their musical groups through TheBards Crier and the Texas Musicians Network. Now you can get personal advice by visiting http://bardscrier.com for FREE "how-to" music marketing assistance. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to The Bards Crier.com distributed weekly for Free: mailto:subscribe@bardscrier.com