Marketing Music – Working Smart
July 8th, 2010 Filed Under General
I conducted a recent survey and the results made me realize that many musicians feel much like I do, they are concerned with the amount of time that marketing, booking and promotion takes them. In fact time and money are the two resources everyone feels squeezed for these days it seems. This is a legitimate concern but not a reason to give up and not pursue a solution. I actually believe it is a call for working smarter, not harder.
The solutions are available. Time is probably the most important resource because you can’t get your time back, you can make more money but you can’t make more time. Time is universally equal for all human beings, we all get 24/7, that’s it. It really does get down to how and what we do with time that determines success or failure. The important thing about time and timing is momentum. Things tend to move in the direction they are already going so if you can get “the ball rolling” everything will come together faster for you and ironically it will feel easier.
One thing that has worked for me and countless others (and not just in the music industry but in all business) is leveraging other peoples information, knowledge and connections. You’ve heard of the six degrees of separation right? Well when you network in any industry that is what you’re tapping into. Networking is an important skill and if you think it doesn’t apply to artists, you are mistaken. I am not suggesting that you become everyone’s best friend or being phony just to get what you want – in fact that is the opposite of what I am talking about. What I am suggesting is that you become a contributing member of organizations and groups of people like yourself, musicians. Go to give and you will find what you need in the process. Here is my networking recipe just in case you are new to music marketing or shy.
- Find an organization that represents you, start with one and don’t be afraid to shop around.
- Find out when and where they meet and attend a meeting. (Some organizations have requirements and fees so seek the organizations that suit your professional level, your focus and your budget).
- If it’s a good fit join and get a volunteer service position if you can – this is the fastest way to get to know people who know things that you don’t know and if you are nice to them and have a helpful open attitude, people will share information and resources with you. It really is that easy and it’s fun. Not only do you learn a lot, you meet like-minded interesting people that you can collaborate with and that is when it gets really interesting. Here is a short list of organizations that I belong to or have belong to in the past that I think are helpful.
WCSA (West Coast Songwriters Association)
NARAS – National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences – The Grammys
ASCAP – The American Society Of Composers, Authors And Publishers
NSAI – Nashville Songwriters Association International
AES – Audio Engineering Society
Another way to get information quick and easy is to buy it. You either have to pay with time and effort or with money (which takes time and effort to make). Sorry, there is no way around this because there is no such thing is something for nothing, it doesn’t exist, but you knew that alreadyJ.
The best resource in terms of purchased information for the independent musician that I know of is The Indie Bible hands down. I am particularly fond of the Radio Contacts section; this has been a very helpful resource in my experience. If you are familiar with this publication you know what I am talking about, if not, you will want to check it out. For a small investment you save a ton of time and energy because they have done the hard work for you. What I love about these guys is that they update this directory every year and now they are publishing a sister publication, Indie Venue.
When you get The Indie Bible you automatically get their newsletter every month, which is full of updates and resources. I have been a big fan for a number of years, and they have saved me a ton of time. Check them out, here are my links:
And yes – I get a couple of bucks if you buy through my links which I appreciate – but that is not why I am telling you about it – this is the resource I used to get played on a ton of indie radio stations which lead to traffic to my site and to sales.
Have fun – Stay Tuned
Elizabeth
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