Someone has to do the legwork and promote your songs. Otherwise, your songs will remain on your desktop or stored in a file cabinet.
Getting someone to pay attention to your music is hard work and not all musicians enjoy promoting themselves and their music.
Walking into a music studio and asking to see the boss to submit your songs is not an effective way to market your songs in today’s music environment. Leaving your demo with the receptionist usually means it’s going to be “tight” in a matter of hours or minutes!
Unless you know someone active in the music industry, it’s almost impossible for someone to listen to your songs.
Here are ten approaches to getting your music out to the public.
Remember to always identify yourself as the creative director and not the composer.
1. Find a band that plays your style of music. Make friends with them and then give them a demo CD or video of your songs. If they decide to play them at the venues, this will gain exposure for you and your music. They may even be willing to record them for you in a live studio. I suggest you demo one or two of your “hottest” songs on a CD and put your best song on Track one. Make sure intros are short (no more than four bars) and get the chorus going quickly. Remember that upbeat songs sell faster than ballads, and seasonal (Christmas) songs are nearly impossible to promote without a prior track record of hits.
2. Referrals from a friend or acquaintance in the business really opens doors. Always get permission to use your name before giving it verbally to others or including it in correspondence. “She suggested that I contact you.” or “Your name was given to me by ___________.” The name of a prominent mutual friend will probably help you overlook the receptionist. Contacting them by phone or email is a good way to ask if you can submit a song for consideration. If the answer is “yes”, be sure to send a professional looking package the next day and mark it as “Material Requested”.
3. Make sure your demo is “hot”. If you’re not a great singer, hire someone who is. Pay them to sing the song. Most demos can sound professional with a vocalist, keyboardist, and bassist. Most producers have to listen to a near finished product to appreciate what the song really sounds like. Be sure to mention a particular artist or band that your songs are best suited for. This will greatly help the producer “hear” the song in light of a particular group. If you’re submitting a voice that matches a particular female vocalist, don’t record it using a male vocalist and vice versa.
4. Use an established music lawyer who can guide you through copyrights, contracts, etc. Make sure they handle your type of music. Your professional contacts in the music industry are invaluable. Do not waste time sitting in your office until you are offered a deal (contract). Remember that time is money!
5. Cold calling can be hard. They should be avoided, but sometimes you need to get in touch with an industry person you don’t know. It is best to contact him in advance and ask for his permission to send a demo of his songs. Include a cover letter on your company’s letterhead in the package. State what you expect them to do for you. You should include a glossy business card listing you as creative director, a short bio, a CD or DVD demo of your songs, a lyric sheet, and a two-sentence summary of your company and recent hits. Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, email address, and website address on all submitted items.
6. Attend music industry conventions and meet people in the business. The following organizations hold such meetings: ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and NARAS, NAMM. Awards events, industry parties, trade shows, and fundraisers are all great places to meet people in the industry. I suggest you don’t try to market your songs at these gatherings. Get the names of influential people and ask if you can send them your material. If the answer is “yes”, be sure to send them the “requested material” within two days.
7. After sending the CD to a producer, it is advisable to follow up with a phone call or email within two weeks. Please call to make sure your package was received and if there has been any reaction to the material.
8. Getting a foothold in this business requires perseverance, persistence and patience. You should be assertive (focused) but not aggressive (annoying). You must project an air of confidence in your skill and the quality of your songs. Avoid pretenses and be yourself.
9. Here are some tips for calling:
- Never call the day after a 3 day weekend.
- Never call early in the morning.
- Never call anyone on Friday afternoon or evening.
- Never call anyone between Christmas and New Years or before a holiday like the 4th of July or Thanksgiving.
10. Online marketing is a great avenue to explore.
Today, there are many musicians who sell their songs and CDs online instead of through the traditional channels of music publishers and record companies. It’s relatively easy to create an immediate “buzz” and market your own songs online. Videos of your songs or group can be published on YouTube, Google Video and many more sites.
You can connect your music with organizations that promote “ringtones”.
You can promote, sell and distribute your music through the following networks: iTunes, Amazon.com, Pandora Radio, CD Baby, Facebook, You Tube.com, Last.fm, Twitter, Rovi/The All Music Guide, Live365.com , SHOUTcast.com and MySpace.com.
It is important to contribute informative articles in your area of expertise through press releases (music news), emails, newsletters, online surveys, and ezines.
In fact, my article “Music Arrangements and Sheet Music” was accepted as an EZine article and I got “expert author status” and the article appears on their high-traffic home page.
My last piece of advice to you is to explore every avenue possible to get your music out there. If you’re a member of a band, help one person handle the marketing for your band, and leave no stone unturned in your quest for others to enjoy your music.
Every musician should own, study and absorb the excellent material contained in the book, How to successfully promote your music online 2011 by David Nevue. You can download it as a PDF file and purchase it at http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore.
With perseverance, proper research, and a “never give up” attitude, you can produce great music and succeed making a living in music. Beethoven said; “Patience, diligence, persistence and sincerity will lead to success” (Vienna 1792).