How to be your own publicist

INTRO - THE STATE OF MUSIC IN ADVERTISING '2008

advertising music has changed in recent years. Gone are the days when he was alone with a CD as a shoe-in, and even gone are the days when to stay on the road for 6-10 months per year are guaranteed a good life.

Here are the days of Pro Tools, cheap CD manufacturing (or DIY at home with a color printer) and the Internet ... Instant access to free music and total information overload at the top of yourDito! The Internet is a blessing (almost everyone has access to this with a wrist) and a curse (just about anyone with a pulse has access to it).

There are more bands on the road than ever, more than 1,000 new releases every week, and less and less new media writing about independent music. This combination of a traditional journalist point of view is fatal. However, it is still possible for an independent artist to get attention.

Advertising, asBuilding a fan base takes time, commitment and effort. If you do, a public relations campaign aimed at the effort is Herculean task than the result (if the result solely on salary, how many articles are written).

Advertising is time consuming and detail-oriented. But with a little 'planning and focus their advertising the wheel can spin - just forecasting, organization and patience.

An artist that plans well and understands publicity is an artist that most PR is replaced. Thegood news is that the process of advertising for any band, no matter how big or small, is very similar. Of course, the size of publications in which you can insert elements vary considerably (this is based on what kind of music is to combine the time with record sales and status label hot).

For this article, I interviewed two music journalists. Your comments and suggestions are included throughout. I have several web links to you further.

The writers who come towhole are:

Kristi Singer - written by American songwriter, singer and musician Magazine, Sun News and The Wilmington Star News, among others.

Waleed Rashidi - Writes for: Alternative Press, Modern Drummer, Alarm, Meanstreets, law of inertia, and E-Online and others.

It 'been fun to interview writers who usually interview my artists. It 'was instructive for their opinions, their appearance (and Don'ts) of bands.

PART ONE - the pressKIT

A press kit is a critical component to add when you send your CD to understand for everyone in the industry, details and background information must be on you. Your press release that journalists should be, should be easy to send you to get concerts (this should be a list of all four elements below PLUS past touring history in detail, and include your stage act).

MYTH: I need a press kit - the people, all my information on myWebsite.

TRUTH: Your press kit is still a vital and important for your overall marketing strategy.

The writers are very busy people, constantly under deadline pressure, so that never works an author to see information on your band. Press Kits help them access information quickly and efficiently. A Big Fat print in a folder are not impressed. Writer only by a press that is concise and irritated at this point.

The four phases: The first step in yourThe trip is a press kit, which consists of four steps to create:

The bio-

The picture postcard

The texts or quotations, lyrics and CD reviews

CD

Step 1: The Bio

Create a page that is concise and interesting to read bio.

TIP: Many music journalists write bios as well as objects, so if you read a profile on a band in a local newspaper, a blog, an online zine, 'or a music magazine, do not hesitate - track down the writer and I ask him if heor write band BIOS. I suggest you update your bio to hold every few months, fresh and current.

Waleed: A Bio should not be global. I want a general idea of the band's history and shows some of the most important (but please do not show a whole story). I love the "recommended if you like" line. I know some artists hate to compare with others, but I definitely like that - it's easier to sort.

Add your voice / USP to the top of the page. Create oneIntroduction sums up your sound, style and attitude in a few short sentences. In this way, when a writer is under time pressure, you can just a sentence or two from your bio and put it directly in the publication. If you are looking for a writer to dig deep for the most part most likely put your press writer by us and one of the other 30 press kits that arrived that week.

Avoid vague clichés such as: melodic, brilliant harmonies, masterful guitar playing, tightmay be the rhythm section, etc. These words used to describe each artist and music.

Tip: Try a bio with the assumption that the vast majority of music writers should never ignore target to listen to your CD. Even writers have to produce copy usually under time pressure - as they have left behind many CDs. But this does not mean bring in a large calendar, or taken a picture.

Step 2: photo

It 'very difficult to create a great band photos. In thousandsI met only a few have had creativity and depth. I know it sounds cheese to organize a photo shoot, but if you are serious about this part will profoundly benefit the long term.

Create a photo, the clear, light, and captivating. Five musicians sitting on a couch or leaning against a brick wall is not interesting. If you have a friend who knows how to use Photoshop, I suggest you put him or her to help change some funky.

MYTH: WeNeed for 8 X 10 Photos

TRUTH: Gone are the days of 8X10! color postcards are versatile, and newspapers are the photos that run directly download your website!

8X10 Photos used to be the industry standard, but are no longer the norm. My company recommends 3X5 4X6 band of 4.4 or double sided printing color postcards. They look great and professional and extra cards are not used in the Press Kit sent to people on your mailing list, or you can usestreet concerts.

You must ensure that the picture is easily downloadable on your site for journalists n 300dpi, the images can easily get to it. Make sure the jpg labeled correctly after it was downloaded your name. Suggest to add more colorful images vertically or horizontally on your page so that editors select the photos you want to record.

In addition, the album cover to download, so when you write a CD can be performed, the album coverit!

Postcards should be a group photo on one side and a picture of your album covers with the URL of your website on the opposite side. You can also use the new album release date, details and a quote on the band's sound from the media or your bio.

There are many great inexpensive printers online.

Waleed: The best types of photos these cultural groups are able, sometimes in a vertical or horizontal format, if I have a hole in the fillingMaybe I need a photo journal, which can fit in each frame. I have photos, the rooms around the photo - so I can put the text around the image. I want a picture with a tape in the way it portrays. A band should be doped in a junkyard a clean band should be in a clean environment - the environment, wardrobe and location are all important, because creativity. I received an excessive and overkill of fisheye lenses on oversaturated colors - try not too, what's wrong copyon.

TIP: Do not hunt for journalists around the photos - will grab someone else's website. downloadable color photographs must be readily available on its website, and should be at least 300 dpi and easy to find and download with less than three clicks. Enter the name of the band from left to right (left) under the photo of the band to give journalists a point of reference. (Many publications publish photos with the names of all the band members from left to right, to save the writerthe trouble to ask for the name.)

Step 3: The articles, quotes, and CD reviews

Getting that first article written about you can feel daunting. Two places to start are your local hometown papers (unless you live in New York or Los Angeles), and any website you like the music.

TIP: You can store more items on your site, and if a writer wants to see more people visiting the Web site for more information. If you do not have anything writtennot care about you - this will change soon.

TIP: Take advantage of Google and MySpace and Facebook as a resource to find, or do backwards and search for indie bands that you compare yourself. Call or e-mail that critics wrote about her, kindly, and ask if you can imagine if you win the CD for consideration. This is a much better technology than the old school method, a "media list" and blindly list precious materials in bulk.

Always followAbove

Kristi: 75% of bands do not follow quite aggressive with me - I often end and I would ask a band called me back in a week and the most ever.

I still new CD in 3 piles in my office:

What I'm looking forward to writing about it because it is assigned.

I really want this step to my editors, because I think she likes well.

I do not know what these CDs with me and no one followed through this, so I never get to her.

There may be someCDs wonderful and should be sitting in my office as I write, but if they beat me to it, nobody usually neglected.

Waleed: I think it's important to follow up all shipments. 75-80% of the Indie bands that send me never to order follow-up, and the CDs always fall through the cracks.

Step 4: The CD

The CD artwork, like the press kit, must be carefully considered. You should change your press kit to look in sync with the CD. Thus, if aWriter opens a package of press kit and CD as they look good together. Do not bother sending advance burn the CD, unless the author asks. detailed work of art is always preferable.

Kristi: I like art always full of CDs - advances and burned CDs are not as charming. The presentation is very important.

Waleed: My Micro pet peeve is that I do not like CDs that do not have boxes (or pins). If a CD in a bag or a thin shell makes the CDimpossible to find.

A few months ago, "PR-List (a group of music publishers over 400 of us) ran a poll asking if music journalists would take the downloads, CDs and the response was overwhelming - send me the CD with the ful art work or do not send anything!

So - for journalists to send the CD with full color artwork and, above all, a readable spine so your CD can be found at the poles, if you call follow-up.

TIP: Make your phone number andContact info on the CD so if it is separated from the press, the author knows how to contact you. Even "Recommended Tracks" stickers are ideal for printing (points to no more than two or three selections).

TIP: Do not leave any CD value! That is, if you are sure a writer actually writes CD reviews (some journalists have the space, since they run these days, so check first) are.

Waleed: I like well-organized packages together by a staple, Iminutes to do a flip through them and through cohesive info. And please include as much contact information anywhere - on the CD, on the biography and photos. We have a lot of magazines, without a band name on them and we sometimes stack photos separately for our photo editors. If there is no name or number or URL in the picture that has never used.

PART 2 - How the word out

Internet - How can the press material online

I suggest first that you duplicate your finishedElectronic press kits. Or a PDF of it that writers can be sent as attachments or open an account with Sonicbids and release all the information in an EPC

Your website

If you do not already have an updated website that shows pride in the world, you get one ASAP! Register a name to remember and remember. Com is much simpler. Net or Org

TIP: to build my favorite tool DIY site was created by my friend Derek Sivers of CD Baby - It's calledHostbaby and is brilliant. A step-by-step guide will show you how to make the perfect place for you and that will only take a few minutes, it is only $ 20 per month and includes a place for your press kit online, e-mail mailer List and Dashboard to add the concert calendar, streaming audio, guestbook, news / magazine, and more.

If HostBaby for your domain hosting service, may import a WordPress template work for free and save the trouble! Please call and setfor you. Suggest [http://www.yourdomainname.com/blog]

Press Tour - How to make your press material

Start planning for all tours PR 6-8 weeks before hitting the road. Once a concert is booked, the organizers asked the Press Club list (most clubs are). The organizers are dependent on this local press to sell more tickets. Do you have a list via e-mail to reach and to move the journalists concerned. Do not be shy - you are working with the project because the show happen and makePromoters like it when the show is well known.

Tip: Ask the promoter will receive, such as CD writers for the review and what they need. Also, be sure the developer, who are his favorite authors and ask what your type of music in May

Kristi: I like when the band adds a personal touch with their press kit. A note is a short and sweet personal touch that really makes a big difference.

TIP: If the local promoter has a publicist, letPublicist to do their work. Pack everything and send the developer the publicist. This writer knows the writer in his hometown and is useful for help.

Do not land on your PR! Anyone willing to help should do so.

Identification of publications

If you do not push the club on the list, you can easily collect Atlas of the musician. They have a long list of publications in all 50 states with the name of the Music Department in anyone.

http://www.musiciansatlas.com/

Or simply search Google or Yahoo for a good target list.

TIP: with monthly publications, but at least six to eight weeks of rest, do not bother to send them.

Work your niche Corners

Work every angle you can have - the singer of the band is Irish or jew? Is there anyone in a band parent? Most major markets have a Jewish publication, an Irish pub and a modern magazine, and these are great anglesto work.

TIP: Many publications only smaller local events and people from certain areas, so if someone is in the band from the city make sure you let the local know drafting Touring.

According to the above criticism

It 'important that you follow-up. As in Part 1 of this article, 75% of all indie bands ever read follow-up and the writers do not contain groups that do not know if they do not listen. If you call the authors understand that relyNews 90% of the time. Leaving a short message, address phone number and e-mail address and date and place are the shows writers awaken memories. 9 of 10, the writers do not recall, that's fine because you gave them everything they need. If you do have your cell phone, do not be afraid to say which promoter recommended that you always ask them to show. Do not let all that discourage all voice mail. I spent hundreds ofThe article quotes, and photos without ever talking with the author.

Waleed: The advice I would give an indie artist is: Be discreet about your pitches and make sure that writers, listen to you and thousands of other bands in a month, but also not afraid to reach. It 's a journalist responsibility to listen to new music. Do not give up, but at the same time not to bomb aware - not only for your career, but his career asgood.

Persevere

If you have a whole new group and we are worried because a paper is not the first time they covered, to keep information about That card is sent each time the play field. I've never seen a writer who ignores several press kits from the same band met and sent again and again. Can be a couple of tours in each market, but more a writer can be seen in time, the more likely he writes about you.

Patience

The first few times you playa market can not get no press. PR is a slow moving vehicle, the time can benefit from it in order to obtain results. I have some bands that are required to have worked on a market to go three or four times before all the results started advertising in the press. When sending materials on several occasions, including a blurb upgrade to remind the writer is your style. Always include the following: to show the date, time, age, admission fee, the name and address of the club, time, and that the invoice. Do notWriters from around the hunting event info. Do the job as easy as possible, adding more information. Also note that some authors may not write about you again and again. If markets are the same and again, a great tactic is to change your card every few months.

Bonus Round - Marketing Other Items

Poster

Posters are a great form of PR and not have to cost a fortune. I recommend 4.4 color posters, and is a good ideaa room on the ground, where you can fill or the promoter of the festival info.

The cheapest way to make posters on colored paper from your local paper 11x17 Buy Shop (comes in lots of 500) and run copies at the copy shop (about 70-10 cents each). Make copies of some of the whites and add them to your poster color - can do in this way, the extra promoter, if necessary.

TIP: When you ask the promoters how many posters who love them and sent them out togetherwith the press kit. After a few days is best to call and verify that the posters and print materials were received and are up to

Your Street Team

Try to register your biggest fan in the head of the street team to be. Put the person responsible for contact with other fans who visit the street market in each team with you. In exchange for a pair of tickets for the show, some merch and some of you love your field is displaying posters, distributing flyers and postcards, and talktheir college newspaper to write a function or the local radio station about spinning your CD.

If you do not play, all right - can help you, your MySpace page and affect other social networking sites.

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