MUSIC MARKETING IDEAS

Here are some ‘out of the box’ music marketing ideas from me to you.  Though a couple of  music people use them already but here's a different approach to using these marketing channels.

These ideas are about getting out information about you and getting people to know your music.  The overall objective is to get you recognition, acceptance and generate sales-i.e. shows, records, deals etc.

Remember:

Music marketing is as simple as this: it is a non-music extension of who you are and what you create.  It's everything you and your music already are, but brighter, louder, faster, stronger, and taller.

 And:

Stop thinking of it as Marketing and start thinking of it as creative ways to be considerate. Think of things from the other person’s point of view.

–        SHOWCASE

You Tube Channel

Have your own channel and own it.  You should have an active YouTube channel.  At least you should have posted on your YouTube page your videos and audios.  If you don’t have one now, you need to hurry and open one for yourself.  Your You Tube space is not just there for you to place your first set of music videos and then abandon.  Your You Tube space is your own music channel.   You can do ‘whatever’ with it as long it promotes you and showcases your music.  You just need to be creative. You know it’s more like your own personal TV Station and guess what? There is only one centre of attention: You!    So show different sides to you and your music, make people want to come back for more of you and your stuff.  Personally draw an outline of creative activities that you can package and post on your YouTube channel.  You can promote your You Tube Channel with your twitter and face book accounts.

Music Brand Exhibition

I have written a piece on this before. This simply has to do with an artiste taking the time and space to showcase his/her material at events especially where he/she has been billed to perform.  You know a small cute space where you exhibit your CDs, promo materials and probably sign autographs.  You could also give out souvenirs or gift pack to attendees especially if it is that kind of show where you know there are lots of profitable contacts to make.  Click here for more on Music Brand Exhibition.

–        PUBLICIZE (and control Your News)

Your own Newsletter

You could publish your own newsletter whether online or print. This will do you good especially if it has been so difficult to get the local websites and magazines to post a piece about you.  Heck! Put together your very own newsletter and write away.  I mean brand away.  Put in it every frigging thing about you and your music.  You can make your newsletter monthly or quarterly depending on the rate at which activities occur in your music career.   Include your calendar, showing your upcoming shows and interviews with radio/TV stations. Then send to everyone on your mailing list.  It is also an avenue to constantly reach your fans, letting them know what is happening with you.  

 

Brochures

If you are very eager to introduce and explain your music brand (depending on your target fans), you can do a cute brochure that compiles your profile, website, webpage links (i.e. face book, twitter) and management contact.  Your brochure should also include:

•   Information about artiste CD and other merchandise for sale

• Sales point where people can buy artiste releases-e,g Internet, live shows, mail order-

• List of other interesting facts about artiste or his/her music that fans and industry people might appreciate knowing about.

Brochure content should be well arranged, precise and interesting.  

–        BRAND

Find your uniqueness and sell.

Try to visit a brand consultant- a music brand consultant to be precise- to help you clean up and set up a simple and loveable brand profile. He could help you:

• Carve out a niche (uniqueness)

• Figure out your likely fans from your kind of music

• Create an image and a message that will best communicate to them.

Branded Promotional materials

You could print branded promotional materials like calendars; say like, one page or 12 pages depending on funds. This calendar will comprise lovely pictures of you or shots from your performances, your contacts, web links, and album cover/ promo cover. Then distribute in places where you hope to gain recognition and support.

Promo Cards

A promo card is unlike the conventional business card. You are an entertainer, so make your call card an interesting one.  A promo card is simple and cute. It should be something the receiver would not want to throw away. A promo card should originally contain your traditional contact information (i.e. your telephone numbers, email, website, Social network links etc) but also you could:

• Place a catchy lyric from one of your songs on the front cover of a folded card.

• Have on it a smart and appealing picture of you.

 

–        PROMOTE

Your own blog

Create and manage your own blog. Having your own blog is also another way of controlling news about you. If a blog is well managed it could be a key point where your fans and industry stake holders can get authentic news about you. Make the press come to you. Make them always come to scoop the real thing off your blog.  On your blog you can post press releases, negate rumours, and place write ups on as many topics or issues you want.  It is also an avenue to engage your fans, this way you establish a relationship with them. 

Your own website

Your site is almost the first and only sure medium with which  the world links to you.  Your site is the fastest way for people who are interested in your music to reach you and to get information about you.  It would be reasonable if you had one. And having one is not enough but keeping it up to date is key.  A good website should contain your profile, contact, and music.  It should be simple, easy to load and intrigue your fans. To make your website more fun, post links to pages of other music related websites where you have been featured.  Keep your site alive by updating at least once a month.

Radio Show

You can have your radio show in between a radio programme.  It should be short and precise, say for 15mins. You could liaise with a radio show presenter or radio station itself or you can have an outright radio show that promotes you and your music.  Play your music, communicate with fans, make them have fun, and you have fun.  Though the ultimate aim of this radio show is to promote you, don’t make it too obvious.  Make your fans the centre of the show after all,  you are on a radio trip to please them and gain their support.   Give an email address and phone number with which they can be part of the show.  Let them call in and also communicate via your pages on social network sites.  So, you gather phone numbers, emails and fans.  In this way you are building a strong fanbase for yourself.  I heard Radio has peak periods and they are more expensive than the other periods. Whatever period you can afford to be on radio, if your show is a winner, listeners will tell others about it and that would increase your listenership.  Your radio show should be for a particular period of time.

–        IMPACT

Give back to society.

Better still, ‘give first to society’.

You expect from the public so why don’t you give first?

Music is what you have, so why don’t you give music?  I mean you could do a track that addresses an issue that seem to be pressing in the society. Then go an extra mile by giving out this music for free.  You know, free download and free sharing.

Then you can expect.

On embarking on this kind of project, do really have in your heart the desire to impact, aside the fact that you want to promote yourself.

There are many ways artistes can impact our society aside the popular routine of ‘giving gifts to motherless babies’.  There is more that can be given to orphanages, that which will make them responsible and independent. There are more effective ways that we as entertainers can impact our society.   I call it ‘Artiste Social Responsibility’.  For corporate organizations, it’s called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). 

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