Band Promotion | ArtistPR

5 Reasons Why Musicians Need to Build an Email List

Fri, 30 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Email marketing might not have the feeling of being something new and up to date, but no musician can afford to ignore it as a way of building a fan base, keeping in touch with fans, and promoting their music. In fact, if you’re worried about how to promote your music, building an email list is one of the best ways to do it.

Still unconvinced? We’ve put together a list of five reasons that we think every musician should get to work building an email list.

#1: You Can Use Your Email List to Keep in Touch with Fans

The first reason to build a list is that you need to keep in touch with your fans. You can do that on social media, of course, but not every fan you have will be active on social media. You need to have another way to stay connected.

Fans want to feel that the musicians they like care about their fans. Email is a good way to reach out, give your communications a personal touch, and let your fans know that you care about them.

Speaking of keeping in touch, if you want to make sure that your next tour sells out, informing your list of the tour dates and when tickets go on sale is a great way to do it. They’ll feel like they have the inside scoop, and you’ll reap the rewards in ticket sales.

#2: You Can Use Email to Promote Your Music

You probably have at least a few die-hard fans who wait breathlessly for your new releases. However, many of your fans probably have busy lives. As much as they love your music, they might lose track of your schedule.

That’s where email marketing comes in. You can use it to promote your music and even to give fans a sneak peek of your latest recording. Let them know when your new CD will be released or when it will be available in the iTunes Store.

And when your new CD drops, you can send out emails with a link to your store or to a third party site so that fans can buy your music. This approach benefits your fans by making it easy for them to buy your new music – and it benefits you by boosting your sales.

One of the reasons that fans subscribe to band newsletters is because they hope they’ll get the inside scoop on band news. Everybody likes to feel that they have access to exclusive content. A fan newsletter can be the electronic equivalent of a backstage pass.

For example, you might:

Take video of a band rehearsal and mail it to your list
Tell the story behind one of your songs
Share personal moments from band members’ lives

Any of these things can help you form a personal connection with your fans and build a following.

#4: You Can Use Email to Build Your Fan Base

You know that the people who subscribe to your list are fans, but don’t forget that they can also be ambassadors to help you promote your music. Many people love to talk to their friends and family about music, and your email list can be an effective way to encourage them to do that.

For example, you might provide a discount code for one of your CDs and encourage fans to share it with their friends. Make it a link that people have to provide an email address to access, and it can be the ideal method to use to expand your reach to new fans.

Press releases are an effective way to share new information about your band and build anticipation for a tour or a new recording. In fact, press releases have a way of lending importance to anything they mention. They have a sense of urgency.

Writing press releases is an art form in itself. For example, you need to start off with a killer headline – something that really grabs your audience’s attention. Then you should back up your statements with as much authoritative proof as possible.

Some examples of proof include dates, numbers, statistics, quotes, and links to important information. All of these things help give your press release credibility.

You can find more information about how to craft the perfect press release by clicking here.

In Short…

Email marketing is easy to do, incredibly effective, and it remains one of the most affordable ways for musicians to connect with their fans and expand their fan base.

5 Things You Need to Know to Get a Music Manager

Tue, 27 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Any band or solo artist who has ever tried to get representation knows that it’s tough to find a manager. The competition is fierce and managers want to represent only those artists they feel will be able to book gigs and sell their music.

The whole process can feel like a minefield, and having some key information can help you navigate it. With that in mind, here are five things you need to know to get a music manager.

#1: Know Who You Are, Musically Speaking

If you’re like most musicians, you probably like a lot of different genres. You might listen to classic R & B one day and ska the next. Some musicians pride themselves on being able to play in different styles, and they like to take musical chances.

That’s all well and good, but it also may hurt you when it comes time to find a band manager. Why? Because managers are most likely to sign musicians who have a clear brand – a style and a genre that is easy to define (and not coincidentally, easy to market.)

It will be easier for you to find a music manager if you clearly define who you are and stick to your core brand as much as possible.

#2: Play Constantly

The next thing you need to know about how to get a music manager is that you have to play – a lot. Not just in your garage or rehearsal space, but in front of a live audience.

Why? Because most bands make most of their money from touring. Record companies take a big cut of what you make for recording and selling your music. That’s why you see bands touring 40 weeks a year – that’s how they earn a living.

Any manager worth their salt is going to want to know that you play regular gigs. It will help reassure them that you’re used to playing for an audience and that you know how to entertain and engage with fans.

#3: Build Your Fan Base

It used to be that record companies took chances on unknown bands. If they heard a band with a great sound, the band didn’t need to have a big following to get started.

That’s not the case any longer. In fact, the idea of having an established fan base has taken over the world of music – as well as other creative endeavors such as publishing. The only way to attract a manager and get a recording contract is to prove that there are already people who’ll want to buy your music.

The good news is that there are lots of ways to accomplish this goal. For example, you can run a Facebook ad with a clip from one of your shows and use that to target fans of your genre. You can also do as many gigs as possible and build an email list to help demonstrate your reach.

#4: Have a Long-Term Plan for Your Career

The right band manager can help you jump-start your career, but they can’t do it alone. No manager wants to work with a musician who’s just drifting from one gig to the next without a clear plan for the future.

If you really want to know how to find a music manager, start by looking ahead. Map out what you want to do. Where do you see yourself down the line? What are your goals, and what do you need to do to reach them?

It’s a good idea to set a combination of short-term and long-term goals. For example, you might dedicate yourself to increasing your mailing list to 10,000 subscribers or playing a big venue in your home city in the next six months. Long-term goals might include getting a recording contract or doing a nationwide tour.

#5: Manage Yourself

It might surprise you to know that one of the best ways to get signed with a band manager is to prove that you don’t need one. A good manager will work hard for you, but that doesn’t mean that they want to sign a musician who doesn’t understand and appreciate what goes into being an effective manager.

When you approach a manager, you’ll impress them if you are doing things like booking your own gigs, handling an email list, recording, writing songs, and sticking to a rehearsal schedule. Those things let managers know that you’re serious about your career and that you’re willing to work hard to achieve your goals.

In other words, music managers help musicians who help themselves. Can you blame them?

If You Want to Get a Manager…

Act like a professional. Treat music as if it were a serious career. That doesn’t mean that you can’t make time to jam with your buddies or crank out some new songs, but you need to take the business part of your career seriously, too.

How Preparing to Produce Music Can Boost Your Sales

Thu, 22 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

One of the biggest mistakes indie artists make when they record is not being ready. They don’t do the prep work they need to do to ensure a smooth production process – and that can have repercussions that extend far beyond the recording studio.

Think of it this way. Ultimately, you’re going to have to sell the finished product that comes out of your recording sessions. You don’t have to be a salesperson to know that it’s easier to sell a well-designed, tested product than it is to sell one that was thrown together at the last minute.

Fortunately, there are quite a few things you can do to prepare for music production and ensure that your finished product is what you want it to be – and that it’s easy to sell.

Music First

No amount of preparation in other areas will make up for it if you haven’t put in the time to conceptualize and write great songs. Even if you don’t write your own material, you need to spend a lot of time listening to music and finding songs that suit you and will appeal to your fan base.

Does your album have a theme? Do you know what you want the music to sound like? What instrumentation you want to use?

It’s also important to know what your songs are about. The emotion you convey is in most cases just as important as the quality of the recording. You need both to have a hit record.

The more prep work you do with the music beforehand, the less likely it is that you’ll be left scrambling when you’re paying good money for studio time.

Familiarity Breeds Success

The next thing that can help you prepare is to familiarize yourself with the studio. Many musicians use the same recording studio throughout their careers because they have the peace of mind of knowing there won’t be any surprises when they record.

If you are using a studio for the first time, consider booking a practice session there so you and the band can get accustomed to the space and how it sounds and feels. This one simple step can help save you time and aggravation when you hit the studio for real.

Know What Equipment You Need

You don’t want to fly by the seat of your pants when it comes to preparing for your recording sessions. If you know that you need certain instruments and equipment to get the sound you want, you’ll be much less likely to forget it on recording day.

Make a list of everything you might possibly need, and then check and re-check it before you hit the studio. Everybody in the band should be involved so you’re not left without something important when you need it.

Have a Recording Plan

Have you thought about the logistics of recording your music? It’s a good idea to go into the studio with a detailed plan so that you know exactly what you plan to do. You might have one song that you think would be best recorded when you and the band are warmed up and feeling loose. You can go ahead and plan to record that one in the middle of the day.

It’s better to build some extra time into the pre-production phase than it is to rush in and end up with a recording that’s less than you want it to be.

Test All Instruments before Recording

It’s not uncommon for musicians to end up playing unfamiliar instruments in the studio. Instead of leaving things to chance, try to test everything out before you it the studio.

Pre-production testing is a good way to make sure that you’re getting the sound you want. You should probably expect to have to make some last-minute tweaks to your songs, but you shouldn’t be making major readjustments while you’re in the studio. That’s a good way to go over budget and fall behind.

Get Instant Feedback

There are few things more valuable in the recording studio than having someone on hand who can offer an honest an unbiased opinion of what you’re doing. If you have a friend or acquaintance who is knowledgeable about music and willing to spend a few days in the studio with you, have them come.

After you do a take, play back the song and get their feedback. It’s much easier to make tweaks and adjustments while you still have the studio – and the equipment – than it is to have to go back to the studio.

Don’t Rush Post-Production Either

Of course, music production doesn’t end when you leave the studio. If you plan on mixing tracks yourself, then it’s important to know the equipment – and your own limitations. Don’t be afraid to get help if you need it.

From Production to Sales

The key thing to remember is that the work you do in pre-production, production, and post-production is what will help you sell records and grow your fan base.

To learn the best ways to sell your music once it has been recorded, please click here to enroll in our free webinar!

How to Use Instagram to Build Your Fan Base

Mon, 19 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Considering how visual music is these days, it should come as no surprise that Instagram is a powerful tool that every musician should be using to engage with existing fans and build your fan base.

You may know that Instagram started as an app for people to share mobile photography. However, it has expanded into a large and powerful social media platform with 700 million active monthly users. That’s an impressive number – and one that illustrates why Instagram is the place to be if you want to promote yourself.

Here are some tips to help you use Instagram effectively.

#1: Use Hashtags Wisely

The hashtags you choose to use with your photographs make a big difference in terms of how many people see your content. Hashtags that are trending get seen by many more people than obscure hashtags, so it’s important to choose wisely.

One idea is to latch onto community traditions like Throwback Thursday (#tbt) to make yourself part of the Instagram community. You can also scan trending topics and use those, but be cautious. Don’t use them unless you’re sure what they mean. The marketing world is full of cautionary tales of companies who made mistakes by using hashtags insensitively.

You should also take a look at locational hashtags. If you play a popular venue, tagging it with their handle and a relevant hashtag can help you attract more followers.

Another option is to create your own hashtag. You can start by creating one with your band’s name (or your name if you’re a solo artist) and use it whenever you post. You can also create hashtags for particular events, for upcoming albums, and anything else that you think might help attract followers and fans.

#2: Follow Other Musicians in Your Genre

It’s also a good idea to follow other musicians in your genre. Their fans may end up being fans of your music, too, and if you engage with them and comment on their photos, fans may check out what you’ve posted, too.

When you follow other musicians, don’t aggressively pitch your gigs or products on their pages. Simply respond, like, or leave a comment. Be low key about it, but also, be knowledgeable about their music and what they’re doing. Fans will notice.

#3: Follow Music Publications and Venues

Many music publications and venues have Instagram accounts, and following them can be a great way to connect with people at every level of the music industry. For example, if you strike up a friendly rapport with a music critic, you might be able to get them to review your new EP. If you connect with the booking manager at a hot venue, it might give you a leg up when the time comes to book your next tour.

Here again, it’s important to be subtle. Don’t go crazy asking for favors right off the bat. Instead, just be friendly and engaged, and then see what happens.

#4: Host a Contest or Giveaway

Instagram is the perfect place to host a contest or giveaway, particularly one that asks fans to share their own photographs. Here’s how to do it:

Pick a prize that will appeal to your fans and to potential fans. The best prizes are music-related. You don’t want to give cash away because you may end up getting hangers-on who aren’t really likely to buy your music or go to your shows. A free tee shirt, CD, concert tickets, or a backstage pass all make great giveaway prizes.
Create a special hashtag for your giveaway. The benefit of creating a hashtag is that it enables anybody who sees your post (or related posts that are tagged with it) to enter your contest easily. Make sure that the hashtag has your name and some key information about the giveaway in it without being too long.
Come up with precise rules for the contest. You need to include a start date, an end date, limitations on what prizes you’ll be giving away, and any other information that may be pertinent.
Post your call for entries and let it get some traction before you pay to boost it. The more organic traffic you get, the more successful your boost is likely to be.
Boost your post to reach more people, using what you know about your fans to reach a wide audience.
As entries come in, share the best ones with your followers to build excitement.
When the time comes to award prizes, do so in a timely manner and make sure that the winners get their prizes immediately.

You can give people who didn’t win honorable mentions by sharing their entries after the fact.

Instagram marketing can help you connect with fans on a whole new level. The key is to share compelling images and to use the tools available, such as hashtags and contests, to grow your following.

Using Instagram can be a good way to attract the attention of a manager, too. Click here to get our eBook, Music Management for Indie Musicians.

How to Write Killer Facebook Posts to Engage Your Fans

Fri, 16 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

What are you doing with your Facebook page? If you’re not posting regular updates that are relevant to your fans and keep them engaged, then the chances are good that you’re missing out. The most effective musician Facebook pages keep fans informed and entertained at the same time.

Managing a Facebook account takes work, but it’s worth the time you put into it. One thing that can help is knowing how to write killer Facebook posts – the kind that will capture fans’ attention and encourage them to share with their friends, too.

Understand Your Fans

The first thing you need to do is understand your fans. You know they love your music, but do you know what else they like? You may want to take a survey either on Facebook or via email to find out a bit more about them.

Knowing how old your fans are, where they live, what other musicians they like, and other information can help you determine the types of content they are most likely to respond to. Then, you can use that information to determine what to share with them.

Write Short Posts

There is no word limitation on Facebook, but the fact that you can combine words with photos, graphics, or video means that you probably don’t have to write much to engage your fans’ interest.

Do you want to get an idea of what we mean? Check out Adele’s Facebook page for inspiration. Many of her posts are extremely brief but they convey her voice and her passions. You can do the same.

The key if you post just a few words is to make them mean something. Reach out to your fans, shout out to a fellow band, or announce an upcoming gig! You can do all of these with just a sentence.

Write Long Posts

All posts don’t need to be short. One of Facebook’s great strengths is that you can use it to tell stories. Because you can use a various formats in one post, you have the opportunity to really make your fans feel that they’re part of the band.

You could upload a series of photos from a gig and tell a meaningful story about something that happened there. Did you have a meeting with a fan that moved you? Did you get a reaction from the crowd that knocked you out? Tell the story – let your fans in on it.

Ask Questions

The point of sharing posts on Facebook is to engage your fans. One of the best ways to do that is to ask questions. Not only is it a great way to let them know that you care about them and want to know what they think, you can re-share some of the best responses you get with a shout-out to the fan who wrote it.

For example, you might ask which of your songs is the fans’ favorite and why. You’ll be likely to get a ton of great replies as people share what your music means to them and how they feel about it.

You can also ask questions that aren’t directly about you. Here are some examples:

 What was the first concert you went to?
 What was the first album or CD you bought?
 What song/band is a guilty pleasure for you?

In each of these cases, you can start by sharing your response and then encourage fans to share theirs.

Use a Consistent Voice

When it comes to maintaining a consistent voice on Facebook, you have two options. If you’re a solo artist, it’s pretty easy to be consistent because you’ll be the only one posting. But what if you’re in a band?

1. You can designate one person as the official Facebook spokesperson and have their voice be the voice of your band; or 2. Each band member can post and identify themselves when they do so you call have a say in what goes on your page.

The key is to be consistent within whatever framework you choose. And if you get to the point where you can hire somebody to handle social media for you, make sure they understand your fans and your voice and use it consistently, too.

Ultimately…

Facebook can be one of the best tools available for staying in touch with fans and making them feel connected to you and your music. You can even use social media management tools to help you stick to a schedule so you don’t have to worry about missing a post when you’re on the road or in the studio.

The Components of a Successful Fan Newsletter

Tue, 13 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Do you have a monthly newsletter to send to fans? If not, now is the time to start sending ones. Newsletters are the perfect way to stay in touch with fans, build your fan base, and announce news about upcoming tours and recordings.

Of course, the key to having a successful fan newsletter is knowing what to include in it. You don’t want to burden fans with unnecessary or dull information, and you do want to make sure to keep them in on the most important developments in your career. Here’s how to do it.

A Kick-Ass Headline/Subject Line

The first thing your newsletter needs is a fantastic headline, which can also serve as the subject line of your email. You want fans who see the headline to be eager to open the email and see what’s inside.
It’s a good idea to start each subject line with information about what’s inside. For example:

January Newsletter: Win Tix to Our Chicago Show!

This tells fans that your newsletter is in the email, and it also teases the fact that they can win tickets to a gig. That’s a very enticing offer and one that will probably inspire most fans to open the newsletter immediately.

A User-Friendly Design

The next thing you need is a user-friendly design, something that will make it super-easy for fans to read your content. That means you need:

A design that fits on one page
Plenty of white space to break up the text
A mobile-friendly layout that won’t require fans to scroll horizontally to read

These things will ensure that fans can read your newsletter easily and won’t give up or get distracted if they are reading it on a mobile device.

Short and Snappy Copy

The point of a newsletter is that it should include only the most important updates and information about your band – and specifically, the things that are most likely to engage, entice, and excite your fans.

For example, your fans will likely be very excited to hear that you’ve booked a new tour or that you’re planning to hit the studio. They’ll love to hear about big developments. They also love to hear stories of fan encounters.

By contrast, information about your personal life isn’t really relevant unless you truly believe your fans want to hear it. If a band member gets engaged or has a baby, that’s worth reporting. If you bought a new car, though, it’s probably not.

The copy you share should be conversational, speaking directly to fans as if you were in the room with them. You don’t want to be too stand-offish or formal in a newsletter. Be friendly.

Irresistible Images

No music newsletter is complete without images to enhance the text. The saying says that a picture is worth a thousand words, and that’s really true. Your fans want to see you as well as read about you.

What images should you choose? The key is to pick clear, high-quality images that truly represent who you are and what you do. Do what you can to keep them a manageable size so that they download quickly.

It’s also very important to include alt text, captions, and descriptions of your images. Some fans may have aggressive spam filters or slow internet connections that prevent them from downloading images quickly. You want to make sure that if the images don’t load properly, fans can still get an idea of what’s in them.

A Call to Action

On the surface, the goal of your newsletter is to inform fans of what’s going on with you and your music. However, it’s also important for you to remember that the ultimate goal is to sell tickets and music. A newsletter is a marketing and sales tool just as much as it is a fan engagement tool.

What that means is that you absolutely must include at least one call to action in each newsletter you send. The call to action may do any of the following:

Get fans to visit the iTunes store to download your latest single
Direct them to the store on your website to get them to buy merchandise or CDs
Direct them to a concert venue’s website to buy tickets for an upcoming gig
Direct them to Amazon to buy a CD if you don’t have your own store

Whatever you want fans to do, make sure to include a direct request that’s compelling and strongly worded and a link to help them carry out the desired action.

In the End…

Your newsletter is a lifeline to your fans, a way of keeping them informed and engaged even when you’re not out on tour or selling a new CD. The information you include makes them feel that they matter – and that’s as it should be.

You may want to consider linking to a press release in your newsletter. To see how we can help you write compelling press releases, click here.

The Secrets of Self-Promotion For Musicians

Thu, 08 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

It’s not easy for musicians to build a following. You might have memorable songs and a great look, but unless you hit the jackpot you’ll have to put in a lot of time and energy to promote your music and build your fan base.

Self-promotion might not come easily to you, but it doesn’t have to be difficult either. There are tools you can use to help amplify your reach and make each thing you do to promote your music as effective as it possibly can be. Here are some secrets to keep in mind.

Less Is More

It might sound contradictory to say that less is more when we’re talking about self-promotion, but marketing is full of such contradictions. You want to make sure that you stay in touch with fans and reach out to new fans, but you don’t want to make them feel like they’re being bombarded with information from you, either.

For instance, some bands think they need to have a presence on every social media site. They convince themselves that more is better. But let’s face it, if your fans are primarily young men, the chances are pretty good they’re not spending their time on Pinterest. You don’t need to either.

Figure out where you can make the biggest possible impact for the smallest amount of time, money, and effort, and that’s where you should focus your attention.

Use the Tools Available to You

Some musicians have a Facebook presence but fail to take advantage of some of the tools that Facebook makes available to musicians. If you’re simply putting up a couple of posts a day, you’re missing out on some powerful self-promotion tools.

Let’s look at just one. Facebook Live Video rolled out slowly, but it’s now available to everybody with a Facebook account. Why not take advantage of it to do some promotion? Here are a few examples:

Broadcast one of your band rehearsals live.
Premiere a new song on Facebook.
Take questions from fans.
Take fans behind the scenes at a show.

These are just a few suggestions, but any one of them can help you connect with your existing fans and attract new ones – and without having to feel that you’re honking your own horn.

Encourage Reviews

Reviews can be the bane of a band’s existence – or the key to self-promotion. It all depends how you look at it.

Now, it’s important to note that there are two kinds of reviews that can help you. The first type is a professional review from a critic – the kind of thing that might appear in a newspaper, magazine, or a music blog or website.

Professional reviews can be difficult to get, but not impossible. You can get them by getting to know the music critics in your area, and by reaching out to critics when you’re on tour to get them to come to your show. A positive review can earn you free publicity, new fans, and record sales, so it’s worth putting in the time to get one.

You should also pay some attention to fan reviews that appear on Amazon, Facebook, Google, and other fan sites. You can encourage fans to leave reviews by linking to review pages in your emails or social media posts.

Amazon gives preferences to music that has a lot of sales and reviews when displaying search results, so doing what you can to accumulate reviews just makes good business sense.

Make Your Fans into Band Ambassadors

One of the best things you can do for yourself as a musician is to make your fans into ambassadors for your music. If you can accomplish this one thing, you can basically have an army of promoters working for you around the clock.

How can you do it? Here are some suggestions:

1. Host a contest where you give away an awesome prize like tickets to a show with a backstage pass or a cameo appearance in a music video. Host the contest on Facebook or Twitter, and require fans to share your posts to enter the contest.

2. Sell wearable band merchandise such as tee shirts, sunglasses, pins, and jewelry. Fans who really love your music will be eager to buy and wear them, and they’ll be walking billboards for you and your music.

3. Hire someone to design an app that will turn your fans’ profile pictures into band emblems. You’ve probably seen the profile pictures that people have used to celebrate marriage equality or sympathize with victims of terrorist attacks. Why not do the same thing with your band name or logo?

The more reasons you give your fans to get out and spread the word about you and your music, the more likely they are to do it.

Self-Promotion Might Not Be Fun…

But the bottom line is that it can help you attract new fans and prove your worth to music managers and record companies.

If you want some help getting noticed, we have a plan that can guarantee results. Click here to learn more!

Tips for Writing a Compelling Artist Biography

Mon, 05 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

How do you tell the story of your life as a musician to your fans? What about music critics? It isn’t uncommon for musicians’ stories to end up becoming as important to fans as their music. The people who love your music also want to know where you’re from and what’s important to you.

The answer is to have a compelling artist biography – a well-written and interesting story that shares enough details about you to make fans feel that they know you. Here are some tips to help you write one.

Plan Your Structure First

The first thing you should do is think about the basic structure of your biography. It doesn’t have to be long, but it does need to include the essential details about you and your career.

For example, you might want to break your bio down into three paragraphs:

Your early career (when you started playing or singing, first gigs, etc.)
Your middle career (first recording, early success, etc.)
Where you are now and what you’ll be doing in the future (upcoming tours and goals)

It’s also helpful to know what to include in your biography. For example, you should include significant events. Your first gig matters, your tenth probably doesn’t unless that also happens to be the gig where you scored a manager or found your new drummer.

Make sure to include any rewards and achievements. You don’t have to list each award individually if you have several, but you should definitely plan to toot your own horn.
Knowing the basic structure to follow, and what to include, can help you overcome any worries you have about being able to write an interesting biography.

Interview Yourself

Some musicians find it difficult to decide what to include in their biographies. One way to get down to the brass tacks is to play the part of an interviewer. If you were on television telling the story of your career, what would you say?

Imagine that you have only thirty seconds or a minute to respond. Putting a time limit on your answer makes it a little easier to skip inconsequential details and focus on the things that have formed you as a musician. That’s what your fans want to know, and what critics want, too.

Know Your Own Voice

If you write song lyrics, you may already have a good idea of your voice as a writer. But what if you don’t? Writing anything can be a daunting task for people who aren’t comfortable with the process.

One way to get at the heart of your voice is to record yourself speaking about your career and accomplishments. Written English is usually less formal (and less grammatical) than spoken English, but it also tends to be a true reflection of the speaker in a way that writing might not be – particularly if you don’t think of yourself as a writer.

You can even consider using a speech-to-text app or tool to transcribe your words directly to the page. Once you have something in writing, it’s much easier to noodle with it and get it to where you want it to be.

Strive for Perfection

Once you have a draft of your biography, you have to polish it. Grammar and spelling matter here, and if those things aren’t your strong suit then you should plan on getting someone to help you. One thing that can help a great deal is to read your bio out loud. It’s a method that can help you catch awkward phrasings or repetitive words.

Even professional editors sometimes need to give more than one pass through a document to catch the errors, so try proofing it once and then putting it a way and giving it another look the next day. That way, you’ll be more likely to catch errors that you missed the first time.

Update Your Bio Regularly

Once your biography is written and being used, it’s important to update it regularly. Your career is constantly evolving and so are you. You want to keep fans and the press abreast of what is happening with you so nothing slips through the cracks.

As a rule, you probably want to consider updating your bio every six months or so. Of course, if something really significant happens – like you land a big recording contract or book your first European tour – then you may want to update more frequently. When you update, remember that you always want to include the most significant information. That may mean that older information has to go as you update with new achievements and awards.

In the End…

Your bio is your calling card. It should be an accurate and interesting representation of who you are as a musician.

3 Steps to Use Fan Magnets to Build Your Following

Thu, 01 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Even the best musicians in the world need to build and maintain a fan base. In the old days, before the internet, there were few options available. Musicians could tour, release recordings, and do interviews – and that was pretty much it.

In today’s world of online marketing, the process of building a fan base is both easier and more complicated than it was before. It’s easier because there are literally thousands of outlets you can use. It’s harder because you might potentially have to spend more time managing the outlets you choose and keeping up with the demands of self-promotion.

One of the most effective ways to build a fan base is to use a fan magnet – a free giveaway that you use to entice people to subscribe to your list or follow you on social media. Here’s how to do it.

Step #1: Create an Irresistible Fan Magnet

The first step, of course, is to create a fan magnet that your fans will be unable to resist – and that may also appeal to people in your target audience. Here are some suggestions:
1. A free download of a new track or (even better) a bonus track that’s only available to people who subscribe to your list.
2. Access to a video of a band rehearsal or some other behind-the-scenes footage that they won’t be able to see anywhere else.
3. A free piece of band merchandise, such as a tee shirt, hat, or bumper sticker.

Those are just a few suggestions, but you get the idea. You want to provide people with something they can’t get anywhere else to entice them to take the next step, whether that means subscribing to your list, following you on social media, or some other goal that you define.

Step #2: Create a Landing Page for Your Fan Magnet

The next thing you need is a killer landing page for your fan magnet. A landing page is simply the page where people will land after they click on your ad or social media post.

The page needs to be great-looking and compelling. It should have all of the following components:

An enticing headline to make people want to keep reading once they land on the page
Intriguing sales copy to convince people that your fan magnet is one-of-a-kind, the must-have item that they can’t live without
Video or images to break up the text and to represent you and your music
A ton of white space to make it easy to read
Subheadings, bullet points, or numbered lists to help break up the text
A strong call to action that makes to clear both what people need to do (e.g. subscribe to your list) and what they’ll be getting in return (a free download).

The best calls to action are positive and specific. In other words, don’t go with “Subscribe” or “Click Here.” Be more specific. Try something like, “Send Me My Free Download!”

Step #3: Attract Traffic to Your Landing Page

The third and final step is to attract traffic to your landing page. Your best bet here is to do a paid promotion on social media. Facebook advertising is inexpensive and effective.

To create your ad, you’ll need all of the following:

A headline that jumps out and describes, in some way, the fan magnet you are offering to people who click the ad. Some effective headline techniques involves asking questions, using numbers, or teasing a secret.
Brief, effective ad copy that lets people know what they can expect if they click your ad.
A compelling image that will catch the eye of your target audience as they scroll down their Facebook feeds. You can find Facebook’s image requirements here.
A concrete goal for your ad. In this case, you want people to visit your website. It’s important to choose the right goal since Facebook charges by engagement.

Once you set up the visual elements of the ad, you’ll have to decide two additional things: First, who will your ad target; and second, how much do you want to spend?

You can choose to create a lookalike audience, and that’s something that makes a lot of sense for musicians. After all, people who share many things in common with your current fans are likely to enjoy your music. Alternatively, you can target by choosing a popular musician with a sound that’s similar to yours.

In terms of budget, Facebook allows you to set a per-day budget as low as a dollar so you can afford to do it even if you don’t have much money to spend on self-promotion.

In conclusion…

Creating and promoting a fan magnet is a very good way to build a fan base – and ultimately, to attract a music manager to help you with your career.

If you want to learn more about how to get a manager, click here to buy our Music Management for the Indie Artist eBook now!

How to Upsell Your Email List: Turn One-Time Buyers Into Repeat Fans

Tue, 30 May 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Quick answer: an upsell is simply offering a fan who already bought something from you a related, slightly bigger purchase - a full album after a single, a hat after a T-shirt, a box set after a run of smaller wins. It works because someone who has already trusted you with their money once is a much easier sell the second time. Your email list is where this happens, because it’s the one channel you actually own - no algorithm gets a vote on whether your fans see it.

For a lot of musicians, “selling” is a four-letter word. You’d rather load a van at 3 a.m. than write a sentence that ends in “buy now.” Totally fair - but unless a label or manager is doing this for you, nobody else is going to ask your fans to open their wallets. The good news: it’s a lot less awkward over email than it is on stage between songs, and your list is already full of people who like you enough to have handed over their email address. That’s basically a standing ovation. Use it.

Here’s how to upsell that list well, from the small, easy wins to the big-ticket offers.

What Is an Upsell?

An upsell is a sale you make after a fan has already made an initial purchase. If a fan buys one of your early CDs, you could upsell them on a later release. If they buy a tee shirt, you could upsell them on a hat or a jacket. Nobody’s buying a Learjet here - it’s the small, natural next step.

The psychology is simple: once someone has said “yes” to buying from you once, they’re far more likely to say it again. They’ve already decided you’re legit and handed over their card details - the second ask is a much smaller leap of faith than the first one was.

This is exactly why your email list punches above its weight. A fan who already owns your merch is a warmer lead than a stranger scrolling past your music for the first time, and email lets you reach that warm lead directly, on your schedule, without paying a platform for the privilege.

Basic Upselling

The most basic upsell is directly related to whatever was just purchased. A fan who buys an EP is an easy sell on your full album, or a DVD of one of your concerts. Choose related items - it should feel like a natural next step, not a random pitch from a stranger at a kiosk.

The simplest version of this is a short, low-pressure email sent shortly after the purchase. Frame it as a thank-you if a hard sell isn’t your style, then tack on a related offer with a clear call to action near the bottom. Keep it short: thank them, remind them why they love your music, give them one obvious next step, and get out before you start apologizing for existing.

A few basic upsell ideas to keep in your back pocket:

A fan who buys a single or an EP gets offered your full album at a small discount.
A fan who buys a T-shirt gets offered a matching hat, pin, or tote bag.
A fan who buys a digital download gets offered the same release on vinyl or CD.
A fan who buys merchandise gets offered tickets to an upcoming show in their area.

Upselling Big-Ticket Items With a Soap Opera Sequence

Sometimes you want fans who’ve already bought from you to go bigger - a box set, a bundle, a VIP experience. Say you’ve put together a box set with every album plus bonus content, like unreleased live recordings or covers of famous songs. That might run over $100 depending on what’s inside, which can feel like a big ask to make all at once, out of nowhere, on a Tuesday.

There’s a technique that makes even a big-ticket offer like this feel almost irresistible: the soap opera sequence. Yes, it’s named after the TV genre, and yes, it works for the exact same reason - people can’t stand an unresolved cliffhanger.

A soap opera sequence is a series of five emails designed to move the reader emotionally by telling them a story, with each one ending on a hook that pulls the fan into the next. Here are the five parts:

Set the stage - introduce yourself briefly, promise a great story, and drop in a low-key call to action at the end.
High drama - hook them with a key point of your story, with enough tension to keep them reading.
The epiphany - share something you learned while putting the box set together, something that makes it genuinely unique.
The hidden benefits - tell fans why they really need this. Hint at Easter eggs, bonus tracks, anything you haven’t shared yet.
The call to action - a direct, unambiguous ask to buy.

Every email should end with a call to action, and a PS line teasing tomorrow’s email is a cheap, effective way to keep the sequence alive.

One way to add urgency: let fans know the box set (or whatever the big-ticket item is) is available at a reduced price for a limited time, or that only a limited number exist. Scarcity works because fear of missing out is a deeply human trigger - use it honestly, and only when it’s actually true. Fans can smell a fake countdown timer from a mile away.

Tips for a Successful Upsell Campaign

Segment when you can. A fan who already owns your merch shouldn’t get the same email as someone who’s never bought a thing.
Lead with the fan, not the sale. Frame the offer around what they get, not how badly you need the sale.
Don’t overdo it. Constant pitches train fans to tune you out. Save the bigger asks for after you’ve delivered real value - a new release, a personal update, a behind-the-scenes story.
Track what works. Watch which subject lines and offers actually convert, then do more of that and less of the stuff that flops.

Self-promotion might never feel natural, but it’s part of the job now - and selling by email is a lot less excruciating than doing it face-to-face after a set, sweaty and out of breath, hoping someone still wants a T-shirt. Your list is already full of people who want to hear from you. Upselling is just giving them an easy way to keep supporting you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is upselling in music marketing? Upselling is offering a fan a second, related purchase after they’ve already bought something from you - like offering a full album to someone who just bought a single, or a hat to someone who just bought a T-shirt. It works because a fan who has already trusted you with their money once is far more likely to do it again than a total stranger is to buy from you for the first time.

How soon after a purchase should I send an upsell email? Send it right away, while the fan is still excited about what they just bought - a short, low-pressure email within a day or two of the purchase, framed as a thank-you rather than a hard pitch, tends to convert best.

What is a soap opera sequence? A soap opera sequence is a series of five emails - set the stage, high drama, the epiphany, the hidden benefits, and the call to action - each ending on a cliffhanger, used to build emotional investment before asking fans to buy a big-ticket item like a box set or bundle.

How often should I email my fans with upsell offers? Sparingly. Constant sales pitches train fans to stop opening your emails. Save the bigger asks for after you’ve delivered real value - a new release, a personal update, or a behind-the-scenes story - so the offer feels earned, not naggy.

If you want to learn more about how to sell your music and grow your fan base, click here to sign up for our FREE webinar!

The Best Music Promotion Platforms Every Musician Needs to Use

Mon, 17 Apr 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Are you ready to market your music online, but don’t know where to start?

Marketing is all about reaching the right people at the right time with the right message (in this case – music). To do this, you use various marketing platforms, including:

Social media
Email
Video
Blogs
Paid advertising
And plenty of others

But, you don’t need to use every option available. In fact, it’s better to focus on one or two areas at a time. To help you get started, this article covers the best marketing platforms for music promotion.

Choose a couple of these platforms to use with your overall marketing strategy. Once you master one marketing method, move on to another.

Now, review all 5 of the best platforms…

#1 – Facebook and Instagram

Facebook has over a billion users. It’s hard to ignore such a popular platform, which means Facebook needs to be part of your music promotion strategy.

One often-overlooked Facebook feature is Facebook Events. For each upcoming gig, you should create a Facebook Event. Not only does this act as a reminder for your hardcore fans, it can help get the word out.

Your fans can even act as promoters, sharing the Facebook Event with friends and family. It’s a simple way to promote your music and only takes a few minutes to setup.

Facebook and Instagram open the option for two different marketing strategies – social media marketing and paid social media ad campaigns.

Social media marketing refers to a regular posting schedule. By actively posting on Facebook and Instagram, casual fans remain interested.

What should you post? There are three categories of social media posts – promotions, updates, and third-party content.

Promotions are sales posts, such as a post encouraging people to download your latest song. Or, a post promoting new merchandise. Updates are announcements. This includes announcing an upcoming gig.

About one-third of your social media posts should be promotions and updates. The other two-thirds should be third-party content. This refers to shared content that you’ve found online or shared posts from other Facebook and Instagram users.

Including a mixture of posts keeps people interested and keeps your social media presence active – without spamming your casual fans with self-promotional posts.

#2 – YouTube

The next platform to use is YouTube. There are other video streaming sites available, including Vimeo. But, YouTube is one of the most visited websites in the world. And, one of the largest search engines.

An interesting fact is that over half of all internet traffic comes from mobile devices – and people on mobile devices prefer video content. This makes YouTube an invaluable marketing platform for musicians.

There are many options for uploading videos to YouTube. You don’t necessarily need a “music video” to create a video. You can add a song to a slideshow. It’s that simple. Or, you could spend the time to create something a little more professional.

#3 – Music Streaming Sites

Music streaming sites are not only part of your marketing, they should be one of your revenue streams.

While you’ll need to attract thousands of plays before you start seeing any income, it’s important to start building this foundation. This will also help you build a larger fan base.

Here is a list of the top streaming platforms based on pay per stream:

Groove
Apple iTunes
Google Play
Spotify
Tidal

Out of these 5 platforms, Spotify is the easiest to use and to get your music listed. Also, Groove has a small pool of users, which impacts your chances of getting a lot of plays.

#4 – Email Marketing Platforms

Email marketing is another incredibly useful resource for building a fan base and making more money online. It’s the most cost-effective marketing platform and is easier than you may think.

The main advantage of email marketing is that you can easily convert website visitors into casual fans by getting them to subscribe to an email newsletter. This is done with “fan magnets”, which we’ve covered in several of our previous posts.

To manage and organize your mailing list, you should use an email marketing platform, such as MailChimp.

You can get started for free, but the total subscribers are limited. Though, it provides an easy to use solution for learning the basics of email marketing without spending any money.

#5 – Music Review Websites

Getting music reviews onto popular music sites can also help increase your exposure. It’s also a great way to build backlinks to your website.

Every artist needs a website to act as their online “home base”. Regardless of their preferred social media site, everyone can visit a website. It’s a solid rock in the ever-changing social media landscape.

To keep your website appearing in search engine results, you need regular traffic and backlinks. Getting people to review your music on other sites will help with both.

Music review websites can include professional industry blogs and individual music bloggers. A website with a larger audience will bring more exposure and provide more benefits to your SEO, but will also be more difficult to get reviewed.

You can reach out to these sites, sending an introductory email. You might not get a response from every inquiry. But, you’ll eventually start to get a few interested reviewers.

In addition to these tips, we can help you with this last step for music promotion – by offering premium music reviews.

How to Promote Your Music and Sell More Albums with 5 Simple Tips

Mon, 03 Apr 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Do you need to sell more albums on your website?

Creating a website, adding music, and keeping your site updated may not be enough. You need to actively market your music.

Band promotion should be treated like the online promotion for any product. You want to take advantage of basic marketing strategies, including the psychology that’s often used in online marketing.

If you want to learn how to promote your music and sell more albums, then check out the following 5 tips. They’re easy to implement and they rely on time-tested marketing techniques.

#1 – Include Physical Albums for Sale

Not everyone wants digital downloads. At least, there’s still a market for physical CDs and vinyl. If you release music in these formats, then make them available on your website. This gives visitors an extra option for purchasing your music, which is an important part of basic marketing.

In fact, if possible, include 3 different purchase options. This could include digital download, CD, and vinyl. Or, the MP3 download of your latest single, download of your album, and CD of your album.

There’s a psychological reason for presenting 3 options. People are more likely to choose the middle option. This can boost overall sales.

People that are on the fence about buying a CD, may be more likely to spend less to purchase the digital download. Instead of simply leaving your site, they’ve now become a customer.

Even if most people don’t purchase your physical albums, simply making the physical album available can result in more digital sales.

#2 – Make Sure Your Website Works on Mobile Devices

This next tip is incredibly important and shouldn’t be an issue with most websites. But, you need to ensure your website looks good on mobile devices. Luckily, most website themes are built with a responsive design, which means they work on any device.

Over half of all internet traffic comes from mobile devices. So, you need to make sure that these people can navigate your website. Otherwise, you’re cutting your online market in half. Mobile-optimized sites often use a “responsive” design. If you’re not familiar with this term, here’s a short video that explains how responsive websites work (in just over 60 seconds):

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Even if you use a responsive design, some elements may not appear as intended on various devices. When you build your website or add a new page, visit the site on your desktop or laptop, along with any available mobile devices.

If elements or pages don’t appear correctly, then you may need a new theme. If you’re using WordPress or another website builder, switching themes is relatively easy. Search for the latest themes, especially if you’ve been using the same theme for several years.

#3 – Include Lyrics to Your Songs

People still enjoy reading the lyrics to the songs that they like. This is one of the things that’s missing now that we no longer purchase CDs as frequently. The liner notes are gone when you’ve got digital downloads.

But, you can still offer the lyrics on your website. You can add lyrics to a pop-up page that opens after users click a link next to the song. Or, create a separate page for lyrics. The location doesn’t matter if you make the lyrics easy to find.

#4 – Include More Information About Your Songs

Being mysterious can have a certain appeal. But, living in the technology age, people are used to having access to any information that they want. This means that your music marketing efforts could benefit from the inclusion of more info.

This is like the previous tip. Digital downloads don’t include CD liner notes. But, your web page gives you a place to include this info.

On your web pages where you display songs and albums for sale, include these extra details. This could include where the song was recorded, who you worked with, and any other details that you feel are relevant. You could even include a little story about how you came up with the song.

These little details help people connect with your song, even before they hear it. It also lends a more professional touch to the listing of your songs and albums on your website.

#5 – Create and Submit Press Releases

The final tip for selling more albums is to create and release your own press releases. These press releases are used for band promotion when you’ve got a new album, tour, or other exciting news to announce.

Think of these releases as a news article. They are written in the third-person. Typically, you’ll link the press release to a specific landing page on your website – such as the page where visitors can order your latest album or purchase tickets to an upcoming show.

If you’d like assistance putting together an effective press release, ArtistPR can help. We offer premium press release services. These press releases are professionally written pieces that can increase your online exposure.

Use your press releases as part of your online music promotion – along with the other tips discussed.

Taking a few moments to get started with some of these tips can go a long way towards boosting your online recognition. If you want to sell more albums, you need to market your music and these tips will point you in the right direction. Good luck!

4 Solutions for Promoting Your Music Using Internet Marketing

Mon, 06 Feb 2017 00:00:00 +0000

If you’re not already using the internet to market your music, you’re missing out.

You need to treat your music career like a business and take advantage of typical internet marketing strategies.

Don’t worry. You don’t need any marketing experience. In fact, you don’t even need to be particularly tech-savvy. You just need the motivation to advance your music career.

Below, you’ll find 4 different strategies that can be used to promote your music. It’s a simple way to gain more listeners and grow your fan base. And, you won’t need a lot of money to get started. In fact, some of these strategies won’t cost you anything.

First, you should think about setting up separate social media profiles for your music. Even if you’re a solo act, having separate accounts for your music and personal life is a good idea.

If you’ve already started to build a following through existing personal social media profiles, you should decide whether you’ve crossed the point of no return.

With several thousand followers, there’s no reason to create a separate account.

But, if you’ve got a few hundred followers and half of those are friends, family, and acquaintances, you should go ahead and create separate accounts. It should only take a month or so to gain several hundred followers on your new accounts.

The reason for creating separate accounts is to get in the habit of treating your career like a business. Just like an entrepreneur, you should keep these things separate.

You don’t need your fans to have the same level of access to your personal life as your family and friends. This way, you can continue leading a normal social media life on Facebook or Twitter, while using your new accounts solely for music.

Another reason for this separation is to utilize paid advertising. With Facebook, you’ll need a Facebook business account in order to access certain features, including the insights and analytics for business pages on Facebook.

If you’re a solo artist creating separate accounts for your music, you can still use your real name, as you would with your regular account. There’s a good chance that there are already a few Facebook users with the same name anyways.

To create a distinction between the two, you could add “music” or “artist” to the end of your profile account.

#2 – Start Using Email Marketing

Along with social media, you should use email marketing. Every business needs a mailing list in order to keep customers updated with their latest developments. The same is true for artists.

To get started with email marketing, you’ve got several options. If you use WordPress, there are several plugins that will allow you to collect email addresses and build a subscriber list. Though, these plugins are often limited in features.

For a complete email marketing campaign, you should create an account with an email marketing platform. They’ll give you a few solutions for adding forms to your website to collect email addresses. This will also be needed if you plan on setting up fan magnets – or lead magnets.

The first stage in email marketing is building your mailing list. To do this, you’ll set up a form on your website or create landing pages to attract visitors.

The way that you attract visitors and get people to subscribe to your mailing list is by offering a free reward – such as a song download or access to an exclusive video.

You can then start sending out a regular newsletter to keep your subscribers updated. You can let them know about upcoming gigs and new song releases.

#3 – Submit Press Releases

Press releases help people discover your music. They’re primarily used when you have a “newsworthy” event to promote. This could be a major concert or event. You could also use a press release in order to promote an album release.

These press releases need to be written in the third-person. You’ll refer to yourself as “he” or “she”. Also, it should only contain facts. It shouldn’t be written with any hype.

For example, you would never write, “listen to their truly amazing, original music.” The words “truly” and “amazing” have no place in the press release unless they’re part of a direct quote.

Here’s a few more tips for writing an effective music press release:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuRjW_Vig_s

Press releases can be submitted to various websites for publication. Though, the requirements will vary. Some sites have strict rules regarding the content of the press releases.

Check the sites that regularly publish music news. Or, perform an internet search for music press releases.

The press release not only helps attract attention and reaches a larger audience, it helps build backlinks to your main website.

If you don’t already have a website, you’re going to need one. It’s an important part of your entire marketing strategy.

Social media profiles can come and go – a website provides a permanent online address for your music.

#4 – Attract Attention with Content Marketing

Content marketing is a broad term that can technically be applied to nearly all forms of marketing. Basically, it involves the production of content for your targeted audience.

For most businesses, online content marketing will include blogging, video tutorials, PDF guides, and other informational content.

The idea is that you give consumers informative, helpful, or entertaining content in order to establish trust and build a stronger connection. It’s how businesses keep their customers.

Think about any of the guides or tutorials that you’ve downloaded after subscribing to a mailing list or the blog sites that you read on a regular basis. Those are examples of content marketing.

Though, you’ll need to use slightly different tactics when promoting your music.

While you could still offer tips and advice, the same as a typical online business, it’s not a requirement. Instead, you can produce content in the form of new music and music videos.

MP3s and MP4s will be your greatest source of marketing material. Music and video files are how you’ll gain subscribers, build your following and attract a larger audience.

You’ll also need to produce original content to share with your fans.

Making it easy for people to access your music and music videos through your website or by subscribing to your mailing list will help you gain and keep fans.

Get started as soon as possible and don’t stop. Internet marketing really isn’t that complicated. But, you will need to keep at it. You’ll need to consistently put out new tweets and Facebook posts.

DIY Tips on How to Promote an Upcoming Album Release

Mon, 30 Jan 2017 00:00:00 +0000

DIY Tips on How to Promote an Upcoming Album Release

Releasing a new album provides a great opportunity to promote your music and possibly make some money selling your record.

So, when you’re preparing for an album release, it’s important to make the most of this opportunity. You’ll need to do everything you can to maximize the exposure that your new album receives. You’ve put in a lot of hard work to complete an album – don’t let it go to waste.

You don’t need a music manager for this. Instead, you can handle your own music promotion. Here are a few DIY tips on how to promote an upcoming album release.

The 5 Stages of Your DIY Music Management Plan

Leading up to the release of your album, there are 5 specific stages that you’ll want to pay attention to. These will form the basis of your overall marketing plan for your upcoming album. This includes:

Digital music distribution
Web site content
Social media marketing
Email newsletter
Press releases and reviews

#1 – Digital Music Distribution

Your first consideration should be digital music distribution. This could impact the release date of your album.

For example, it may take longer for your album to get released on certain streaming platforms. If you’re going to release physical copies of your album, you’ll also want to try to coincide the digital release.

Start planning the digital music distribution along with possible physical distribution. You’ll need the links for the digital music or the site where people can buy your music for the rest of these DIY marketing tips.

#2 – Web Site Content

You’ll also need to prepare your website for your new album. This means updating your discography and including links to the sites where fans can purchase or listen to your new music.

You should also create a landing page for your new album. A landing page is a single webpage with one specific focus and one goal. In this case, your one goal is to get people to buy your music.

So, the landing page should include samples of your music or full tracks embedded in a music player. They should be able to listen to the music directly from your site.

Your landing page can also include other media, such as videos or photos. Break up your content so that it’s easy to read. And, include the links to where people can find your music.

You can publish your landing page as soon as possible – before the album release. You could even include a countdown timer on the page that marks the number of days until your album comes out.

After you’ve created a landing page, you can begin your social media marketing campaign. Let your fans know about your upcoming album release. Share audio clips every few days, to keep people interested in your music.

You can increase your chances of getting people to listen to your music with the help of paid advertising. Facebook ads and Instagram ads both provide useful ways to reach your target audience. For just a few dollars, you can start reaching thousands of people every day.

Use social media to promote your new album, but don’t go overboard. You don’t want to annoy your followers with continuous posts and updates about your album release. This will have the opposite effect that you want.

You still need to use a mixture of shared content and self-promotion on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Only a portion of your posts should be related to your own music or your new album. The rest should be shared content that you’ve found elsewhere, such as other bands that you think your followers should check out or local events that they should attend.

The next stage of your music promotion is to start sending out email newsletters to your subscribers. Keep them updated.

Send an email letting them know about the release and then follow this up with links once you have links available. You could even offer a discount on your new music to your subscribers.

Your email subscribers will be among your most devoted fans – which means they’re more likely to want to buy your music.

If you want help getting started with email marketing, watch this short instructional video:

#5 – Press Releases and Reviews

Press releases and reviews can help spread the word. You can pay for these press releases or reviews or send emails to music blogs letting them know about your music. It’s not always easy to get people to write about your music.

But, if you keep at it, you’ll eventually get a few bites.

Even a few reviews on the right sites can help attract attention. You can use mentions of your album from these review sites in your marketing material to help promote your album.

The bottom line is that you need to have a plan before you release your album. You can’t just release it and wish for the best. You need to take matters into your own hands.

Start by deciding on a distribution method. You’ll need to decide on this so that you know where to direct people after they’ve visited your landing page or checked out your social media profile.

You’ll also need a landing page, social media marketing, email marketing, and reviews to help attract more listeners.

In addition to these tips, you can pay for quality music reviews. This will help spread the word about your upcoming release while generating buzz with music industry insiders. Click to learn more about these guaranteed music reviews.

5 Biggest Online Music Marketing Mistakes That You Need to Avoid

Fri, 06 Jan 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Photo byGavin Whitner

You need to promote your music if you want to make a living as an indie artist. It’s that simple.

Luckily, you have the internet at your disposal.

With social media, websites, and email, reaching your fans is easier than ever. But, this doesn’t mean that marketing your music online is easy.

When you first start promoting your music online, you’re likely to make a few mistakes. Don’t let this deter you from continuing to pursue your music career.

Instead, learn from your mistakes. Or, learn from the mistakes of others –

Here are 5 of the biggest online music marketing mistakes that you need to avoid.

You can use social media to promote your own music. But, you don’t want to over-sell your music. Let people listen to your music and make their own decision.

In fact, you need to realize that the majority of your followers are just casual followers. They’ve listened to a couple of your songs and then started following you.

Don’t assume that just because they follow your social media profile that they think your music is the most amazing thing in the world. You can use a little hype, but don’t over-do it.

You’ll also want to avoid over-promoting yourself on social media. This means that you don’t want to bombard your followers with posts promoting your latest music.

The repetition of constant self-promotion will force those casual followers to stop following.

Some indie artists make the mistake of not uploading their music to YouTube. YouTube is actually the 2nd most visited website after Google.

Uploading to YouTube is a great opportunity to reach a larger audience and attract more attention. The popularity of YouTube is partially due to the rise of browsing on mobile devices. People on the go enjoy watching videos, rather than browse the web.

One of the obstacles that can stop musicians from sharing their music on YouTube is not having any music videos. But, you don’t music videos to upload your music to YouTube.

Instead of creating a music video, you can simply create a video with slides with one of your tracks as the sound for the video. People do this to share recordings that don’t have a corresponding music video. So, start using YouTube as part of your music promotion.

The following video shows you how to put together your own video with music and a slideshow using Movavi Video Editor. You can test out the software for free. After you create your video, you can then upload it to YouTube:

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#3 – Not Sticking to a Consistent Schedule

You can’t post twenty times on Facebook in one day and then avoid social media for the next month. If you want to build a following and use digital marketing to grow your fan base, you need to remain consistent.

You should make a commitment to post at least once per day each day of the week. You could take the weekends off, but it’s important to stick the schedule that you set.

Also, don’t use any of the auto-sharing features to automatically post from Twitter to Facebook and vice versa. You should always take the time to personally write every post or tweet that comes from one of your accounts.

#4 – Forgetting to Include the Right Links

Whenever you self-promote on social media, don’t forget to include links. It’s easy to forget this step.

For example, when you tell your followers to check out your latest music, you need to include links to the sites where they can find the music.

If possible, make your music available directly on your website and then link to your own site. This helps build traffic to your site, increasing your local search rankings. If you’ve uploaded music to SoundCloud or Spotify, you can use a plugin or widget to add it to your site.

#5 – Not Having a Website

The 5th marketing mistake that you want to avoid is not having a website. You need a reliable destination to direct all your internet traffic. Even though Facebook has a billion users and Twitter has millions, they may not be around forever.

A website is your online home with a permanent address. People will always know how to find you. Plus, you can have one unified spot from which all your marketing efforts flow.

You can include links to your social media profiles, press releases, and other online content. And, you can add a form for building your email list.

Basically, you won’t get far without a website. They are cheap and easy to set up – even an elementary school student can build their own website. So, there’s no excuse.

Music marketing doesn’t require a lot of experience. But, it does require consistency.

You need to avoid over-promoting yourself. Remain humble and put yourself out there. Let yourself slowly grow a fan base and a mailing list. And, stick to a consistent schedule.

Along with these mistakes, there’s one more to avoid. When you have an upcoming album or a major event, you should promote it with a press release.

Click here to learn more about our professional press release services and maximize your online marketing potential.

5 Music Promotion Methods That You Need to Use

Mon, 12 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Learning how to promote your own music is a great way to learn more about the music industry. It will prepare you for the future stages of your career. Unless you’re already working with a manager, agents, or a PR team, these are steps that you’ll need to learn on your own.

To help you out, here are 5 music promotion methods that you need to start using. Begin incorporating these steps into your music promotion plans and you’ll surely be able to grow your fan base.

At the top of the list of music promotion methods that you should be using is social media marketing. What is social media marketing? Basically, instead of posting random updates about your music to Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, you’ll stick to a consistent schedule.

You should try to post at least once per day on every major social media network that you use. Only a portion of these posts should discuss your music, tours, and upcoming gigs. Instead, you’ll want to give your followers a variety of entertaining content. This could include links to other musicians, entertaining articles, and other content that you think your followers will enjoy.

By sharing a variety of content, you’ll have a better chance of gaining new followers. You may even gain followers that have never heard of your music – they simply follow you because of the content that you post. If the concept of social media marketing is new to you, then check out the following video:

#2 – Upload Your Music to Streaming Sites

This next method is one that you’ve probably heard before – you need to upload your music. The days of making your own music and selling CD’s out of the back of your car are mostly gone. Instead, people use the internet to discover new music.

This means that you should take advantage of these online resources. Upload your music to streaming sites that people regularly use to listen to music. This includes SoundCloud, Spotify, DatPiff, and others.

Each of these sites has their own requirements and restrictions for uploading music. So, make sure that you learn more about the process before you start uploading your music.

#3 – Use Music Reviews to Promote Your Music

Music reviews are always a great way to promote your music. You’ll be more likely to get noticed by industry insiders. This is especially true if the music reviews are posted on a popular site or distributed to music industry professionals.

While you may be able to get reviewers to review your music, there are also methods of ensuring that your music gets reviewed. You can order quality music reviews that help showcase or highlight your music.

#4 – Send Out Press Releases to Announce New Music or Tours

Press releases are a great way to promote new music or upcoming tours. With a professionally written press release, you’ll be able to attract more attention. This offers many of the same benefits as using music reviews to promote your music.

As with music reviews, the press releases will also reach industry insiders. If you’re not familiar with press releases, they are written from an outside perspective and are meant to stick to the facts. They simply state the details and help build interest for upcoming events – such as the release of a new album or single or a scheduled tour.

#5 – Work with a Music Promotion Site

A music promotion site, such as ArtistPR, gives you access to resources that will help you promote your music. This includes beneficial guides for promoting your own music, as well as affordable services that will help you reach a larger audience.

For example, through ArtistPR, you can order an artist biography. You can make this a part of your electronic press kit. If you don’t already have an EPK, then make sure that you take a moment to read some of our other articles on the topic.

Make Music Promotion One of Your Main Tasks

Along with booking shows and making new music, you need to promote your own music. So, spend more time promoting your music. This is how you’ll grow your fan base and reach more people.

Start with the methods discussed. Use social media marketing to maintain your fan base while also gaining new fans. Upload your music to streaming sites so that you can easily share your music with people.

You can also use music reviews, press releases, and EPK’s to help you gain recognition from industry insiders. By combining these methods, you’ll be able to handle a lot of the tasks that would normally be managed by a band manager.

If you want to learn how to get a record deal, you need to know how to promote your own music. Begin using these methods for music promotion.

How to Promote Your Music Using Online Resources

Mon, 05 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Booking shows and events can help you increase your exposure, but they’re not the only solutions for promoting your music.

Thanks to modern technology, you now have a quite a few options at your disposal. This includes submitting your music to streaming sites, maintaining a strong social media presence, and sending out press releases.

In fact, if you’re not using these online resources, then you’re not doing everything in your power to promote your music. With that in mind, here is a short tutorial to teach you how to get started with online music promotion.

Indie musicians are more likely to succeed when they treat their music like a business. This means creating social media accounts for your music that are separate from your personal social media accounts.

Even if you are a solo artist going by your real name, it’s a good idea to separate your musical career from your personal social media.

The reason for this is to keep things separate from your personal life. You don’t want to alienate your audience by sharing content that they disagree with. Keep personal posts on your personal social media accounts and music related posts on your business social media accounts.

When you create a new social media account, you often have the option of creating a personal account or a business account. You’ll want to create business accounts, as this will give the option to purchase sponsored posts and PPC (pay-per-click) ads through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

You Need to Submit Music Online

The next step is to submit music online. For this step, you’ll need to create an account with the various online music streaming sites, including Spotify, SoundCloud, and possibly iTunes. If you’re a rapper or hip-hop artist, you should also think about uploading music to DatPiff.

Once you create an account with these sites, the music submission process is relatively straight-forward. Whether you choose to upload a few songs or your latest album, you’ll then be able to share your music with the public.

You can also share your uploaded music on social media. This is great if you already have a good-sized following on social media. Share the links to your music on social media. Your fans can then share your music with their friends and family.

You Need to Send Out Press Releases

Whenever you release new music or plan a large tour, you should send out a press release. A press release is essentially an article that discusses this latest event. It is written in the third-person and provides details about your new music or tour.

You can write this press release yourself. Though, allowing a professional to write the press release will help you reach a larger audience. Buying a press release through ArtistPR will ensure that your release is sent to the top music industry insiders. Increase your exposure by buying high-quality press releases.

Along with press releases, you could also try to get your music reviewed on music blogs. Reach out to music bloggers by sending them a friendly email containing links to your EPK and your latest music.

You Should Consider Creating a Website

A website is not a requirement, but it will be incredibly useful in promoting your music online. While social media profiles will allow you to connect with your fans, a website is a central online location for everything related to your music.

From your website, you can share all your links, including links to your music, your social media profiles, and venues where you will be performing.

You don’t need any web design experience in order to build your own site. Wix and WordPress are a couple of the most popular website builder platforms. Both options are incredibly easy to use.

With Wix, you will choose from thousands of templates and then drag and drop elements on the page. With WordPress, you also have access to thousands of templates and the creation of a web page is no more complicated than creating a Word document.

There are thousands of online tutorials that will teach you how to get started. For now, you could watch this short video on setting up your first WordPress site:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpKIOqsFyPE

Final Thoughts on Promoting Your Music Online

Once you’ve gone through all these steps, you should stick to a consistent schedule of sending out new social media posts. Continue to update your fans and share entertaining content.

The main thing that you need to remember about online music promotion is that you need to be consistent. Never stop being active online. Talk to your fans, join music forums and do everything that you can to increase your online presence.

If you stick with it, you’ll be able to continue reaching a larger audience. Good luck and remember the importance of creating a separate social media account for your musical career.

How to Promote Your Music Online with 8 Different Options

Fri, 18 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Online music promotion can open new doors for indie artists. You no longer need to rely on old-school methods, such as the radio, to get your music out to the masses. Thanks to music promotion services, and online sites for submitting music, you can easily learn how to promote your music. So, here are 8 different options that you have available.

#1 - SoundCloud Promotion

The first place to start is with the SoundCloud promotion. SoundCloud is a popular platform for indie artists that want to share their music online. This gives you more options than if you were to submit music to Spotify.

With SoundCloud, you are in control of which songs are available to public and can send invitations for people to listen to private tracks. This versatility and the high-quality sound files makes SoundCloud promotion an integral part of any music promotion strategy for indie artists.

#2 - Create Your Own YouTube Channel

If you haven’t already created a Google account for your band or for your music, then you should do so. This is then connected to a YouTube Channel. Artists use YouTube to promote their music and get discovered - think of The Weeknd or Justin Bieber.

Even if this doesn’t get you discovered, it can help you build your fan base. You don’t need a professional music video. You can upload a live recording from gigs or place your music tracks over a slideshow. Artist Shortcut has recently uploaded a short video that gives you some tips on promoting your music through YouTube:

#3 - Promote Your Music Through Reddit Music

Reddit remains a popular website for link sharing. There is even a major subreddit called “Reddit Music”. You can share links and get real feedback. Though, you should be prepared for honest opinions. Redditors are notorious for leaving vile comments.

Along with sharing your music through Reddit Music, you can find plenty of additional advice. You’ll be able to connect with other musicians, ask for advice, or browse other people’s comments.

#4 - Submit Music to Spotify

You could also submit music to Spotify. This is one of the most used music streaming apps. Millions of people listen to Spotify every day.

Also, you could earn a commission if enough people listen to your music. Even if you can’t millions of listeners, it’s still a great way to get more people to listen to your music. Grow your fan base and give your existing fans an easy way to listen to your latest music.

You can use social media to market your music. Take advantage of Twitter and Facebook. Share links to your music on these sites. Whenever you release new music, post about it on Facebook and send out a tweet on Twitter.

Remember to use hashtags. This helps people find your music. For example, you may think about using some of the following hashtags:

#music
#rap
#hiphop
#indiemusic
#newmusic
#hotmusic

You get the idea. You want to describe what it is and what genre it belongs to. Social media marketing is not hard. You just need to share constantly.

One of the mistakes that artists fall for is that they only promote their own music on social media. This should only be a fraction of your promotion. You can also share links to artists that you enjoy, articles about other artists, or anything else that you think may appeal to your fan base.

#6 - Create Your Own Website

You will need to have your own website if you want to grow your own fan base. Creating your own website is not difficult. There are several affordable options. You can use WordPress or Wix. These platforms are easy to use and do not require any web design experience. They even have website templates that are intended for artists.

You’ll need to purchase a domain, but these generally cost $10 or less per year. Once you’ve got your website set up, you will have an official spot to promote your music. You can think of your website as the “all-in-one” resource for links and info related to your music.

You can include links to any music that you’ve published online. You can also use plugins to add music SoundCloud or Spotify directly to your website.

Create new blog posts whenever you release new music, book a gig, or prepare for an event. Also, create separate pages for the following areas:

Upcoming gigs
Artist biography
Music links or discography
Contact information

In a way, your website is like an electronic press kit. Though, it’s more detailed. It includes all the information that anyone will need to find your music and learn more about you. Keep your website updated.

Having a website helps people find your music. When they type in the name of your brand or your stage name, your website should be the first thing that pops up in search engine results.

#7 - Search for Music Blogs

There are thousands of music blogs that love sharing the latest music. These blogs have become more popular and more respected than dinosaurs such as Rolling Stone magazine. These are the sites that serious music lovers and industry professionals visit to discover the latest trends and new artists.

Search for these music blogs and reach out to the owners of the blog. Submit a link to your music. Preferably, share a link to songs that you have uploaded to Spotify or SoundCloud. They won’t bother listening to your music if they need to download it or have trouble finding it.

#8 - Buy a Press Release

As a final option, ArtistPR can help you get your music out there. With a “Done-for-you” press release, you can generate more attention and build more awareness for your music.

These press releases allow you to reach managers and music industry insiders. You can gain recognition and promote your upcoming releases or events. Learn more. Click here to discover how to order the ultimate press release.

The Basics of Music Promotion for Indie Artists

Wed, 16 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

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Thanks to modern technology and websites, it’s easier for indie artists to promote their own music. You don’t have to wait until you get a manager or sign a record deal to reach out and build your fan base. In fact, you’ll probably have trouble getting a manager or signing a record deal if you haven’t already made efforts to learn how to promote your music.

So, if you want to make a name for yourself, you should learn the basics of music promotion for indie artists. Start with these basic tips.

Release and Distribute Your Own Music

The first step is to begin releasing and distributing your own music. You need to upload music to websites that accept music. This includes SoundCloud. You can also try to get your music onto Spotify.

Before trying to submit music to any of these spots, you should make sure that you have quality music to share. If you haven’t already started recording your own music, check out some of our other articles on music production. You’ll find great advice on setting up a basic home studio.

You don’t need a lot of money to purchase the basic equipment that is needed to produce your own music. Several hundred dollars should cover it. Keep in mind, you’ll not be buying the best equipment, but it will get the job done.

Build a Website for Your Music

Every artist should have a website. Not only should you have a website, you need to keep it updated. You don’t need to have any experience with web design to make a basic website. There are website building platforms that are easy enough for an elementary school child to build a website. This includes WordPress – the most popular blogging platform.

You can start with a free website. Though, it’s definitely recommended that you purchase your own domain. They are cheap. You can generally get a domain for free with a hosting account. The hosting account may cost between $5 and $10 per month. That’s only $60 to $120 per year for a central online location for all information related to your music.

Once you start distributing your own music, you need to promote it through social media. Share links to the locations where your music can be found. You should also try to gain more followers. The best way to do this is by continually sharing new content.

Not only should you share links to your own music and other content, you should share links to the things that you love. This could include causes that you are passionate about, other artists, and anything that you think that your fan base will appreciate.

Also, take part in online communities. This includes Facebook Groups. If your local area has a large music scene, they likely have a website or a Facebook Group dedicated to local music. Get involved with these sites. Share your music and links and talk to other artists.

Release Music Videos on YouTube and Vimeo

Next, you should begin releasing music videos. If you don’t have the budget for an actual recording, you could place your digital music over a slideshow. Though, recording a live video is not difficult. Using affordable or free video editing software, you can easily splice together a video using footage from your live shows. Sync this up with one of your digital songs to release your own music video.

Upload these videos to YouTube and Vimeo. This is a great way to reach out and get more people to listen to your music.

As with the previous tip, you should share links to these videos through social media. Share links on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

Book Your Own Gigs and Tours

After you’ve completed these steps, you need to book gigs. Playing live music is the oldest and the best way to promote your own music. If you’ve had trouble booking gigs, a great place to start is with local bars and clubs. Even if you need to drive 30 minutes to find a town that has bars and clubs, you shouldn’t have trouble finding a place that has live music.

Find out who is responsible for booking acts at the venue and send them links to your music. Make sure that you target bars and clubs that enjoy your genre of music. This will increase your chances of booking a gig. Don’t be afraid to play a show that doesn’t play well, early in your career.

Once you book a gig, remember to promote it through social media. You need to let your followers know how to find your live shows. If possible, include a link to the official website of the venue where you will be performing. This way, your followers can easily find directions to the location.

How to Get a Record Deal

Learning how to promote your music is one of the first steps to getting a record deal. You need to build a name for yourself. ArtistPR can show you how.

Sign up for this upcoming webinar to discover the 5 secrets to promoting your music. This special webinar is for indie artists that need help getting their music heard. Sign up for this webinar while space is still available.

Don’t Give Up – Keep on Trucking

The final tip is to keep on going. Don’t give up on your dream. It will require hard work and you will not get results overnight. It can take months before you start to notice any positive feedback after you’ve shared links to your online music.

You may get great results for a little while and then nothing. Remember that it’s a cumulative process. You’ll slowly build your fan base and gain more followers, as long as you are consistent and keep at it. Good luck out there. Remember to check out some of our other articles. We’ve got plenty of advice for budding indie artists. Take advantage of all the information that you can find.

Music Promotion Strategies for Indie Artists without a Music Manager

Fri, 04 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

You don’t need a music manager to launch your music career. You may have trouble figuring out how to get a music manager if you have not already developed a fan base. So, with that in mind, here are some tips to help you promote your own music. Use these suggestions to begin building your fan base.

Why Artist Management is Not Essential

So, why should you not worry about having artist management? Because, unless you already have a large fan base and need to reach out to new markets or have trouble keeping up with the tasks involved in managing your own career, you simply don’t need music management.

You can summarize the most important tasks in managing a musical act as follows:

Booking gigs
Promoting your music
Writing and recording
Distributing your music

Early in your career, these are tasks that you should be able to handle on your own. In fact, you need to learn more about all these areas before you start working with professionals. This is important for two reasons.

First, a music manager may not want to work with an inexperienced musician that doesn’t understand what it takes to become successful. Second, it helps you avoid getting ripped off. Since you’ll already know what goes into booking gigs and have a basic understanding of the music industry, you are less likely to get taken advantage of.

Before finding a music manager, you’ll want to spend time on all these tasks. So, here’s a few ways to get started.

Practice Your Craft

Honestly, the first step in your career is practice. You need to practice your craft and get better. You’re going to be competing for attention with established acts in your area. Depending on the size of your local music scene, there is usually room for new acts. But, it helps if you actually sound good.

If you need to, you should take music lessons. If you’ve never taken a music lesson, a basic piano lesson can teach the basics of reading sheet music and understanding the structure of a song. It may seem like baby steps, but it all works towards helping to advance your career.

Release Your Music Online

Once you think that your music is good enough for other people to enjoy, you need to start recording and releasing your own music. If you know any budding music producers, you can work with them to record a few songs.

The other option is to record your own music. With a few hundred bucks, you should be able to buy the basic equipment needed to record your own music. This includes an audio interface, a microphone, and a digital audio workstation (DAW).

Record your music and begin sharing online. The first place to start is with SoundCloud. You can upload your music and decide whether you want to keep it private or make it public. With private tracks, you can invite people to listen to your songs and ask for their input. Though, you’ll reach more people by making your tracks public.

After you’ve uploaded your music to SoundCloud or other music streaming sites, you should begin promoting your music. This can be done through social media. Set up a Twitter and Facebook account for your band or your solo act. Share links to your uploaded music, along with any articles that you come across that you think your fans will like.

Start Booking Your Own Gigs

Start booking your own gigs. Contact local venues and find out how to book a gig. The first time that you try to do this can be scary. Don’t be afraid. The worst that will happen is that they are aren’t looking for new acts right now.

So, create a list of local venues. Write down the contact information and visit their websites. Call each of these locations, one at a time, to find out more information about booking gigs. You’ll eventually get your first gig.

Getting the first gig always seems to be the hardest. But, once you get this out of the way, you’ll gain the confidence that you need to book more gigs.

Playing live shows is the best way to start building your fan base. Though, it will help if you’ve already got music available. After people check out your show, they may want to share your music with their friends and family. So, they’ll search for you online. If your music can’t be found, then you are missing out on new opportunities to gain more fans.

Between the music that you’ve shared online and the live shows that you play, you should be able to start building your own loyal following.

Learn More About Artist Management

Along with these tips, you can find even more advice in our downloadable eBook - Music Management for the Indie Artist. Within this guide, you’ll find hundreds of tips and suggestions that will help you advance your career.

For additional input on finding a music manager, and whether you really need one, check out this short video:

The idea that you need a music manager in order to make a music career is a myth. You don’t need their help right away. At some point, they can be beneficial.

Here’s an analogy that can be used to paint a better picture. Imagine that you have a hot dog stand. You sell hot dogs every day. Eventually, you start selling out of hot dogs and are unable to keep up with demand. So, you decide to hire someone to work a second hot dog stand around the corner.

The same concept applies to your music career. When you first start out, you shouldn’t need help building your initial fan base. You should take matters into your own hands. Work on these tasks on your own.

The bottom line is that you shouldn’t worry about finding a music manager until you have trouble keeping up with these tasks on your own. So, get out there and make a name for yourself. Then, you’ll be able to get music managers to come to you.

Band Promotion | ArtistPR

5 Reasons Why Musicians Need to Build an Email List

#1: You Can Use Your Email List to Keep in Touch with Fans

#2: You Can Use Email to Promote Your Music

#3: You Can Use Email to Share Inside Information

#4: You Can Use Email to Build Your Fan Base

#5: You Can Use Email to Share Press Releases

In Short…

5 Things You Need to Know to Get a Music Manager

#1: Know Who You Are, Musically Speaking

#2: Play Constantly

#3: Build Your Fan Base

#4: Have a Long-Term Plan for Your Career

#5: Manage Yourself

If You Want to Get a Manager…

How Preparing to Produce Music Can Boost Your Sales

Music First

Familiarity Breeds Success

Know What Equipment You Need

Have a Recording Plan

Test All Instruments before Recording

Get Instant Feedback

Don’t Rush Post-Production Either

From Production to Sales

How to Use Instagram to Build Your Fan Base

#1: Use Hashtags Wisely

#2: Follow Other Musicians in Your Genre

#3: Follow Music Publications and Venues

#4: Host a Contest or Giveaway

How to Write Killer Facebook Posts to Engage Your Fans

Understand Your Fans

Write Short Posts

Write Long Posts

Ask Questions

Use a Consistent Voice

Ultimately…

The Components of a Successful Fan Newsletter

A Kick-Ass Headline/Subject Line

A User-Friendly Design

Short and Snappy Copy

Irresistible Images

A Call to Action

In the End…

The Secrets of Self-Promotion For Musicians

Less Is More

Use the Tools Available to You

Encourage Reviews

Make Your Fans into Band Ambassadors

Self-Promotion Might Not Be Fun…

Tips for Writing a Compelling Artist Biography

Plan Your Structure First

Interview Yourself

Know Your Own Voice

Strive for Perfection

Update Your Bio Regularly

In the End…

3 Steps to Use Fan Magnets to Build Your Following

Step #1: Create an Irresistible Fan Magnet

Step #2: Create a Landing Page for Your Fan Magnet

Step #3: Attract Traffic to Your Landing Page

In conclusion…

How to Upsell Your Email List: Turn One-Time Buyers Into Repeat Fans

What Is an Upsell?

Basic Upselling

Upselling Big-Ticket Items With a Soap Opera Sequence

Tips for a Successful Upsell Campaign

Frequently Asked Questions

The Best Music Promotion Platforms Every Musician Needs to Use

#1 – Facebook and Instagram

#2 – YouTube

#3 – Music Streaming Sites

#4 – Email Marketing Platforms

#5 – Music Review Websites

How to Promote Your Music and Sell More Albums with 5 Simple Tips

#1 – Include Physical Albums for Sale

#2 – Make Sure Your Website Works on Mobile Devices

#3 – Include Lyrics to Your Songs

#4 – Include More Information About Your Songs

#5 – Create and Submit Press Releases

4 Solutions for Promoting Your Music Using Internet Marketing