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“So I see you have a band. I have a band too. I’ll show you mine if
you show me yours.”
As creepy as that sounds, it’s an amazing way to kick of promotions.
In a day and age where the music scene is as over saturated as a fat
man’s shirt during a hot dog eating competition, unsigned bands need to
stick together. You don’t have to like one another to play in the same
sand box but you do need to respect one another. Each band carries a
certain amount of fans and those fans have an amazing ability to like
more than one band. When working together, you could potentially
double your fan base and create a network of contacts that will aid you
in booking future gigs.
That was just one of ten ways to get your name out there.
Stick with me kid. We’ve got nine more to go.
you show me yours.”
As creepy as that sounds, it’s an amazing way to kick of promotions.
In a day and age where the music scene is as over saturated as a fat
man’s shirt during a hot dog eating competition, unsigned bands need to
stick together. You don’t have to like one another to play in the same
sand box but you do need to respect one another. Each band carries a
certain amount of fans and those fans have an amazing ability to like
more than one band. When working together, you could potentially
double your fan base and create a network of contacts that will aid you
in booking future gigs.
That was just one of ten ways to get your name out there.
Stick with me kid. We’ve got nine more to go.
2. Think as a fan. Think of a time when you weren’t as cool as you
assume that you are now, when you were geeked as all hell when your
favorite band was gearing up to drop their latest album and told your best
friend/cat “Oh man! Wouldn’t it be cool if….” That’s what you need to do
now. Until you can hire people to think that way for you, you need to
channel your inner fan girl/boy and start jotting down ideas to get the
crowds moving to your Itunes or local record shop. Freebies usually do
the trick but when funds are tight you need to brainstorm other ways to
create an amazing package.
Free for the Band Ideas:
*Hold a contest for those that help push your CD. “The fan that gets the
highest number of their friends and family to purchase of album will have
a song written about them.” If you have each person who buys the CD
send the name of the person who recommended them with their payment
you will have a frenzie. I once saw a band go into fifth and sixth pressings
due to this. Who doesn’t want a song written about them?
*Spending Points. For every item/album/track you purchase from the
band you get a certain amount of merch points that can be used towards a
new item or show admission. Might sound crazy but people love thinking
that they’re getting more bang for their buck.
*Number the first fifty of each pressing and sign it. These will become
collectable and will help the fan feel as though they have something no
one else has. “Oh, you have the 10th out of 50 CDs? Psh. I have the 4th.”
*Listening parties. Be the first to hear the CD before anyone else on
Facebook or Myspace. Hold a party at a local record shop, invite fans to
critic the music with the band and get feedback. This feedback could help
future planning.
assume that you are now, when you were geeked as all hell when your
favorite band was gearing up to drop their latest album and told your best
friend/cat “Oh man! Wouldn’t it be cool if….” That’s what you need to do
now. Until you can hire people to think that way for you, you need to
channel your inner fan girl/boy and start jotting down ideas to get the
crowds moving to your Itunes or local record shop. Freebies usually do
the trick but when funds are tight you need to brainstorm other ways to
create an amazing package.
Free for the Band Ideas:
*Hold a contest for those that help push your CD. “The fan that gets the
highest number of their friends and family to purchase of album will have
a song written about them.” If you have each person who buys the CD
send the name of the person who recommended them with their payment
you will have a frenzie. I once saw a band go into fifth and sixth pressings
due to this. Who doesn’t want a song written about them?
*Spending Points. For every item/album/track you purchase from the
band you get a certain amount of merch points that can be used towards a
new item or show admission. Might sound crazy but people love thinking
that they’re getting more bang for their buck.
*Number the first fifty of each pressing and sign it. These will become
collectable and will help the fan feel as though they have something no
one else has. “Oh, you have the 10th out of 50 CDs? Psh. I have the 4th.”
*Listening parties. Be the first to hear the CD before anyone else on
Facebook or Myspace. Hold a party at a local record shop, invite fans to
critic the music with the band and get feedback. This feedback could help
future planning.
3. Websites, Networks and Pages, Oh My! For those who can’t get to
you in person, your website/page is all they have to connect with. As
such, your pages and sites are a direct reflection upon the band. If your
site looks cheap and generic you are more than likely to lose a potential fan
than earning one. I know not everyone is a graphic designer and not
everyone can afford an outside source. This is where you take your butt
back to school via google. There isn’t anything that you can’t learn online
if you want it bad
you in person, your website/page is all they have to connect with. As
such, your pages and sites are a direct reflection upon the band. If your
site looks cheap and generic you are more than likely to lose a potential fan
than earning one. I know not everyone is a graphic designer and not
everyone can afford an outside source. This is where you take your butt
back to school via google. There isn’t anything that you can’t learn online
if you want it bad
