Every once in a while, a fellow musician pays me the compliment of asking my advice on matters such as publicity, marketing, recording, booking, or some other aspect of the Music Business. This page is a list of the resources that I use, inspirational quotes, answers that I've given, and just about anything that I have found helpful over the years that I've been making a living (of sorts) as a "full-timer". I welcome your comments and suggestions, so please
with any ideas you have.
Bob BakerThis is where I got started in the early nineties. He wrote the
"Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook", and
"MySpace Music Marketing", and teaches
Music Marketing 101 course at Berklee Music. He also hosts - for free - occasional teleconference calls with people that have done what we're trying to do (make a living in music), and are happy to share their stories. His free newsletter is an AMAZING must-read resource.
Derek SiversThis is the guy that started CD Baby, thus single-handedly revolutionizing the Music Industry. A brilliantly clear thinker, he's a pleasure to read. He's posted his articles on a simple website - just reading the TITLES of the articles will make you a better marketer.
GetSigned.comI haven't been to this one in a while, so I don't know if it's still got Steven Tyler's vocal coach giving out singing advice, but there's a huge list of articles on every aspect of The Business; touring, recording, when to add team members (Booking agents, Publicists, Managers) and what to expect from each other when you do, Music Business Law, pretty amazing stuff.
ReverbNation.com(the "look it over" link.)
This is an incredible site for musicians and bands; an Electronic Press Kit, a GREAT email program that complies with the CAN-SPAM act (and looks really cool), Widgets that your fans can use to help spread the word about your music, shows, videos, and sign up for your email list. You can see some of the stuff on other pages of my website.
Full Disclosure:I have signed up for their affiliate program, and get credit if you join from here, so you could do me a big favor by signing up from the link BELOW. I put the "generic" link up top, so you could check it out without going to the Signup Page right away.
ReverbNation.comSign Up Link(in order to give me Referral Credit - Thank you!)
Some of these are quick little thoughts, and some are in-depth
treatments of complicated issues. I suggest you take a few minutes to
skim through them all, and make notes of what you want to come back to
first.
After you've read the stuff about effectively communicating with Music Industry Professionals, check out...
The Texas Music OfficeDid you know that the Great State of Texas wants you to be successful? "
The Texas Music Office serves as the information clearinghouse and promotion office for the Texas music industry. This site contains 15,962 business, band or event listings totaling 3,028 printed pages."
Caution: Read some of the articles before you communicate with these pros! They get a LOT of emails from passionate, excited boneheads that don't have the first clue about professional conduct, and hit the "Block Sender" button FAST. If you're still reading this, you're probably not a bonehead, but if you inadvertently make a rookie mistake, you'll find yourself in the "bonehead" pile with the rest of us. Er...them, I mean...
Here's an answer that I gave to a friend that asked about CD ordering. As usual, I got a little carried away, but it covers much of what I learned when I released "All In", and uses many of the points outlined by the resources listed above.
Thank you SO much for honoring me with a request
for my input! I have the utmost respect for y'all, and to have my "two cents" valued like it was a whole nickel is
quite the compliment!
Lots to cover, so I'll just do the "bullet point"-
hipshot thing...
Discmakers has some VERY good points to them - you
can't go wrong there. Upon a recommendation from Terry Mashburn, I used Express
Media (http://www.expressmediaservices.com),
and was COMPLETELY blown away by their Customer Service - Just ONE example; the
president of the company left their Christmas Party to finish shrink-wrapping my
order, and waited to meet Wyatt Robinson at the plant so that I could have them
in time for my CD release party, even though it was my own fault that we were up
against the deadline so badly. I would take it as a favor if you'd give them a
chance to put in a bid, and tell them that I recommended it.
Do you have a UPC Bar Code? You'll need it to get
your product sold almost anywhere, including CD Baby. Speaking of
which...
CD Baby is one of the most valuable resources you
will have.
Customer service to rival Express
Media.
An Article Archive about the Music Business
that will blow your mind.
For thirty five dollars (plus a tiny little
fee), you can TAKE CREDIT CARDS to sell CD's, T-shirts, and other merch at your
shows. The process is simple, and the slips, tags, stickers and supplies are
FREE.
MyTexasMusic.com is another great resource that you
should definitely use - they (pretty much) ARE the Academy Of Texas Music, and
SUPER cool to boot (Lucky and Jinelle Boyd - tell 'em I said "Hi").
Sales
When my album came out, I spent hours registering
it at every site I could find, and stocking it in stores all across Texas. I
found out, though, that if you're not playing in that area A LOT, you end up in
a situation where strangers have to choose between you and someone they know -
you lose almost every time. Even CD Baby and MTM only work if people go there
specifically to look for you. Almost EVERY unit you sell will be at a live
show.
I placed my original order at two thousand (hence
the name, "All In"). I was ridiculed, but I'm now down to less than five
hundred, and I can't tell you how glad I am that I don't have to come up with
the money for another order right now. (I don't have another job, or bandmates
to split expenses with, so this may not be as big a factor for y'all). Part of
my thinking was also that I was able to use a Replication process, rather than
Duplication.
Duplication records your song information onto
existing blank CD's
Replication manufactures the CDs with the
information embedded into it. More scratch-resistant, but only cost-effective
with larger orders (I think a thousand is the tipping point).
I also gave away FAR too many before I came up with
an answer; print up cheap little cards directing people to your website (perhaps
even a "Hidden" page), where the GimmeOnes have to go to download the free
copy. Some that I gave away resulted in getting gigs that nearly paid for my
entire production run, so I don't regret it, but I do wish I had been less
generous to the "overserved" individuals that "LOVE Tony Barker" Saturday night
at Closing Time, and (probably) never even put it in the CD player. If they're
fans, ask for them to be Supporters, instead of Money Mosquitos.
There is much speculation that CD's are about to go
the way of the LP, due to the internet. Speaking of which, I'm leaning toward
the philosophy of giving away downloads, in order to attract interest to the
live shows. Jury's still out on that - I'll let you know how it works
out.
I've recently discovered ReverbNation. I believe
you're on my email list, so you know some of the details about why, but here's
the back story; SonicBids hosted my Electronic Press Kit for ten bucks a month,
and Fanbridge managed my email list for about the same. RN does a better job of
both, is easier to use, has the cool "Widgets" that I'm littering the entire
internet with, and costs about ten bucks a month. Please click on my
"Affiliate" tag to get to them; I think I get a free toaster if I sign up enough
new members...
I hope this helps! I'm going to post some links on
my website with some more resources (I may post this little blurb). In the
meantime, here's some "Google Bait";
Bob Baker www.TheBuzzFactor.com (He wrote "The
Guerilla Marketing Guide for Musicians") - I've been following his writing since
the early nineties.
Derek Sivers' blog (He started CD
Baby)
GetSigned.com - an older article archive, but FULL
of great advice on touring, vocal training, marketing, music law, almost every
aspect of the Music Business.
Congratulations, and Good Luck on your
project!
Whew! Thanks for hanging in there with me! I have some more to post, but I've got to get to the
Tony and Meatball Acoustic Jam - See you soon!
Tony
