Position:Home>Performing Arts> Ideas for promoting my music?

As you obviously know, you need to show the public what you have to offer!. I went to your site, but I have very slow dial-up, so I only heard a tiny clip!.!.!. frustrating!. Your site looks graphically great, though!.

Some marketing ideas:

1!. Search-engine ads on Yahoo!, Microsoft, Google!. You pay per click!.

2!. Inclusion in event-listings on local-event sites!. You can go on your own local site and add yourself to the listings under the proper category!.

3!. This one I'm sure you know: Perform in public wherever and whenever you can, even if it's for free!. Open mic, showcases, special-event days in the park!. You can give out demo CDs--maybe of just one song--or charge a minimal amount!. The idea is to get noticed and talked about!.

4!. Approach business owners with a concept of how you can help them improve their businesses by having you perform at their shops/offices!. New businesses always want to attract new customers with events!. Find a way that your music will help them connect with their prospective customers!.

5!. Look into music festivals and see where you might fit in!.

6!. Join musicians' organizations and network!.

7!. Choose a band you really like and can relate to!. Offer to open for them, either for free or for a minimal amount!. Offer to pay them, if you have to!.

8!. Make business cards and toss them into every open basket/jar/box for business cards, in bars, cafes and restaurants!. Usually, these will be for chances to win prizes!. So what!? People will see them!. Post your cards on every bulletin board you see!. Hand out your cards whenever you can!. You can be low-key about this!. For instance, if you need to write down something for someone, write it down on the back of your business card!. Keep a supply of these cards with you, in case an opportunity comes up!.

9!. I'm sure you already know this: When you have a gig, promote it as much as you can--posters, emails to friends, colleagues and business/social contacts, ads online, craigslist events!. Contact music editors for newspapers & magazines and e-newspapers & e-magazines and let them know about your gig; ask if they'll add it their coming events (costs you nothing)!. Get in touch with radio stations and see how you can promote your gig through them!. Public radio stations are always looking for people to interview!. Can you do a good interview!? Research interview-radio clips and learn how to do a successful interview!. Sell the idea to the station!.

10!. Approach a company that provides "singing telegrams" for office/home surprise birthday parties!. Instead of a stripper or a big bunch of balloons, why not have a band perform!. Of course, you'd have to keep your equipment minimal!. Play acoustic!. You won't need sound equipment for an office, shop, living room or deck!.

11!. Approach theater companies and offer to perform in the lobby or in front of the theater, to entertain attendees before the show!. (At the Kennedy Center in D!.C!., I saw the Blue Man Group perform!. This was before they made it big!. Very cool!. As you may know, the Kennedy Center has a huge lobby!. While I was watching the BMG, there was a group playing live music at the other end of the hall!.)

12!. Get a listing in telephone directories!.

13!. Have a good photo of yourself that you can use for promotion!. If you don't think you're good-looking enough, have someone Photoshop it for you!. (I do that as part of my online business!.)

14!. Do some research on marketing!. You'll find plenty of ideas that I haven't thought of!.

15!. Online publishers are always looking for stuff to publish!. Write up a piece on how you got started, funny things that happened, bummer things that happened, people you met, places you've performed, where you record, stuff like that!. Contact the publishers first to get their guidelines; they'll want a certain length and they'll want it in a certain format!. Often they'll give you a choice of whether a) they pay you a pittance and get to keep the rights to your piece or b) they pay you nothing but you keep the rights!. I suggest you go with choice b!. Why!? Because you can use the same piece lots of places!. A couple of online publishers I know of are Helium and Associated Content!. There's another one with the word Hub in it; I don't know anything about them, though, because they approached me!. If you can't write, get a writer to interview you and write the piece for you!. Get "tear sheets," or whatever the e-equivalent is, of the published piece, and post them on every bulletin board and e-bulletin board you see!. Jay Leno wrote a book called "Leading with My Chin!." I heard the audiobook version!. It's not very long and is very interesting!. I suggest you listen to it (or read it)!. It might give you some good ideas of how to describe your experience in written form!. also, it will probably encourage you when you read/hear what Leno went through to get where he is today!.

Well, that's a few suggestions off the top of my head!. I'd say that the most important thing is to go to your audience, not expect them to come to you!. You have to promote yourself!. You may feel awkward at first, but you can find ways to bring up your music/band in general conversation!. That is also marketing!.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL: If you focus on your goal as a musician and center your life around that goal, you're bound to succeed!. There's a saying that the ones who don't succeed are those who stop trying!.

Good luck to you!.

MarianWww@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

My one suggestion would be to get a music Myspace page!. It's very similar to making a regular Myspace page, but its for bands and musicians!.

On this page, you can upload your demos and have news updates about gigs you have or whatever!. It's a great way to connect with fans, and hopefully your music will spread!.

Good luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---