Holiday selling tip: The impromptu venue

November 19th, 2009

With all the holiday festivities, it’s important to remember that people are congregating in all sorts of places that might not be considered “venues” the rest of the year.  CD Baby artist Dan Bressler
“Last year I had some success in our local mall. I asked one of the mall managers if I could set up my keyboard and speakers in a corner of the mall and play background music for FREE! With the understanding that I could sell my Holiday CDs if people wanted. That CD Baby Credit Card Swiper sure came in handy!”
Have a tip or idea for promoting music during the holidays?  Please post it in the comment section below.

holiday-salesWith all the holiday festivities, it’s important to remember that people are congregating in all sorts of places that might not be considered “venues” the rest of the year.  CD Baby artist Dan Bressler shares his tip for increasing sales during the holidays.

“Last year I had some success in our local mall. I asked one of the mall managers if I could set up my keyboard and speakers in a corner of the mall and play background music for FREE! With the understanding that I could sell my Holiday CDs if people wanted. That CD Baby Credit Card Swiper sure came in handy!”

Have a tip or idea for promoting music during the holidays?  Please post it in the comment section below.

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Star in the Spotlight Vs. Deer in the Headlights!

November 17th, 2009
As much as we like to think that every audience member is as attentive to our music as we are, it just isn’t the case.  Unlike us, they don’t come to every practice and sing every line.  The truth is, if you make a mistake on stage – like flub a chord or forget some lyrics – it’s not a big deal.  Why?  Because the audience probably didn’t notice.
So don’t stop. Don’t raise your eyebrows with shock.  Don’t laugh with embarrassment and please don’t cry (well, if your guitar flies off of your shoulder and hits your mother in the face, then you can cry).
Here are a few tips from a fellow musician on how to gracefully “flub”:
1. Practice Improvising – In rehearsal, make deliberate mistakes and learn to find your way back to the right notes. That way if it happens during a performance you’ll feel less stranded.  Who knows, you might even discover something unconventional that “works” and sounds more creative than your original part!
2. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat – If you make a “mistake”, do it again!  This sounds crazy, but your little flub is much less likely to stand out as a mistake if it happens more than once.
3. Shoop, Shooopedooop, Shoopedooop – The reality is, in a “rock context”, people cannot make out every word you sing.  If you’ve forgotten a line, don’t be afraid to throw out some gibberish!  Have a few go to lyrics or lines that are easy for you to scat.   But stay calm, this is your song and you can perform it however you’d like.   Even with a “shoop” in it here and there!
But what if you’ve forgotten the whole verse? Rather than complete silence, it is OKAY for you to repeat lyrics from another place in the song.  Just do it with confidence!
Keep in mind, mistakes are inevitable and even the best musicians make them.  So if you make a mistake and can’t quite cover it up like the pros, don’t cry yourself to sleep.  If your audience wanted to hear a perfect radio performance, they would have stayed home and listened to the CD!

MicrophoneAs much as we like to think that every audience member is as attentive to our music as we are, it just isn’t the case.  Unlike us, they don’t come to every practice and sing every line.  The truth is, if you make a mistake on stage – like flub a chord or forget some lyrics – it’s not a big deal.  Why?  Because the audience probably didn’t notice.

So don’t stop. Don’t raise your eyebrows with shock.  Don’t laugh with embarrassment and please don’t cry (well, if your guitar flies off of your shoulder and hits your mother in the face, then you can cry).

Here are a few tips from a fellow musician on how to gracefully “flub”:

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Podcast Spotlight – Episode #71: Allison Weiss

November 9th, 2009
Allison Weiss is a true DIY artist. As a college student, touring beyond her local scene proved to be a real challenge. Eager to get her music career moving forward, though, Allison had to get creative. To keep the dialogue going with her fans, she leverages the power of Twitter, Live Stream, and YouTube to communicate with her audience and build an active fan base. When it came time to fund her most recent recording, she asked her fans for help. Allison encouraged her fans to help finance the recording through an online service called Kickstarter. The result was overwhelming as Alison reached her goal in only 10 hours! You can hear all the details about how Allison used Kickstarter in the full-length audio version of the Podcast at http://cdbabypodcast.com, but here is an excerpt from the interview that will give you a glimpse into how Allison uses Twitter to build a rabid fan base that is willing and ready to fund her music career.
DIY: What are you doing with your internet promotions? Why do you think you’ve developed such a rabid fan base?
Allison: A lot of my internet efforts are focused on Twitter, which is great because it takes little to no effort. I think I got really into it because I’m in school and can’t tour constantly. I take advantage of the fact that there are all these websites that I can use to connect with my fans. Basically, I’m just very enthusiastic about all my online promotion efforts. Not necessarily promotion, but I just like to be there and hang out with the fans that are listening to my music. It’s fun and I like to connect with people. I think the reason that it’s so effective for me is because I’m very honest and open. If you follow my Twitter feed, you know it’s not just all, “Hey I’ve got a show coming up!” or “Buy my album!” That sort of stuff is in there amongst other updates like, “I just took a test and think I failed it!” I’m really honest and open because that’s how my music is as well. If you listen to my music, I pretty much wear my heart on my sleeve.
DIY: Was that something you consciously thought about when you started using Twitter to promote your music, or did it happen naturally?
Allison: It was definitely something that just happened naturally. I actually joined Twitter about a year ago and never used it for anything except my show updates. Then one night I decided I was going to live Tweet the Grammy’s, which was ridiculous, but a lot of fun because I was updating like every 4 seconds with my opinion. I already had a lot of Twitter followers at that point, people who had just followed me randomly. My followers were like, “This is great. I don’t even have to watch the Grammy’s”. It was so much fun that I thought I would give Twitter a shot and update it like a Facebook status. Since then I’ve totally fallen in love with Twitter.
DIY: I wanted to highlight your Twitter contests. I thought those were a great idea, especially for an artist that can’t tour on a consistent basis. Tell us about one of your contests.
Allison: I did this contest at the beginning of summer to celebrate getting 1,000 followers. I decided for a week I was going to have a photo contest where I would tweet 3 items like a book, a dinosaur and the color red. And then to enter the contest, someone would have to tweet me a photo involving these items and the most creative picture would win a CD. The 2nd runner-ups would win download cards. I used a blogging site called Tumblr to create a website where I showed the photos and posted everyone’s Twitter handle. It was cool because people got really creative with it and I got some really fun photos and sent out a bunch of CDs. At one point, I noticed people tweeting back and forth saying, “Hey I saw your entered the Allison Weiss photo contest. I loved your picture that was great!” That is my favorite thing when people who don’t know each other can find each other through me and my music.
You can find Allison’s music on CD Baby here http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/AllisonWeiss

Allison WeissThe Kickstarter Effect

Allison Weiss is a true DIY artist. As a college student, touring beyond her local scene proved to be a real challenge. Eager to get her music career moving forward, though, Allison had to get creative. To keep the dialogue going with her fans, she leverages the power of Twitter, Live Stream, and YouTube to communicate with her audience and build an active fan base. When it came time to fund her most recent recording, she asked her fans for help. Allison encouraged her fans to help finance the recording through an online service called Kickstarter. The result was overwhelming as Alison reached her goal in only 10 hours! You can hear all the details about how Allison used Kickstarter in the full-length audio version of the Podcast at http://cdbabypodcast.com, but here is an excerpt from the interview that will give you a glimpse into how Allison uses Twitter to build a rabid fan base that is willing and ready to fund her music career.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Is the album release show still relevant?

November 5th, 2009

Album release showA debate broke out this morning at the CD Baby home office in Portland, Oregon over the topic of the album release show and if it is still an important tool for promoting a new CD release.  On one side, there was the camp that thought it was important to get it out as soon as possible. No delays. Don’t worry too much about a specific release show. On the other side was the group that argued that the release show is a good event to rally the troops around, and not just fans. These events can serve as the perfect motivational catalyst for every member of the band/organization to kick things into high gear on multiple fronts. Plus, album release shows are the perfect type of event to garner some press coverage. Some folks thought you should hold back on releasing any copies until the album release show. Some thought you should still play an album release show even if the album has technically already been out there and selling for a while.  What do you think?  Are album release shows still important?  If yes, what creative ideas have you tried to make your album release show a special event?  Tell us in the comment section below.

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Avoid Album Art Atrocities

November 2nd, 2009
Your artwork is the gateway to your music
You only get one chance to make a good first impression. Why put your worst foot forward with amateur album art? Far too many independent artists put 110% into their music and production, only to slack on the other details surrounding their “product.” Imagine you’re in a super market and trying to choose a breakfast cereal. Brand X may be the greatest tasting thing since the invention of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but you’re never going to try it if it comes in a bland box with a washed out, pixilated photograph on the front. Now imagine Brand X comes in a blank white box with Sharpie magic marker writing on the front. (Yes, we get CDs like that at CD Baby all the time). Chances are you’d assume the
FDA should be notified, and quickly.
When it comes to artwork (the first impression many people will get of you and your music), don’t leave the design in the hands of a well-meaning friend unless they’ve got skills. Look at professionally-made albums in record stores. Notice how most of the artwork doesn’t look like it was whipped up in 5 minutes? Neither should yours.
So how do you avoid amateurism in your album art?
Don’t make a quick snapshot your album cover. People can tell it’s a snapshot and they will think you just don’t care.
Don’t put random pictures of animals next to pictures of people. You’d be surprised how many people do this, and it always looks ridiculous.
Don’t use a low-res digital picture. When it’s on a 4×5 CD cover, your image should at least be 300dpi.
Don’t use a piece of clip art. Again, this reveals a lack of creativity
Don’t make your album cover just text on a white page. It’s boring and people will think you don’t care about presentation.
Do hire a professional to design the cover art. Yes, it costs money, but if you want to be a real contender, every part of your album’s creation must be done right. After all the hours and energy you’ve devoted to the songs, why would you skimp on something that could turn people off before they even give your music a try?
Do brainstorm a bunch of ideas first. Think about your favorite album art of all time. What do you like about those covers? Is there a theme? A thread that connects them? Shoot for that aesthetic.
Do make sure your band name and album titles are clear and striking. Gothic fonts may fit your sound, but they’re really hard to read.
Remember, you do NOT have to be on your album cover. If you’re photogenic and attractive then appearing on the cover could help you sell some music. But if you’re camera shy, don’t feel like you need to force it. Hundreds of millions of albums have sold without any sign of a band member on the cover (Back in Black, Dark Side of the Moon, etc.)
Have any album art tips to share?  Please weigh in at the DIY Musician blog here.

ArtYour artwork is the gateway to your music

You only get one chance to make a good first impression. Why put your worst foot forward with amateur album art? Far too many independent artists put 110% into their music and production, only to slack on the other details surrounding their “product.” Imagine you’re in a super market and trying to choose a breakfast cereal. Brand X may be the greatest tasting thing since the invention of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but you’re never going to try it if it comes in a bland box with a washed out, pixilated photograph on the front. Now imagine Brand X comes in a blank white box with Sharpie magic marker writing on the front. (Yes, we get CDs like that at CD Baby all the time). Chances are you’d assume the FDA should be notified, and quickly.

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Google officially announces its new music search Onebox!

October 28th, 2009

Google Music SearchThere has been a lot of buzz concerning Google’s new music search initiative, and today (10/28/09) at a special “Discover Music” event, Google made their plans official. The new music service is called Onebox and will allow users to stream a song directly from their Google search results page. A widget powered through a partnership with LaLa.com and iLike (Recently purchased by MySpace), will pop up and instantly stream the selected song.  So what exactly will the news from Google mean the indie music community? Well, if you use CD Baby for digital distribution (The only CDB digital distribution option that does NOT include LaLa.com is the Traditional Only option), your music will be available in the LaLa.com store and be included in the Onebox program. The new music powered search will be rolling out over the next couple of days, so be on the lookout for it!

Check out the video to see exactly how it works. Just Click Here!

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MySpace Analytics – Know who is listening and drive sales of your music!

October 28th, 2009
MySpace recently launched their beta artist analytics area so that you can get deeper insight into who is listening to your music. MySpace is still the primary social network for musicians and music discovery, so it’s a good idea to use these new analytics tools to make sure you’re getting as much as you can out of your artist profile on MySpace.
Naturally, you’ll want to know not only what information Analytics is going to provide, but also how to best use the beta analytics to improve sales of your album.
First, a quick overview of the data in MySpace Analytics. You can see, all on one page:
·How many people are listening to your songs
·How many friends you have
·How many profile views you have
·A breakdown of both your visitors and friends by gender and age
·A geographic breakdown of your friends and visitors by country, state or even city
·Blog statistics, including views, posts, comments, and kudos by day, week or since Analytics launch
1. Use all the data that MySpace and CD Baby are giving you. Make sure you have prominent links on your MySpace page that point to your albums on CD Baby. Once properly linked, you can use the CD Baby hit counter in conjunction with your MySpace analytics to see how effectively you’re driving visitors to a place where they can buy your album. Once you have a good idea of the percentage of folks on MySpace who feel compelled to click through to potentially buy your album, you can start making changes to your MySpace page to drive more people to buy. Move the Buy link to a different spot on the page. Try a different Link design. You can continue to track your traffic to see if any of these changes drive a higher % of visitors to a page where they can actually buy your music.
2. Use the gender and age info to improve your page and content. Many times an artist’s core audience is different from what they might have expected, so having a true understanding of who is listening is a big plus. Also, your MySpace audience might be different compared to your audience on other web sites and social networks.
3. Plan your tour based on where your fans are. Analytics can point to promotional and fan outreach efforts that are really working, so be sure to take note when particular actions cause a bump in traffic and song plays.
4. Get more streams using their Song Statistics.  The song you think is the best, might not be the fan favorite.
Have a music promotion idea you’d like to share? Feel free to post it in the comment section below.

MySpace AnalyticsMySpace recently launched their beta artist analytics area so that you can get deeper insight into who is listening to your music. MySpace is still the primary social network for musicians and music discovery, so it’s a good idea to use these new analytics tools to make sure you’re getting as much as you can out of your artist profile on MySpace.

Naturally, you’ll want to know not only what information Analytics is going to provide, but also how to best use the beta analytics to improve sales of your album.

Read the rest of this entry »

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