Promoting Your Music and Art

Recently I was in a talk with my wife and made the comment that I am finding something very alarming which is the lack of promotion amongst my friends and indie artists. When I talk with my friends or various musicians they all tell me how much they want to do the "music thing" for a living, how they get excited when they think about making music and how it is their passion or calling. 

When I hear an artists talk like that I get excited and start dreaming with them about the present and future. After my talk, I will often start searching for my friend, the artist, band or musician online. Some I find on Soundcloud, others on Indaba or like places. I search for websites or YouTube channels...basically anything that will point me to the artists and their art. Then it all starts to hit me, many are not promoting themselves. 

In the technological age there is no excuse or reason not to promote your music or craft. Soundcloud has given anyone the opportunity to share their music with the world and what I have found on there is just plain sad. Out of all the friends and artists I know (which are hundreds of people), only three had anything to share on Soundcloud. Almost all of them had an account but when I went to listen to their music ....birds tweeting and tumbleweed blowing around their site. 

Of course there are other sites as well to promote your music on. Sites like YouTube, MySpace (yeah I know its so 2005 but still a place to point people to your music), Reverbnation, Indaba, Bandcamp and many more offer services so a person can promote their music. So the questions this...if you don't post your music, or promote yourself, how are venues or anyone else for that matter suppose to know who you are or what you are about? If I were running a venue and an artists didn't have anything "out there", I definitely wouldn't be having you play my venue. 

So, here are a few tips for promoting your music grassroots style:

• Define or redefine your image. Some of us need a complete image makeover - while others need tweaking. It is sad to say but a "cool looking" person or band is going to get a lot more attention than say someone who looks like Bill Gates - enough said. 
• Build your own street team. Recruit your friends, family, your mom (who is always the best promoter), your cat, dog, hamster and anyone or anything else that can help promote your music and get the word out. Street teams troll forums, websites and popular social sites. They name drop at every occasion to bring recognition to you as an artist. 
• Always look for places you can play live. Clubs, bars, churches, coffee houses, local festivals, farmer's markets, etc. Just remember to have music on you or direct them to a website where they can hear your music. 
• Find local radio stations, TV stations and papers that feature local artists - then contact them. 
• Give away your music. I'm not saying that you always have to work for free, but some of the biggest names got there first by handing out their music for free. You can hand out CD's, or have free downloads on your site. Basically, get your music in people's hands. 
• Print posters, flyers and maybe flyers with your lyrics - the distribute them. I worked with a well known band who had a unique way of promoting themselves. They printed off flyers of when they would be playing and then plastered them all over the place in this amusement park (where they were scheduled to play). You may say, "That doesn't sound too creative." Until you realize that the flyers were all taped above the urinals and toilets in the men's and women's restrooms.  Stare at a flyer for 30 seconds or more while doing your business - and you may just show up to the concert. 
• Set up a website. This sounds obvious - but out of all my friends and indie artists, few have websites...kind of crazy if you ask me. 
• Use Facebook to promote your music. Once again - obvious- but it is a built in audience with the potential of millions of people. 
• Online video sites...use them. I know of bands who post funny practical jokes, trips to odd museums and behind the scenes stuff that you wouldn't get otherwise. Video sites are great ways to connect with fans and people. 
• Set up and e-mail newsletter system. We did this at a festival once and generated over 5,000 people for our newsletter. 
• Network with people and other artists. Sounds simple, right? Then why don't people do this more often? We call it shaking hands and rubbing elbows. Networking is powerful...after all it is who you know, not what you know or how good you are. 
• Ask. What is the most people can say..."No"? If you don't ask, you will never find out. "Can we be featured on your show?". Yes or no. It just may open doors.  
• Learn how to write press releases, and create a professional promo packet. I was appalled while watching a recent documentary and seeing the band hand an A&R guy from EMI a cassette. Then to top it off the cassette had the label hand written - what.the.heck. Make it nice, make it professional...have your english teacher proof read it. 
• Finally, when you are at a certain point and can afford it - hire a publicist. They will make your life a lot easier. 

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