MARKETING YOUR MUSIC TO MAKE MONEY

Here are some more ways following last month's article with suggestions on how to create a buzz about your music that sells CDs.

Contact the Press
Press is an effective way to make people aware of your CD. Send a press kit with a press release announcing your CD to people at local and national press. Call or email to see if the press person wants a full package or just the CD with a one-sheet and your online info. Begin with the most local press and work your way up. Each clip enhances your story and can lead to more opportunities. Talk to independent publicists to see if you can afford one. Ellyn Harris advises at least consulting with a publicist to make sure your direction is the most effective.

Send to Radio
Getting radio play is tough but not impossible. Research to find stations that might play your CD. College and Public Radio stations are most likely to play independent music but some commercial stations, especially in smaller markets might also cooperate. Many are listed by city in the Musician's Atlas. Look on websites for artists that are similar to you and see where they're getting airplay. Focus on regions where you have gigs and your CD for sale. Most radio stations don't need a full press kit. A one-sheet that tells your story with a CD is enough. Then follow up with a phone call.

Make Friends In Record Stores
Good relationships with retail folks provide great allies. While it costs money to get a CD on a rack or into a listening station, sometimes they can slip yours into an empty spot - for free - if they like you. When you promote in a region, Beth Wood says, "Take a handful of CDs to a record store and make a consignment deal - even some major chains sell indie CDs on consignment. Check in with the stores occasionally and collect money if they sold." People in record shops often have industry contacts or marketing suggestions. Show appreciation when stores help you and they'll do it again.

Throw a Release Party
If you have a record release party, choose a venue with a good sound system. Try to cut a deal with the club. If they feel you'll bring a large crowd, you may get more. Only have one if you think expect lots of people. Send special invitations to the media, radio people, agents, managers, retailers, and anyone in the music industry that might be valuable. Invite fans, other musicians and those who helped with the record. Encourage everyone to come so you fill the room.

Tap Non-Traditional Stores
Creatively target non-traditional outlets to sell CDs. Bookstores and cafes work for some genres. Alex Woodard's CDs are in furniture stores. They're played and people see them displayed near the cash register. He says, "It's better than the traditional route because there's no competition. I'm working on getting my record into clothing and other retail stores." Think outside the box about where potential fans shop that play music. Offer a POP box on consignment. Ask fans to bring stores promotional material. Indie artist Ezina Moore says, "I sell CDs at my doctor's office, airports, clothing boutiques, nail and beauty salons." Moore played her CD and sold it while working at a MAC Cosmetics counter. She then got other MAC stores to play it too. Ask fans for suggestions.

Brand Yourself Online
Create as much visibility online as you can. Get your music onto sites like MySpace and if you have a video, put it on YouTube.com. Pursue online reviews and radio play. The Indie Bible lists most of them. Target those best for your music. Have a well designed website to promote and sell your music. Stream your whole album so potential fans can hear it. If they like it they'll buy it. Have CDs for sale through online stores, especially CDBaby, and on digital download sites. Offer a free ringtone to fans by using the software at xingtones.com as a perk when they buy a CD. Get your songs reviewed at garageband.com, which can lead to radio play if you chart.

Get on the Radar of Distributors
You don't need distribution if there's no demand for the CD. Generate a buzz that creates one first. Keep in touch with potential distributors to make them aware of progress. Send a one-sheet when you have a story. Start with local distributors in markets with fans. National distribution requires a marketing campaign on a national level that shows you're a serious label, even if you're the only artist. Michael Bull, VP of Label Relations at Caroline Distribution says, "We like labels with great records and the knowledge, desire, and means to market and sell them effectively." Distributor will want your CD once there's a demand.

Contact Music Supervisors
The licensing market for indie music is strong. Getting music into film and television generates a good income, and more visibility. Explore opportunities for getting a song into film, TV, advertisements, video games, ringtones, and less obvious avenues where music is used, such as on airplanes. Why would Music Supervisors want indie music? Because you can act much faster than big labels and you'll take less money. Create a webpage with your songs streamed and the music described in detail that you can send music supervisors and producers to. Network whenever you can at events where they speak to make contacts.

Tour Tour Tour
Touring allows you to attract new fans who'll buy your CD. Find alterative venues where CD sales are more profitable. Beth Wood says, "House concerts can be very lucrative. Lots of folks buy CDs." Alex Woodard's house concerts are booked through his street team. "I sell lots of CDs. It's all about word of mouth." Festivals, amusement parks, Sea World, etc. attract hundreds or thousands of people who are more likely to buy a CD than someone at a club. Wood says, "I find festivals very lucrative. They offer the chance to perform for hundreds of people who might not have heard you before and a chance to reach a diverse group of people. Most festivals are happy to let you sell CDs."

Give Away Free Samples
Major labels only care about sales, so they're scared of fans getting music for free. Indie artists concentrate on developing loyal fans who will buy the studio recorded CD if they like the free music. Tape your gigs and let fans download the best recordings or burn them on CDs and distribute them. It's a great form of promotion! Rich Hardesty says, "I give live CDs recorded at shows away because it keeps fans coming back and they pass them around. My music ends up on the Internet. I'm not worried about it being passed around because it creates new fans. That's the bottom line." Fans are the power behind selling more CDs.

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Phone me Matt in New Zealand:
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