| "> | | | | 150 people to show up for a gig, you have reach. |
| Here's a staggering fact for you to ponder. Netcraft | | | | Reach beyond, family, friends, and associates. Those |
| reported there was a 6 million...yes, an increase of 6 | | | | 100 or 150 downloads is your launching pad. If you |
| million websites from March 2009 to April 2009. Even | | | | can get 100-150 people blogging, writing and talking |
| more shocking is that there are well over 231 million | | | | about you, your reach will expand. If you do this |
| active websites all trying to get your attention. Think | | | | consistently, your next release will go much |
| about the odds. You have a 1 in 231 million chance to | | | | smoother. If word has gotten out that you give |
| get noticed on the web. Where do you think that | | | | away the first 100 downloads for opinions, fans will |
| puts you on a search engine ...? | | | | be waiting at their screens for the track to appear. |
| I've done some research to help you get your music | | | | When the reviews start coming in, don't take the |
| noticed and looked for ways for you to stand out in | | | | bad opinions personally. If someone took the time to |
| a very crowded e-market. I want you to be noticed | | | | write, it means they've clicked and most importantly, |
| because you're taking a big risk. Music is a window to | | | | listened. Those opinion writers will talk about your |
| your soul and you'll need a tough skin combined with | | | | music to others. My take on bad reviews is they |
| an open mind to reap the rewards from all the blood, | | | | may be just constructive criticism written poorly, so |
| sweat and tears you've devoted to your art. | | | | read carefully and with an open mind. Even if the |
| The tips are listed as shake, rattle and roll. There is | | | | review is mean-spirited, you can use it to get |
| no particular order for taking action. You don't need | | | | attention. "Here's what people who hate my music |
| to shake before you rattle or roll. | | | | have to say about me". There's going to be a buzz |
| SHAKE | | | | about you and the tweets will start flowing. People |
| It's the music - not you - that potential fans are | | | | will want to listen just to see for themselves if it's |
| interested in. I know...I know...you want a website | | | | really all that bad. You've got your rattle on. |
| with your name on it and you definitely need one. | | | | ROLL |
| Music is what you want to sell, yes? Then tell people | | | | How often do you reach out to your fans on a |
| about your music. Before you select a name for your | | | | personal level? Is it daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, |
| CD, do a domain search to make sure you can | | | | every 6 months, once a year, whenever the mood |
| register a domain just for your CD. Do this for every | | | | strikes you? There's nothing better than an authentic |
| CD you release. Here's an example of a CD title, | | | | consistent connection to your fans. Why? |
| "Thundering Turkeys Burning in Hell". I checked on the | | | | Sustainability, loyalty, tolerance. You will produce more |
| name and amazingly, this name hasn't been | | | | than one CD. They may not all be as popular as |
| registered. Congrats! You've accomplished your first | | | | "Thundering Turkeys Burning in Hell". How can you |
| step. Differentiation. You're already more noticeable. | | | | keep your fans from thinking you're a one hit wonder |
| Next, you'll need to identify your sound. Of course, | | | | and drop you like a Polaroid picture? That's where |
| no one sounds like you or has ever written anything | | | | consistent contact comes into play and remember |
| that sounds like your music, so let's stipulate that's a | | | | the authentic part. Sustainability applies to you, your |
| given. Give people who haven't heard of you or your | | | | sound and your ability to produce music that people |
| music get a sense of style by how you describe | | | | will buy. |
| your music. Your potential fans need a reason to | | | | Loyalty is built by developing relationships and loyalty |
| compel them to click. Imagine looking for new music | | | | allows for tolerance. What if your follow-up CD "Ant |
| and seeing this description, "You've never heard | | | | Eating Flesh", where you've experiments with an |
| anything like this!". Is it rock, classical, jazz, pop? | | | | electric harp, doesn't quite make the grade? The |
| There are millions of Cd's to choose from and I know | | | | reason isn't important for this example. You need |
| I don't have the time to fish for something I've | | | | tolerance to experiment with an album or to have a |
| never heard before. It could be alligators mating. I | | | | bad idea so that your fans will buy it even if they |
| don't know what an alligator sounds like while mating | | | | know it's not your best work. That's not to say you |
| and I'm not anxious to find out. So, I skip right past | | | | have license to get lazy and produce bad music, it |
| the unknown and move on to a description that | | | | does mean that you can have a rotten egg and not |
| grabs my attention. You've got your shake on. | | | | fall off the radar. |
| RATTLE | | | | When you reach the part where your shake and |
| If I were the musician that recorded "Thundering | | | | rattle are on, then you'll need to keep on truckin'. |
| Turkeys Burning in Hell", I would come up with a few | | | | Google AdWords is a great free place to look up the |
| words that capture the essence of my sound. Try | | | | traffic on keyword searches. You'll need to keep |
| this on for size, "Thundering Turkeys Burning in Hell" is | | | | attracting new visitors to your site. First, keyword |
| an in your face Marilyn Manson meets Joni Mitchell | | | | your name and the CD,s title even if there are zero |
| album. Now I'm curious. I may not like Marilyn | | | | searches. But, the remaining keywords should be |
| Manson's lyrics, but I love Joni Mitchell. This is a | | | | relevant to you and your music and rank highly in the |
| combo I need to hear and definitely worth a click. A | | | | keyword search world. |
| music critic/editor/blogger may pick up on the title | | | | Let's suppose that your focal instrument is the |
| and say something like: "Thundering Turkeys Burning | | | | electric harp. Before using up my keyword space, I'd |
| in Hell" is devilishly clever and written as profoundly | | | | check it out on Google AdWords or any other free |
| and poetically as any Joni Mitchell song. Regardless of | | | | keyword look-up website. I did a keyword search on |
| a music lover's musical taste, you'll definitely get more | | | | electric harp and it didn't make to the top ten |
| clicks. Don't get stuck in the "there's nothing out | | | | searches. However, there were 1 million searches for |
| there like this" rut. It's the carpool lane to invisible-ville. | | | | the word "harp", so I'd drop the electric. Use this logic |
| Invite reviews or comments rather than a simple | | | | for your keywords and you're sure to increase traffic |
| 5-star rating system. I say give away 100 downloads | | | | and bring curiosity to your site. You've got your roll |
| and instead of payment, ask for an opinion. Maybe | | | | on. |
| even 150 downloads. A common measuring stick for | | | | These tips are just to get you started. Now get |
| live performances says that if you can get at least | | | | down to business and shake, rattle and roll! |