32 Ways to Promote Yourself, Your Band or Your New Release

Despite what you may have heard to the contrary, promoting and marketing your music shouldn’t be the dreary task so many music people make it out to be. The pessimists tell us we have to shut down the creative side of our brains and shift into “business” mode. How dull. How boring. No wonder so many artists go running for the hills at the mere mention of having to promote their music.

What follows is a list of creative, low-cost ideas and techniques you can start using right away to market you music. Read these tips. Think about them. Play with them. Have some fun with them. But, most importantly, put them into action… starting today!

Translate your story into a newsworthy hook

Announcing the release of another new album won’t get you very far. Music magazines get dozens of these ho-hum announcements every day. However, the debut release from an Iraq War veteran or guy who once got punched by Sean Penn might catch the attention of a music editor. Why? Because it has a news “hook” that makes it stand out.

So what’s your news hook? To uncover it, ask yourself these questions:

1. Does your band name or new CD title have a significant meaning?

2. Have any of your members won awards, done brave deeds, or accomplished anything noteworthy (they don’t have to be music-related)?

3. Do the lyrics to any of your songs tie in with a current event or trend?

Lesson: Always be on the lookout for fresh news hooks related to your music and the hammer them home to the media

Here’s a sampling of free press that artists have received in various publications over the years – along with the news hooks they used to get it:

1) The band Too Much Joy received a letter from former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich letting the members know that the group’s tune “Theme Song” had inspired countless Republican activists to pursue their conservative agenda during a recent election.

The only thing was, member of Too Much Joy never supported Gingrich and didn’t consider themselves to be politically right leaning in any way. The Aquarian Weekly plastered its cover with the news item and filled up two full pages inside dealing with the issue.

Have you received a letter from a public figure? Could you write to someone well-known and request that they write a brief note about your music?

Another option: When a famous author comes to your town for a book signing… buy the book, get in line, and ask him or her to write a special inscription – such as “The Lipsmackers Rock! – Dr. Phil.” Make photocopies of the signatures and leverage it to get as many plugs in the media as you can.

2) The Texas-based band Rare Seed got a blurb in a local paper regarding its upcoming appearance on a regional music video program. This is a smart ploy. Most musicians celebrate when they get the media to cover them. And then stop. These band members, on the other hand, used their success with television to lure the print media into also giving them a plug.

Why not use this cross-media technique with radio and internet media sources too? Use every achievement as a stepping stone to your next marketing move. If done right, it’s a never-ending process.

3) Dr. Frank, who fronts the Bay area band Mr. T Experience, received some press in Bam magazine regarding the “Dr.” part of his stage name. it seems frank was all set to attend graduate school at Harvard when he changed course to form a punk band instead.

Do you have an alternate career path you’ve either put on hold or are doing as a day job? If so, how can you squeeze some media exposure out of it? If the usual music papers and columnists don’t nibble, what about trade publications or company newsletters associated with your other line of work?

4) The members of 1,000 Mona Lisas garnered a write-up concerning an incident that has them pulled over in Texas with state troopers searching them and their van for drugs. The band then called its next tour “Got Any Weed?” Now it’s your turn… not to get pulled over, but to take a frustrating situation and turn it into a promotional device.

What awful things have happened to you lately? And how can you turn these negatives into a newsworthy advantage for you and your music?

5) Twelve San Francisco bands got press when they pooled their efforts and produced a calendar. Each month featured a photo of a different act with humorous events that happened to each band on various dates. Could you use this angle for your band?

6) The band Her Majesty the Baby got a blurb written because it was the first band on its indie label to release an album on a new, enhanced CD format. Do you have a unique way of presenting yourself that could be turned into a news item?

7) one hard-core Beatles fan got exposure when he persuaded the mayor of his city to declare December 8 as “John Lennon/Free as a Bird Day.” Could you swing a similar proclamation?

8) WVRV radio in St. Louis got exposure every year when it hosted its annual holiday “River of Toys” benefit concert, featuring national and regional artists performing in an acoustic setting. What worthy cause could you support?

9) Silverwolf Records got coverage for its Homeless Project, a compilation CD of songs about the homeless. Does your CD have a noteworthy theme? If not, could you give it one?

10) A rap trio whose members pack a few extra pounds performed a promotional workout at a New York fitness club. The media gathered and got photos and video of the rappers sweating to the sounds of their new single.

Now come up with your own news hooks. And remember, have fun doing it!

Blurbs, short takes and editorial mentions

Some people call them “blurbs.” Others call them “short takes” or “brief editorial mentions.” Whatever name you give them, they can add up to extra media exposure for you and your music. Feature stories and record reviews are great – and you should pursue these avenues of media coverage regularly. But what most music marketers overlook are the great opportunities that exist with music gossip columns, scene reports, industry updates, studio news, and more.

Reality: Every week, thousands of magazines, newspaper, website, blogs and fanzines around the world need to fill certain sections with short, music-related items of interest. Since they’re not especially prominent, these sections are often ignored by self-promoting artists and record labels. How foolish.

What follows is a list of column blurbs I found while flipping through only a few regional music papers. Use these ideas to come up with your own list of angles to get regular “short take” news mentions.