Low-Cost, High-Impact Music Promotion Ideas That Work (II)

Continuing from last week’s article…

3) Give it away now

Wouldn’t it be great if your name got imbedded into the consciousness of everyone who saw you perform live? Of course. But how can you make that happen? Simply having people in a club while you’re playing is a start, but you should strive to make the most of this opportunity and connect with those living, breathing beings in a more meaningful way.

Consider this: One way to make a stronger connection with fans is to give something free to everyone who attends. Plant a couple of your best, supportive fans at the door and have them pass out some inexpensive item, such as a:

1. Small sticker

2. Novelty business card with your slogan and website address on it

3. Mailing list sign-up form

4. Band newsletter

5. Humorous instructions on how to best enjoy your band

6. David Letterman-like top 10 list

By giving away a freebie, your name and identity sinks in further with fans. Plus, many of these promo items will end up going home with the people who enjoyed you the most – adding more strength to your growing army of fans. And that’s not a bad way to go.

4) Take advantage of free entertainment listings

Every city in America has at least one newspaper that covers some aspect of local music and entertainment. And almost all of these publications offer free listings of who’s playing where and when – commonly called the “entertainment calendar” section. Many cities also have websites dedicated to listing upcoming events. Believe it or not, live music calendar sections are well read. So why doesn’t every band in town take advantage of them?

Perhaps many musicians figure their fans will automatically do all the work necessary to seek them out. Maybe the band members are comfortably lazy with their current level of popularity. Perhaps they think the venue will submit the dates to the papers. (Ha! Guess again.) Maybe they are too busy and simply forget to send in the calendar information.

Key question: What good does it do to pour your heart and energies into practicing a mind-blowing set and then do nothing to get people out to witness it? Take advantage of every free marketing opportunity available to you; they all contribute to your visibility. So find out when the free listing deadlines are for each publication and website and then submit your live show schedules regularly!

5) Sponsor an award or special ceremony

Is there a distinguished person in your community you’d like to honour? Or is there an anniversary, special date in history, or cause you’d like to recognise? If so, plan a musical event around your chosen theme and make a party out of it.

Under normal circumstances, the local media couldn’t care less about your regular weekend gig at Barney’s Bar & Grill. But give them a one-time event with a news hook – such as a tribute, awards ceremony, etc. – and you just might have a media landslide on your hands.

6) Sponsor a college or community radio show

Public and community radio stations exist in most major cities these days. Like their PBS television cousins, one of their purposes is to expose segments of the culture that don’t get covered in the mainstream media – and that includes local, independent music. These community stations air a wide variety of programs, many of which are sponsored by local businesses. Well, if a local business can sponsor a show, why couldn’t an artist or record label?

Sure, it will cost you some money, but it will probably be a lot less than advertising on a commercial station. And you’ll be reaching a highly targeted audience – as long as you sponsor a show that attracts the types of people who make up your fan base.

7) Seek out exposure on local cable TV

“The obvious thing you should go for is exposure, and public access TV is your best bet,” says Doug Moody, founder of Mystic Records (as quoted in the book Getting Radio Airplay by Gary Hustwit). “They have to give you access, they have to expose you. It’s amazing how many people actually watch those local access stations.”

Personal proof: one music commentator adds; I hosted a local access music video show in St. Louis, MO, for about four years. It was a low-budget production, but I had a blast doing it. The main benefit was that my image and identity made their way into tens of thousands of households in the area. It’s been several years since the show aired, and to this day I occasionally run into someone who asks, “Did you used to host a TV show?” People do watch and remember.

Call the cable TV company that services your area and ask about its lineup of entertainment-related public access shows. With a little persistence, you might get interviewed or featured in some manner on one of these local programs.