Planning (Part 1)
Entry posted by john
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Oh crap, I used the "P" word!
Before you all run away I'll say this... It's not an abstract piece of officialdom intended to cramp your style. It's not a bit of business intent to suck your creative soul.
It's not even a necessary evil.
It's simply fundamental.
Marketing your music requires a lot of different tasks, using a lot of different resources, on a lot of different platforms. More to the point it needs them all to be coordinated.
Oh double crap! Now I've use the "C" word. No not that one, another one.
I can't count the number of musicians and bands I see, who are looking for an easy solution. You know, that "off the shelf" answer to all their problems that will allow them to focus on their music while it becomes successful without them getting their hands dirty, without it costing too much, being too inconvenient or seeming too much like, you know? Work.
They get a few solutions for specific problems, try them for a week or two and when they yield poor results they get tossed ion the trash while the musician carries on looking for magic beans.
The truth is, the power in each individual strategy really lies in how it works with other strategies. Each works, dovetails with others, connects with others, to become something more than the sum of the parts. They amplify each other, support each other.
Planning allows marketing to flow. Resources are planned for, so they are ready when needed, not hurriedly put together in the hope they fill a need. The need for resources does not foul the flow of the tasks. They do not interrupt optimum timing. The language used exactly fits the need for what needed to be said at that moment, not "whatever I could think of, I dunno, my mind kind'a went blank" .
There is a lot to be said for being prepared.
Imagine your elevator pitch. You meet a record exec/tv producer/music star who could change your life, in an elevator. You have 10 seconds to pitch your music/band.
One version of you has a demo recording in their pocket, including an Electronic Press Kit, and a pre-prepared, authentic pitch that sums up what you are all about, in a way designed to impress.
The other version of you has no demo, just "I can't believe I met you, I have a demo, can I send it to you?" They have no press kit, just "Can I write down my details for you. Do you have a pen and paper?" As for a pitch? Are you kidding the elevator door has already opened and they are walking away.
Music marketing is like that all over. Stuff is meant to work together. Each thing has a "right time" and everything else is the "wrong time"
So you decide to drive people to your website from your twitter feed. You want to recruit fans. You post a song link, for a song on your site. That should do it. Wait I have 500 people on my list, I only got 4 plays! What do you mean who pressed play? How am I meant to know?
There is so much wrong with that scenario. Perhaps you recognise it? Because I see it almost every day.
Part 2 to follow
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