[Thanks to Diskmakers for this great articles - originally appears at http://blog.discmakers.com/2011/02/7-tips-for-building-a-more-user-friendly-music-website/]
Your website should be a place where visitors can easily listen to your music, buy your album, and check up on news and concert dates. Your site usability will influence whether a website visit ends in an album sale or the loss of a potential fan. Is your musician website user-friendly?
1. Put the Important Stuff on Your Homepage
Decide what you want your fans to do first. Should they sign up to your email list? Listen to your music? Read your blog? Buy your album? Make sure that your highest priority actions are represented on your homepage. Also, make sure that your homepage is not cluttered with too many options.
2. Make it Easy to Buy Your Music and Merch
Give your fans purchase options. Not everybody wants to use PayPal. Not everybody wants to use iTunes. Give your visitors 2 or 3 common purchase options so they can buy your music the way they are most comfortable doing.
3. Make it Easy to Read
No fancy fonts. No tiny text. No dark colored text on a dark background or light text on a light background.
Be mindful of grammar and spelling.
Try to avoid large blocks of text. Readers tend to skim website content. Short paragraphs separated by a space will be easier for most readers.
4. Use Simple Navigation
You’re a musician not a department store. You don’t need 100 links in your navigation bar. Keep things simple and focus on your goals. Use simple wording that people understand. Use “Store” not “Tunes Shop” and “Contact” rather than “”Hollar at Us.”
5. Keep it Updated
A website with out-of-date content can be confusing. If the last time you updated your concert calendar was 2003, some people will assume you are no longer playing music. If your last blog post was over 2 years ago, people will be hesitant to enter their credit card info on your site–because who knows if there’s anyone on the other end to ship out the CD.
6. No Auto-play
Let your fans hit the play button. Music that automatically plays can be startling and annoying. Often people are already listening to music on their computer (there’s almost nothing worse than two songs playing at once). Give auto-play a rest and let your website visitors control the remote.
7. No Flash Animation
Flash animations are not supported by all computers and mobile devices and they can function poorly on slow internet connections. Animations can take a while to load and many folks would rather point their browser elsewhere then wait 20 seconds for a band website to load. Don’t risk losing sales just because you have a programmer buddy that knows how to make your logo spin around and catch fire. Keep it simple.
Read more: 7 Tips for Building a More User-Friendly Music Website — Echoes - Insight for Independent Artists http://blog.discmakers.com/2011/02/7-tips-for-building-a-more-user-friendly-music-website/#ixzz1G9PrdwKr
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Lessons from the Media: Trying to Fit a New Song in a Square Hole
There are several journalists that I LOVE to follow, not only for their good work and wonderful writing but I always know that I will LEARN something from them and in the end be better at what I do.
My latest find...
Taryn Haight's Music Blog on the Huffington Post and her recent piece Trying to Fit a New Song in a Square Hole, which is excerpted below. She touches on a subject that comes up a lot in my work with recording artists - the need to just be who you are, don't over classify ("I'm the next Jay Z") or under classify ("you can't define me, nobody's ever heard music like mine before) and let us help, this is what we do.
Trying to Fit a New Song in a Square Hole
I am hugely critical, and hypocritical, of the way people categorize musicians. It's not that I'm some omniscient music guru or even fully immersed in the industry; I just hate how everyone (myself included) tries to squish some artist into a premade mold in order to make sense of his or her art -- although as humans, it's really only natural.
I'm immediately turned off by a press release boasting some scruffy-chinned boy in a flannel as the next Bob Dylan and I have to consciously stop myself from rolling my eyes when someone plays me a song with any thumping beat and asks, "Would you consider this house or tech-house?"
Honestly, I don't give a shit. And neither do most people listening to it on their en-route-to-work playlists or while dancing through a sea of sweaty people at Webster Hall on a Friday night. Everyone just wants good music -- the kind that moves you and intrigues you and makes you want more. And if it's good, that typically means it's not some square peg we can just plop into a square hole.
Although I know I'm a hater and I try my best not to categorize, there are certain things I can't help (i.e. blurting, "This sounds like Placebo" the first time I ever heard a Silversun Pickups song). There are also those certain few artists who, no matter how hard my head googles for a comparison, can't be traced back to anything that's previously been done.
The interesting phenomenon is that as we create more genres and sub-categories to try to fit these new artists into, we are actually chopping them away until we are so confused and so annoyed that we are left with only two types of music: the good and the bad.
From the time I was just a little peanut in my mom's belly, my parents played the connector role between my brain, my heart and the good kind of music. I was exposed to everything from the Fleetwood Macs to the Michael Jacksons to the stuff my dad wrote and played on guitar during the lull between school and dinner. I was stretching my feet to piano pedals at the age of four and squeaking horse hair against cello strings for hours a day. I was told that music theory was a necessary subject just like math or history and I was told to make up ditties and write out notes when I had no other assignments to practice.
Although my parents are now divorced, living states away from myself and one another, I can credit them for feeding me the musical nutrients necessary to grow into an appreciator of good music, despite its particular species. Like learning anything at such a young age, music became second nature and I became accustomed to needing as much of it as I could get my hands (ears?) on... the more unique, the more exciting.
It's a quality that is easily taken for granted and one that so many other people haven't had the privilege of attaining. For those with similar childhoods, thank your mom and dad, and for those who want to expand their palettes, I challenge you to abandon the categories and ignore what the radio or the songs your friends tell you are hot. Try new genres, or try ignoring genres altogether. Stop putting songs in square holes and start putting them on your iPod to experience rather than categorize.
What I'm listening to now...listen to the rest at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taryn-haight/trying-to-fit-a-new-song-_b_796088.html
My latest find...
Taryn Haight's Music Blog on the Huffington Post and her recent piece Trying to Fit a New Song in a Square Hole, which is excerpted below. She touches on a subject that comes up a lot in my work with recording artists - the need to just be who you are, don't over classify ("I'm the next Jay Z") or under classify ("you can't define me, nobody's ever heard music like mine before) and let us help, this is what we do.
Trying to Fit a New Song in a Square Hole
I am hugely critical, and hypocritical, of the way people categorize musicians. It's not that I'm some omniscient music guru or even fully immersed in the industry; I just hate how everyone (myself included) tries to squish some artist into a premade mold in order to make sense of his or her art -- although as humans, it's really only natural.
I'm immediately turned off by a press release boasting some scruffy-chinned boy in a flannel as the next Bob Dylan and I have to consciously stop myself from rolling my eyes when someone plays me a song with any thumping beat and asks, "Would you consider this house or tech-house?"
Honestly, I don't give a shit. And neither do most people listening to it on their en-route-to-work playlists or while dancing through a sea of sweaty people at Webster Hall on a Friday night. Everyone just wants good music -- the kind that moves you and intrigues you and makes you want more. And if it's good, that typically means it's not some square peg we can just plop into a square hole.
Although I know I'm a hater and I try my best not to categorize, there are certain things I can't help (i.e. blurting, "This sounds like Placebo" the first time I ever heard a Silversun Pickups song). There are also those certain few artists who, no matter how hard my head googles for a comparison, can't be traced back to anything that's previously been done.
The interesting phenomenon is that as we create more genres and sub-categories to try to fit these new artists into, we are actually chopping them away until we are so confused and so annoyed that we are left with only two types of music: the good and the bad.
From the time I was just a little peanut in my mom's belly, my parents played the connector role between my brain, my heart and the good kind of music. I was exposed to everything from the Fleetwood Macs to the Michael Jacksons to the stuff my dad wrote and played on guitar during the lull between school and dinner. I was stretching my feet to piano pedals at the age of four and squeaking horse hair against cello strings for hours a day. I was told that music theory was a necessary subject just like math or history and I was told to make up ditties and write out notes when I had no other assignments to practice.
Although my parents are now divorced, living states away from myself and one another, I can credit them for feeding me the musical nutrients necessary to grow into an appreciator of good music, despite its particular species. Like learning anything at such a young age, music became second nature and I became accustomed to needing as much of it as I could get my hands (ears?) on... the more unique, the more exciting.
It's a quality that is easily taken for granted and one that so many other people haven't had the privilege of attaining. For those with similar childhoods, thank your mom and dad, and for those who want to expand their palettes, I challenge you to abandon the categories and ignore what the radio or the songs your friends tell you are hot. Try new genres, or try ignoring genres altogether. Stop putting songs in square holes and start putting them on your iPod to experience rather than categorize.
What I'm listening to now...listen to the rest at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/taryn-haight/trying-to-fit-a-new-song-_b_796088.html
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
The Art of Music Photography
I am always encouraging artists to really pay attention to the photos they're using and most of the time I ask them to "get new photos." It's not a dig or meant to hurt anyone's feelings, it's just that I understand that there is an ART to music photography and that a single image should not only communicate your brand, it should compliment your artistry.
While it starts with conceptualizing and setting up a photo shoot, then relaxing enough to help the photographer capture the image, it ends with that photographer cropping, cleaning and color correcting the final photos BEFORE they go public.
I've had the pleasure of meeting some incredible music (and other) photographers and am pleased to recommend the following:
Diana Levine (New York City)
Rayon Richards (New York City)
Jim Bennett (Seattle)
Terry Creighton (Seattle)
The Fabb Group (Los Angeles)
Spencer Leamer (Seattle)
Check out this great article The Art of Music Photography from MusicianCoaching.com
Jason Gardner is a professional photographer who primarily shoots musicians. He has photographed artists like Manu Chao, Gogol Bordello and Antibalas and captured live performances by Bob Dylan, Dave Matthews, Willie Nelson and Neil Young. His photos have appeared in periodicals like Rolling Stone, Spin, New York Magazine and Time Out among many others.
Ever since someone forwarded me a link from Rock and Roll Confidential’s Hall of Douchebags that features some of the most uninspired band photos ever I knew I had to locate a music photographer to discuss how the pros do it. Please note that no band or photographer mentioned or with a photo credit here has anything to do with such Douchebaggery…
http://musiciancoaching.com/music-career/music-photography/
While it starts with conceptualizing and setting up a photo shoot, then relaxing enough to help the photographer capture the image, it ends with that photographer cropping, cleaning and color correcting the final photos BEFORE they go public.
I've had the pleasure of meeting some incredible music (and other) photographers and am pleased to recommend the following:
Diana Levine (New York City)
Rayon Richards (New York City)
Jim Bennett (Seattle)
Terry Creighton (Seattle)
The Fabb Group (Los Angeles)
Spencer Leamer (Seattle)
Check out this great article The Art of Music Photography from MusicianCoaching.com
Jason Gardner is a professional photographer who primarily shoots musicians. He has photographed artists like Manu Chao, Gogol Bordello and Antibalas and captured live performances by Bob Dylan, Dave Matthews, Willie Nelson and Neil Young. His photos have appeared in periodicals like Rolling Stone, Spin, New York Magazine and Time Out among many others.
Ever since someone forwarded me a link from Rock and Roll Confidential’s Hall of Douchebags that features some of the most uninspired band photos ever I knew I had to locate a music photographer to discuss how the pros do it. Please note that no band or photographer mentioned or with a photo credit here has anything to do with such Douchebaggery…
http://musiciancoaching.com/music-career/music-photography/
Monday, June 21, 2010
A Scene is a Two-Way Street
Many artists complain about others not supporting them or that the local scene is limited. While I understand how isolating being a musician can be, it must also be your passion. You must crave to consume and create in every way - start by knowing and supporting those around you.
This is a great article by Adam Bernard, a CT-based music writer who really understands how the industry and the craft work and offers some advice to blossoming "scenes" and struggling artist.
Rappers who want support should support other rappers who want support
Earlier this month I was at Homeboy Sandman’s album release party for The Good Sun at SOBs in New York City. Sandman’s an emcee I’ve known for a number of years and have had the pleasure of watching grow into one of the best hip-hop artists on the planet.
The place was packed wall to wall and included many emcees from the scene. Throughout the evening, I spoke with a number of people about the event, and it became obvious why Homeboy Sandman can pack a big place like SOBs while our local artists are still playing to the same crowds in the same event spaces. Talent is certainly a factor, but we have talented artists here. Packing the house also has to do with support, and I’m not talking about the support of the fans; I’m talking about the support of other artists.
What Homeboy Sandman has accomplished over the past three years, and what I hardly see in Connecticut, is that he’s worked to not just be a great artist, but to also be a great supporter of other artists. Everyone has seen him at shows, towering over the entire crowd (unless X-Plane or a similarly height-blessed artist is also in the house), staying positive about the artist who is performing, whether they’re long-time friends or they’ve never met before. This is exactly what our local acts need to start doing.
Unfortunately, most of our state’s artists tend to stick with their cliques and crews. They show support when it’s one of their own who has a show, but if it’s someone else, they’re nowhere to be found. This is no way to build an artist community, and it’s no way to build a career. Support is a two-way street and you can’t expect people to be at your shows when you’re not at theirs.
I understand that a lot of artists here have families, which is less of a problem in the NYC hip-hop community — the average age of the emcees in NYC is younger than those here — but if you’re attempting to live off of your music at any point in the future you have to realize shelling out $5 to $10 and hanging out at a couple of local shows a month is part of the job, especially in a state like ours where it’s not like we have a ton of shows every month.
After the show, introduce yourself to the artist if you’ve never met them before. If you have met, just say what’s up. The next day, send them a tweet or post on their Facebook wall that you enjoyed their performance. They’ll send something back thanking you for coming out, and when you have your next show, guess who’ll more than likely be in the crowd with a few friends? Yup, you guessed it, the person you just showed support to.
A lot of artists act as though networking involves getting your music to all sorts of people and accruing Facebook fans. In reality it’s as simple as saying hi and staying in contact. You don’t even have to like an artist’s music that much (although it would certainly help). You just have to be there. The more you’re there the more exposure you’ll get and the more people will recognize you as someone who cares about the scene and not just about yourself. Fans in the crowd will also start to recognize you.
This is the launching pad our local artists are looking for, and it’s inexpensive and easy to do. Just realize not everything is about you and until you get involved in your own scene you’re not giving anyone else a reason to get involved. Fans will only come if you’re a fan first.
See Full Article and More of Adam's Work at http://www.fairfieldweekly.com/music/music-articles/a-scene-is-a-two-way-street
This is a great article by Adam Bernard, a CT-based music writer who really understands how the industry and the craft work and offers some advice to blossoming "scenes" and struggling artist.
Rappers who want support should support other rappers who want support
Earlier this month I was at Homeboy Sandman’s album release party for The Good Sun at SOBs in New York City. Sandman’s an emcee I’ve known for a number of years and have had the pleasure of watching grow into one of the best hip-hop artists on the planet.
The place was packed wall to wall and included many emcees from the scene. Throughout the evening, I spoke with a number of people about the event, and it became obvious why Homeboy Sandman can pack a big place like SOBs while our local artists are still playing to the same crowds in the same event spaces. Talent is certainly a factor, but we have talented artists here. Packing the house also has to do with support, and I’m not talking about the support of the fans; I’m talking about the support of other artists.
What Homeboy Sandman has accomplished over the past three years, and what I hardly see in Connecticut, is that he’s worked to not just be a great artist, but to also be a great supporter of other artists. Everyone has seen him at shows, towering over the entire crowd (unless X-Plane or a similarly height-blessed artist is also in the house), staying positive about the artist who is performing, whether they’re long-time friends or they’ve never met before. This is exactly what our local acts need to start doing.
Unfortunately, most of our state’s artists tend to stick with their cliques and crews. They show support when it’s one of their own who has a show, but if it’s someone else, they’re nowhere to be found. This is no way to build an artist community, and it’s no way to build a career. Support is a two-way street and you can’t expect people to be at your shows when you’re not at theirs.
I understand that a lot of artists here have families, which is less of a problem in the NYC hip-hop community — the average age of the emcees in NYC is younger than those here — but if you’re attempting to live off of your music at any point in the future you have to realize shelling out $5 to $10 and hanging out at a couple of local shows a month is part of the job, especially in a state like ours where it’s not like we have a ton of shows every month.
After the show, introduce yourself to the artist if you’ve never met them before. If you have met, just say what’s up. The next day, send them a tweet or post on their Facebook wall that you enjoyed their performance. They’ll send something back thanking you for coming out, and when you have your next show, guess who’ll more than likely be in the crowd with a few friends? Yup, you guessed it, the person you just showed support to.
A lot of artists act as though networking involves getting your music to all sorts of people and accruing Facebook fans. In reality it’s as simple as saying hi and staying in contact. You don’t even have to like an artist’s music that much (although it would certainly help). You just have to be there. The more you’re there the more exposure you’ll get and the more people will recognize you as someone who cares about the scene and not just about yourself. Fans in the crowd will also start to recognize you.
This is the launching pad our local artists are looking for, and it’s inexpensive and easy to do. Just realize not everything is about you and until you get involved in your own scene you’re not giving anyone else a reason to get involved. Fans will only come if you’re a fan first.
See Full Article and More of Adam's Work at http://www.fairfieldweekly.com/music/music-articles/a-scene-is-a-two-way-street
Monday, October 26, 2009
Best to Blog: 5 Tips for Making Your Blog Stand Out
I am always encouraging clients to start a blog and blog regularly, which is a commitment I know, but blogs are an important tool that allow you to communicate with your fans and the industry in a timely manner. Both timing and communication are key and a blog allows you to publish immediately and promote to YOUR audience.
I'm happy to share this article that I think is a great "how to" guide - read below and see the original at http://www.toprankblog.com/2009/10/5-tips-corporate-blogs/
_________________
These days it seems as if every corporation has tried its hand at blogging. The more corporate blogs that exist in the blogosphere, the more difficult it becomes to gain blog subscribers by creating one that’s truly unique. To ensure your corporate blog stands out from the crowd, follow these 5 tips:
1. Talk about something other than yourself. Too many corporate marketers make the mistake of creating blogs as purely another mechanism to talk about their products and services. While increased sales and improved brand visibility may be two fundamental goals of a corporate blog, there are more effective ways for achieving those goals that just pushing product.
The most successful corporate blogs leverage product and service information with relevant industry news, human interest pieces, case studies and other useful information. That balance is what keeps readers coming back time and again.
PC manufacturer Lenovo successfully mixes product information with posts about business, design and technology on its 8 different corporate blogs. For example, its .Roaring Mouse blog, a resource for small businesses, offers insight on topics such as the use of social media in small business, outsourcing tips and small business statistics. The .Roaring Mouse blog puts itself in readers’ shoes to provide the most useful, relevant and timely information—whether or not that involves Lenovo-specific product information.
2. Keep your blog focused. Whatever message you chose to deliver, stick with it. Unfortunately, some corporate blogs lack a clear message and include posts on topics all across the board. Because goals were never defined, these blogs have a difficult time gaining readership.
Blogs gain strong, consistent followings by giving readers the information they want and expect to find. A reader might visit a shoe retailer’s blog expecting to find information on the latest shoes styles and celebrity fashion news. If the readers have to sift through information on travel, home décor, and health & fitness in order to find what they’re looking for, they may not return.
For example, the GM FastLane Blog successfully sticks to its unique niche. The blog’s goal is clear: to provide readers with information needed to purchase and maintain their vehicles. The blog achieves its goal by posting company news and announcements, along with important current issues such as concept cars, alternative energy, climate change and fuel efficiency.
3. Give your blog a distinct personality. Whether you choose to feature just one blogger or multiple bloggers, let the blogger’s voice come through in the posts. Without a distinct personality, your blog will be just like every other faceless corporate blog.
Let your readers see behind the corporate and marketing jargon, and instead discover the real people behind your organization.
Look to Johnson & Johnson’s JNJ BTW blog as an example. From the tagline “Our People and Perspectives” to the author bio page and use of blogger photos, the JNJ BTW blog humanizes the corporate brand for customers. Individual authors write about the topics that best suit their expertise and interest, letting their own voice come through.
4. Have some fun. Another effective method for letting a corporate blog stand out from the rest is to infuse some humor and excitement. Granted, this technique may not be appropriate for all corporate brands. But if you’re able to, consider creating a blog that can be light-hearted, relaxed and at-times funny. It’s just another way to humanize and personalize the brand for customers.
The Southwest Airlines Nuts About Southwest blog is a prime example. Southwest employees blog about their company and the airline industry in general, but do so in a casual, humorous way. The blog also includes fun, behind-the-scenes videos, produced by the employees themselves. Its latest poll asks readers to guess the Halloween costume of CEO Gary Kelly. The choices? “Gary” Potter, Larry Bird, Ben Franklin, Statue of Liberty or Julia Child.
5. Provide readers with something they can’t get anywhere else. Use a corporate blog to announce company breaking news or highlight original research in order to make the blog truly unique. Assuming the information is interesting and useful, readers will keep coming back for more. The simply can’t get it anywhere else. Plus, your customers can form a close connection with your brand because they feel as if they’re gaining an inside look or exclusive information.
The Editors blog from BBC gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the daily happenings in BBC newsrooms. BBC News editors share their dilemmas and issues, as well as dissect news stories to provide readers with even more in-depth coverage.
For example, in a recent post, editor Mike Rudin candidly discusses being sent a video accusing him of “producing a ‘hit piece’ about 9/11” after filming the documentary “The Conspiracy Files: 9/11 – The Truth Behind the Third Tower.” He explains to readers his response and thoughts about the video, as well as provides additional details about the making of the documentary.
The blogging technique seems to be working: Rudin’s post received more than 5,000 comments from readers!
(See original article at http://www.toprankblog.com/2009/10/5-tips-corporate-blogs/)
I'm happy to share this article that I think is a great "how to" guide - read below and see the original at http://www.toprankblog.com/2009/10/5-tips-corporate-blogs/
_________________
These days it seems as if every corporation has tried its hand at blogging. The more corporate blogs that exist in the blogosphere, the more difficult it becomes to gain blog subscribers by creating one that’s truly unique. To ensure your corporate blog stands out from the crowd, follow these 5 tips:
1. Talk about something other than yourself. Too many corporate marketers make the mistake of creating blogs as purely another mechanism to talk about their products and services. While increased sales and improved brand visibility may be two fundamental goals of a corporate blog, there are more effective ways for achieving those goals that just pushing product.
The most successful corporate blogs leverage product and service information with relevant industry news, human interest pieces, case studies and other useful information. That balance is what keeps readers coming back time and again.
PC manufacturer Lenovo successfully mixes product information with posts about business, design and technology on its 8 different corporate blogs. For example, its .Roaring Mouse blog, a resource for small businesses, offers insight on topics such as the use of social media in small business, outsourcing tips and small business statistics. The .Roaring Mouse blog puts itself in readers’ shoes to provide the most useful, relevant and timely information—whether or not that involves Lenovo-specific product information.
2. Keep your blog focused. Whatever message you chose to deliver, stick with it. Unfortunately, some corporate blogs lack a clear message and include posts on topics all across the board. Because goals were never defined, these blogs have a difficult time gaining readership.
Blogs gain strong, consistent followings by giving readers the information they want and expect to find. A reader might visit a shoe retailer’s blog expecting to find information on the latest shoes styles and celebrity fashion news. If the readers have to sift through information on travel, home décor, and health & fitness in order to find what they’re looking for, they may not return.
For example, the GM FastLane Blog successfully sticks to its unique niche. The blog’s goal is clear: to provide readers with information needed to purchase and maintain their vehicles. The blog achieves its goal by posting company news and announcements, along with important current issues such as concept cars, alternative energy, climate change and fuel efficiency.
3. Give your blog a distinct personality. Whether you choose to feature just one blogger or multiple bloggers, let the blogger’s voice come through in the posts. Without a distinct personality, your blog will be just like every other faceless corporate blog.
Let your readers see behind the corporate and marketing jargon, and instead discover the real people behind your organization.
Look to Johnson & Johnson’s JNJ BTW blog as an example. From the tagline “Our People and Perspectives” to the author bio page and use of blogger photos, the JNJ BTW blog humanizes the corporate brand for customers. Individual authors write about the topics that best suit their expertise and interest, letting their own voice come through.
4. Have some fun. Another effective method for letting a corporate blog stand out from the rest is to infuse some humor and excitement. Granted, this technique may not be appropriate for all corporate brands. But if you’re able to, consider creating a blog that can be light-hearted, relaxed and at-times funny. It’s just another way to humanize and personalize the brand for customers.
The Southwest Airlines Nuts About Southwest blog is a prime example. Southwest employees blog about their company and the airline industry in general, but do so in a casual, humorous way. The blog also includes fun, behind-the-scenes videos, produced by the employees themselves. Its latest poll asks readers to guess the Halloween costume of CEO Gary Kelly. The choices? “Gary” Potter, Larry Bird, Ben Franklin, Statue of Liberty or Julia Child.
5. Provide readers with something they can’t get anywhere else. Use a corporate blog to announce company breaking news or highlight original research in order to make the blog truly unique. Assuming the information is interesting and useful, readers will keep coming back for more. The simply can’t get it anywhere else. Plus, your customers can form a close connection with your brand because they feel as if they’re gaining an inside look or exclusive information.
The Editors blog from BBC gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the daily happenings in BBC newsrooms. BBC News editors share their dilemmas and issues, as well as dissect news stories to provide readers with even more in-depth coverage.
For example, in a recent post, editor Mike Rudin candidly discusses being sent a video accusing him of “producing a ‘hit piece’ about 9/11” after filming the documentary “The Conspiracy Files: 9/11 – The Truth Behind the Third Tower.” He explains to readers his response and thoughts about the video, as well as provides additional details about the making of the documentary.
The blogging technique seems to be working: Rudin’s post received more than 5,000 comments from readers!
(See original article at http://www.toprankblog.com/2009/10/5-tips-corporate-blogs/)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Creating The Perfect Pitch
Happy to share the thoughts of PR counterpart Ariel Hyatt founder of Ariel Publicity.
________________________________
Creating The Perfect Pitch
by Ariel Hyatt on September 21, 2009
Ariel(Excerpted from Music Success in Nine Weeks, A Step-By-Step Guide to Supercharging Your PR, Building Your Fan Base, and Earning More Money)
Here is a key lesson in branding yourself that can really set you up to have a major breakthrough for your musical career. What you will create here will define you in the minds of your fans and potential fans.
Two scenarios happened to inspire the writing of this:
Scenario #1: I was out at a show at the Mercury Lounge in NYC, and in between bands, I was standing at the bar talking to some friends when someone handed me a show flyer. I was taken with him immediately. I always appreciate anyone who is self-promoting because it is not easy to do and it is especially not easy at a crowded bar on a Wednesday night in downtown Manhattan. I looked down at the flyer and my heart sank. It said the following:
* Name of artist (name is not mentioned to protect the innocent)
* Venue (which was the Mercury, where I was)
* Date and show time
There I was, a perfectly primed potential fan; a customer standing at a bar, out at a live music show and he lost me forever. Why? Because not one sentence was included about what genre of music this artist played, much less what his music sounded like or who he could be compared to. In short, I had no idea what this artist sounded like or what to expect from his show. And to top it off, there was no website on the flyer. On the off-chance that I had taken it home, I would never have known where to find him online.
That was an opportunity totally LOST. Unbeknownst to him, he also handed his flyer to one of the most successful entertainment attorneys I know (who was in the middle of signing six artists to record deals), an A&R executive, and one of the best booking agents in the business.
We all looked down at the flyers in our hands, shrugged, and carried on with our conversation. He had totally BLOWN it.
Scenario #2: An artist called my PR firm to talk about hiring us for a Cyber PR campaign. Two minutes into the conversation my blood was beginning to boil. It went something like this:
Ariel: “What do you sound like?”
Artist: “I sound like absolutely nothing you’ve ever heard before.”
Ariel: (annoyed and now understanding why he’s not where he wants to be as an artist) “Really? So you’ve invented a new genre of music and you don’t sound like anyone else in the history of music?”
Artist: “Yes”
Ariel: “Can you at least tell me what type of music you play?”
Artist: “It’s old school hip hop.”
OK, finally we were getting somewhere. Now, while I totally understood his point, here’s the problem with having an approach like his: People are constantly looking for a context to put things into. If you don’t provide them with one, they will move on to the next thing that their brains can
actually grasp.
The critical thing that was missing in both scenarios was The Pitch.
The pitch
A pitch. Marketers call a USP (unique selling point), my friend Bob Baker calls a BIS (brand identity statement), and Laura Allen (pitch expert and founder of 15secondpitch.com) calls a 15-second pitch.
Call it what you want, this thing will change the way you market yourself and your music and give everyone a context. It is critical that you have a concise and easy-to-understand pitch that will help you shape your brand.
Your perfect pitch
Your pitch does not have to be lengthy to be effective; it just has to explain your sound and or your live show in a few words or sentences.
Here are some of my favorites from my clients to jump-start your brain:
Leftover Salmon – Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass
John Taglieri – If Vertical Horizon and Third Eye Blind got hit by Train!
Devil Doll – Jessica Rabbit meets Joan Jett
Go to this fabulous website: www.15secondpitch.com. This will help you structure and hone your pitch and it will TIME you too! Note, this site is a business pitch site, but you ARE a business and the structure that it provides is very helpful.
Write out your pitch
Write out your pitch. (Ed. note: for more details and step-by-step guided tour through this process, get Ariel’s book, details are at the end of the article). Read it out loud, standing in front of the mirror. Do you love it? If you don’t then don’t use it.
I once worked with a band that chose the term “Soul Rock” to describe their sound, and after it was published countless times, they were hating it. So make sure it’s something that you can deal with in print, over and over again, and something that you won’t get sick of.
Say it loud
Stand in front of the mirror and practice saying it. Does it feel comfortable to say it or do you feel like a dork? If you feel like you’re speaking your truth, you will absolutely know and then it is the perfect pitch for you.
Still not sure? Read it to a bunch of friends and fans and ask them to work on it with you! Don’t over think it. Keep it simple and as concise as you can.
Place your pitch
Now that you have it, you’re going to place it in the following places. What you are doing now is branding yourself.
Online Branding:
1. On your website’s homepage – yes, on the HOMEPAGE – and on as many pages as you can. Put it at the top of your bio, don’t bury it in the site).
2. On your MySpace page.
3. On your Facebook page.
4. On all social-networking sites that you use and anywhere else you have an online presence.
5. As the signature on your email correspondences, newsletters, and gig alerts.
Offline Branding:
1. On your postcards.
2. On your show flyers.
3. On your posters and anything else you have in print.
Now when you’re out somewhere and you hand someone a flyer announcing your show, you’re handing someone your brand. People will know exactly what you do and it will be effective marketing.
____________________
Music Success in Nine weeksAriel Hyatt founded Ariel Publicity and Cyber PR 12 years ago and her firm has worked with over 1,000 musicians and bands of all genres. The Ariel Publicity mission states that all artists deserve to be heard and there is a place for artists of every level to receive exposure. Go to www.arielpublicity.com to learn more and sign up for Sound Advice, Ariel Publicity’s bi-monthly e-zine for musicians and entrepreneurs who want marketing, promotion, and PR tips for navigating the new music business.
Ariel’s book, Music Success in Nine weeks, is designed to supercharge your PR, help you connect to a broader fan base, and make you more money! Initially designed as a step-by-step program for my clients Ariel realized this is exactly the information that all artists could benefit from. Buy your copy today at http://cyberprbook.com/.
________________________________
Creating The Perfect Pitch
by Ariel Hyatt on September 21, 2009
Ariel(Excerpted from Music Success in Nine Weeks, A Step-By-Step Guide to Supercharging Your PR, Building Your Fan Base, and Earning More Money)
Here is a key lesson in branding yourself that can really set you up to have a major breakthrough for your musical career. What you will create here will define you in the minds of your fans and potential fans.
Two scenarios happened to inspire the writing of this:
Scenario #1: I was out at a show at the Mercury Lounge in NYC, and in between bands, I was standing at the bar talking to some friends when someone handed me a show flyer. I was taken with him immediately. I always appreciate anyone who is self-promoting because it is not easy to do and it is especially not easy at a crowded bar on a Wednesday night in downtown Manhattan. I looked down at the flyer and my heart sank. It said the following:
* Name of artist (name is not mentioned to protect the innocent)
* Venue (which was the Mercury, where I was)
* Date and show time
There I was, a perfectly primed potential fan; a customer standing at a bar, out at a live music show and he lost me forever. Why? Because not one sentence was included about what genre of music this artist played, much less what his music sounded like or who he could be compared to. In short, I had no idea what this artist sounded like or what to expect from his show. And to top it off, there was no website on the flyer. On the off-chance that I had taken it home, I would never have known where to find him online.
That was an opportunity totally LOST. Unbeknownst to him, he also handed his flyer to one of the most successful entertainment attorneys I know (who was in the middle of signing six artists to record deals), an A&R executive, and one of the best booking agents in the business.
We all looked down at the flyers in our hands, shrugged, and carried on with our conversation. He had totally BLOWN it.
Scenario #2: An artist called my PR firm to talk about hiring us for a Cyber PR campaign. Two minutes into the conversation my blood was beginning to boil. It went something like this:
Ariel: “What do you sound like?”
Artist: “I sound like absolutely nothing you’ve ever heard before.”
Ariel: (annoyed and now understanding why he’s not where he wants to be as an artist) “Really? So you’ve invented a new genre of music and you don’t sound like anyone else in the history of music?”
Artist: “Yes”
Ariel: “Can you at least tell me what type of music you play?”
Artist: “It’s old school hip hop.”
OK, finally we were getting somewhere. Now, while I totally understood his point, here’s the problem with having an approach like his: People are constantly looking for a context to put things into. If you don’t provide them with one, they will move on to the next thing that their brains can
actually grasp.
The critical thing that was missing in both scenarios was The Pitch.
The pitch
A pitch. Marketers call a USP (unique selling point), my friend Bob Baker calls a BIS (brand identity statement), and Laura Allen (pitch expert and founder of 15secondpitch.com) calls a 15-second pitch.
Call it what you want, this thing will change the way you market yourself and your music and give everyone a context. It is critical that you have a concise and easy-to-understand pitch that will help you shape your brand.
Your perfect pitch
Your pitch does not have to be lengthy to be effective; it just has to explain your sound and or your live show in a few words or sentences.
Here are some of my favorites from my clients to jump-start your brain:
Leftover Salmon – Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass
John Taglieri – If Vertical Horizon and Third Eye Blind got hit by Train!
Devil Doll – Jessica Rabbit meets Joan Jett
Go to this fabulous website: www.15secondpitch.com. This will help you structure and hone your pitch and it will TIME you too! Note, this site is a business pitch site, but you ARE a business and the structure that it provides is very helpful.
Write out your pitch
Write out your pitch. (Ed. note: for more details and step-by-step guided tour through this process, get Ariel’s book, details are at the end of the article). Read it out loud, standing in front of the mirror. Do you love it? If you don’t then don’t use it.
I once worked with a band that chose the term “Soul Rock” to describe their sound, and after it was published countless times, they were hating it. So make sure it’s something that you can deal with in print, over and over again, and something that you won’t get sick of.
Say it loud
Stand in front of the mirror and practice saying it. Does it feel comfortable to say it or do you feel like a dork? If you feel like you’re speaking your truth, you will absolutely know and then it is the perfect pitch for you.
Still not sure? Read it to a bunch of friends and fans and ask them to work on it with you! Don’t over think it. Keep it simple and as concise as you can.
Place your pitch
Now that you have it, you’re going to place it in the following places. What you are doing now is branding yourself.
Online Branding:
1. On your website’s homepage – yes, on the HOMEPAGE – and on as many pages as you can. Put it at the top of your bio, don’t bury it in the site).
2. On your MySpace page.
3. On your Facebook page.
4. On all social-networking sites that you use and anywhere else you have an online presence.
5. As the signature on your email correspondences, newsletters, and gig alerts.
Offline Branding:
1. On your postcards.
2. On your show flyers.
3. On your posters and anything else you have in print.
Now when you’re out somewhere and you hand someone a flyer announcing your show, you’re handing someone your brand. People will know exactly what you do and it will be effective marketing.
____________________
Music Success in Nine weeksAriel Hyatt founded Ariel Publicity and Cyber PR 12 years ago and her firm has worked with over 1,000 musicians and bands of all genres. The Ariel Publicity mission states that all artists deserve to be heard and there is a place for artists of every level to receive exposure. Go to www.arielpublicity.com to learn more and sign up for Sound Advice, Ariel Publicity’s bi-monthly e-zine for musicians and entrepreneurs who want marketing, promotion, and PR tips for navigating the new music business.
Ariel’s book, Music Success in Nine weeks, is designed to supercharge your PR, help you connect to a broader fan base, and make you more money! Initially designed as a step-by-step program for my clients Ariel realized this is exactly the information that all artists could benefit from. Buy your copy today at http://cyberprbook.com/.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
How To Build Your Band's Electronic Press Kit
How To Build Your Band's Electronic Press Kit
Much has changed for musicians with the rise of social media from artist-fan relations to the distribution of music
| By Audiolife (more articles from this author) 2009-02-18 |
|
Much has changed for musicians with the rise of Social Media from marketing to artist-fan relations to the distribution of music. This has forced artists to rethink how they communicate with labels, the press and fans. A traditional form of presenting music to industry stakeholders is the press kit. These typically have included a demo, photos, printed reviews, biography, etc. But with the various resources available with Web 2.0, such as MySpace Music, artists essentially have an electronic press kit that is available to anyone at all times. This doesn't mean that all artists use their MySpace page for this reason or even should. Instead they should use it as one element in creating an electronic press kit (EPK) versus a traditional press kit. The following are 3 simple steps towards creating your very own EPK:
1. Create a MySpace Music or Website
Thanks to MySpace, it's no longer absolutely necessary for musicians to have their very own website. Instead, they can use their MySpace to showcase their music/videos/pictures and provide any additional biography/tour related information. Having a website doesn't hurt though because it could make you look more professional and allow you to be found through search engines. Whatever you decide to do, the link you provide in your EPK to your MySpace or website should include your work because, ultimately, this is what labels/venues care about the most. Whether you provide a link to your MySpace page or to your website, make sure that the music is easy to find. The idea is to get them to voluntarily listen to your music rather than feel like it's being forced upon them, which could potentially turn them off right away. However, MySpace isn't the only tool you can use. YouTube is increasingly popular and not only can you display your music but can even include a video of yourself talking about it.
For a great example of a musician's EPK Click Here
2. Create a "One Sheet"
In addition to your music you should include some information about yourself but limit it to one side of a single page. This page can include a short bio, marketing plans, tour dates and any other information you deem relevant and important. You can use bullet points or titles/subtitles to make the text more organized and easier to read but try to keep it as simple as possible and not too fancy. Labels receive an overwhelmingly large amount of press kits all the time, which is why it's important to be concise and to the point. If you do decide to send your press kit via snail mail, make sure it's not highly elaborate and easily accessible. In other words, don't shrink wrap your CD or fill your press kit with glitter.
3. Send Your EPK
Typically, there are two places you send your EPK to: venues and labels. If you're sending to a venue, they're going to want to know how many audience members you're going to bring. This information can be included in the e-mail before you link them to your press kit and/or MySpace Music page. If you're sending to a label, they're going to place emphasis on you as a brand. This means they will want to know if you've toured with any bigger acts, where you've played and where you're from. Again, you can touch on these in the e-mail and then expand on them in your EPK. Be sure to personalize the email and then follow up.
Permalink: http://www.musicdish.com/mag/?id=12341
Musicians developing iPhone apps
Musicians developing iPhone apps
Kyte launches platform for artists
By Antony Bruno, Billboard
Feb 23, 2009, 02:43 PM ET
DENVER -- Kyte, a digital media technology company aggressively targeting the music industry, launched a new platform, called the iPhone Applications Framework, for artists interested in developing iPhone applications.
Interscope artists All American Rejects, Keri Hilson, Lady Gaga, the Pussycat Dolls and Soulja Boy Tell 'Em are the first on board, with new iPhone applications now available for download via Apple's App Store.
The Kyte.tv mobile phone video system lets artist quickly upload new content online, and now the iPhone as well with the new service. The platform lets participating artists update their iPhone apps with not only new content submitted through the Kyte service, but also add interactive features like fan chat and rating, Twitter feeds, RSS subscription capabilities and integrate both their iPhone and online applications at once. Artists can also include advertising and links to purchase additional content.
Original Article at http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/music/news/e3icba15d3dbc5504b3212f15a08c6a7234
Kyte launches platform for artists
By Antony Bruno, Billboard
Feb 23, 2009, 02:43 PM ET
DENVER -- Kyte, a digital media technology company aggressively targeting the music industry, launched a new platform, called the iPhone Applications Framework, for artists interested in developing iPhone applications.
Interscope artists All American Rejects, Keri Hilson, Lady Gaga, the Pussycat Dolls and Soulja Boy Tell 'Em are the first on board, with new iPhone applications now available for download via Apple's App Store.
The Kyte.tv mobile phone video system lets artist quickly upload new content online, and now the iPhone as well with the new service. The platform lets participating artists update their iPhone apps with not only new content submitted through the Kyte service, but also add interactive features like fan chat and rating, Twitter feeds, RSS subscription capabilities and integrate both their iPhone and online applications at once. Artists can also include advertising and links to purchase additional content.
Original Article at http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/music/news/e3icba15d3dbc5504b3212f15a08c6a7234
Friday, February 6, 2009
10 Things Business Owners Can Do to Market More Effectively on Facebook
Now that there are over 150 million active users on Facebook, more
businesses large and small are actively reaching and engaging customers
through Facebook and the Facebook Platform. Global chains all the way
down to the local pub are building social marketing strategies that
leverage the strengths of Facebook to drive traffic to their pages and
feet to their premises.
However, many business owners are daunted by Facebook’s sheer scale,
and simply don’t know where to start. Inside Facebook is here to help
guide business owners and marketers through that process.
Here are Inside Facebook’s top 10 ways business owners can more
effectively leverage Facebook to reach their target audience and drive
more business. To dive deeper on the ways you can leverage Facebook for
your marketing goals - including each of the tactics listed below -
check out the Facebook Marketing Bible: The Guide to Marketing Your Brand, Company, Product, or Service Inside Facebook.
10 Things Business Owners Can Do to Market More Effectively on Facebook
1. Create a Facebook Page
Your Facebook Page should be the “hub” of your Facebook marketing
presence. With a Facebook Page, Facebook users can become a “fan” of
your company or product; when that happens, your name and logo will
appear on their profile page and your name will appear in their profile
feed. fbmarketingpages1In
turn, more users will be able to discover your Facebook Page through
their friends’ profiles and Facebook searches, and your Page can grow
“virally” without you even having to do much work. Finally, Pages rank
very highly in Google search results, boosting your SEO rankings.
2. Create Facebook Events for Promotions and Special Occasions
Once you’ve created a Facebook Page, create regular Facebook Events
for promotions you’re running. For example, a local bar might want to
create a Facebook Event each week for happy hour! Larger businesses
might target them around major campaign target events. When you create
Facebook Events, they are automatically promoted on your Facebook Page.
Plus, when Facebook users RSVP to your event (think “Biff Henderson is
attending to Thursday Happy Hour at O’Malleys,” etc.), their friends
see the updates on their profile or news feed.
3. Promote Your Events with Highly Targeted Social Ads
fbmarketingsocialadsFacebook’s
Social Ads platform makes it easy to target your spend to a very
specific age, gender, and geographic audience. (You can even target
based on words they’ve put on their profile.) Purchasing Social Ads
throws fuel on the flames of the “natural” viral distribution you’re
already getting from Facebook’s feed system, and you only pay for
performance!
4. Add Contests and Voting Applications to Your Facebook Page to Give Your Customers a Voice
People love fun ways of engaging and feeling like they are
contributing to your direction and decisions. Why not create a poll and
let your users vote on the next menu item addition? White label
solutions are readily available, and thousands of developers are able
to easily build custom applications that you can add to your Facebook
page.
5. Sponsor Popular Applications with Ads and Virtual Gifts
For larger chains and brands, sponsoring Facebook applications
popular with your target audience offers richer opportunities for
deeper engagement. For example, sports bars or sporting goods stores
could partner with popular sports applications, and music retailers or pubs with live music could partner with popular music applications.
What to do exactly? Sponsor or skin a whole section of the app, or
offer sponsored virtual goods (i.e. virtual “bumper stickers”) for
users to send to their friends on your behalf.
6. Go Big with Facebook Engagement Ads
fbmarketinggiftsFor those who want to achieve the widest reach, Facebook’s variety of available home page engagement ads
offer a simple way to engage millions of users. If you’re able to meet
Facebook’s minimum spend requirements, Facebook can deliver big unique
numbers.
7. Integrate Facebook Connect on Your Website
If your website is an important channel to you, Facebook Connect can
help you amplify engagement you’re achieving by spreading information
and updates about your visitors activity with their Facebook friends.
fbcif
For example, with Facebook Connect, you can publish updates like
“Peggy Bush just ordered a pizza from Mancini’s Chicago Pizzeria on
31st St” to your customers’ Facebook profiles, where they are seen by
thousands of friends.
8. Add Facebook Share Links to Your Website
Does your website even make it easy for your customers to share
information about you with their friends? Adding Facebook “share” links
is the simplest step you should take to get your URL floating around
Facebook.
fbmarketingpages2
9. Publish Fresh Photos, Videos, and Updates to Your Facebook Page
Facebook Pages are not “set it and forget it.” They require regular
updates with new content that feels authentic and community generated -
not “from the marketing guy who doesn’t get it.” Which leads us to the
last and most important point…
10. TALK TO YOUR CUSTOMERS
Facebook is made up of people, and people want to talk to you. If
you don’t enter the conversation they invite you into, they’ll stop
paying you much attention. When you start a Facebook presence, you’ll
need to “man the wheel” by allocating staff to participate in
discussions on your Page and respond to concerns. When customers
discover that there are actually real people there, their appreciation
for you will grow - as will their willingness to let others know!
One final note…
Keep in mind, however, that while Facebook marketing is powerful, it
isn’t free. Your Facebook marketing plan should be part of a larger
strategy that incorporates all the elements that make social marketing
successful. Participating in the Facebook ecosystem most effectively
requires consistent participation and willingness to engage your
customers. There’s a good chance you will find it more rewarding than
you expect!
Original post at http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/01/27/10-things-all-businesses-should-do-to-market-more-effectively-on-facebook/
businesses large and small are actively reaching and engaging customers
through Facebook and the Facebook Platform. Global chains all the way
down to the local pub are building social marketing strategies that
leverage the strengths of Facebook to drive traffic to their pages and
feet to their premises.
However, many business owners are daunted by Facebook’s sheer scale,
and simply don’t know where to start. Inside Facebook is here to help
guide business owners and marketers through that process.
Here are Inside Facebook’s top 10 ways business owners can more
effectively leverage Facebook to reach their target audience and drive
more business. To dive deeper on the ways you can leverage Facebook for
your marketing goals - including each of the tactics listed below -
check out the Facebook Marketing Bible: The Guide to Marketing Your Brand, Company, Product, or Service Inside Facebook.
10 Things Business Owners Can Do to Market More Effectively on Facebook
1. Create a Facebook Page
Your Facebook Page should be the “hub” of your Facebook marketing
presence. With a Facebook Page, Facebook users can become a “fan” of
your company or product; when that happens, your name and logo will
appear on their profile page and your name will appear in their profile
feed. fbmarketingpages1In
turn, more users will be able to discover your Facebook Page through
their friends’ profiles and Facebook searches, and your Page can grow
“virally” without you even having to do much work. Finally, Pages rank
very highly in Google search results, boosting your SEO rankings.
2. Create Facebook Events for Promotions and Special Occasions
Once you’ve created a Facebook Page, create regular Facebook Events
for promotions you’re running. For example, a local bar might want to
create a Facebook Event each week for happy hour! Larger businesses
might target them around major campaign target events. When you create
Facebook Events, they are automatically promoted on your Facebook Page.
Plus, when Facebook users RSVP to your event (think “Biff Henderson is
attending to Thursday Happy Hour at O’Malleys,” etc.), their friends
see the updates on their profile or news feed.
3. Promote Your Events with Highly Targeted Social Ads
fbmarketingsocialadsFacebook’s
Social Ads platform makes it easy to target your spend to a very
specific age, gender, and geographic audience. (You can even target
based on words they’ve put on their profile.) Purchasing Social Ads
throws fuel on the flames of the “natural” viral distribution you’re
already getting from Facebook’s feed system, and you only pay for
performance!
4. Add Contests and Voting Applications to Your Facebook Page to Give Your Customers a Voice
People love fun ways of engaging and feeling like they are
contributing to your direction and decisions. Why not create a poll and
let your users vote on the next menu item addition? White label
solutions are readily available, and thousands of developers are able
to easily build custom applications that you can add to your Facebook
page.
5. Sponsor Popular Applications with Ads and Virtual Gifts
For larger chains and brands, sponsoring Facebook applications
popular with your target audience offers richer opportunities for
deeper engagement. For example, sports bars or sporting goods stores
could partner with popular sports applications, and music retailers or pubs with live music could partner with popular music applications.
What to do exactly? Sponsor or skin a whole section of the app, or
offer sponsored virtual goods (i.e. virtual “bumper stickers”) for
users to send to their friends on your behalf.
6. Go Big with Facebook Engagement Ads
fbmarketinggiftsFor those who want to achieve the widest reach, Facebook’s variety of available home page engagement ads
offer a simple way to engage millions of users. If you’re able to meet
Facebook’s minimum spend requirements, Facebook can deliver big unique
numbers.
7. Integrate Facebook Connect on Your Website
If your website is an important channel to you, Facebook Connect can
help you amplify engagement you’re achieving by spreading information
and updates about your visitors activity with their Facebook friends.
fbcif
For example, with Facebook Connect, you can publish updates like
“Peggy Bush just ordered a pizza from Mancini’s Chicago Pizzeria on
31st St” to your customers’ Facebook profiles, where they are seen by
thousands of friends.
8. Add Facebook Share Links to Your Website
Does your website even make it easy for your customers to share
information about you with their friends? Adding Facebook “share” links
is the simplest step you should take to get your URL floating around
Facebook.
fbmarketingpages2
9. Publish Fresh Photos, Videos, and Updates to Your Facebook Page
Facebook Pages are not “set it and forget it.” They require regular
updates with new content that feels authentic and community generated -
not “from the marketing guy who doesn’t get it.” Which leads us to the
last and most important point…
10. TALK TO YOUR CUSTOMERS
Facebook is made up of people, and people want to talk to you. If
you don’t enter the conversation they invite you into, they’ll stop
paying you much attention. When you start a Facebook presence, you’ll
need to “man the wheel” by allocating staff to participate in
discussions on your Page and respond to concerns. When customers
discover that there are actually real people there, their appreciation
for you will grow - as will their willingness to let others know!
One final note…
Keep in mind, however, that while Facebook marketing is powerful, it
isn’t free. Your Facebook marketing plan should be part of a larger
strategy that incorporates all the elements that make social marketing
successful. Participating in the Facebook ecosystem most effectively
requires consistent participation and willingness to engage your
customers. There’s a good chance you will find it more rewarding than
you expect!
Original post at http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/01/27/10-things-all-businesses-should-do-to-market-more-effectively-on-facebook/
Friday, January 23, 2009
10 ways to stay focused and build your independent music empire.
(This article appears at http://www.discmakers.com/community/resources/ffwd/2009/indieresolutions.asp - By re-posting, BSM hopes it inspires progress in your career.)
Indie Resolutions
10 ways to stay focused and build your independent music empire.
By Jesse Gray | January 2009
As we roll into the New Year it’s time to make those ever-famous (or infamous) New Year’s resolutions. But have no fear; our list doesn’t require cutting out chocolate or getting up at 5AM to run. We want to help you where it really counts – your music career.
So how did we come up with this master list of goodness? We asked. We solicited answers from working musicians far and wide, as well as tapping into our own staff (we have a few hundred active musicians working here). After we sifted through the rubble we found ten diamonds that kept getting mentioned over and over. And now, here for your career-enhancing pleasure are the best of the best. Have a rockin’ 2009.
1. Write down your goals
You’ve heard this mentioned by everyone from your high school trigonometry teacher to the success guru on the late night infomercial. And there’s a reason that everyone keeps telling you that you should do it – it works. Writing down your goals for the year helps you to visualize the entire year in a snapshot and provides you with a clear course of action to take away from it. It also serves as a reminder that you can look back on throughout the year in case you’ve forgotten anything or strayed off course.
So as it pertains to music there are a few keys things you should have on your radar. Make a list of the venues you want to play and actively pursue them, partner with bands, record your next album, play in a charity gig, or rehearse twice a week. Whatever it is, make sure you write it down and commit yourself to making it happen.
2. Build (and use) your mailing list
You know you’ve said it, “Don’t forget to sign our mailing list.” But the question is have you done anything with those names? Your mailing list is one of the most overlooked weapons you have available. When the time comes for your CD release party a postcard in the mail and a well-timed email is often all it takes to get people motivated to buy advance tickets. Playing an area where you don’t make it to that often? Pull names from the last time you were there and send out an email or two a few weeks in advance.
One of the oldest tricks in the book (and it really works) is to get two personable fans or friends, one male and one female, to walk around the club with a sign up sheet for your mailing list. Because they are canvassing together the chances of them drawing a connection and getting a name are much greater. Plus, people are more likely to sign up when you bring the list to them as opposed to them having to cross a club to seek it out. Remember, make it easy for them.
3. Leverage your drive time (and downtime)
There are looooong hours on the road whether you are traveling from gig to gig or sitting around after sound check with nothing to do. This is a prime opportunity to take care of all the mundane (yet extremely important) details of your music career.
Bring your laptop along with you and get a wireless card. With these tools you can update your web site, check and respond to your fan email, book shows, and generally just stay connected with the engine that runs your career. Having an iPhone or Blackberry is a good start, but they don’t offer the functionality that a laptop does.
4. Use the web aggressively
OK, you have a MySpace page, big deal. What else are you doing online? Start a group on Facebook, piece together your own music videos and put them on YouTube, set up profiles on other music services and social networks like iLike, imeem, and more. Get a Sonicbids EPK, and use it. Don't just rely on MySpace – have your own site too. You need to control your brand and your own site is that place.
Blog regularly – and make it interesting: have an opinion, be funny, or intense, respond to fans’ comments. Interact with your fans via email, or let them upload their gig photos to your site. Set up your own social network with ning.com. It’s a big world out there and you have a number of avenues to get your voice - and music - heard.
5. Co-Promote
Find bands that have a similar sound, vibe, and feel as yours and make friends with them. Help them out by mentioning them on stage, promote upcoming gigs together, split costs to print flyers and posters, wear their t-shirts on stage.
A good rule of thumb is to try to make friends with a band from every city or town that you play in. This way every time you are coming there to play you can have them act as advance PR and get the word out. A big part of making this a successful venture is to do the same for them – remember there is no give without take. Make sure you show up at their shows and support them when they come to your town. A $7 cover charge and some face time could equate to 25-30 extra people at your gig next time you play their town. Heck, they may even let you crash at their place and save you hotel costs, too.
6. Seek sponsorship from a corporate entity
Even in a recession there are plenty of corporations that are looking to get as much exposure as possible. Companies like Jagermeister, Coca-Cola, Miller Lite, Vans, etc. are all prime positioning partners. One way to secure funds is by putting their logo on your materials such as your stage banner, drum heads, and anything else that gets exposure from their target market – your fans. Book an aggressive tour schedule and use it as leverage. Even something as simple as offsetting your poster printing costs by placing their logo on it goes a long way in helping you to promote on the cheap.
7. Book ‘em
Keep a book with people’s names and contact info along with what band they’re in or how you met them. Split it up by city for easy reference. When you need to book a show, contact someone, or remember people’s names it’s all right there like your own personal Yellow Pages. If you’re not old school you can do a lot of this with your phone, including keeping detailed notes. Just make sure that you have it backed up somewhere in case your phone dies or goes missing during that wild after party.
8. Always write a set list
A lot of musicians do it on the fly, and if that works for you that’s cool. However, we’ve all seen (or been guilty of) doing the band huddle. The song ends and everyone turns to each other to figure out what to play next. This can present a very unprofessional image as well as ruin the flow of a show. By having your set list ready everyone can transition right to the next song without losing the crowd’s interest or energy.
9. Rehearse weekly
It sounds like a no brainer, but the fact is a lot of bands either don’t feel like they need to or just don’t bother to keep a regular practice schedule. It’s just the same as any other trained skill – you have to practice to get better and stay sharp. How many times have you listened to a band’s album and it sounded tight, then you saw them in concert and they were anything but. Chances are you never went to see them again. Don’t let the grind of rehearsal jade you. Keep it interesting by writing a set list and constantly coming up with new ways to bridge songs. Or work on a set of cover songs that you like, even if you’ll never play them live it will help work on your timing and transitions. In the end it only means a better live performance and that’s always a good thing.
10. Play, Play, Play
Nothing does as much for a band or artist as exposure and that means playing out as much as you can. The benefits are numerous, such as building your fan base, selling merch, gaining name recognition, selling albums, making contacts, and so much more. There are very few artists who can live off of digital distribution and CD sales alone. Plus, the biggest benefit of all is that it’s fun! Don’t miss out on some of the most memorable moments of your life – get out there and jam.
Happy Planning!
-BSM
Indie Resolutions
10 ways to stay focused and build your independent music empire.
By Jesse Gray | January 2009
As we roll into the New Year it’s time to make those ever-famous (or infamous) New Year’s resolutions. But have no fear; our list doesn’t require cutting out chocolate or getting up at 5AM to run. We want to help you where it really counts – your music career.
So how did we come up with this master list of goodness? We asked. We solicited answers from working musicians far and wide, as well as tapping into our own staff (we have a few hundred active musicians working here). After we sifted through the rubble we found ten diamonds that kept getting mentioned over and over. And now, here for your career-enhancing pleasure are the best of the best. Have a rockin’ 2009.
1. Write down your goals
You’ve heard this mentioned by everyone from your high school trigonometry teacher to the success guru on the late night infomercial. And there’s a reason that everyone keeps telling you that you should do it – it works. Writing down your goals for the year helps you to visualize the entire year in a snapshot and provides you with a clear course of action to take away from it. It also serves as a reminder that you can look back on throughout the year in case you’ve forgotten anything or strayed off course.
So as it pertains to music there are a few keys things you should have on your radar. Make a list of the venues you want to play and actively pursue them, partner with bands, record your next album, play in a charity gig, or rehearse twice a week. Whatever it is, make sure you write it down and commit yourself to making it happen.
2. Build (and use) your mailing list
You know you’ve said it, “Don’t forget to sign our mailing list.” But the question is have you done anything with those names? Your mailing list is one of the most overlooked weapons you have available. When the time comes for your CD release party a postcard in the mail and a well-timed email is often all it takes to get people motivated to buy advance tickets. Playing an area where you don’t make it to that often? Pull names from the last time you were there and send out an email or two a few weeks in advance.
One of the oldest tricks in the book (and it really works) is to get two personable fans or friends, one male and one female, to walk around the club with a sign up sheet for your mailing list. Because they are canvassing together the chances of them drawing a connection and getting a name are much greater. Plus, people are more likely to sign up when you bring the list to them as opposed to them having to cross a club to seek it out. Remember, make it easy for them.
3. Leverage your drive time (and downtime)
There are looooong hours on the road whether you are traveling from gig to gig or sitting around after sound check with nothing to do. This is a prime opportunity to take care of all the mundane (yet extremely important) details of your music career.
Bring your laptop along with you and get a wireless card. With these tools you can update your web site, check and respond to your fan email, book shows, and generally just stay connected with the engine that runs your career. Having an iPhone or Blackberry is a good start, but they don’t offer the functionality that a laptop does.
4. Use the web aggressively
OK, you have a MySpace page, big deal. What else are you doing online? Start a group on Facebook, piece together your own music videos and put them on YouTube, set up profiles on other music services and social networks like iLike, imeem, and more. Get a Sonicbids EPK, and use it. Don't just rely on MySpace – have your own site too. You need to control your brand and your own site is that place.
Blog regularly – and make it interesting: have an opinion, be funny, or intense, respond to fans’ comments. Interact with your fans via email, or let them upload their gig photos to your site. Set up your own social network with ning.com. It’s a big world out there and you have a number of avenues to get your voice - and music - heard.
5. Co-Promote
Find bands that have a similar sound, vibe, and feel as yours and make friends with them. Help them out by mentioning them on stage, promote upcoming gigs together, split costs to print flyers and posters, wear their t-shirts on stage.
A good rule of thumb is to try to make friends with a band from every city or town that you play in. This way every time you are coming there to play you can have them act as advance PR and get the word out. A big part of making this a successful venture is to do the same for them – remember there is no give without take. Make sure you show up at their shows and support them when they come to your town. A $7 cover charge and some face time could equate to 25-30 extra people at your gig next time you play their town. Heck, they may even let you crash at their place and save you hotel costs, too.
6. Seek sponsorship from a corporate entity
Even in a recession there are plenty of corporations that are looking to get as much exposure as possible. Companies like Jagermeister, Coca-Cola, Miller Lite, Vans, etc. are all prime positioning partners. One way to secure funds is by putting their logo on your materials such as your stage banner, drum heads, and anything else that gets exposure from their target market – your fans. Book an aggressive tour schedule and use it as leverage. Even something as simple as offsetting your poster printing costs by placing their logo on it goes a long way in helping you to promote on the cheap.
7. Book ‘em
Keep a book with people’s names and contact info along with what band they’re in or how you met them. Split it up by city for easy reference. When you need to book a show, contact someone, or remember people’s names it’s all right there like your own personal Yellow Pages. If you’re not old school you can do a lot of this with your phone, including keeping detailed notes. Just make sure that you have it backed up somewhere in case your phone dies or goes missing during that wild after party.
8. Always write a set list
A lot of musicians do it on the fly, and if that works for you that’s cool. However, we’ve all seen (or been guilty of) doing the band huddle. The song ends and everyone turns to each other to figure out what to play next. This can present a very unprofessional image as well as ruin the flow of a show. By having your set list ready everyone can transition right to the next song without losing the crowd’s interest or energy.
9. Rehearse weekly
It sounds like a no brainer, but the fact is a lot of bands either don’t feel like they need to or just don’t bother to keep a regular practice schedule. It’s just the same as any other trained skill – you have to practice to get better and stay sharp. How many times have you listened to a band’s album and it sounded tight, then you saw them in concert and they were anything but. Chances are you never went to see them again. Don’t let the grind of rehearsal jade you. Keep it interesting by writing a set list and constantly coming up with new ways to bridge songs. Or work on a set of cover songs that you like, even if you’ll never play them live it will help work on your timing and transitions. In the end it only means a better live performance and that’s always a good thing.
10. Play, Play, Play
Nothing does as much for a band or artist as exposure and that means playing out as much as you can. The benefits are numerous, such as building your fan base, selling merch, gaining name recognition, selling albums, making contacts, and so much more. There are very few artists who can live off of digital distribution and CD sales alone. Plus, the biggest benefit of all is that it’s fun! Don’t miss out on some of the most memorable moments of your life – get out there and jam.
Happy Planning!
-BSM
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
2008 VMAs and Other Important Events
It's my job to make sure my clients are aware of current events and especially important entertainment events. So in my personal fashion, I took time out on Sunday to send a note to all my entertainment industry clients about watching and weighing in on the 2008 MTV Music Video Awards, airing that evening. The subject read "The Biggest Entertainment New Story Tomorrow" and the body started "...will be the 2008 MTV VMAs, of course!" I went on to encourage them to not only watch the program, but take notes and think critically, and make sure to get involved in the converstation with their personal blogs! Most of them did (I'm so proud).
It turned out that the 2008 VMAs were a bit of a bust. Boring and predictable are words that come to mind and I was actually surprised to see less than normal press coverage the following day, than expected. Regardless, there is a lesson to learn here. Being up on popular events and disciplining yourself to write about it will help get your name out there.
Here are a few ways:
1. Start your own blog and update it frequently.
2. Put this same blog text on your social networking sites.
3. Use this same text Find music/entertainment forums and get involved in the conversations.
4. Email it to your mailing list and start an actual conversation with those you usually just promote to.
5. If you're really serious, I challenge you to go through the 12 month calendar and compile a list of popular and obscure holidays as well as entertainment events and start planning your writing ahead of time.
Happy writing!
-BSM
It turned out that the 2008 VMAs were a bit of a bust. Boring and predictable are words that come to mind and I was actually surprised to see less than normal press coverage the following day, than expected. Regardless, there is a lesson to learn here. Being up on popular events and disciplining yourself to write about it will help get your name out there.
Here are a few ways:
1. Start your own blog and update it frequently.
2. Put this same blog text on your social networking sites.
3. Use this same text Find music/entertainment forums and get involved in the conversations.
4. Email it to your mailing list and start an actual conversation with those you usually just promote to.
5. If you're really serious, I challenge you to go through the 12 month calendar and compile a list of popular and obscure holidays as well as entertainment events and start planning your writing ahead of time.
Happy writing!
-BSM
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Handle Your Business
Ok. So this is more than a personal gripe than a tip for publicity. But considering that everything about YOU as a musician IS your brand, this is a big one when doing business with others in the same industry. Simply put, HANDLE YOUR BUSINESS. Treat your music as a business. If you don't have a corporation, business license, business plan and bank account. Do it NOW. I cannot tell you how many people ("artists" or "businesses") I come across who cannot provide an invoice when I request one. This drives me up the wall and speaks VOLUMES.
Here's a recent article on Apple that I thought was very well written and inspired me to ask: What does my service say about my company? Is is helping or hurting my brand?
I hope you pose the same questions to yourself.
How Apple Is Blurring the Line Between Marketing and Service
Pete Blackshaw Explains Why Consumer-Facing Brands Can Benefit From Better Customer Interaction
By Pete Blackshaw
Published: June 23, 2008
"How can I help you, and where would you like to go?"
In this simple greeting, there's a huge question: Are the greeting and the experience that follows marketing or service or both?
In the last couple of months, Apple has boosted the number of "concierges" who greet and direct shoppers as soon as they walk in the door of its retail stores. Apple has always had employees at the front, ready to help, but this time it is positioning an eager-to-please offensive line a few steps from the doorway.
These employees don't wait until you look utterly confused to ask you what you need. They intercept you -- though not intrusively and always with a smile. The concierge in the orange shirt, Apple writes in its popular website, "is your guide to the Apple Retail Store, ready to answer your questions and point you in the right direction."
What's going on here and what can we learn? First, it goes without saying that Apple is redefining and reshaping the retail experience via the company's growing roster of stand-alone stores. But there's something even bigger going on here, akin to how online show retailer Zappos.com is turning the traditional rules of e-commerce upside down.
Things once considered the dark side of Apple, such as tech support, are on the verge of becoming strategic assets, with the Apple Store's geek-stocked Genius Bar able to tackle just about any issue or concern your have. And the process of planning that interaction is more akin to scheduling a haircut or spa treatment than calling those inaccessible tech-support lines.
In my most recent interaction, which centered on a broken video iPod, it took me about 15 minutes to get to my seat at the bar. After multiple rapid-fire tests, the Genius helper concluded my well-exercised MP3 player was toast and laid out a rather simple replacement process. Along the way I tossed in a few unrelated questions, which he gleefully, patiently answered.
Whether explicitly acknowledged or not, there's an unmistakable "service is marketing" mantra pervading every aspect of the Apple Store. And that's something every brand, even those not as shiny as Apple's, can learn from. The opportunity to solve problems, find solutions and even address "the darn thing doesn't work" emotional pain-points all lead to a higher impact-marketing and sales proposition. While not every marketer has a Steve Jobs-inspired vision, every consumer-facing company has problems that can be converted into opportunities to inspire loyalty.
In the case of the "service concierges," they are not waiting for problems. They assume you arrive at the Apple Store looking specifically for something, and in most cases they are right. And even if serendipity is your cup of tea, they'll help you navigate that experience as well. What's important about this front line is not just the help these employees provide, but the halo of service they create. They are there if you need them, a reality that brings more confidence to the overall shopping experience.
Joey Dunn, a University of Cincinnati video-production student who enthusiastically helped me out in the front of the store, noted he's not driven by sales commissions or even pressure to credit a sale to the particular store. "As long as it's helping Apple," he noted. He did acknowledge that employees receive discounts on products, although he refused, with state-secret mystique common to Apple culture, to say just how much. "Let's just say they take care of me."
More important, their presence reminds consumers that the Apple brand has authority, expertise and, of course, a certain level of geeky yet accessible passion that lures fans to the brand.
"They hire people who are extremely familiar with the product," explained Pat Henry, a Ford engineer and iPhone-equipped Apple enthusiast who I interviewed outside the store. "They then use that knowledge and expertise as leverage in the sales process. By doing this they can actually sell more effortlessly."
It's no coincidence that other brands are paying attention. Sony is borrowing many of the same tactics in Sony-only stores -- and others may be well-served by doing likewise. Henry, with characteristic Apple evangelism (or bias), called out a host of "opportunities" for Best Buy, for instance. "The employees simply work off spec sheets and simply don't know what they are talking about," she said.
Now in fairness to the Apple-aggrieved, the brand is not perfect and there's no shortage of tough-love from consumers about Apple 1-800 lines and other dimensions of online tech support. As an Apple user myself, I do think those have improved, but not to the level of excellence that exists at the Apple Store. I'd also be lying if I didn't profess my disappointment, even dismay, over having to actually pay a premium for faster-response (and more patient, I presume) phone support.
Still, Apple is introducing some important new lessons and questions for marketers:
* Service is marketing. As marketers struggle to "engage" consumers, service may well be the easiest and most gratifying starting point -- and one with high sales conversion potential.
* Problems are opportunities. Tech support is an emotional experience -- so why not capitalize on that insight by openly and enthusiastically solving problems, giving reassurance and showing compassion for the pain and frustration. A satisfied consumer might just buy something else while making the trip.
* Employee authority and passion aids selling. When employees "walk the talk" in using the product they sell, credibility goes up -- and credibility drives persuasion. Passion and evangelism also move the needle.
Should we all take a bite of out of this Apple? Even a nibble might help.
See full article at http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=127905
Here's a recent article on Apple that I thought was very well written and inspired me to ask: What does my service say about my company? Is is helping or hurting my brand?
I hope you pose the same questions to yourself.
How Apple Is Blurring the Line Between Marketing and Service
Pete Blackshaw Explains Why Consumer-Facing Brands Can Benefit From Better Customer Interaction
By Pete Blackshaw
Published: June 23, 2008
"How can I help you, and where would you like to go?"
In this simple greeting, there's a huge question: Are the greeting and the experience that follows marketing or service or both?
In the last couple of months, Apple has boosted the number of "concierges" who greet and direct shoppers as soon as they walk in the door of its retail stores. Apple has always had employees at the front, ready to help, but this time it is positioning an eager-to-please offensive line a few steps from the doorway.
These employees don't wait until you look utterly confused to ask you what you need. They intercept you -- though not intrusively and always with a smile. The concierge in the orange shirt, Apple writes in its popular website, "is your guide to the Apple Retail Store, ready to answer your questions and point you in the right direction."
What's going on here and what can we learn? First, it goes without saying that Apple is redefining and reshaping the retail experience via the company's growing roster of stand-alone stores. But there's something even bigger going on here, akin to how online show retailer Zappos.com is turning the traditional rules of e-commerce upside down.
Things once considered the dark side of Apple, such as tech support, are on the verge of becoming strategic assets, with the Apple Store's geek-stocked Genius Bar able to tackle just about any issue or concern your have. And the process of planning that interaction is more akin to scheduling a haircut or spa treatment than calling those inaccessible tech-support lines.
In my most recent interaction, which centered on a broken video iPod, it took me about 15 minutes to get to my seat at the bar. After multiple rapid-fire tests, the Genius helper concluded my well-exercised MP3 player was toast and laid out a rather simple replacement process. Along the way I tossed in a few unrelated questions, which he gleefully, patiently answered.
Whether explicitly acknowledged or not, there's an unmistakable "service is marketing" mantra pervading every aspect of the Apple Store. And that's something every brand, even those not as shiny as Apple's, can learn from. The opportunity to solve problems, find solutions and even address "the darn thing doesn't work" emotional pain-points all lead to a higher impact-marketing and sales proposition. While not every marketer has a Steve Jobs-inspired vision, every consumer-facing company has problems that can be converted into opportunities to inspire loyalty.
In the case of the "service concierges," they are not waiting for problems. They assume you arrive at the Apple Store looking specifically for something, and in most cases they are right. And even if serendipity is your cup of tea, they'll help you navigate that experience as well. What's important about this front line is not just the help these employees provide, but the halo of service they create. They are there if you need them, a reality that brings more confidence to the overall shopping experience.
Joey Dunn, a University of Cincinnati video-production student who enthusiastically helped me out in the front of the store, noted he's not driven by sales commissions or even pressure to credit a sale to the particular store. "As long as it's helping Apple," he noted. He did acknowledge that employees receive discounts on products, although he refused, with state-secret mystique common to Apple culture, to say just how much. "Let's just say they take care of me."
More important, their presence reminds consumers that the Apple brand has authority, expertise and, of course, a certain level of geeky yet accessible passion that lures fans to the brand.
"They hire people who are extremely familiar with the product," explained Pat Henry, a Ford engineer and iPhone-equipped Apple enthusiast who I interviewed outside the store. "They then use that knowledge and expertise as leverage in the sales process. By doing this they can actually sell more effortlessly."
It's no coincidence that other brands are paying attention. Sony is borrowing many of the same tactics in Sony-only stores -- and others may be well-served by doing likewise. Henry, with characteristic Apple evangelism (or bias), called out a host of "opportunities" for Best Buy, for instance. "The employees simply work off spec sheets and simply don't know what they are talking about," she said.
Now in fairness to the Apple-aggrieved, the brand is not perfect and there's no shortage of tough-love from consumers about Apple 1-800 lines and other dimensions of online tech support. As an Apple user myself, I do think those have improved, but not to the level of excellence that exists at the Apple Store. I'd also be lying if I didn't profess my disappointment, even dismay, over having to actually pay a premium for faster-response (and more patient, I presume) phone support.
Still, Apple is introducing some important new lessons and questions for marketers:
* Service is marketing. As marketers struggle to "engage" consumers, service may well be the easiest and most gratifying starting point -- and one with high sales conversion potential.
* Problems are opportunities. Tech support is an emotional experience -- so why not capitalize on that insight by openly and enthusiastically solving problems, giving reassurance and showing compassion for the pain and frustration. A satisfied consumer might just buy something else while making the trip.
* Employee authority and passion aids selling. When employees "walk the talk" in using the product they sell, credibility goes up -- and credibility drives persuasion. Passion and evangelism also move the needle.
Should we all take a bite of out of this Apple? Even a nibble might help.
See full article at http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=127905
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Make Sure You Have a Great Photo
You've heard the expression before "a picture is worth a thousand words." True. So I ask, what does your picture say about you? Whether this is an album cover, a publicity photo or just an image you've posted on MySpace, each visual says something about you and your work. I urge all my clients to ask themselves "what does this photo say about me/us/it?" and sometimes more importantly "what doesn't it say?"
These should be an intention in EVERYTHING public about you as an artist, if there isn't start now, control your brand and start with your photos.
Here are suggestions I give to my clients:
1. All of your photos that are in the public domain should be of good quality.
2. Photos should have an intention behind them. An attitude. They should tell a story or promote an image in order to sell your music to your fanbase (if you haven't identified your fanbase yet, we'll cover that next week).
3. In other words, anyone can stand in front of a camera, get dolled up and look ok, but as an artist there better be something behind your eyes or you're dead in the water.
4. MySpace Images: When you are a professional MySpace (or any social networking profile) is not a place to upload numerous, random photos of yourself. Be sure that any and everything you post is selling something about yourself.
5. Most of the time great photos cost a little bit more BUT they are worth every penny so find a photographer you vibe with, who understands lighting and can pull a great shot out of you. If you do not start with a great, high resolution photo, none of your artwork will look good.
6. So now you've found the right photographer, now it's time to do your part. Arrive at your shoot prepared to give it 100%, you need to get to work and give it everything you've got. I often have my clients look through magazines before a shoot so they can start to identify a "good" photo from a "not so good" photo. Then I suggest they get to know their angles by practicing in the mirror. Most of them hate this, but I have to say...it works.
7. Try something new. This is a personal gripe of mine...do most "hip hop look the same or is it me? I urge everyone to try something new (please).
If you are searching for a good photographer, I work with some of the best and am happy to make a recommendation.
I welcome your comments.
-BSM
These should be an intention in EVERYTHING public about you as an artist, if there isn't start now, control your brand and start with your photos.
Here are suggestions I give to my clients:
1. All of your photos that are in the public domain should be of good quality.
2. Photos should have an intention behind them. An attitude. They should tell a story or promote an image in order to sell your music to your fanbase (if you haven't identified your fanbase yet, we'll cover that next week).
3. In other words, anyone can stand in front of a camera, get dolled up and look ok, but as an artist there better be something behind your eyes or you're dead in the water.
4. MySpace Images: When you are a professional MySpace (or any social networking profile) is not a place to upload numerous, random photos of yourself. Be sure that any and everything you post is selling something about yourself.
5. Most of the time great photos cost a little bit more BUT they are worth every penny so find a photographer you vibe with, who understands lighting and can pull a great shot out of you. If you do not start with a great, high resolution photo, none of your artwork will look good.
6. So now you've found the right photographer, now it's time to do your part. Arrive at your shoot prepared to give it 100%, you need to get to work and give it everything you've got. I often have my clients look through magazines before a shoot so they can start to identify a "good" photo from a "not so good" photo. Then I suggest they get to know their angles by practicing in the mirror. Most of them hate this, but I have to say...it works.
7. Try something new. This is a personal gripe of mine...do most "hip hop look the same or is it me? I urge everyone to try something new (please).
If you are searching for a good photographer, I work with some of the best and am happy to make a recommendation.
I welcome your comments.
-BSM
Monday, May 26, 2008
Turnaround Time
I can't tell you how much getting things done in a timely manner makes all the difference. Generally, if YOU can't get it done in 48 hours, it's really hard to work with you. Because I work mainly with independent artists and small businesses, most people are wearing at least three hats and it's hard to get it all done on time. Regardless, timeliness is essential and if it means loosing sleep, so be it.
Here's an idea of items I need ASAP on a daily basis (most are on the music side, but I'm sure you apply similar deliverables to any industry):
1. Availability: I need to schedule an interview or book you on a show (in this case 48 hours would be way too long, 2 hours is a good window).
2. Radio Drops: You want the DJ to play your song? If he or she asks for a drop, I want it delivered within 48 hours (the small things, make all the difference).
3. High resolution photos (if I'm doing my job right, I already have these on file).
4. Tour Schedule: If you have a show, I want to know about it at least 3 weeks ahead of time, in this case I should receive your tour schedule/show announcement within 48 hours of you confirming it.
5. Web Updates: Forget 48 hours, I expect your website (and social networking sites) to be updated before I send out a release.
We welcome your comments.
-BSM
Here's an idea of items I need ASAP on a daily basis (most are on the music side, but I'm sure you apply similar deliverables to any industry):
1. Availability: I need to schedule an interview or book you on a show (in this case 48 hours would be way too long, 2 hours is a good window).
2. Radio Drops: You want the DJ to play your song? If he or she asks for a drop, I want it delivered within 48 hours (the small things, make all the difference).
3. High resolution photos (if I'm doing my job right, I already have these on file).
4. Tour Schedule: If you have a show, I want to know about it at least 3 weeks ahead of time, in this case I should receive your tour schedule/show announcement within 48 hours of you confirming it.
5. Web Updates: Forget 48 hours, I expect your website (and social networking sites) to be updated before I send out a release.
We welcome your comments.
-BSM
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Clean and Organized Mailing Lists
This may seem like common knowledge to some, but I can't tell you how many times a client comes to me without a clean and well organized mailing list. If they do have something it's a barrage of spammed email addresses, clumped together, without an understanding of who's included on the list or what they want to communicate to them. Some have nothing at all.
It is absolutely important to build strong mailing lists (yes plural, I'll get to that) in order to maintain relationships to those industry people you've meet at networking events, fans who've attended your shows and family/friends that will support you no matter what. It is just as important to use them properly.
Here are a few tips that will improve how you communicate about your music career.
1. DO NOT SPAM. I know you've heard it before, but it can be detrimental to your reputation and snatching email addresses of unknown people is really just a waste of time.
2. Take time with your message. Be sure it's clear, easy to read, to the point with proper spelling and grammar.
3. Divide your mailing lists into different audiences, here are a few off the top of my head but you can customize your audiences as you see fit: industry, fans, press, friends/family and radio.
4. When a news-worthy event takes place (not just any event, don't waste people's time), new song, new video, upcoming show, award, etc. draft a basic message and customize it for each audience. For example, for a new song be sure to include a link for people to buy it for your fans and friends/family audiences, a link to download the mp3 to radio audience, and just a press release to press.
5. Maintain your list. When an email bounces or you get a message back of new contact information, be sure to update your list.
6. Safe guard your list and ALWAYS BCC messages or use a service like Constant Contact or Topica.
All this will take time but is so worth it.
I welcome your comments.
-BSM
It is absolutely important to build strong mailing lists (yes plural, I'll get to that) in order to maintain relationships to those industry people you've meet at networking events, fans who've attended your shows and family/friends that will support you no matter what. It is just as important to use them properly.
Here are a few tips that will improve how you communicate about your music career.
1. DO NOT SPAM. I know you've heard it before, but it can be detrimental to your reputation and snatching email addresses of unknown people is really just a waste of time.
2. Take time with your message. Be sure it's clear, easy to read, to the point with proper spelling and grammar.
3. Divide your mailing lists into different audiences, here are a few off the top of my head but you can customize your audiences as you see fit: industry, fans, press, friends/family and radio.
4. When a news-worthy event takes place (not just any event, don't waste people's time), new song, new video, upcoming show, award, etc. draft a basic message and customize it for each audience. For example, for a new song be sure to include a link for people to buy it for your fans and friends/family audiences, a link to download the mp3 to radio audience, and just a press release to press.
5. Maintain your list. When an email bounces or you get a message back of new contact information, be sure to update your list.
6. Safe guard your list and ALWAYS BCC messages or use a service like Constant Contact or Topica.
All this will take time but is so worth it.
I welcome your comments.
-BSM
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