January 3, 2005 -- Make sure you are crystal-clear of project specifications before embarking. For example, on a recent project I was told I had until Monday to finish it. Little did I know that Monday meant Friday's Fed-Ex pick-up. Thinking I had the week-end to tweak, I was instead rushing to finish the project before the latest pick-up. Well, it was a video render that didn't finish until 11:00 PM, so I didn't make it. What's worse, is that now that it won't be delivered until Tuesday, the client decided to make further changes. More work, more renders, and a mostly ruined week-end. Learn from my mistake and make sure you and the client are on the same page!
January 10, 2005 -- After returning from CES, it was all about two main trends: bigger, better TV and multichannel sound. HD was all the rage as was surround sound. While there is still no clear format for delivering HD content to consumers (will it be Blu-Ray or HD-DVD?), what was clear is that HD is the wave we all need to catch. The prosumer HDV format puts the clarity of producing hi-def content on the desktop. Surround sound, pardon the pun, was everywhere including announcements for an MP3-based surround codec. Keeping up with this sea change is no easy task, but to remain competitive you have to know where the future is taking us. And prepare yourself to exploit these trends as best you can.
January 17, 2005 -- It should come as no surprise that follow up and follow through are crucial to building and sustaining your business. I've seen many instances where people have dropped the ball when they should have known better. For example, people contact me with ideas, and I'm usually quite open to them. However, I'm often busy and ask the people to contact me again at some later date to pursue the idea further. I effectively shift the burden of follow-up to them (which makes my life easier). I'll notice that in the vast majority these people who contact me in the first place rarely approach me again. They just let a good idea die. This is unfortunate when simply entering in a reminder in a PDA or calendar is all it takes to keep the process flowing.
January 24, 2005 -- Don't you hate it when you e-mail somebody and then their address bounces leaving you with no way to contact this person? This happens regularly and I find it so discouraging. Recently a past client asked for some tip sheet reprints. I hit Reply and attached them as a PDF. The mail bounced back which makes it look like I am ignoring this client (which I am not), but there's nothing I can do! (If this is you reading this, give me an e-mail address that works, please) So, make sure your e-mail is working when you contact people and ask for something. It makes the life of those on the other end so much easier. The same goes for voice mail messages ... please don't say your phone number so fast that it can't be understood or written down. Repeat the number, too. Slowly. Wireless phones often cut out and then the other party misses a critical digit or two.
January 31 2005 -- When it comes to successful promotions -- those that result in gigs and cash -- don't fix what isn't broke. If a said promotion brought in the business, don't change for change's sake. Run the promotion again and keep at it until it fails to generate the response you want. If your promotions are working locally, there's no reason to think they won't work on a larger scale. Apply what you do in other areas and hopefully your hard work will pay off. For example, I recently spoke with a band that was happy with their success in the local market. They asked how to expand and I told them to duplicate their success they had to do it all over again in the new place -- make the calls, find the contacts, network, get the gigs, post flyers, and work hard. In short: the whole package.
February 7, 2005 -- Renting gives you access to state-of-the-art music gear without paying the sometimes exorbitant price tags. I rent, borrow, or visit a commercial studio when a project is beyond my in-house means. Instead of buying that new digital thingamajig, consider renting or going to a commercial studio to record (or mix). If you prepare well in advance, you'll pay far less in studio time or rental fees than you would buying the gear. And you'll pay it one tiny morsel at a time instead of all at once. That's sound financial advice.
February 14, 2005 -- I travel on business quite frequently and it can really wreak havoc on your ability to get things done. Travel itself is tiring, and when it's accompanied by long, busy working days, it takes its toll. I find myself thinking I'll get a lot done on the plane and in my hotel room at night and in the morning. Instead, I'm often exhausted and find it hard to keep up. But you must. Obviously, the ubiquitous cell phone helps you stay in touch. Pay attention to time zones when connecting with people. Many hotels and venues offer free Internet access so you can keep up with e-mail (a laptop with a wireless connection is a must-have on the road). If not, try an Internet cafe or coffee shop. An assistant back at the office can help, too, even if that's a significant other who can attend only to certain matters. Set yourself a quota of tasks to accomplish when away and work hard to finish them. When you return, spend part of a day catching up and then move forward.
February 21, 2005 -- In a document that crossed my desk this week, there was mention of the keys to success for independent artists. There were only four suggestions: 1) Care more than others think is wise, 2) Risk more than others think is safe, 3) Dream more than others think is practical, and 4) Expect more than others think is possible. While these four points don't contain any how-to-do-its, they nevertheless are seeds upon which to grow your successful career.
February 28, 2005 -- Here's a tip from Jeffrey's INSTANT SURROUND SOUND book: If you've struggled making mono and stereo music mixes, you may find surround sound surprisingly easier to work with. Why? Because you can literally move problem sounds out of the way. There is a reduced need for compression and radical EQ so important to stereo mixing, and the 360 degree soundfield gives a wider and deeper stage. The result is a more open and natural mix free from the over-processing required by stereo mixing. If you haven't already, check out some surround mixes and also start mixing your own work in surround. There are few rules, so you are more free to experiment with what you feel best presents your work. Get more surround sound basics in this free article.
March 7, 2005 -- Another surround sound tip: If a playback system is not 5.1 compatible, the surround sound decoder collapses, or downmixes, the six channels to two stereo channels (or even mono!). Although you can direct what the decoder does in certain instances, you can't be completely sure. Therefore, I recommend doing a separate stereo mix of all your 5.1 projects and include that for listeners to choose if they lack surround sound playback system. With these two separate mixes, you can be sure that listeners hear what you intended.
March 14, 2005 -- Too many artists give up too soon. They think if they aren't an overnight success, there's no reason going on. I disagree with this notion wholeheartedly. Instead, make a five-year commitment and stick to it. If you won't do that, then don't bother starting at all. I'm typing these words nearly fifteen years after I thought I'd already had some modicum of success. And still my business and career continue growing in new directions. If I'd have given up, I shudder to think of oh-so-much that I would have missed.
March 21, 2005 -- Don't develop a business plan. Why? They tend to be too vague and full of platitudes and other nonsense. (Do you really need a mission statement?) Instead, focus on a how to do it plan. How? Deconstruct your final music product/service and then detail, specifically, how to put it back together. Start with what you sell already in your buyer's hands. Then, figure out every -- every! -- step you must take to get it there. Finally, work that plan, making adjustments as needed.
March 28, 2005 -- Learn basic accounting -- cash, not accrual -- so you can always monitor your inflows and outflows. I know keeping the books isn't as exciting as learning new musical gear, but that doesn't mean knowing accounting is less important. You just need to be conversant in the basics and understand what, how, and why they impact your financial situation. You need to know your fixed costs (rent, loans, etc.) and your variable costs (supplies, payroll) and therefore know your break-even point. You need to be sure your current cash flow will support your costs AND put bread on your table. Get a book, take a class, or hire a bookkeeper to setup and explain your accounting system.
April 4, 2005 -- Work with passion no matter what you do. Just because you might consider a current gig a real pain, that doesn't mean you shouldn't work hard. ALWAYS put your full self into everything you do. Remember that small things can often lead to bigger things and more success. People often test you by giving you a menial task today. If you blow it, the better work will never come tomorrow.
April 11, 2005 -- The baseball is an interesting metaphor for success today. It's round, like a globe, and today's music business is global in scope. The baseball has a seam that never ends, much like your career pursuits (including promotion which must be constant!). It's made of horse hide, not sheepskin. Unfortunately, too many people feel a sheepskin (a degree) is the only path to success. However, with academia, there is often a severe lack of horse sense -- street smarts, if you will. For success, you need both -- good book knowledge and theory and a healthy dose of reality. Lastly, you have to be hard and take a beating sometimes. And like a good pitcher who learns to manipulate the baseball in unique ways, you too must learn ways to tilt matters in your favor. Play ball!
April 25, 2005 -- Back from the huge NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) convention where people and technology merge into a whirlwind of information. I had the honor to teach a dozen plus classes, centered in the music and audio post-production world, to hundreds of pros from around the world. Interestingly, despite the show's scale, I found it really came down to one-on-one relationship building and networking. I took a lot of time to meet with people and discuss future projects and so forth. I had a specific plan, and I worked that plan hard. Even with the unrelenting activity that is NAB (or any large convention for that matter), make sure you find mentors (and peers) and then nurture these give AND take relationships. Surround yourself with success and be a part of the industry where you want to go and be. It works, believe me.
May 2, 2005 -- How do you handle the situation when you know that your invoice is too high, and that there is a good possibility that the client is going to complain. Do the math wrong on the bottom and send it anyway. For example, say the total comes to $600. Make the total due something like $500. When the client calls to complain, ask them to add up the columns to make sure you haven't made an error. Hopefully, they'll discover the error (in their favor) and decide not to complain after all. And more importantly, pay the bill in full!
May 9, 2005 -- John Seguin (www.seguinsound.com) suggested this tip: "Want to get into music (and sound) for video games? Hang out where other game developers hang out. And not just the big conventions where everyone goes and it's a huge frenzy. Try chat rooms and bulletin boards and their ilk. Find a development community that matches your skill level, abilities, and equipment and then offer to work for free. These folks are on their way up, and hopefully they'll bring you with them if they like what you do. I've done a few games (and am still working on a few) for free and am working on my first paid (albeit extraordinarily cheap) gig now."
May 16, 2005 -- The phone rang with a possible major music scoring project for me. I spoke with the film's producer/director for a few minutes about the project specs. I then had the opportunity to ask him where he'd heard of me. He replied that he saw my name in the FILM Illinois Production Guide. I've been listed in this resource for many years, and this was the first time a project came to me from it. I'm not complaining, rather I'm quite happy with the fact that I've always kept my information updated in this annual guide. You just never know when someone might see what you are up to and give you a call. And while you already know I prefer pro-active promotion, there's nothing wrong with a little passive promotion thrown into the mix, too.
May 23, 2005 -- Your car breaks down and the mechanic informs you of what needs to be fixed. Unless you have some car knowledge, you're forced to do what the mechanic says. This person is a mandarin who knows far more than you. You are but a humble person at this person's mercy. Unfortunately, composers are rarely, if ever, in the position of mandarin when it comes to music choices. Virtually everybody you work with already has some idea of what makes for good music. They know what they want, and it's up to you to deliver it exactly how they hear it. You can't tell your clients what YOU think is best, and like the mechanic, they bow to your all-knowing status. Instead, you are often forced to work with them on their terms, whether they are right in your mind or not. It's a struggle really, but one you must recognize and work to overcome.
May 30, 2005 -- Freeplay Music has an interesting business model. They essentially give away their music tracks for broadcast use as long as the producers agree to music cue sheet compliance. In other words, they (and their composers) earn money from performance royalties through the PROs (BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC). Content producers must fill out cue sheets for all music they use in their broadcast productions. This information determines the money paid out. According to Freeplay Music, they have 570 Web downloadable tracks (and are always looking for new composers!) that have been heard on over 1,000 network broadcasts. They have different licensing for non-broadcast use.
June 6, 2005 -- Haven't done this in a while, the answers to my most asked questions: What's in the CD player? Garbage, "Bleed like me" DVD player? "Kung Fu, Season 2" URL? www.vasst.com -- a must for Vegas users! Last best read? "The Time Traveler's Wife." Reading? "Rain Storm" Latest gear bought? Universal Audio UAD-1 DSP plug-ins. Next gear to buy? New Firewire soundcard (and I think my amp is going, too) Favorite gear? Sony Acid, Sound Forge, and Vegas. Projects just finished? Mastered a CD, produced a DVD, taught two audio classes. What's next? Two books, corporate video, another DVD, and an audio class. How do you do all you do? Focus, sacrifice, and a great attitude.
June 13, 2005 --You rarely deliver music for films, TV, and even commercials as mixed stereo (or surround) files. Instead, you provide a group of component, grouped submixes, called stems, that the re-recording mixer uses to balance and remix your music during the final mix. Eight tracks is the standard for delivering music stems, but this varies by project. For example, typical stems may include a stereo drum track, mono bass, stereo rhythm instruments, mono melody, and a stereo "special" track (e.g. strings/orchestra, ethnic instruments, etc.). While you don't give re-recording mixers complete control over the multitrack, they can use these stems to adjust the main components as needed. For example, it is easy for them to bring the drum volume up or down without affecting the other music elements
June 20, 2005 -- People want security, to be free from buyer's remorse. If they have confidence that you can indeed do the job, they will buy. Of course, your music, service, and price all affect sales, too. However, you must instill confidence in your clients and prospects otherwise these sales objections will not matter. Have the confidence that you can write the exact music your clients want, need, and deserve. It's vital that you back up every claim you make with tangible evidence. People buy from businesses with which they are familiar. Familiarity breeds confidence and confidence means sales. Therefore, you must concentrate on becoming the familiar professional upon which your clients depend.
June 27, 2005 -- Need to know if a music work is in the public domain. The fee-based Public Domain Music Works claims to have searched the US Copyright Office and built the largest public domain music database on the Web. You do pay for the service, though!
July 11, 2005 -- I took a few days off last week, and let me tell you that it wasn't easy. The cell rang incessantly, the e-mail piled up, and more. I started feeling a bit guilty about "missing" work. But then I reminded myself of the big picture. To use time wisely, you do not need to fill every waking moment with productive activities. When you're particularly inspired, let your creativity breathe and music flow. When the muse wanes, grab the to-do list and check off a few items. And sometimes, give yourself permission to slack off now and again. I needed to re-charge my batteries more than accomplish some business minutia.
July 18, 2005 -- Are you tapping into lifestyle and affinity promotion? People like to belong to an exclusive group. You can make them a big part of yours. Fan clubs and their equivalent are the ideal way to tap into this human proclivity. It's what makes street teams and e-teams work so well. By offering something special to a select group of people, you create a promotional cadre of those willing to work on your behalf and promote what you do. They like being part of your world as long as you treat them well and offer exclusivity in some way. Some of these promoters will be ad hoc, such as when somebody tells a friend about what you do. Other would-be promoters need nurturing to pass the word along. Create a club and a reason for people to join and get the help you need to make your music career better. It's how to really build the buzz.
July 25, 2005 -- Publicity is an important part of building your music business. You earn publicity by providing the media with news they can use. Publicity works because it is often believed (the media wrote about you) as opposed to the skepticism of advertising (you paid for it). Publicity helps you bring your message to buyers, build an effective image, and promote the music products and services you sell. Build a list of media contacts that includes radio, TV, cable, newspapers, magazines, newsletters, Web sites, e-zines, even specific writers and editors. Develop suitable promotional material that answers the fundamental questions about you (bio, pictures, FAQ, etc.) Prepare short articles/news releases such as people profiles, roots and other background info, descriptions of projects/gigs, client case studies, how-to articles, and other such as material. Suggest stories and interviews to the media, too. Work your publicity as hard as you work trying to find new clients as the benefits (more clients!) are worth the effort.
August 1, 2005 -- Grabbed myself a neat little portable word processor, the QuickPad, from a EnableMart. It has a four line LCD display and a laptop-sized keyboard. It's designed for kids to use at budget-strapped school districts that can't afford computers for everyone. The QuickPad runs on batteries for 100 hours, powers up instantly, and saves your text automatically. I use it for writing (duh!), taking notes at client meetings, for quick reminders, lyric ideas, to-dos, and more. It's smaller, lighter, and better than a laptop, IMHO (which can be pain to lug around for these simple chores). It even has spell check and an appointment calendar! Best of all, you upload the text from the machine via infrared. It literally types your files into your favorite computer-based word processor. There you can clean up, format, and print your stuff. If you are looking for a portable machine, strictly for writing chores, at under $200, the QuickPad is worth checking out. There are similar, albeit more expensive products from AlphaSmart, too.
August 8, 2005 -- For the on-hold crowd: How do you contact medical professionals (vets, docs, and dentists)? You probably want to avoid contacting the doctor directly at first. Call and ask if there is someone who handles advertising and promotions for the practice. There might be an office manager or other such person. This is the person who has the doctor's ear on non-medical issues. Pitch and sell this person, and you're on your way. However, a smaller practice may only have the doctor responsible for adding on-hold messaging. In this case, schedule a telephone appointment with the doctor as opposed to calling cold or even to follow-up other contact. And another thing ... What about clients who wish to do their own on-hold messages? I once had a car dealer who wanted to record everything. What did I do? I sold them all the equipment they needed (and at a significant markup, I might add) along with some install/training time. While I don't have a regular client in them, I did fair pretty well financially on the gig.
August 15, 2005 -- Exercise great caution if you use humor in your promotions. Humor can be especially deadly as it can backfire on you. Not that I'm some politically correct zealot, but the potential of offending someone can really hurt you quickly. Use humor sparingly and in ways that are self-deprecating. Don't be tempted to be clever to the point of wise-ass or stupid, either. However, if informal, fun is your modus operandi: go for it.
August 22, 2005 -- If they like what you do and are about, fans will spread the word about you. However, to really encourage their behavior, ask them to promote you by joining your street team. These street teams, comprised of volunteer fans, would work locally and via the Internet delivering your message to like-minded people. Of course, you need to provide the members with your latest information, tour dates, CD/DVD availability, and more. Also, supply them with whatever promotional items you have. Give them exclusivity along with free swag, free passes to your gigs, advance CD copies, and more as remuneration for the work they perform. Be clear that the function of your street team is to build your reputation and promote your latest CDs and gigs. These activities would include calling radio stations to request they play your music, distributing posters and flyers at venues, schools, public places, record stores, and handing out sample CDs and swag. They should also get on the Internet and talk you up in chat rooms, on forums, and via e-mail. Let them moderate forums on your Website, too. They also function as your volunteer staff when you visit a town helping out wherever help is needed. For smaller acts, these street team members may even help book your act and handle local publicity, advertising, and general promotion. The best way to build your street team is from your existing fan base. Ask for volunteers at your shows and on your Website.
August 29, 2005 -- Most e-mail programs allow keeping frequently used e-mail addresses handy. Called a buddy list or some other term, this is more than just convenient. Use this list to constantly keep in touch with key people. About once a week, go through your list and figure out some way to connect with a few members from the list of recently used addresses, especially those not contacted in a while. Drop them a note that reminds them of past projects, future ideas, or other information. They will find your attention to their needs refreshing as you stay on top of issues. For me, seeing a name on the list inspires me to either send a promotion or query about a specific job.
September 5, 2005 -- The Taoists say that "life is the gift." No matter what is happening in your life right now, you should express gratitude and enjoy it. Meeting the challenges of daily life is what living is all about. If you start to drift away from your central purpose, take a minute to look around at all that you have. I'm not talking about material goods or bank balances. I'm talking about children, your spouse or significant other, family, friends, relationships, talents, your music and other art, and your soul. Celebrate what you already have. Savor what you have already achieved. Enjoy being who and what you are. And always be grateful for the real fortune in your life.
September 12, 2005 -- Here are some overlooked pointers to use when playing the name game. If someone tells you his name, repeat it right back and use it sporadically during your conversation. For example he says, "I'm Adam" and you reply "Nice to meet you. Are you familiar with our music, Adam?" This helps you build rapport fast and can help you recall a name easily. Use the name the person gives you, too. If she says her name is Victoria, don't say: "Nice to meet you, Vicki." She just told you her name, and the way she prefers it. Don't presume she wants it any other way.
September 19, 2005 -- If you invoice clients with credit terms, you may grow weary waiting for your cash. While the typical bill is due in 30 to 60 days, there is a way to expedite payment. Many companies reward fast paying clients with a small discount. The most common discount credit term is 2% 10 Net 30. This means that if the client pays within 10 days, they can deduct 2% from the bill. Otherwise, the whole amount is due in full within 30 days. Some people offer up to a 5% discount (5% 10 Net 30). While these few percentage points may not sound like much, they add up over time for those clients with large purchasing budgets. It does cost you when clients take advantage of the discount terms (some will; some won't). However, you benefit by getting your money faster and that helps your cash flow, especially on big, costly projects. On a related note: when credit is extended to you, check those credit terms, too. Your vendors may already be offering a discount program. Pay them quickly and save some money. And if they aren't offering you discounted terms, ask them to consider them in the future. Similarly, if your cash can support it, ask for a cash discount on those products and services that you usually buy on vendor credit. Many vendors will give you a break when you pay on delivery instead of 30-60 days later.
September 26, 2005 -- Do you need a testimonial or endorsement from a media outlet that serves your little corner of the music world? Send a news release about your latest product, service, or other accomplishment to them. Include the words you need in the body of the release. When the news is printed, quote from the article (they may change it from your original release), attribute the testimonial/endorsement to the media source, and use it all your promotions.
October 3, 2005 -- When traveling with important gear and/or one-of-a-kind material, place stickers on the stuff with your name and phone/e-mail contact information. Also, feature the words: "Reward if Found" prominently. This can help ensure you'll recover what you need should it be inadvertently lost. A friend always used this trick with his audio and video masters. After losing a few boxes in the hustle of running for an airport, he received a call from an honest person who found the tapes in a cab. Needles to say, he paid the good Samaritan a substantial reward as the irreplaceable material was worth a lot of money. While doing this little trick may not always work, it's certainly worth the slightly extra effort to recover the priceless!
October 10, 2005 -- Are you looking to promote your music business better? Why not wear a uniform? This can be a simple as a shirt or other apparel that carries your logo. You could also emblazon that same logo on a variety of merchandise that you use yourself, sell, or both. I like the products, prices, and services from the Queensboro Shirt Company. They only do embroidered logos which look far better than most silk screen versions. They also have a wide range of products -- hats, cases, shirts, coats, towels, and more. Check them out and see how easily it is to promote yourself every day. I'm wearing my logo polo as I type then it's off to a client meeting!
October 17, 2005 -- The favorite addition to my new book, CASH TRACKS : Compose, Produce, and Sell Your Original Soundtrack Music and Jingles, is the interviews with other composers who are at various stages of their career -- Eric Beheim, David Jaedyn Conley, Douglas Spotted Eagle, Keith Kehrer, Ronen Landa, Lori Rae Martin, John Seguin, Winifred Phillips, Wes Talbot, Brian Tarquin, and David Was. They share a wealth of information from which you can benefit. Here's an excerpt from Tarquin's interview: "You need 85% business skills and only 15% music skills. Buyers will take for granted that you can write, compose and put out a decent project. With today's technology, you can do some amazing stuff in your bedroom. The real challenge is finding the work and getting in front of the right people." And ponder this telling little tidbit from David Was: "At the end of day, the golden mean prevails: moderation in ALL things. A little talent, a little personal touch, and a willingness to work hard to make those invaluable connections. That's what gets you on the radar."
October 24, 2005 -- Have you ever searched on your own name (band name, company name, etc.) using the popular search engines such as Google and Yahoo!? It's not an egomaniacal thing to do; it's actually good business. You can check broken links (and work to correct them), read what others are saying about you, connect with possible leads (and joint venture candidates), update people on your current activities, do some promotion, and generally get a pulse on where you are at on the Web. I use this technique regularly, and send thank you notes to people who say nice things about my work. Recently, this paid off when I found someone who promoted my books on her website. Turns out this person is an editor at a popular music magazine and she offered to review my new CASH TRACKS book.
October 31, 2005 -- Use technology well and you can get more done in less time. I'm in the midst of a huge client video project (editing and audio-post) that amounts to well over 10 hours of material. I'm averaging about an hour every two days, but final renders take from 6-10 hours to complete. Can't tie up the computer for that long, so I render the video overnight and get a good night's sleep. Meanwhile, my wife is an interior designer who sews. Unfortunatly, she has no automation options. While I'm watching Letterman, she's still working. I'm also working sorta too, but really my computer is working for me.Read this article on my Website for more insight into my automation strategies.
November 7, 2005 -- When scoring for visuals, look at the scene colors for which you are writing the music. If it is dark, think dark colors/sounds like cello, bass, and pad drones. Do mid-range colors dominate? Choose guitars, saxophone, and voice. Flutes, high piano notes, and cymbals represent bright colors. However, some sounds in the same color region may actually contrast this idea. For example, compare the melancholy cello from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon with the playful slap bass lines from Seinfeld. Both are bass instruments, but couldn't be more polarizing. Thinking of music as color is certainly an interesting approach that you may find inspiring.
November 14, 2005 -- The clever ruthless self-promoter, Chip McCarthy (www.accentualaudio.com), sent a unique promotional item to me -- guitar picks with his contact information on them. He told me he uses these like a business card, throwing a few picks in with promotional mailings, quotes, invoices, and so forth. Clients comment on the unique item and he claims it has high visibility and are quite memorable -- both important benefits to any promotional doo-dad you give away. Make sure that promotional items you use relate to your business in some significant way, are consistent with your image, and carry your contact information prominently.
November 21, 2005 -- I recently ordered a disc from CDBaby, and when they shipped my order, they sent this e-mail. It's a wonderful example of promoting your image effectively (and making the customer feel special at the same time). I smiled and came away with a good feeling, which lasted until my CD arrived. I quote: "Your CD has been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow. A team of 50 employees inspected your CD and polished it to make sure it was in the best possible condition before mailing. Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the crowd as he put your CD into the finest gold-lined box that money can buy. We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party marched down the street to the post office where the entire town of Portland waved 'Bon Voyage!' to your package, on its way to you, in our private CD Baby jet on this day, Wednesday, November 9th. I hope you had a wonderful time shopping at CD Baby. We sure did. Your picture is on our wall as 'Customer of the Year'. We're all exhausted but can't wait for you to come back to CDBABY.COM!! Thank you once again."
November 28, 2005 -- A tip from the new Second Edition Ruthless Self-Promotion in the Music Industry: "Give away premiums to those who buy NOW! For example: 'Grab our T-shirt and CD and you get a bonus CD featuring four live tracks not on the studio CD.' This is a inexpensive way to add value to purchases. The premium could be a simple affair recorded from the mixing board and with a label in a paper sleeve. This live CD could be both a premium and a demo to use when approaching venues. For added impact, put one or two album cuts along with the live tracks on the CD. This makes a terrific sampler that you can use as a demo, premium, or simply give away! Make sure complete contact information is on this CD. Also, when you release a new CD or other product, offer your old CDs at reduced prices. Better still, give your loyal cadre of supporters a decent discount and free shipping only to them when they buy the new release.
December 5, 2005 -- Get the job, then figure out how you will do it. There's nothing wrong with pursuing work in areas where your skills may be somewhat lacking. When meeting prospects, I rarely focus on how I'll finish their project. Instead I concentrate on landing the gig first. Once that's done, I look for help to fill in gaps in my knowledge or skills. Contrarily, pitch projects to past clients based on your particular skills. They may not know that you provide certain services. Remind them and show how you can help.
December 12, 2005 -- Do you have a street teams comprising volunteer fans who work to deliver your message? Follow the advice in my brand-new book, Ruthless Self-Promotion in the Music Industry, Revised Second Edition. The job of your street team members is to build your reputation and promote your latest CDs and gigs. These activities would include calling radio stations to request they play your music, distributing posters and flyers at venues, schools, public places, record stores, and handing out sample CDs and swag. They should also get on the Internet and talk you up in chat rooms, on forums, and via e-mail. Of course, you need to provide the members with your latest information, tour dates, CD/DVD availability, and more. Also, supply them with whatever promotional items you have. Give them exclusivity along with free swag, free passes to your gigs, advance CD copies, and more as remuneration for the work they perform. The best way to build your street team is from your existing fan base. Ask for volunteers!
December 19, 2005 -- This week's tip comes from
long-time listener, John Sequin,
Composer/Director/Sound Designer: "About 7-8 months ago, I put out a
bulletin to some select game developer bulletin boards I had found offering to
write a tune for FREE for indie game developers who might be interested. As
expected, in the course of 24 hours I had 10-12 responses. Most of these didn't
become much. One of them thought some of the samples I used were very "fake and
MIDI" sounding, another was persuaded by someone else that they work with a
"more established studio" (I had no "real" games to my credit at the time --
just some demo and contest projects). Others loved what I did for them, but
their games died on the vine. However, one of them, pulled through in a MAJOR
way!"
"The designer/producer really liked my music track and immediately
hired me to also do the sound effects for the game. Of course, I had never DONE
sound effects, but I said "sure! I'll do it!" He was very serious about his
project, determined to see it succeed, and had a good amount of experience in
the field."
"The game was released in limited distribution about a month
ago via the web. The game has also been picked up by Mumbo Jumbo, one of the
biggest game publishers in the world. There will be a boxed CD-ROM edition
available in retail stores by Feb/06. For this CD-ROM edition I also had the
chance to do additional music and record voice over with a pair of actors --
great fun and a great experience. There is already a sequel in the works for
next year and the producer has asked me back for this future project.
Check out the game here!
"What
lessons did I learn?"
"1) Try your best -- EVERY time. Even if you keep
hitting rejection or failure, eventually your skills and talents will mesh with
the right people and when they do -- you DON'T want to have done a sloppy job
presenting yourself and your work!"
"2) Always say "sure! I can do it!" even
if you have no idea how. I believe this is one of JPF's mantras as well (You
betcha! --jpf)."
"3) Seek out work if you don't have it. Don't expect it to
come to you. Now (finally!) through work on this project and some others since,
people have been e-mailing ME out of the blue asking me to look at their
project."
Thanks, John, for this inspiring and helpful story!
December 26, 2005 -- It should come as no surprise that having your own Website is an integral component to promoting your music career effectively. Your site's content both supplements and complements the music products and services you sell. It's your electronic brochure, demo, press kit, forum, and more. It must function as THE place for your fans to hang out and find information about you. Most importantly, your web presence must fully reflect your image, message, and personality. If you don't have a site yet, get one. If you have a site already, review it and make sure it is meeting your needs. Revise and update as necessary. Then, launch some promotions to drive traffic to your site. Jeff Lodge knows what he's doing with the Web. And I really thought his Website makes for a good model to follow. It has a ton of personality that reflects well on its owner.
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This document Copyright Jeffrey P. Fisher, 2005
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