Music Marketing Press, Promotion, Distribution, and Retail

by Unknown

• ISBN13: 9780876390986
• ISBN10: 087639098X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-08-01
• Publisher: Berklee Press

Summary

Sell more music! Learn the most effective marketing strategies available to musicians, leveraging the important changes and opportunities that the digital age has brought to music marketing. This multifaceted and integrated approach will help you to develop an effective worldwide marketing strategy. Step by step, you will develop an active marketing plan and timeline tailored to your unique strengths and budget. You will learn to time your marketing campaign effectively, publicize your music to traditional print outlets and emerging online opportunities, understand the current opportunities for online, satellite, and terrestrial radio play as well as navigate various retail and distribution options, both at brick-and-mortar and online options, such as iTunes, Rhapsody, and other services.

Author Biography

Mike King has managed the marketing efforts of Morphine, Chuck E. Weiss, Bill Hicks, Frank Zappa, and many other world-class artists. He has worked at Rounder Records and Rykodisc, and currently teaches and writes courses in marketing and music business at Berklee music, the online continuing education division of Berklee College of Music.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. vi
Preface	p. viii
Setting the Stage, Merchandising, Digital and Physical Retail and Distribution, and Online Marketing	p. 1
Creating a Marketing Plan That Works	p. 3
The Big Picture	p. 3
Defining Your Goals	p. 4
Finding Your Audience and Defining Your Market	p. 5
Interview: Dave Balter, Founder of BzzAgent	p. 7
Components of an Effective Marketing Plan	p. 9
Budgeting! The Components of a New Release Budget	p. 16
Tailoring Your Plan to Your Strengths	p. 17
Making Money through Merchandise Sales	p. 19
The Artist as a Brand	p. 19
How Merchandising Works, Who's Involved, and Where the Money Comes From	p. 21
Putting Together Your Plan: What to Make, What Not to Make, How Much to Make, How to Make It	p. 23
Merchandising Sales and Distribution Strategies	p. 28
How to Sell Your Music Online: Digital Retailers and Distributors	p. 33
Digital Distribution Basics	p. 33
Online Music Retail Models	p. 38
Online Music Retail Outlets	p. 40
Interview: Bob Jamieson, Former CEO of RCA/BMG	p. 44
Online Music Distributors	p. 46
Interview: Derek Sivers, Founder of CD Baby	p. 50
Traditional Brick-and-Mortar Distributors	p. 59
Physical Music Distributors: The Process and the Players	p. 59
When Do You Need Physical Distribution?	p. 62
Independent Artists and Distribution	p. 63
Spotlight: Eric Levin (Criminal Records)	p. 63
The Details	p. 64
Co-Op	p. 66
Communicating with Your Distributor	p. 69
Marketing to Traditional Retail	p. 73
Setting the Stage: The Problems with Retail, and How Smart Stores Are Overcoming Them	p. 73
The Importance of the Independent Retailer and Retail Coalitions	p. 76
Interview: Eric Levin, Founder of Criminal Records	p. 78
How Smart Independents Are Competing in This Environment	p. 78
Consignment and Pricing Considerations	p. 80
Retail Marketing Opportunities and Resources	p. 80
Cover Art and Effective Packaging	p. 82
SoundScan: What It Is and Why It Matters	p. 84
Online, Mobile, and Video Marketing	p. 87
It All Starts at Home	p. 87
SEO: Making Your Site POP!	p. 93
Measuring Your Online Traffic and Marketing Results	p. 96
What Is RSS and Why Should I Use It?	p. 98
Social Networking	p. 99
The Mobile Revolution	p. 102
Video Marketing	p. 104
Advertising Considerations, Marketing to Press and Radio, and Making the Most of Your National Tour	p. 109
Advertising	p. 111
Print Advertising Options: Consumer, Trade, and Co-Op Print Ads	p. 112
Researching Your Print Advertising Outlets	p. 115
Media Advertising: Radio and Television	p. 117
Online Advertising	p. 118
Components of an Effective Ad	p. 121
Timing Your Ad Campaign	p. 123
Publicity	p. 127
Press Kit Essentials	p. 127
Common Problems with Promo Kits	p. 132
The Importance of a Press Story	p. 133
Determining Your Press Outlets: Print, Radio, TV, and Online	p. 136
How to Pitch Print Media	p. 139
Independent Publicists	p. 141
Interview: Sonya Kolowrat, Publicist for the Beggars Group	p. 146
Radio Promotion	p. 151
How Radio Works	p. 151
When Should You Consider Radio Support?	p. 152
How a Terrestrial (Brick-and-Mortar) Radio Station Is Structured	p. 153
How Noncommercial Radio Works	p. 154
Marketing to Noncommercial Radio	p. 156
How Commercial Radio Works	p. 157
Independent Radio Promoters	p. 160
Internet Radio: The Future of Radio	p. 163
Interview: Bob Jamieson, Former CEO of RCA/BMG	p. 166
Making the Most of a Tour	p. 169
Key Players in the Touring Business	p. 170
Interview: Dan Peraino, Booking Agent	p. 172
Promoting the Show: Working with the Venue	p. 175
Promoting the Show: What You Should Be Doing to Promote Yourself	p. 176
Promoting the Show: Press	p. 177
Promoting the Show: Retail	p. 179
Tour Support from a Label	p. 182
Putting it all Together	p. 185
Timing Is Everything!	p. 187
Timing the Pre-Release Marketing of Your Record	p. 187
Long Lead Pre-Release Marketing (15 to 20 Weeks out from Street Date)	p. 190
Moderate Lead Pre-Release Marketing (7 to 14 Weeks out from Street Date)	p. 191
Short Lead Pre-Release Marketing (Up to 6 Weeks Out)	p. 192
How to Service Key Marketing Outlets Pre-Release	p. 193
Post-Release Marketing Recap	p. 195
Phase II Marketing: Capitalizing on Your Success	p. 198
Conclusion	p. 203
About the Author	p. 205
Index	p. 206
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