Everything You Need to Know About Music Marketing

Confused about music marketing? Read this and you won't be ...

Last month, Mark Cuban posted some thoughts on the changing music industry on his blog. These two sentences really caught my attention:

"Music is not just entertainment, but a tool for people to describe themselves to those around them. We use music in our ring tones, on MySpace pages, blasting through the windows of cars to let people know something about who we are."

It's true. The type of music a person listens to speaks volumes about who they are. In much the same way that hair styles, clothing choices, car models and body piercings indicate who someone is.

So, let's get introspective about this for a moment. Ask yourself: "What does my music say about the people who listen to it?" What kind of socio-economic vibe does your sound plug into?

It is earthy and rugged? Sexy and grooving? Smooth and sophisticated? Hard and heavy? Upbeat and bouncy?

And if we compare music to other shopping choices that people make, where do you fit in: Neiman Marcus, Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, Winn-Dixie, Barnes & Noble, Sears, or Dollar General?

Fans are attracted to music that either resonates with who they already are or reflects the type of person they wish they could be.

It's about hopes and dreams and aspirations and finding one's place in the world. It's about using music to support self-image and express your personality to the world.

In other words, music is personal.

When marketing music, we may talk about niche markets and target audiences, blogs and podcasts, radio and TV, retail and online sales, etc.

But all it's ever really been about is one thing: Connecting with real people through your music in a very personal way.

Always remember that and you'll never be confused about marketing again.

-Bob


Check out the revised and updated edition of Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook, with four new chapters on Internet music promotion. Get more details here.