Get the Music Tips You Want

In my early days on the Internet, there were basically two ways you could get my free music marketing ideas.

1) You could read them on web pages (on my site and many others)
2) You could subscribe to my ezine and get them delivered by email

Well, you can still do both of those things, but now you have a number of extra options to get the music tips and inspiration you want. In addition to online articles and this ezine, I now publish a blog, a podcast and video clips -- all free, and all filled with advice and tools you can use to promote yourself better.

Yes, you can enjoy all of these things by visiting the old-fashioned web pages they sit on. But one cool thing about the ever-changing Web is a little thing called RSS feeds.

If you subscribe to a blog or podcast, you probably already know what feeds are and how they work. If you don't, pay a quick visit to this page or this one for a primer.

Even though you can use feed readers like Bloglines, My Yahoo and even web browses like Firefox to manage your feeds, one option I just started using was Google's personalized home page feature.

Just set up a free Google account, click Personalized Home, then click Add Stuff on the right. Near the top, to the right of the Search box, click Add by URL, and enter the feed address of the blog or podcast you want to subscribe to. Add as many feeds as you want and arrange them on the screen to your liking.

Once set up, every time you go to Google, you'll see the latest headlines from all your favorite blogs. It's a great way to get only the news you want.

Your Music Tips Delivery Options

My Music Promotion Blog
Read it on the web here:
http://www.bob-baker.com/musicpromotionblog/
Subscribe to the feed using this address:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/MusicPromotionBlog
Get my blog posts delivered by email here:
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=59785

Artist Empowerment Radio Podcast
Access it on the web here:
http://www.bob-baker.com/podcast/
Subscribe to the feed with iTunes or another "podcatcher" using this address:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/ArtistEmpRadio
Get my podcast updates delivered by email here:
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=59864

Note: You can also email any blog post or podcast description to your friends. Look for the "Email This" link at the end of every post.

Other Ways to Reach Me Online

The Buzz Factor Video Channel
http://www.youtube.com/mrbuzzfactor

The Buzz Factor on MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/thebuzzfactor

My event and travel photos on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bob-baker/

Lots of options. Hope you choose one or several of them and stay in touch!

-Bob

Ice Storm Music Marketing Video

A winter storm brought lots of headaches to the Midwest. But I managed to find a music marketing lesson amidst the downed trees and ice-covered cars. Watch the new video below -- complete with bloopers at the end ...


I created this video clip using a Canon Elura 100 digital camcorder and Windows Movie Maker to edit. Years ago, I did a bit of video production in college (back in the tedious analog tape days). I'm having a great time playing with all the new digital video tools, and using them to deliver more promotion ideas to you.

-Bob

P.S. If you haven't heard about it yet, be sure to check out my new report, How to Use Video to Promote Your Music Online.

New Buzz Factor Ezine Online

If you don't subscribe to my Buzz Factor ezine (or if you do and the email got lost in your Inbox), you can read the latest issue online here:

www.bob-baker.com/buzz/zine/120506.htm


In it, you'll discover how to ...

• Get the Music Tips You Want, When You Want Them
  
  
• Meet Me in New York City This Weekend
  
  
• Offer Music Downloads -- The Smart Way

It's all ready for you to read online at
www.bob-baker.com/buzz/zine/120506.htm

Please consider signing up to get it by email, if you don't already.

Cheers!

-Bob

The Power of Taking Action

Here's an inspiring email I got recently from a Vancouver musician. Her success story says a lot about the power of simply taking action.

I'm Robin, the front woman singer/songstress for the band RUBY RED. I have been reading your tips for years and wanted to thank you for all your great info and guidance.

I remember the first year playing in this band and thinking how slow it was going. Then, the next thing I know, I'm taking your advice and walking around downtown Vancouver determined to find something -- ANYTHING -- to make this thing GO.

So I'm standing in this little wine shop waiting to speak to the woman at the counter to ask about coming in to do some acoustic stuff. I overhear her talking to another woman about a big concert she's promoting.

She leaves and I ask the counter woman who she was, and she gives me her name and number off the card she left. So I call and she says, "I'm so glad you called. We are looking for an original local band to open both days for this festival." And the headliners? Eddie Money the first day and Eric Burdon & The Animals the second!

We had to audition for it and they came to see us at a small club the next week. We rocked their socks off and they hired us on the spot. Then a company called FanBoy Pictures found out we were opening and came to see us. They loved us and asked if they could do a five-camera video shoot of the event.

Then came the concert -- a huge event with a giant stage and a board bigger than I had ever imagined. The newspapers were writing all about it. FanBoy shot two songs during sound check. The videos turned out great -- you can see them at www.rubyredmusic.com.

Eddie Money loved us so much, he wanted to have a picture taken with us! He asked for a CD. We were thrilled. We played a stellar show both days, and it was the launching point for so many things we have done since.

I just wanted you to see that you really DO help people OUT THERE -- in more ways than you could ever know! I probably never would have walked out that door that day and gone into that wine shop if it hadn't been for YOU!

FYI, here's part of an email I sent back to Robin:

Thanks for the awesome email and for sharing your story. You made my day!

I'm flattered that you credit me with motivating you to act on your passion for music -- but make no mistake, it was YOU who took the action. And for that, and all that's come because of that first step, you should be proud.

-Bob

Free Music Downloads: The Smart Way

A couple days ago I expressed my frustration over the Best Buy/Rhapsody "free holiday music downloads" promotion. (You can read my rant here.)

Now let's shift gears and examine why I was intrigued by the concept to begin with and how you can use this basic idea to promote your own music downloads.


One of the coolest things about this type of promotion is that it combines the power of the online and physical worlds. Most free music download announcements are delivered online -- which makes sense, since that's where fans are looking for digital music. But if you can also reach fans in the offline world and send them to the Internet, all the better.

So here's what you do ...

Design and print something that you can give away in the real world. It should scream something like "Get 3 Free Reggae Songs from XYZ's New Album" or "Download 3 Free Blues Music Tracks from New Artists." Be sure to include a special web address where fans must go to get the downloads.

The item you print this on can be as simple as a colorful business card or post card, or as slick as a shiny candy wrapper package or cardboard cut-out in the shape of an MP3 player.

Then give away these "free music download" promos at your live shows, at festivals, outside concert venues, and at any retail stores that will allow you to distribute them.

When fans go to the special web page, design it so that all they have to do is enter their name and email address into a form and click Submit. This easy process should take them right to the page where they can start downloading the songs you promised. (Most email list management programs can be configured to take subscribers right to a welcome page. In this case, it would be your download page.)

Don't make the mistake of requiring too much of people. Getting an email address alone would be great. At the most, ask for their name, email and postal code. No more.

Here's the thing ...

I suggest that you follow up with these people by email -- maybe a few times over the next few weeks. They have identified themselves as people who are interested in what you play. Make the most of this relationship and send them a few reminders of who you are and what you do.

Through your follow-up emails, thank them for taking the time to download your music. Make them aware of the other things you have to offer: Your CDs, merchandise, paid downloads, additional free downloads, your regular mailing list, where they can get the latest on your live show schedule, etc.

This is the smart way to market music downloads offline. Compare this to what I (and thousands of other unsuspecting people) had to go through to get misled by Best Buy's "free" downloads.

But, as a self-empowered, independent artist, you're smarter then a "big box" retail chain. Right?

-Bob

P.S. I just completely revised and updated my popular special report 50 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Music on the Internet. Take a look at this guide and the free bonuses that come with it.

Sweet Tracks & Cheap Tricks

I was in the check-out line at Best Buy yesterday and came upon something I immediately wanted to blog about. As it turns out, I am blogging about it, but for all the wrong reasons.

What caught my eye near the cash register was a display of what looked like candy in bright, shiny wrappers. Looking closer, I saw that the packages read "Sweet Tracks." The text on the back read as follows:

Sweet Tracks is a delicious blend of 14 free holiday music downloads. You'll also enjoy 5 mouthwatering bonus tracks and tasty holiday ringtones ...

Sounded good. What a creative packaging idea to promote music! I was hooked. When I got home, I opened the package and went to the web site listed on the enclosed fold-out card. That's when things started to go down hill.

First, I had to register for the Best Buy Digital Music Store. Fair enough. Turns out this "Sweet Tracks" thing is a cross-promotion with Rhapsody, the online music subscription service. To take advantage of the "14 free holiday music tracks," I had to download and install Rhapsody. This was an unexpected hurdle. But I've heard good things about Rhapsody and figured I'd move ahead to check it out.

Once the program was installed, I had to register with Rhapsody. Yet another task I had to complete before getting to the free holiday music. Then I was given the option of signing up for a free Rhapsody trial (with a monthly subscription payment to follow after the trial period). I wasn't ready for that commitment just yet, so I opted for Rhapsody's free version.

Well, when you don't sign up for the potential paid membership, all you get of the holiday music is 30-second streaming samples of each song. So much for the "14 free holiday music downloads."

This is a great example of two corporations with money and the ability to reach lots of people taking a good idea and blowing it. Why make it so hard for people to take you up on an offer? Why mislead music consumers with the promise of free music downloads and then put so many hoops and requirements in the way?

I scoured the "Sweet Tracks" retail package in search of some indication of all that was needed to actually get the downloads. There is no mention of having to join Rhapsody in order to get the 14 full music tracks. Maybe they just figure consumers will deal with it. But frankly, I find it misleading and frustrating.

In my next post, I'll spell out what indie musicians can learn from this promotion and how to create your own version of it -- one that will endear music fans and not piss them off.

-Bob

Bob's New Video, Podcast & More

My mission these days is to deliver music marketing ideas and empowering messages by engaging most of your senses -- your eyes, your ears, your brain. I haven't incorporated a sense of touch or smell yet, and that's probably a good thing ... but I give you lots of choices to receive the message nonetheless.

Here's a rundown of my latest audio/visual food for thought:

• A new video clip featuring the three timeless music promotion principles that all artists should use to make their marketing most effective.
  
  
• A new Artist Empowerment Radio podcast that reveals clever networking strategies, creative ways to work your way into the songwriters' inner circle, the importance of fans and how to find them, and more.
  
  
• Another podcast that covers how video has exploded on the Internet, and how you can make the most of this new online music promotion opportunity.
  
  
• And if you haven't grabbed it yet, be sure to get this FREE collection of music promotion reports, tip sheets and tools.

That should keep your senses busy for a while!

-Bob

P.S. For more in-depth study, check out my books, special reports, and audio programs.