Thursday, July 17, 2008

Just Stop It!

Are you feeling fearful about the state of the economy and sky-high gas prices, and how they are affecting your music career? Here's an inspiring, in-your-face message from Joe Vitale that might shake some sense into you.
I first spoke with Joe in 1995 when we was a copywriter and marketing guy in Dallas (who also played a little music). Since then he's become an Internet marketing guru who now weaves a lot of spiritual and positive thinking messages into his work. He was one of the teachers featured in the book/movie The Secret.

Here's an email Joe sent out just today ...

Stop it!

Stop paying attention to the media.

Stop paying attention to the doom and gloom of anyone and everyone around. Stop getting sucked into being a victim.

STOP IT.

You won't go anywhere buying into the cultural trance that there isn't enough and times are tough.

You won't accomplish your big goals, or do anything of real greatness, as long as you give in to outer circumstances.

You have to take back your power.

You have to take back your control.

You have to "awaken."

Recently I told a woman who was interviewing me that I was homeless and in poverty only as long as I stayed stuck in survival "thinking."

As soon as I put my mind on what I "wanted" to have instead, I began to shift and get better results.

This can happen for you, too. It took me ten years. You can do it in one weekend.

But you have to stop listening to the media paint a picture of darkness.

The media paints it by finding something dark to report on, whether it's true or not. You and others listen to it, believe it, and before you know it, you have "created" what the media painted.

They predict a recession before there actually is one.

But people believe the media, fall into fear, stop spending, and suddenly a recession is here.

This has to stop. And it can stop right now.

Break free from money worries.

Break free from job worries.

Break free from health worries.

Break free from love worries.

Break free -- PERIOD.

This great message was admittedly sent to promote Joe's Miracles Weekend event in September. But even if you take the event completely out of the picture, there's still a lot of power in his words.

So ... are you ready to STOP IT?

-Bob

Ready to turbo-charge your music marketing campaign? Check out all the new Crash Course packages on Music Marketing, Music Publicity, and Internet Promotion at TheBuzzFactor.com.


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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Your Best Recession-Proof Music Tips Wanted

How Are You Surviving High Gas Prices and a Slow Economy?

You've read the headlines about touring bands having to cut back. You've paid high prices at the pump. Perhaps you've directly felt the pinch of rising costs and a slow summer economy.


So, how are you working through it? What are you doing to make the most of it?

If I can compile enough tips from smart people like you, I'll publish and distribute a free ebook filled with ways to cut down on expenses and weather the current economic climate.

Send me your best tips on saving money, stretching a dollar, and reaching fans in creative new ways. Especially if you refuse to be a victim of the group "recession consciousness," I want to hear from you.

Post your best economy-busting strategies and ideas in the Comments section below, send me an email, or contact me via the sites in the right hand column of this page.

-Bob

Ready to turbo-charge your music marketing campaign? Check out all the new Crash Course packages on Music Marketing, Music Publicity, and Internet Promotion at TheBuzzFactor.com.


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Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Tough Love From John Taglieri & Nancy Moran

I'm on a roll with new video clips. On this one, John Taglieri offers some tough love on how to choose band members, while Nancy Moran talks about the many opportunities with Internet radio airplay:



For more info on the next Indie Buzz Bootcamp event, visit www.IndieBuzzBootcamp.com

To learn more about John Taglieri, visit www.johntaglieri.com. Also check out his How to Make a Living as a Full-Time Indie Musician audiobook.

For more on Nancy Moran, visit www.nancymoran.com and www.azaleamusic.com.

Camera work by Lee Mueller of 100th Monkey Productions.

-Bob

Guerrilla Music Marketing HandbookCheck out Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook, the classic guide to indie music promotion. Now revised and updated, with four new chapters on Internet and Web 2.0 music marketing.


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Monday, June 30, 2008

Derek Sivers of CD Baby on Perfection

When it comes to your music career, do you ever feel under pressure to do things perfect the first time? Do you believe there's an ideal right way and wrong way to use all the new tools of self-promotion? Do you ever feel strained to find the shortest, surest route to success?

Listen to these wise words from CD Baby founder Derek Sivers for a fresh perspective:


-Bob

Promote Your Music on MySpace
Make the most of the world's biggest social networking web site with this great primer on MySpace Music Marketing. Available in paperback or ebook format. Get more details here.

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Friday, June 27, 2008

Ariel Hyatt & Bob Baker on Music Marketing & Sales

Enjoy these video snippets from Indie Buzz Bootcamp 2008:

Ariel Hyatt on how to sell from the stage without selling, and Bob Baker on the PBS pledge drive approach to making money with your music.



For more info on the next Indie Buzz Bootcamp event, visit www.IndieBuzzBootcamp.com.

To learn more about Ariel, her book, and her Cyber PR service, visit www.arielpublicity.com.

Thanks to my pal Lee Mueller of 100th Monkey Productions for the camera work.

-Bob

Online Music PromotionWant to create a music buzz online? Check out my special report 70 Ways to Promote and Sell Your Music on the Internet.


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Wednesday, June 25, 2008

What Really Happened at Indie Buzz Bootcamp?

Okay, so you've been hearing about this Indie Buzz Bootcamp event for months now. If you didn't attend, you may be glad that the music conference has finally passed so I can move on to writing about other things.

Not so fast. I will be writing about plenty of other things, but not before I share what an incredible and life-changing experience this was for all involved.

But don't take my word for it. Watch the video.



Then check out all the photos and comments from speakers and attendees on the Bootcamp web page.

I set out to create a new kind of music conference -- unlike any music event anyone had ever attended. We accomplished that and then some. The response from the people who were there was beyond my wildest expectations.

We plan to do another one next year. If you want to join the party and become a member of the Indie Buzz Bootcamp family, visit the page and get on the notification email list.

Because the next one will be even better!

-Bob

Guerrilla Music Marketing HandbookCheck out Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook, the classic guide to indie music promotion. Now revised and updated, with four new chapters on Internet and Web 2.0 music marketing.


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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Guess Who I Met in LA Last Week?

What a crazy couple of weeks it's been. On May 25, Pooki and I flew to Los Angeles and had a day and a half to relax before launching into five straight days of book conferences.

Three days at IBPA's Publishing University, where I taught three classes and hung out with some great people, and two days at Book Expo America, the book industry's biggest event in the US.

I just posted some pics from Pub U and BEA on Flickr (including some with Alec Baldwin and Dean Koontz). Go there now to see who I ran into.
Over the next few days I'll post pictures of other people I met at BEA, including William Shatner, Pamela Debarge, and Eagle Don Felder. I drop even more names on my Twitter page.

A big thanks to Luke, Leanne, Dennis, Renee, Lea Marie, Geri and Cynthia for attending my music publicity workshop June 1. We had a blast. It was also great to share lunch with John Braheny and his wife JoAnn.

Next we picked up my daughter Kelli and spent four more days in San Diego, two of them at Sea World. As much fun as we had, it never felt so good to be back in our own bed last Thursday night.

But there would be no rest for us. The next day we jumped into the 48-Hour Film Project and once again hosted the 17-member cast and crew at our house. Another wild ride that was over when our 7-minute film was turned in on time Sunday night.

Time to chill? Oh no. We have this little Bootcamp event coming next week that you may have heard me mention before :-) Oh, then there's a family wedding the weekend after that.

I think I'll sleep the entire month of July to recuperate :-)

-Bob

Indie Buzz Bootcamp Music Conference & Workshop
Final Days to Get Tickets!


Online Music PromotionWant to create a music buzz online? Check out my special report 70 Ways to Promote and Sell Your Music on the Internet.


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