Webb Wilder on Joining the Van

Check out this hiliarious video clip of Webb Wilder, compliments of Music Business Radio. Webb gives his best advice for touring artists, delivered like no one else can.


While you're at it, watch another clip of Webb dishing out a secret to artistic success at www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIM60aXieL4.

It'll make you laugh ... and think!

-Bob

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5 Ideas That Will Rock Your Indie Music World

As much as we like to focus on web applications, gadgets and new tech toys, the thing that really propels human progress -- including your indie music career -- is the way you use your brain.Just a simple attitude adjustment or a fresh mental perspective can make a huge impact on your music career. With that in mind, consider these five ideas and see if they help you shift your thinking in more empowering ways:

1) Understand the truth about music industry upheaval.

2) Realize that attention is all about context.

3) Know that today's hits suffer while niches bloom.

4) Fully embrace these two keys to music success.

5) Use ideas like this to create a viral video buzz.

-Bob

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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.

Sum Yourself Up in One Sentence

Last week I blogged about a funny fake music news story over at TheOnion.com. And it reminded me of a marketing lesson we should all make good use of ...
A couple of years ago I heard an interview with some of The Onion's editors on NPR. They talked about the writing process and how they choose which funny fake news stories to run. The answer: It all boils down to the headline.

At editorial meetings, each writer comes to the table with a list of possible story ideas. To introduce each idea, all they do is read the headline they've written for the story. If everyone laughs, they know they have a winning concept that may be worthy of a full story.

To demonstrate, here are some recent Onion headlines:

• Open-Minded Music Lover Likes All Kinds Of Metal
• Acid Trip Better Planned Than Vacation
• Outdoor-Music-Festival Grounds Mistaken for Refugee Camp
• GEICO Saves 15 Percent or More by Discontinuing Advertising
• Singer Cites Girlfriend as Reason He Lives, Dies, Breaks Down, Cries
• Average Age of Wacky TV Neighbors Dropping
• Single Bee Sends Gathering of Humans Into Helpless Panic

In The Onion world, a good headline delivers the whole story, complete with the punchline. The rest of the news story simply takes the core idea and expands on the joke.

So where's the music marketing lesson?

Well, what's your headline? How do you describe your band or your new CD or your next gig so that people immediately "get it"? Because, once they get it, then -- and only then -- can you expand on the premise and feed them more.

If an Onion writer has to take even one minute to explain a funny premise, the idea is dead in the water. The Onion's editors believe their readers shouldn't have to work hard to comprehend and enjoy entertainment. Treat your fans and potential fans with the same respect.

-Bob

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Check out Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook, my bestselling, "must-have" title. Now revised and updated, with four new chapters on Internet music promotion. Get more details here.

Top 5 Music News Stories

Here are a few pieces of music news you might want to read ...
Judge: RIAA Owes Wrongfully-Accused Defendant Over $68K
The RIAA must pay P2P defendant Debbie Foster $68,685.23 for accusing her of sharing copyrighted music over a P2P network.

Clear Channel Rethinks, Updates Indie Artist Contract
Clear Channel has dropped a licensing agreement that requires independent artists to waive royalties to be considered for airplay on the chain’s more than 1,100 stations.

Prince: The New Music Business Power Model
With a sponsorship deal here and an exclusive show there, worldwide television appearances and music given away, Prince has remade himself as a 21st-century pop star.

DJs Create Music Environments for Corporate Clients
Allen Klevens and Jason Shapiro don't spin vinyl at parties or nightclubs, but they might just be the ultimate DJs.

Band Plays a Brand-New Game
Jonny Dubowsky, 29, has exploited corporate partnerships to get exposure for his indie band, Jonny Lives!

-Bob

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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.

New Indie Music Success Network

Yesterday I announced a new free resource in my Buzz Factor ezine -- it's a new online forum I created called the Indie Music Success Network. But I made the announcement in an unusual way. I delivered the message primarily as an audio email.

Want to hear it? Just click the play button below:

Or, if the button doesn't display, click this link to listen now:
www.audioacrobat.com/play/W9jMzTls

(Note: A new browser window will open and the audio will automatically begin to play.)

Give your eyes a rest. And if anything I say interests you, you can always grab your mouse (or whatever you grab) and click a link below to learn more.
Here are links to the stuff I talk about in the audio:

My new "Indie Music Success Network" at
http://indiemusicsuccess.ning.com/

Share success tips with other indie artists here.

---

Reminder: Monday, July 23, teleclass with indie rock veteran John Strohm (Blake Babies, Juliana Hatfield, Lemonheads, Mike Watt). This will be a good one.

Call-in details (no cost):

Starting time: 9 PM Eastern (6 PM Pacific, 8 PM Central)

Dial-in number: 1-218-339-7800 (a Minnesota number)

Access code: (enter this number when prompted) 37251

---

Two classic books you should own ...

Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook
(newly revised and updated)
www.bob-baker.com/buzz/music_marketing.htm

Guerrilla Music Marketing, Encore Edition
www.bob-baker.com/buzz/encore-music.html

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New at the Indie Music Promotion Blog ...

- Smart Ways to Use Twitter for Music
- Making It: Today's Music Success Model

Read them at www.MusicPromotionBlog.com
(Of course, as a blog reader, you're already here.)

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If you've been thinking about getting the "MySpace Music Marketing" book, check out the special offer this month at:
www.bob-baker.com/myspace/music.html

---

I'm now on Facebook.com. If you're there, look me up at
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=605029417

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See what's available now at the ...

Indie Music Marketing Insiders Club
www.MusicMarketingInsiders.com

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Would you like to add audio to your own emails and web pages? Then pay a visit to this page.

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Until next time ... make music, connect with fans, get out there and promote yourself!

-Bob

http://TheBuzzFactor.com/
http://Bob-Baker.com/podcast/
http://MusicMarketingCrashCourse.com/
http://FullTimeAuthor.com/
http://MySpace.com/thebuzzfactor
http://YouTube.com/user/MrBuzzFactor
http://Flickr.com/photos/bob-baker/

Mystery Artist Sings No. 1 Hit Song

I gotta admit. I'm hooked on fake news. My two favorite sources: The Daily Show and The Onion. Here's the latest from the latter:

No One Admits To Singing, Writing, Producing Nation's No. 1 Song

LOS ANGELES -- As of Monday, the CD single "Baby Baby (Luvya Girl)" has rocketed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 on its debut week, despite the fact no one has claimed credit for singing, composing, or producing it.

The single's success marks a rare occasion in which both critics and the music industry find themselves in agreement, as magazines such as Spin call "Baby Baby" "a wasteland" and "creatively brain-dead," and major recording labels such as Interscope and Sony BMG distance themselves from it.

"This is a first in modern recording history," Billboard Magazine writer Jim Shapiro said. "Even third-place American Idol contestants and Diddy have not come forward as the creators, though it's obviously a solid hit and could make them a lot of bank."

You gotta read the rest of this. Hilarious.

-Bob

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Smart Ways to Use Twitter for Music

You've no doubt heard of Twitter. It's a relatively new social networking site that allows users to send short, 140-character messages to mobile phones or instant message applications. You can also read these messages on the Twitter web site.
According to the site, Twitter exists to help its users answer that probing question, "What are you doing?" Users then inflict ... er, share their bite-size messages with whoever signs up to receive them. (I know, because a few months ago I started my own Twitter account.)

For better or worse, users have taken this Q&A theme to heart. Most people use Twitter to let people know what they're doing -- EVERYTHING they're doing! Common messages report such meaningful activities as "Stopping to get gas and buy a pack of cigs" or "Running late for the photo shoot" or "It's raining outside and I'm bored."

You're bored? Try reading through this mountain of trivial Twitter updates! Then you'll know what true agony is.

There's got to be a better!

One restaurant in Buffalo, NY, twitters its Daily Special to everyone who subscribes to its feed. Now that's useful. Mashable sends a headline and link for each of its new blog posts. That's smart.

How could an indie musician, music site or service business make the best use of Twitter? How about a ...

• Song of the day
• Recording tip of the week
• Music video of the day
• Indie artist of the week

Artists and bands should use Twitter to alert fans about gigs, new song samples, new blog posts, media coverage, or where their music can be purchased.

This isn't spleen surgery. It's just making *smart* use of new technology. So give people tidbits of info they can use. Even at a mere 140 characters, wasting time is still wasting time.

Unless your fans really want to know how many times a day you go to the bathroom :-)

Here are a few other online musings on Twitter worth reading:

Twitter: Use it Productively

The Top 5 Ways Smart People Use Twitter

Eight Ways Twitter is Useful Professionally

Twitter: Marketing to the Masses

-Bob

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Join the YouTube revolution. Read How to Use Video to Promote Your Music Online. Learn how to create, promote and profit from your own low-cost music videos.