I’m curious to hear what platform you are using for your website. There are a lot of options out there, but I can’t see that any one in particular is catching on. So it has me curious about what people on a budget are doing. Are you just letting your MySpace serve as home or are you going all out with a custom site? Please vote in the poll below and leave me a comment with any details you can about how you like it, what other services you use (BandCamp, ArtistData, etc.) and just general thoughts. Thanks.
[polldaddy poll=2049837]
I see it over and over again. Independent artists obsessing over their release date. “Everything has to be perfect for the release.” But unless you have already have a huge following, a huge marketing budget or are a major label artist, chances are that day is gonna be anticlimactic. The release date is not the finish line, it’s the starting gate.
Sorry, but it’s true. And you’ll be so much happier and less stressed (both before and after) if you start thinking this way. Truly great, substantial independent records are built over time. So pace yourself. Space out your plan, your big ideas and your content over 18 months to 2 years. If you put everything out there all at once, but nobody’s listening yet, then you’ve got nothing left to give them when they do show up. And honestly, the VAST majority of people want a little piece from you every now and then. They don’t want to immerse themselves in you or your record.
And by the way, this is really good news. You don’t want the pressure of a huge release date. Where some label exec is deciding your future based on your first four weeks of sales? No thanks. But as an independent, you have the opportunity to build it. To get it right. To be patient.
I know being patient is hard. You’ve spent a lot of time and energy making this record. You put your heart and soul into it. I get that. But this is a marriage, not a wedding. So have a nice wedding, but don’t do it at the expense of your marriage. And, just like a wedding, it won’t be perfect. But that’s okay, too. Because a great wedding is a wonderful thing, but it isn’t the point. The point is everything that comes after that.
So you’ve seen the campaign. You probably don’t give a crap, but you’ve seen it. Drinkability. Really? Drinkability? You have $100 million to spend and what you want me to take away is that your beer has cornered the non-existent market on people who wish their current beer wasn’t so hard to drink? Bud Light IS a beverage, right? And you’re saying you can drink it? Beautiful insight. Congrats. You’ve certainly set yourself apart from competitors like sand and molasses. Read more »
If you are a musician and you make your money from music–recordings, live shows, merch, etc.–then people have to LOVE your music. Period. They have to love it enough to decide to spend their 10 bucks on your CD or 15 to 50 bucks on a ticket to see you live. They have to want it more than a new Rock Band drum kit. Or a nice sushi dinner. Or a Twilight book. Or the latest music from Beyoncé. Or Sgt. Peppers from The Beatles, for that matter. It just isn’t enough for the audience to think you’re funny or even for them to like your single. They really have to love the music enough to sacrifice those other things to get it. And no amount of Twittering, blogging or YouTubing is gonna change that. Nor will the perfect brand strategy, a brilliant marketing campaign or even a total understanding of your audience and the permission to deliver the ideal message directly to their inbox. Now don’t get me wrong, all that stuff is necessary and deserves your time and attention because it gets the music in front of people. And if they don’t know about your music, they’ll never even have the chance to love it. But the only thing it buys you is a chance. Read more »
First post of the new blog for BigHowdy {brand intelligence}. Yeah, yeah, I know. The design doesn’t reflect the brand, but the design is just temporary and I’ll have a better solution up in a few days. Luckily, I’ve been so busy with work that I haven’t had time to get a real site up and running… cobblers’ kids and all that. I finally decided that I had to do something. And here it is. So breathe easy, world. I have finally re-arrived to spew my faux-wisdom upon thee. We’re off and running. Hey! I know it’s not much, but it’s something. And thanks for dropping by. It’ll get better. I promise. = )
