Marketing Your Music
Some hints on making money with your band

Let's face it, not everyone has the luxury of being managed by a professional.  So do it yourself with grassroots marketing! 

Here is a good starting point to begin marketing your music. 

I have included templates and samples to give you a head start.  If you have Microsoft Word, simple download the *.doc file and make any necessary changes (like adding your band name). If not, you can view the *.pdf file using adobe acrobat reader (get it free at www.adobe.com)  

• Produce some CDs to sell at shows to your fans, friends, and family.  Why wait for a record deal? You can do it yourself.

CDs are better than cassettes because you can produce them for $2-$3 a disk and sell them for $10-$20.  CDs give you a professional image and it is what listeners prefer. You may want to try doing a "short run" - that is, produce less than 1,000 CDs.  If you produce 100 CDs, you can test to see if you can sell them without too much of an investment.  You will also have some to send to radio stations and club owners. 

Resources: 
Discussion on how many CDs to make (breakeven). 
Discussion on selling at a show  

Master Mind Audio & Data Services 
Rich Akbar 
Reading, MA 
mastmind@earthlink.net 
Best prices & quality for short runs (< 1,000 CDs) 
 

• Collect names for your mailing list anyway, anywhere, anytime.  Use these names to mail postcards with your show dates or CDs available.  The cost to mail a postcard is cheap. The cost for e-mail is nothing.
Resources: 
Sample mailing list collection form (PDF) 
Sample mailing list collection form (Word, RTF) 
Sample mailing list Access database (Access) 
Sample postcard - coming soon 
 
• Build your own web page to list your shows and how to order your CDs.  Many services offer free or cheap home pages. Try to give people a reason to keep coming back (repeat visits). Maybe a newsletter, continious show updates, etc.
Resources: 
www.hotbot.com gives away free websites and email. 

www.bostonbands.com gives away free listings, email, and webpages. You can also have a professional looking url at this site www.bostonbands.com/yourband and your e-mail can be yourband@bostonbands.com 

www.bandworks.com lists band web pages and does web page design. 

www.beseen.com gives away free guestbooks for your website. You don't need to know how to program websites to have a guestbook. 

www.fruvous.com - a great example of grassroots marketing for bands. The web site is always changing with updates, they have a "frequent fruvous" card that gives you points towards prizeds for every show you go to, and they have a solid fan base. 

yourbandhere sample home web page. Use this as a template if you need a place to start. 
 

• Perform (even for free) as many times as you can.  At these shows, collect names, sell CDs, and pass out cards with your contact information (name, telephone, web site address).
Resources: 
Sample business card (PDF) 
Sample business card (Word, RTF) 
 
• Send out press releases and reviews of shows to local newspapers, magazines, and event papers.  You can write these yourself.  This costs practically nothing.  Make sure you research the correct person to send your press release to at the publication.  Send it out 30-60 days in advance.
Resources: 
Sample press release - coming soon 
Sample show review - coming soon 
 
• Find the public and local radio stations that play your type of music and get some air time there.
Resources: 
Sample air play letter - coming soon 
 
• Print some posters and put them up in the local area where your type of fans would be.  Have your show date or CD title with a web address or phone number of how to order.
Resources: 
Sample poster - coming soon 
 
• Word of mouth is critical.  Form relationships with your fans.  If you make people feel special, they will take pride in sharing your music with their peer group.  Free advertising!  Perhaps have a newsletter to your fans. (Remember, you should have a list of names from your mailing list.)
Resources: 
Sample newsletter - coming soon 
 
• One way to start getting your music out there is to convert some of your music to MPEG format.  This is a type of computer file format that is great for music on the Web. Many people are searching the web for any MPEG files and it is a great way to start a buzz about your band. Think of it as a "free trial sample" of your music. Best of all, it costs you nothing!
Resources: 
Newsgroup to post your MPEG files - coming soon