3Pc. Army Cadet Incl Hat, Shrug & Lace Up Side Dress MEDIUM GREEN/REDThe most important question musicians can ask themselves is "Am I doing something every single day to promote my band or telling someone about our show?" Venue owners depend on bands that can draw to keep their doors open. Bands need a place to play. In most situations, it's a good relationship that benefits both parties. You will get booked on better drawing shows or shows with out-of-state bands on it, if you can demonstrate that you have a fanbase.
This list of questions and answers is structured to be a "primer" for you to begin attracting new faces to your shows. It's not a surefire way and is based on my experience working with bands over the last 10 years. Handing out flyers, talking to people on the street and supporting other musicians in your scene are other great ways to meet new people and turn them on to your band.
5 - Is all of your information accurate on your myspace, facebook, purevolume or other networking pages?
(Whether you like those places or not is irrelevant. They are proven avenues for you to promote your band. You don't have to have a page setup with them, but it won't hurt you to do so.)
(if your answer is "No", you might consider creating one in a small quantity. You can take your design and post it online at numerous places to get the word out about your next show. It takes little time and requires you sitting in front of your computer for an hour or so)
1 - Do you create flyers & handbills for every show you play in your hometown?
When a musician here's the word "marketing" or "promotion", there's usually a frown or sign of dread on their faces. There are simple things you can do to promote your band that require little or no effort. Obviously, if you are willing to pound the pavement and go to other bands live shows, areas with lots of foot-traffic and local shopping areas/entertainment districts, you'll run into other people you know or some people you've seen at local shows. But, for a moment, let's say that you are a musician that has a busy day job and does not have the time to do lots of groundwork now.
Building A Fanbase For Your Band
(In some situations, the concert calendar will use live pictures of bands that are performing that week. If they do not have a picture of your band, you will probably be relegated to the one or two line blurb about your show. This is better than nothing. Lots of people read those concert listings over coffee and a bagel, so it's worth the time to make sure you are listed.)
(Set up an account and contribute to the discussions on the boards. Plug your next show in the "signature" of your screen name. Don't be obnoxious and post shamelessly all over the boards. You score points with your peers by bringing something of value (ie. practical knowledge) to whatever discussion they are talking about. Whether it's a favorite band thread or album of the year, or local topics. Post where appropriate and always be sure to update your signature with the most current gig)
Are you a new band just starting out and trying to get people to come out to your shows? Has your band been out for a few years and you are still having trouble getting people to care about your music? These are common situations that happen in every music scene in the country. Bands and musicians that get written about in the newspaper or talked about on the local radio show are those that are putting in the time to promote themselves.
3 - Are there message boards in your hometown you can visit? Is there a way to chat with people online about your show?
The secret to getting press for your band or attention from radio, magazines, newspapers is building your fanbase.
2 - Do you send out an email or press release to your local entertainment writers at the various newspapers or entertainment magazines in your hometown?
6 - Do you have an e-mail list of people you can send your next show info to?
Here's a basic list of questions you can ask yourself. The internet is a powerful tool and sending out e-mails is a simple way to get the ball rolling for your band.
(the next time you go out to your local entertainment district, pick up 1 copy of every newspaper and magazine that services your local area. Somewhere on the first 2 pages of the newspaper is a "masthead". That tells you every staff writer that works for that paper. Write down the mailing address of that publication and the Entertainment Writer or Editor. They usually have e-mail addresses or website listings there, as well. Visit their website and look in the staff section for contact information. Add them to your "industry" e-mail folder.)
Joe Cinocca is the owner of Pasadena Records and Music Supervisor for Tandem Arts in Los Angeles, CA.
