Posts tagged as:

business

The Thing About Ping, Apple’s New Social Network

by Chris Robley September 7, 2010

PingApple announced last week that they were launching a new social network called Ping which is integrated into their ubiquitous iTunes player. Ping allows music fans and artists to interact and share details about their listening habits. This is another great way for musicians to market themselves, share content, display concert info, and boost sales (artist profiles link to iTunes artist pages). Unfortunately, Apple is currently only allowing artists to start profiles by “invitation only,” though anyone with an iTunes account is welcome to start a user profile. Read more…

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5 Sales Tips for Independent Artists

by Scott James August 31, 2010

Sell your music better and you’ll have resources to make more music, better-sounding music, and get more people to hear it. Here are five tips to help you generate more sales:

1. Believe In Your Product
It’s difficult to look someone in the eye and ask them to buy something that you don’t believe is a good deal for them. If you’re trying to sell a CD to someone for $10 that you believe is worth $5 then you’re going to have a hard time selling it. The idea is to focus on ‘giving’ them something that’s valuable to them at a fair price. You can always tell when someone is just trying to ‘get’ something from you. Don’t underestimate the intelligence and intuition of your fans. Read more…

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More Music, Less Marketing

by Rick Goetz August 20, 2010

I am sitting at the edge of the Grand Canyon with a teaspoon trying to fill it in. That’s what marketing and self-promotion can feel like in the digital age or at least, that’s the way it feels to me.

I walked into a cavernous Barnes and Noble a few months ago. They opened another location by me on East 86th street in New York. I can’t begin to describe how big it is. I’ve lived in Manhattan my entire adult life so I do a double take when I see wasted space- but this? This place is ridiculous. It completely freaked me out. I felt a primal fear that I haven’t felt since Sylvia Rhone (former CEO of Elektra) used to scream at me- but that’s a whole other blog post. Read more…

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Finding a Manager – Part 1

by Rick Goetz August 17, 2010

“How do I find a music manager? How do I find a booking agent? I just need to find someone to get my music to the next level.” I’ve heard these questions and statements before, and fifteen or so years ago I sounded exactly like this. As it turns out I wound up on the industry side of the fence and traded in the crowded smelly van for a record company desk job but I do have some answers for you. Read more…

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Stop Pushing Buttons and Start Baking Cakes

by Scott James July 26, 2010

cakeDoesn’t it just stink when you do something that seems like it should work, but it falls flat and leaves you more confused and frustrated? This can seem like a way of life for many independent artists. We try to do something to promote ourselves but instead we end up just spinning our tires in the mud and getting nowhere. We want to make something happen but can’t see the relationship between our actions and our results. Read more…

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The Self-Made Musician

by Disc Makers July 20, 2010

Sharon Jones & The Dap-KingsGabe Roth is the bass player, producer, main writer and founding member of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and the head of their label Daptone records. Gabe also recently won a Grammy award for engineering the Amy Winehouse record “Back to Black”. I was lucky enough to be in a band with Gabe in college back when he was a drummer. He is one of those enviable musicians who can pick up any instrument and make it look effortless. Read more…

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Get Offline and Promote the Old Fashioned Way

by CD Baby July 7, 2010

offline music promotionWhile maintaining a steady web presence is a vital part of any musician’s promotional arsenal, you shouldn’t rely on it as the only way for fans to feel connected to your music. Make sure you’re not neglecting an equally important means of making an impact: real-life interaction with your audience. Read more…

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Using CDs and DVDs to Boost Response

by Lee Purcell June 14, 2010

The benefits of CDs and DVDs go far beyond entertainment. They have introduced new opportunities for effective business communication. And that’s especially critical during an era when every marketing and PR expenditure is mercilessly scrutinized.

Discs offer a simple, universal means to convey information to anyone, anywhere. You have to do some serious hunting to find a household that doesn’t have a DVD player, and computer DVD drives will play everything from the latest movie releases to the earliest audio CDs. Read more…

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The Self-Released Album – A Four Part Series

by Disc Makers June 11, 2010

Cameron Mizell, freelance guitarist, producer, and consultant in Brooklyn, has written a four part series about self-releasing an album. Filled with helpful information and resources on everything from your production schedule to digital distribution to copyrights and cover songs, it is a must-read. Read more…

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An Indie That Believes in CDs

by Disc Makers May 11, 2010

The New York Times recently published “An Indie That Believes in CDs,” an article about the Concord Music Group and their continuing success. Glen Barros, Concord’s chief executive, says their label focuses on older folks, those who are committed to “timeless and authentic” music as well as great sound quality. This, in addition to their more balanced business model – all albums in their catalog pull their own weight – has Concord on track to make more than $100 million in revenue this year.

“The future of the music business is very bright,” Mr. Barros said. “People want to listen to great music.”

Read the entire article on the New York Times site.

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Expert Panel: How to Earn a Living in Today’s Music Industry

by Disc Makers May 3, 2010

Show me the money If you’re a musician in the Philadelphia area, there’s an event on Sunday May 16th from 2 to 7 p.m. you may be interested in. Marcy Rauer Wagman, professor at Drexel’s music business program, has organized a seminar and music event with a number of local industry experts, including Disc Makers’ CEO Tony van Veen. Read more…

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Direct to Fan – The Art of the House Concert

by Disc Makers April 26, 2010

You want a relationship with your fans? Why not go to their houses and play. No way to get to know people better than invading their homes and doing your thing right in the middle of their living rooms. Right?

The future is all about breaking new ground and combining that with solid business models that you can predict and work with. Here is a guest post from Fran Snyder on house concerts and what they should be a part of your future. Read more…

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Want to Make a Living? Be Everywhere.

by Disc Makers April 19, 2010

Selling OutThe visually-oriented blog Information is Beautiful just posted some interesting stats and graphs displaying how much independent artists must sell through various channels online in order to earn the US minimum wage. It didn’t come as any surprise to us to see CD Baby’s name come up for ALL the channels through which you can sell music to your fans, but it is nice to see what we already knew confirmed by an outside study. Read more…

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NARM President Interviewed

by Leah R. Garnett April 14, 2010

Jim DonioJim Donio, President of National Association of Recording Merchandisers, talks about CDs, vinyl, digital downloads, and the modern-day music consumer.

If you’re an independent musician trying to get your music heard by more than family and friends, you’ve likely heard that you need to get on board with social media and the digital marketplace. But you may be completely confused about what many of the newer tools can do for you or how to access them. Read more…

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The New Release Schedule

by Disc Makers March 25, 2010

Music 3.0M3.0 requires new thinking regarding song releases.

If we go back to the ’50s, vinyl singles had a notoriously fast manufacturing turnaround time, despite the labor-intensive process required to make a vinyl record. At that time, it was not uncommon to have a single (the small 7-inch “45” with a song on each side) on the streets within days of recording (and sometimes even writing) the song! Read more…

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