If you’re putting your press kit together and need advice on how to create the perfect sales pitch for your indie band through your press releases, marketing strategies, and publicity campaigns, we’ve got it.
Guides
The Definitive Press Kit Guide for Musicians
What is the purpose of a band press kit? (April 2015)
Excerpt from our guide, The Definitive Press Kit Guide for Musicians: How to create a professional press package, from band bios and photos to press releases and more
Guide: Planning Your Album From beginning to End
How to launch a music publicity campaign
Excerpt from our guide, Planning Your Album From beginning to End: A checklist to help you plan your next album, get it distributed, heard, publicized, and win fans worldwide
Guide: 10 Effective Strategies to Get Your Music Noticed
Indie Music Marketing Strategies
Excerpt from our guide, 10 Effective Strategies to Get Your Music Noticed: Promotional Strategies for Independent Musicians
Blog Posts
12 Music PR tips (January 2017)
Here are 12 music PR tips to help you stimulate publicity, better communicate, and build good public relations with local press and your fans.
Great interviews don’t happen by accident (January 2017)
If you want to give great interviews, preparation is key. Here are 12 tips to help you prepare and make new fans when the press comes calling.
Five tips for writing better emails (September 2016)
While social media can play an important part in your music marketing strategy, emails are a great way to target your message, provide a specific call to action, and promote yourself to industry professionals. Here are five things you can work on to start writing better emails.
Free music promotion strategies you should try (August 2016)
Creative, free music promotion tactics can be just as effective as your musical creativity when it comes to success as an independent musician.
Online tools to help you manage the business of music (July 2016)
Read on for introductions to software and online tools that can help you better organize and manage the business of music, giving you peace of mind and more time to invest in your music.
Find the flow in your music promotion strategies (May 2016)
Success comes from the flow between your different music promotion strategies. Your social media growth, live performances, YouTube videos, email list, and music sales all funnel into and loop back to one another.
Music promotion tips from Dave Kusek (April 2016)
For the April edition of our Disc Makers Twitter chat (#DMchat), we asked teacher, author, music industry visionary, and founder of Berklee Online, Dave Kusek, for some music promotion tips.
Six ways to promote your music (April 2016)
There’s no one strategy to promote your music and grow your fan base. Your music promotion should resemble a gearbox with different strategies working together to raise awareness.
Create promotion opportunities with your artist photos (March 2016)
Great music photography is essential for your press kit and promotional efforts, but having your artist photos at your fingertips and ready to go might help get you promo opportunities you weren’t expecting.
What to do after the interview (January 2016)
A big part of how to give a great interview involves your follow up. What you do after the interview can impact how accurately and positively the press handles your story.
Talk the talk: How to give a great interview as an indie musician (December 2015)
Getting press requests but not convinced you know how to give a great interview? These seven tips can help you prepare, focus, and deliver an interview that can impact your music career.
Build a story that someone will want to invest in (December 2015)
Spinning your wheels is not the recipe for a sustainable music career. Pay attention to the business details and recognize the difference between working hard and working smart.
Sell your story, sell your music (August 2015)
In your artist bio, and in all of your promotions, telling your story is a way to relate to your audience and hopefully help you connect on a more personal level.
How to give a good interview (June 2015)
A music publicist breaks down seven basic tips to help you stay focused and confident and help you learn how to give a good interview to media or radio.
How to take a great band photo and headshot (May 2015)
In this excerpt from our new Press Kit Guide for Musicians, we address some key elements to getting a great band photo and headshot.
Blog and website writing tips (March 2015)
If you struggle to create content for your music marketing, here are eight writing tips to help you work faster without sacrificing quality.
Create content to achieve your music career goals (December 2014)
Your online marketing strategy should include creating content that nurtures communication, engagement, and sales on your way to achieving your music career goals
The musician’s social media checklist (October 2014)
Don’t get off on the wrong foot with your social media marketing. Do your research, make a plan, and connect with your target audience from the start.
How to launch a music publicity campaign (October 2014)
This excerpt from our Planning Your Album guide speaks to things you should do as you prepare to launch a PR campaign and enter your music publicity phase.
How to link to your website directly from your YouTube video (September 2014)
The new YouTube button feature lets you link directly to your website from your YouTube video. Ben Sword tells you exactly how to do it.
Make your music photos tell your story (August 2014)
When your music photos convey your message as an artist, they’re doing their job! These guidelines will get your next music photo shoot to be a true snapshot of you.
Creating an effective online ad (July 2014)
Your online ad will perform better with high-quality creative, your target audience in your sights, testing your content, and by tracking your results.
How to create a compelling Facebook ad (June 2014)
Ben Sword’s video is a step-by-step tutorial on creating a Facebook ad to reach journalists, radio stations, bloggers, and all manner of influential people in the music industry.
Should you advertise online? (June 2014)
Organically building an online community is part of a balanced digital PR plan, but when used effectively, advertising can be a centerpiece of your music marketing strategy.
Six social media platforms you should consider using (March 2014)
These six social media platforms might not be the biggest of the bunch, but they’ll provide value in your social marketing efforts.
Five facts about your favorite social media platform: Part 1 (February 2014)
Facebook is big, Twitter is at a billion (kind of), and YouTube is the #2 search engine. Facts about social media platforms for your water cooler conversations.
Building your online presence (February 2014)
As a music artist, you need to identify your demographic, target your strengths, and develop and execute a plan to gain traction with your online music marketing.
Is guest blogging your ticket to better music promotion? (December 2013)
Starting a blog from scratch is easy enough, but how do you attract readers? Guest blogging is a great way to hone your craft and find an audience.
Five elements of your artist brand (November 2013)
Establishing your artist brand is a blend of organic unique elements that set you apart and standard business practices to keep your image fresh and consistent.
Give the Music Press What They Want (October 2013)
Tips from Girlie Action’s veteran music publicist Pam Nashel Leto on music bios, publicists, interviews, and the importance of visuals in your music promotion.
Four Good Reasons to Start a Musician Blog (September 2013)
A musician blog is often underutilized in an artist’s social media profile, but there are many good reasons to start and maintain a blog and build an online community.
Developing Your Artist Brand (September 2013)
Great music and a reputation as a live phenomenon are a start, but your artist brand is important to cementing your place in the hearts and minds of your fans.
Twitter for Music Promotion (September 2013)
Part two of our social media for musicians series focuses on how to make the most of Twitter for music promotion and personal enjoyment.
Facebook Marketing Tips for Your Music Promotion (August 2013)
Part one of our social media for musicians series focuses on how to make the most of your Facebook band page and music promotion efforts.
Focus on Relationships in Your Digital PR (June 2013)
Maintaining personal/business relationships is critical to effective digital PR in the music business.
Plan For Your Great Headshot (May 2013)
It’s worth the time and preparation, because a great headshot can be money in the bank.
Critical Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Music PR Campaign (April 2013)
Online music PR takes patience, follow up, and a three-phase plan.
Seven Strategies for Local Music Promotion (April 2013)
Building local momentum through gigs and networking is a great music promotion strategy.
Realistic Music Publicity Goals for Your PR Campaign (April 2013)
When launching a PR campaign for music publicity, knowing what to expect is key.
Are You Ready to Work With a Music Publicist? (March 2013)
Seven no-nonsense tips from music publicists for indie musicians.
Social Media Marketing – Redefining “Return on Investment” (February 2013)
Return on investment (ROI) doesn’t translate to social media marketing, as social media is not a sales tool. Let’s redefine ROI for a social media campaign.
Make The Most of Good Press – How To Leverage Your PR Success (January 2013)
The role that social media plays in your ability to obtain digital publicity cannot be understated. Just like traditional (print) media outlets, most bloggers and podcasters are looking to cover stories, brands, and products with credibility.
Connect to Your Target Audience With a Compelling Story (December 2012)
Your story woven into a press release, artist bio, or video can result in increased loyalty, publicity, and a stronger emotional connection with your fans.
Celebrate Success – Press Releases, Artist Bios, and PR for Indie Artists (November 2012)
When you are managing your own career without the help of a public relations firm, you must think like an entrepreneur and build marketing strategies that not only show you are a professional, but also drum up excitement about your music and your unique brand.
Tasty Content Ideas For Your Email Marketing (November 2012)
What information do you include when crafting email messages for your email marketing? Make your music promotion effective with these music marketing tips.
Blogging Tips – Make Your Blog Entertaining and Get Attention (November 2012)
For all of you bloggers out there – and those of you looking for blogging tips or wondering how to start a blog – our good friend Chris Rockett at PromoteYourMusic.net just published a massive post that answers the $10,000 question: “What are the secrets of entertaining blogging?”
16 Years of Music Marketing in 30 Minutes – Interview with Echoes’ Andre Calilhanna (November 2012)
Chris Rockett at PromoteYourMusic.net interviewed Disc Makers’ veteran and Echoes’ editor Andre Calilhanna last week, and the two explore topics ranging from Andre’s lost wallet to content marketing, communicating to your list, and overcoming networking jitters.
Improve Your Email Marketing in 16 Easy Steps (October 2012)
Ben Sword examines a few things you can do to improve the effectiveness of your email marketing and the messages you send to your fans.
Music Marketing and more – Interview with Disc Makers and CD Baby President Tony van Veen (October 2012)
Disc Makers’ President Tony van Veen’s music marketing advice boils down to one thing – and it isn’t about marketing.
Four Keys to a Product Release PR Campaign (October 2012)
When it comes time to plan a PR campaign for an upcoming product release, there are several factors that need to be considered and properly executed. Let’s explore four of the more important assignments of a successful product release.
Want To Be Heard In The Crowded Indie Music Scene? Uniquify Yourself! (July 2012)
In today’s indie music scene, it is more important than ever to call attention to yourself and your art by standing out from the crowd. That is why it is so important to find your unique qualities and promote them.
Tell a Story for Your CD Release and Beyond (July 2012)
Dig deep, look for something the press might find will interest their readers and prompt them to interview you, as well as review the CD. Give the radio DJs something unique to talk about while cueing up a track.
You’ve Written A Press Release – Now What? (June 2012)
You’ve made the music, booked the gig, and, with the help of our post Press Release Writing Tips, have figured out how to write a press release that’s tight, punchy, and informative. You’ve included it in your EPK, and it’s part of your media kit… so now what?
Branding Yourself in Your Artist Bio and Beyond (June 2012)
As an indie artist, it’s important to know what your unique brand/identity is and be able to express it in a confident, authentic, and consistent voice in order to connect through your music, engage meaningfully with fans and have a successful, long-lasting career.
More Band Bio Writing Tips (Press Kit Fundamentals) (March 2012)
If you want to be taken seriously as an artist, you have to have promotional material, and your band bio is a critical component of your press kit.
Press Release Writing Tips (Press Kit Fundamentals) (March 2012)
Press releases are more than just compiled facts – like much in music, they’re also about telling a story. Whether your press release is for your EPK, press kit, or blog, here are some tips from industry professionals on how to write a press release and get your music the attention it deserves.
How To Write A Compelling Artist Bio (Press Kit Fundamentals) (December 2011)
A well-crafted artist bio is a necessary part of your press kit and can increase the chances of your music getting heard by music journalists and visitors to your website.
Sell the Story – Not the CD (April 2011)
So when you’re pitching your CD, are you communicating that you’re just selling your CD or are you communicating the story of the blood, sweat, tears, fun, hope, dreams, inspiration, excitement, talent, heartache, challenge, and triumph that went into it?
7 Tips for Building a More User-Friendly Music Website (February 2011)
Your website should be a place where visitors can easily listen to your music, buy your album, and check up on news and concert dates. Your site usability will influence whether a website visit ends in an album sale or the loss of a potential fan. Is your musician website user-friendly?
The Art of Music Photography (October 2010)
The biggest prep work is to help the photographer pre-visualize, or at least share with the photographer what you think are “good photos.
6 Key Ingredients for Creating Good Photos (October 2009)
The images on your package can make or break the design and be the difference between getting noticed or being left on the shelf.
Creating The Perfect Pitch (September 2009)
Your elevator pitch is a serious element to your artist branding that will define you in the minds of your fans and potential fans.
A musician, writer, and marketer, Andre Calilhanna manages and edits the Disc Makers and BookBaby Blogs. Follow Andre on Twitter @dre_cal. Email him at andre@discmakers.com.
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