This section will provide tips on self-promotion and the art of selling yourself. Anybody can write their name on a wall or paste stickers everywhere, but that's just grafitti eye-clutter and it doesn't get people in the door at a show. Promotion needs to be specific and you need to be smart.
Check out our Media Guide. It lists all the newspapers, local television channels, cable providers & radio stations available. This is where a press release (See our "Helpful PDF's" section) comes in handy to tell them about your talent & performance dates for placement in their EVENTS CALENDAR. In addition, here are the phone numbers & pricing to place a classified ad in any of the major local publications.
Speaking of local publications...New Times has a *new* band feature on their website here that lets local artists place info about themselves, their next show & up to (3) MP3's on their webspace for FREE. In accordance with "everything that is good & well", we also suggest a visit to OUR "Bands for Hire" section and register yourself/band and post an MP3 sample for good measure.
Contact your local Chamber of Commerce, singles clubs, fraternities/sororities or wedding planners to offer your entertainment services or to get on a list for clients to choose what kind of band/solo act/genre of music they would prefer to complement their function. In addition, visit OUR "Bands for Hire" section and register yourself/band and post an MP3 sample.
Radio used to be the Holy Grail of the music business. It used to be that if you were heard on the radio - you made the big time. While that may not be true today, it still helps alot to have that kind of support. KCPR - Cal Poly's alternative radio station can help. Not to mention KPIG (formerly KOTR) and KCBX. Each has a specific program or time slot for burgeoning artists.
Create or have someone make a website for you or your band. It shows professionalism and enables your audience to contact you - anonymously. Sometimes meeting a musician or a band in-person can be intimidating and e-mail allows your fans to express themselves.
Create flyers that are eye-catching and informative. Make sure that "when and where" you are playing is the most-easily-seen piece of information on it. A web-site listing helps to direct people to a listing of your current shows, even if it is an old flyer.
Post flyers (with easy-peel tape) where your audience hangs out. Coffee shops, store bulletin boards, post-it boards at school, record & music store bulletin boards, in the bathrooms (right above the lightswitch or at the corner of the mirror) or on the bar of the club that you will be playing at, lunchrooms at school or work, cash registers (right under the "amount-owed window") and on popular business doors (strategically placed at the pushbar or doorknob).
Rick Bendes, audio buff will record your live show and set you or your band up with a fine reproduction of your music with audience reaction and representative acoustics for FREE. Please e-mail him to discuss specifics. Very cool, Thanks Rick!
Take advantage of the "Locals Only" music sections at Boo Boo Records , Grand Performance and Cheap Thrills. Drop some copies of your latest CD off with them and they will do the rest. These displays showcase local talent exclusively and provide a ready outlet for interested people to hear what you are all about.
Satellite radio is relatively new and a fresh medium in which to create a market. There are two companies SIRIUS and XM that control the satellite radio waves. SIRIUS has a program called WAGS - Working Artist Groups that help unsigned talent get recorded and heard. XM offers a complete channel called Unsigned dedicated to the promotion and exposure of unsigned talent. Don't miss the "Get Your Band Noticed" article - it lists all of the crucial Independent Conferences & Festivals you NEED to know about and GET INVOLVED with.
Take out a liner ad in the phone book (805)-782-8880 - under "Musicians". It doesn't cost much (divided among band mates), lasts a year and THEY will call you to renew it.