How To Promote Your Band

This is the second in a series of posts on starting a band. The first was How To Start A Band.

Having been in and out of bands through college and having blogged about the music world for the last 8 years, I’ve learned a lot about the ways of promoting a band, both proper and absolutely wrong. Once you’ve formed your band and have a few songs and performances under your belt, the next logical step is promoting your band. No one will know about your band if you don’t get the word out. People are not going to seek you out (at first). You have to seek them out and spread the word that the next greatest rock and roll band has arrived…and it’s yours!

The Proper Public Relations Company

First off, do not go it alone. So many bands make the mistake of wanting to be their own PR machine. There are endless reasons and arguments as to why they do this, but almost all of them are wrong. Yes, a PR company is going to cost some money, but the band will reap the rewards of that investment many times over. Beg, borrow, or steal the funds necessary to hire a PR company. It is a solid investment in your band, your dream, and your future. It also frees up your time to do what’s most important---create fantastic music that others want to listen to.

PR companies are important to the life blood of any band, but the finding the right PR company is the most important aspect of all. Vet your choices thoroughly. Has the company promoted bands similar to yours? Have they been in the industry for a while, or are they just starting out? Are you able to visit with them in person on a regular basis? Who do they promote to? How do they promote? All of these questions (and several more) are necessary asks prior to hiring a company. Ultimately, you don’t want to hire a PR company that is going to do a shotgun blast of your music to anyone that writes a blog or website. The Rock And Roll Guru gets several requests a week for MOVIE reviews. Have you ever read a movie review on The Rock And Roll Guru? Clearly that is a PR company that does not understand the market they are promoting to. Avoid these type of companies and make sure the company you do hire promotes your work to the proper outlets.

Sending Out Your Music

Even if you’ve taken on a PR company to promote your work, don’t be adverse to still doing some self-promotion. If you come across a website or a blog that you respect and want to submit your music to them, do so! I have become a huge promoter/fan of Watts because the band contacted me directly about reviewing their albums. And every band that reaches out to me directly gets pushed to the top of my review list. If a band takes the time to reach out to me directly, I give them higher consideration for a review.

Just don’t make the mistake of sending your music over and over and over again. If you send a request once and don’t hear back after a week or so, a follow up request is okay, but after that, leave it. The Rock And Roll Guru gets hundreds of requests per week, and I’m sure that larger sites/blogs get thousands. Someone has to sort through all of those requests, listen to the music, and determine if it is something worth reviewing for their medium. So be respectful and give the site some time to respond. And don’t be offended if you don’t hear back at all. It most likely means that your music wasn’t right for them.

Flyers, Advertising, and Social Media

When I was in bands (back when Aqua Net ruled the music scene), promotion was much more challenging than it is today. There was no internet. There was no social media. Word of mouth and paper flyers were all we had to go on. Free ads in the musician magazines helped as well, but our outlets were limited. That is just not the case in 2017. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Craigslist, Snapchat, the list goes on and on. There are several social media outlets where one can promote their band, and your band should have an account for all of them. And it should be active! Post your upcoming gigs. Post pictures of your latest shows, or of the band recording their latest song. Post any and all positive reviews of your concerts and/or recordings. Your goal should to be post something daily to all of your social media accounts. In this instant age, going a week without posting is the same as announcing your retirement. Fans have moved on. Don’t let them forget about you! And respond to their tweets and comments. Retweet a cool tweet about your band. Post a cool Instagram pic to your Facebook page. Cross market all platforms and direct fans to follow your band on all outlets. And always encourage them to share. The internet age makes word of mouth move like lightning.

Have A Website

Nothing annoys me more than when I am reviewing an album for a band and they don’t have a website. How am I supposed to know who is in the band (or how to properly spell their name)? How am I supposed to know when their upcoming gigs are? And just like social media, in this day and age, having a website is easy and free. If your PR company doesn’t set one up for you (and they should, they are your PR company after all), set one up for yourself. And don’t rely on your Facebook page to be your website. That’s just lazy and shows a lack of commitment. Have a website and keep it current! Add all your upcoming gigs to the website under the “tour” section. Is there new music being released soon? Add that to your “music” section. If possible, have a song or two featured on your website. If someone stumbles across your page it would be good to have music for them to check out. They might become your biggest fan.

Live Performances

Nothing helps a band succeed more than live performances. Live concerts are the best way to promote your band as potential fans can hear what you sound like in the live setting. It also provides an opportunity for immediate excitement and bonding --- associating feelings of joy with your band. Performing as many shows as possible, wherever possible, is the mindset that every member of your band must have. And when you are just starting out, there is no gig that is beneath you. Little Joey’s 8^th birthday party? Play it! The local elks lodge annual member reunion? Play it! Open mic jams? Play them! Your band should strive to perform wherever and whenever they can.

There are countless bands that made their name, as well as a decent living, by constantly touring. When your band is just starting out, it is crucial to get your music in front of as many people as possible. The best way to do that is to play live. And don’t worry about the size of the audience to start. You never know who will become a fan, and that fan may tell two friends, who tell two friends, and so on. Before you know it, people will be lining up to see your shows.

Self-Promotion, Self-Promotion, Self-Promotion

There’s an old adage that states “no one cares about your money more than you.” That same adage needs to be true for your band. No one should care about your band more than you. Throw any and all humbleness out the window when it comes to self-promotion. That’s not to say you can be obnoxious, but you cannot be afraid to discuss your band – anywhere and with anyone. You never know who knows who and where a small conversation can take your career. And if you’re not comfortable and excited talking about your band, how do you expect others to be? You have to show your passion whenever the conversation of your band comes up. Anyone that is near you talking about music should know that you are in a band. If they don’t know at the start of the conversation, they definitely should know by the end of the conversation. And you should invite them to check out your next show as well. Friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, the mailman, the guy who sells you your morning coffee---they all should be aware of your band and your passion for your band.  

Confidence

There is nothing as important as confidence. If you don’t believe in your band and your music, no one else will either. You have to be your toughest critic, but you also have to be your biggest believer. You must have the confidence to talk about your band in the hopes that people will want to hear your music. Believe in yourself and know that the hard work you have put in will pay off. Have the confidence that your music is spectacular and everyone should want to hear it. Just don’t be cocky. I know that’s easier said than done and it’s a fine line to walk, but the masters do it with ease. Have the confidence to know that you can perform in front of 20 people as well as you can perform in front of 20,000. That type of confidence will take you and your band very far.

With the right amount of confidence, belief, and promotion your band could take off in no time. If you don’t get the word out though, no one will know about your band and you may as well stick to playing your garage. Be outgoing, surround yourself with the appropriate people, and do whatever it takes to promote the music. You are in a band and it is going to be the next greatest thing. Be sure to shout it from the rooftops. Your talent and dedication will take care of the rest. And if you tell them, they will come…in droves.

How To Start A Band

This is the first in a series of posts on starting a band.

We’ve all been there --- visions of packed arenas fill our heads. We are onstage performing to thousands of screaming fans. We’re on a tour bus, travelling from city to city to play sold out concerts night after night. We are rock stars and life is good. Fortune and fame are ours all in the name of performing arts. Every Beatles has a beginning. Every Led Zeppelin started somewhere. Before you can headline Madison Square Garden, you have to practice your chops somewhere, with some other people. But how exactly do you get started? Where can you find like-minded people that are as dedicated and devoted as yourself? How do you get this dream off the ground? How in the world do you start a band?

Have Some Talent  

It helps if you start off with some talent. Whether that is the ability to shred an exceptional guitar solo, play a few chords, keep a steady beat on the drums, sing, or write lyrics. Talent is important to get you off of the ground. If you have zero talent, no one is going to want to perform with you no matter how passionate you are. There needs to be at least the basic understanding of how to play your instrument and/or how to read music. Courses are available for this, use them. Practice a lot. No one mastered their craft without a lot of practice. Practice leads to better talent and talent is important.

Tap Your Friends

Who better than to embark on a lifelong journey with than a friend? A lot of great bands started off as some friends getting together to jam. Use your friend network. Most likely some of them are into music and want to perform. Find out which ones and jam with them. See if you have the same talent level or the same taste in music. Get together and see what happens. You might just be starting a long future together.

Use Your Online Resources

Can’t find any musicians in your local friend base? Then it may be time to widen your search. There are endless resources online to help potential band members get together. Craigslist has a section that pairs prospective musicians together. Bandmix (www.bandmix.com) is another site that helps musicians find one another. They also have a message board forum. Who’s Doing (music.whosdoing.com) is an additional site that offers music lovers the chance to get together and form a band. Their slogan is “starting a band has never been easier” and they provide the opportunity to place ads and search ads so that musicians can find one another. In this day and age it has never been easier to find people with the same interests as yours.

Look For Established Musicians

There is nothing wrong with a bunch of amateurs getting together and making a run at becoming a band. However, the more established the team members are, the better your chances are of having long term success. There are a lot of bands out there missing that one key ingredient and they are searching for it. Ads are everywhere for a singer, guitarist, drummer wanted. Reply to the ads. Attend open mike jam nights at your local club. Visit the scene. And then see if the group is right for you. And if you think they are, approach them. Tell them that you want to jam with them. Tell them that you want to join forces with them. And then show them what you’ve got.

Be Passionate And Confident

Passion and confidence will take you a long way. You have to be confident in your ability. If you lack confidence, you will never be able to perform in front of a live audience. And you need to have passion. Passion will take you far. Passion is what gets you through periods of doubt and uncertainty. Passion is what keeps you going when it seems like nothing is coming together. Passion is the driving force behind all successful people. Without it, you may never get over the hurdles that will come your way.

Patience And Persistency

Like most great things in life, being part of a band is a journey. Enjoy the trip! Most likely, your band will not join together overnight. All great things take time. You must have the patience and persistency to see this journey through to the end if you really want it to happen. There will not be any instant gratification here. You may go through several band members/groups before you find one that is the perfect fit. And that could take months or even years. If you don’t have patience and persistence, you might give up after the first failed attempt to get a band going. Hang in there! Finding the perfect fit takes time.

Any dedicated music fan has had dreams of being in the next mega popular band. And those dreams can become a reality, but they have to start somewhere. Perhaps today is the first day of your journey, or maybe you are months into it. Stick with it. Given enough time and dedication, your band will be formed and touring in no time. Then it’s up to your group to see how far and wide you can spread your music. Starting the band is the easy part. Getting the band out in the public eye is an entirely different challenge.

How To Become A Band Manager

It’s not like you can just call up your favorite band and say “Hey! I want to be your manager!” Managing a band takes a lot of patience, hard work, ability, and drive. However, if you really have the passion for music but lack the talent of a gifted musician, a band manager may be just the job for you.

How does one go about becoming a band manger? Well, there are a lot of steps and the process is a long journey. Patience and perseverance are the two biggest assets that you need to possess. You’ll need a thick skin, exceptional negotiation skills, the power of persuasion, and a little luck. If you can handle all of that, a band manager may be an area of the industry where you can excel.

Start Local And Grow With A Band
The biggest challenge to becoming a band manager is knowing where to start. The big time acts already have successful managers, and even those that are looking for new managers aren’t going to hire someone with no experience. Like almost any career, you’ll most likely have to start at the bottom and work your way up, earning your reputation as you go along.

Visit your local clubs and see who is performing. Most of the bands on the local level don’t have representation and would be willing to work with someone who has little or no experience. They’d be happy to have someone else take over the responsibilities of contacting venues, working out payment arrangements, and finding the next gig. This gives the artist time to focus on what’s most important to them – creating music. If you find a band that you really believe in, approach them and ask if they are seeking management. It might land you your first client.

Know the industry/know the venues
Research is the key. If you really want to make it as a manager, you’ll need to do your homework. If you want to get your band at the right place/right time, you need to know a few people. Being a manager is about more than just being a fan of the band. You’ll need to be able to have good negotiation skills and you’ll need to know which key venues will give your band the proper exposure and the right price. Taking the time to know the clubs (both local and nationally) and whether your band is right for their audience is a huge investment in the future of the band.

Meet everyone you can in the industry
Getting your foot in the door at key venues is no easy feat. However, as a band manager, you will need to be able to do just this. One of the best ways is by meeting everyone you possibly can in the industry. A band manager has to have the gift of gab. If you are shy or reclusive, this is not the job for you. A good manager is talking about his/her band every chance he/she gets. A good manager is always promoting the band. This is a skill that should be ingrained in you. The more you talk about the band you are managing, the more opportunity you will have to meet the right people. Networking is extremely important in this business. Don’t expect to have your band open for Nickelback right away. It takes time to work them up through the ranks.

Good negotiation skills
If you can’t negotiate, then you must go home. You will only hurt yourself and the band by not negotiating. When starting out, bands will have to play clubs, dive bars, and seedy, out of the way, places to perform their music. Most likely they will be playing a lot of them, 4 to 5 times a week. A lot of these club owners want to pay the band as little as possible (some will pay nothing at all) to have them perform. As the manager, it’s your job to negotiate the best price with the owner, while negotiating with the band. Sometimes you may want the band to perform at a certain venue, pro bono, for the exposure. The band may not want to perform for no money. That is where strong negotiation skills and the power of persuasion come in. You must be able to talk the band into the exposure aspect of a free gig.

Excellent Program/Project Management Skills
Managing a band is like executing a complex project. The better your project management skills, the better chance the band you are managing has of becoming a huge success. Like any detailed project, there has to be a project plan in place. As the manager, you need to know all of the key component s of the project, map out a detailed timeline of how this plan will be executed, and effectively communicate this plan to the other members of the team (in this case, the band). Exceptional project management skills will go a long way to helping you as a band manager.

Execution
Once your project plan is in place and agreed upon then it is up to you as the manager to make sure the plan is executed. Timing is key and if the band is late for any gig or misses the bus, it can spell disaster for the entire tour. A good manager knows this and always has a contingency plan in place in case something should go wrong. Knowing your band members’ habits is crucial to your success. This helps the manager to anticipate any potential problems before they occur. As the band manager, you will need to execute the project plan as flawlessly as possible. It will be your responsibility to coordinate schedules, make sure the bus is on time, make sure the band arrives on schedule for their performances, and making sure that the band has what they need to be a success. Does that mean you will need to seek out their groupies or their booze for them? Absolutely not. A good band manager will do his/her best to keep those temptations away from the band and have them focus on what matters the most – their music.

Trust
This goes without saying, but trust is extremely important in any relationship. Nothing is more important than trust in a manager/performer relationship. If the band doesn’t trust their manager, then there are going to be complications every step of the way. The band needs to know that what their manager is doing is always in the best interest of the band. Stay in touch with what direction the band would like to go in. Know how these performers want to grow and know what it will take to have them grow in that direction. Trust is a very hard thing to earn, and unfortunately it is also the one thing that is very easy to lose. Always make sure that you are acting in the best interest of your client (the performers) and not in your own best interests. That is the easiest way to earn the band’s trust and to establish a strong bond with the band.

Communication
To be an effective manager, you need to be an exceptional communicator. You will be talking to club owners, record companies, the press, and countless other people. All of this information has to be run by the band, and effectively communicated to them. As the manager, you will also need to communicate what is expected of the band. Is there a photo shoot coming up? Do they need to be in the studio? What time is band practice? An exceptional band manager knows all of these things, and he/she is sure to communicate them to the band on a regular basis. The band should only have to worry about one thing, creating great music. Their manager gets to worry about everything else. The manager is the one who will have to handle all of the communications between the band and whoever is seeking their attention. Great communication and exceptional organizational skills are essential to this position.

The life of a band manager is not one of fame and glory. Not everyone is going to be Doc McGhee, and even he has his bad days. A manager’s life is one filled with stress, anguish, and anxiety. If you have exceptional management skills, excel at communications, and have an overall drive to a successful program execution, then a band manger could be the right position for you. If none of this sounds exciting to you, then stick with the guitar lessons and perhaps someone will be managing you someday.

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