Reprinted from Bob Baker's
Indie Music Promotion Blog
I'm not sure exactly what triggered it, but recently my mind started
popping with creative, off-the-wall ways to promote your music. So I
jotted down some notes and am sharing them with you in this article.
I'll let you determine whether these are truly "outrageous" ideas.
But one thing is for sure: They certainly aren't the traditional things
that most musicians think about when they do marketing.
Ready? Here we go ...
Outrageous Music Marketing Idea #1
Turn Yourself Into a Happy Meal
I definitely advocate that indie musicians *not* try to emulate the
same tactics as the major labels. However, there are times when you can
take one of their ideas (or an idea from a related entertainment
industry) and give it a small-scale spin.
You know how the major film studios promote their new animated
features by tying into fast food chain kid meals, such as the McDonald's
Happy Meal. Most likely, you won't be able to land a nationwide Happy
Meal deal. But you might be able to do something cool with a local deli
or restaurant.
I know a couple of radio disc jockeys in my town who have sandwiches
or special meals named after them at certain eateries. Why couldn't you
do that? Especially if you perform regularly at a particular coffee
shop, bar or restaurant.
For example, if your band is called Sweet Potato Sunrise, approach a
manager with the idea of offering a Sweet Potato Sunrise omelette, or a
Sweet Potato Sunrise latte, or a Sweet Potato Sunrise daiquiri?
You get the idea. The special name would get you exposure at the
establishment whenever it's open (hopefully, you're item will be listed
on the menu). Plus, you can use the unique promotional angle to get
mentions in the local press.
Outrageous Music Marketing Idea #2
Become an Instant Cult Classic
The success of the quirky film
Napoleon Dynamite has me
thinking. The movie itself is still growing on me, but I'm fascinated by
the buzz it has among people who really connect with it. Most of my
friends who rave about it have seen it numerous times and claim that the
more they see it, the more they appreciate and enjoy it.
What a nice position for a filmmaker to be in. Admittedly, a lot of
people don't like the movie and its flat characters at all. But those
who do appreciate the film like it a lot -- and preach about it to their
friends, memorize lines, encourage theatres to have midnight showings,
etc.
How can you tap into that? It's hard to manufacture cult status, but
here's an idea: What if your music CD came with an accompanying trivia
game? And what if the game tied directly into the theme, style and
lyrics of your music? The game instructions could be included in the CD
sleeve or delivered separately to everyone who bought one. Or, to make a
greater impact with the trivia game idea, you could package the CD in a
DVD case or even a small retail box.
To make this work, you'd have to come up with a cool, interactive
game idea and have a CD filled with interesting, funny or insightful
lyrics and music. But if you can get people examining the nuances of
your material and sharing notes with other people who are memorizing
your stuff, you might have some powerful buzz going for you.
Check out my blog at
MusicPromotionBlog.com for more outrageous ideas. But hopefully, these will get your wheels turning in the meantime.
About The Author:
Bob Baker is the author of "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook," "Unleash the Artist Within" and "Branding Yourself Online." He also publishes TheBuzzFactor.com, a web site and e-zine that deliver marketing tips, self-promotion ideas and other empowering messages to music people of all kinds. Get your FREE subscription to Bob's e-zine by visiting
TheBuzzFactor.com today.
