Z180 Radio Offers The Chance To Win Free Marketing

Z180Radio is offering the chance to win free marketing on their website. Here's the text from the site which can also be viewed HERE:

Z180Radio wanted to grant Independents labels and artists the opportunity to win free marketing for their project to use anytime in 2012. We believe in Independents and this is our way to show that it's just not words. The rules are simple! Tweet the phrase below as many times as you can between 4/11/2012 and 4/25/2012 and post on your Face Book only once to win one of the packages below. This contest ends on 4/26. The more you tweet, the greater it increases your chance to win the Indie Free Package!

I am an Indie Artist & @Z180Radio.com is giving me an chance to win a month of free marketing! http://ow.ly/adKLJ #INDIE FREE

Two Choices of Indie Free Packages!

Option #1

• One Month Banner
• Two Eblasts
• One Week Twitter Campaign

Option #2

• Mix Tape Campaign
• One Month Front Page Placement
• Two Eblasts
• One Week Twitter Campaign

When Is It Time For A Booking Agent?

David Breen, owner of 25 Artist Agency, which represents Chris August, Laura Story, Natalie Grant, Robbie Seay Band and Point of Grace, just to name a few; sits down with CCM Indie to talk booking. How can an artist best represent themselves to a potential agent? At what point in an artists' career does it make sense to hire an agent? What impresses as an agent most?

Indie Artist Promo Tip #80

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #80
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Broadcast any and all media coverage to your fan base. Include it in e-mail, use it in blogs and on social networks. Always double-check to make sure you're allowed to redistribute the content, though.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #79

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #79
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Let the fans in on top secret news and content. People like to feel special.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #78

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #78
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

When booking shows, always seek venues to suit your needs. If your average crowd is 100 people, don’t book a 500 seat venue. Always seek to pack the house! Doing so will ensure the venue will be excited to have you back on your next tour. Develop a reputation for selling out shows. Doing so will take you far!

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #77

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #77
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Make sure to have a focused, disciplined approach when booking shows. For those new to the game, start locally and then spiral outward from there. If you’re not hot in your home town, it’s unlikely you’ll be hot where potential fans are even less likely to know who you are. Once you’ve reached a saturation point in your own town, start booking shows in bordering towns. Always seek to line up shows in an organized fashion to prevent excess travel from show to show.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

We Want Your Feedback: Tips & Tricks For Booking A Show

We want you to get involved in the "We Are Indie" Christian Music Community.

We want this site to become a place where discussion takes place regarding what works and what doesn't work in regards to marketing and promoting your music. So we're opening the floor to our readers.




QUESTION: What are some of the tips you've discovered as an independent regarding booking shows?

Here are some topics to get you started:

• How do you go about the process?
• How often do you visit the same region?
• Do you find that leaving a certain amount of time between visits increases or decreases attendance?
• Have you found certain approaches related to booking shows that work better than others?
• If there's one key point you would want to share with anyone new to booking shows, what would it be?

We want you involved in the community. United, we stand. United, we can change the world!

The floor is yours. Please share your thoughts!

Is The "Pay Want You Want" Pricing Model Profitable?

The following is an excerpt from a guest post on Hypebot by Brian Hazard of Passive Promotion:

Lady Gaga shot to the top of the sales charts upon the release of her last album, in part because it was deeply discounted on Amazon. Radiohead pioneered the "pay what you want" approach, with most downloaders opting to pay nothing at all. Last week I asked my fans which pricing model they prefer, and received dozens of enlightening and thoughtful answers. The discussion continues, but as you've already deduced from the title of this article, I've made my decision.

I tried both approaches over the past two months, with two full-length rarities sets. Both consist of material already released on USB key, so the audience is relatively limited. I sold the first set for $5 with a discount code, and made the second set name-your-price. The latter features more recent recordings, and is clearly the superior release, so there's little point in comparing sales numbers directly.

Name-your-price certainly has a lot going for it:

• It provides a legal alternative to piracy
• It generates far more downloads, which can boost your mailing list if you require an email address
• Anyone can "own" your album, even in countries with weak economies or rampant piracy (a decent percentage of my downloads were from Russia)
• People are more likely to share a link to a "free" download with their friends
• Potential fans can download first, and decide if they like it later

 But in my opinion, those pros don't offset the cons:

• "You get what you pay for" is a deeply embedded mental shortcut that holds true in most cases. By that maxim, free music is worthless. Yet when we pay for something, we've already at some level decided we're going to like it. Which perception do you want to reinforce?
• It means less money per download. A lot less. I averaged $2, with 70% of downloaders opting to pay nothing.
• It forces every fan to tell you what your music is worth to them.

Read the rest of the article on Hypebot!

Indie Artist Promo Tip #76

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #76
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Seek to be extraordinary. When performing live, seek to command the attention of those in attendance. What would you want to see from an artist/band from your genre? Identify what makes similar artists exceptional and seek to reproduce and expand upon what they do right.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Seth Godin & Ariel Hyatt Discuss The Music Industry, Part 2

On March 8th, we posted an article summarizing the first part of a discussion between legendary marketing mastermind Seth Godin and Ariel Hyatt of Ariel Publicity.

In this 2nd edition, Seth and Ariel continue delving into the challenges and incredible opportunities available to independent musicians in the New Music Industry.

Some of the best Seth Godin quotes from the discussion include:

•  "There has never ever, ever been a better time to be an independent artist than right now...EVER!"
• "The internet is a microphone. Use it."
• "The death of the publisher is the boon to the writer."
• "The internet is radio, but without having to bribe the programer."
• "The internet is radio for ideas...including music."
• "The problem is not piracy. The problem is obscurity."
• On the topic of giving away free music: "I want everyone to know my song because, if everyone knows my song my heart will be happy, because that's why I made the song; and my pocket will be happy because, if everyone knows my song, someone's going to show up and say "come do a live gig." Someone's going to show up and say "please sign this guitar." Someone's going to show up and say "please endorse this brand of mouthwash."

For further reading from Seth on similar topics:

• Demolishing The Argument That Abundance Causes Scarcity 
• First, Ten

Indie Artist Promo Tip #75

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #75
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Always have some sort of forum on your website. You can start with a guestbook, message board or Facebook Fan Page and go from there.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Navigating The New Facebook Timeline

From the "cover image" to "pinning" a post, there are a lot of new features with Facebook Timeline that can help you promote your music career. If you're brand new to Facebook and the new Timeline setup, this video will give you a good introduction.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #74

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #74
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Focus on the creation of a community rather than increasing email sign-ups and amassing followers. Once a community becomes energized behind you it will radiate out from the center and bring new fans into the fold.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #73

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #73
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Let’s face it. Fans love to get involved with their favorite artists. Let fans contribute in every way possible through crowdsourcing. Partnering with your fan base is key in creating a feeling of community.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #72

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #72
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Community has always been an essential part of music and, because of the internet, communities have evolved from merely geographic to psychographic, meaning that its no longer location that defines a community but, rather, values and interests. Harnessing the power of community is essential in organically increasing your fan base.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Publicity Crash Course For Dummies (And Indie Musicians)

Hypebot recently featured an interesting article entitled the "l0 Top Tips For Contacting Music Websites" written by Andy Parker of Electric Banana.

In it he basically lays out a crash course on how to conduct your own public relations. The key topics covered are:

1. Local and National Music Blogs and Websites
2. Research the Website
3. Include Mentions of the Website You Are Contacting
4. Introduce Yourself
5. Links
6. Reviews
7. Short and Snappy
8. Attach a Photo
9. Spreadsheet
10. Follow-up Emails

For those of you looking to get some attention from local, regional and/or national media, this is a great rundown on the in's and out's of presenting your material.

Read the article HERE!

Indie Artist Promo Tip #71

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #71
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

How do your fans share information about you or your band with others? Ask your top 50 fans and use that information to create tools for them to get involved.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #70

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #70
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Fans love to proselytize on behalf of music they love. Make certain you have “share” buttons tied into your online presence so fans can easily Tweet, Digg and share on Facebook.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #69

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #69
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Share online and print media about you as soon as it’s available. Send out e-mail updates, post to your blog and social networks. Of course, only do so if you have permission to share the content.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Enter To Win $5,000 & The Chance To Be Mentored By Top Industry Professionals

Deadline To Enter Extended Until April 11th

Unsigned Only is a unique new international music competition designed for solo artists, bands, and singers who are not signed to a major label record company or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, or imprints. Unsigned Only is looking for outstanding, talented artists: a band, singer, or solo artist...a newcomer or veteran...raw or polished - the "gem" that needs to be discovered. Unsigned Only is looking for the total package.

Conceived of and produced by the same team who brings you the prestigious International Songwriting Competition (ISC), Unsigned Only is a brand new music competition and is completely separate and different from ISC (it is NOT part of the Unsigned Only category of ISC).

Unsigned Only is a fresh and novel approach to other music competitions. Yes, it offers great prizes, recognition, exposure, and the chance to be heard by a judging panel of high-profile recording artists and industry professionals. But, Unsigned Only takes it a step further and for the first time ever, a music competition offers the Grand Prize winner the once-in-a-lifetime chance to be mentored by and directly network with the top echelon of record company professionals and get guidance, advice, feedback, and networking opportunities.

Categories include: AAA (Adult Album Alternative; AC (Adult Contemporary); Christian; Country; Folk/Singer-Songwriter; R&B/Hip-Hop; Rock; Pop/Top 40; and Vocal Performance.

Judging Criteria: originality, songwriting, vocals, performance, and overall likeability.

All entries must be original music except for the Vocal Performance category which accepts original or cover songs. Judging criteria in the Vocal Performance category will be based solely on the quality of the vocals. So, if you're an artist and you don't write your own songs - or if you do write your own songs and want to show off your singing - this is the category for you.

Judges include: Cyndi Lauper; Kenny Rogers; Angie Stone; 3 Doors Down; Jeremy Camp; Charlie Daniels; Manchester Orchestra; Craig Morgan; Robert Smith (The Cure); Kelly Clarkson; Musiq Soulchild; Aaron Shust; Steve Lillywhite (Producer); G. Love; Matt and Kim; St. Vincent; The Mountain Goats; Josh Jackson (Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief, Paste Magazine); Scott Lapatine (Founder/Editor-In-Chief, Stereogum); Lorraine Ali (Pop Music Editor, Los Angeles Times); and more to be announced.

Mentors include a group of high-profile record company executives, including Monte Lipman (President of Universal Republic); Pete Ganbarg (Executive Vice President/Head of A&R, Atlantic Records); David Wolter (Senior VP of A&R, RCA Records); Kim Stephens (President, Forward Entertainment and A&R/Capitol Music Group); Trevor Jerideau (VP of A&R, RCA Records); David Wilkes (VP of A&R, eOne Music); Pete Giberga (Head of A&R, Razor & Tie Records); Jason Geter (President, Grand Hustle Records); and Jason McArthur (VP A&R, Provident Label Group).

Indie Artist Promo Tip #68

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #68
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Tip fans off regarding exclusive, “top secret” news before you go public with it. The goal is to make your avid fans feel special and part of something exclusive. They will want to spread their inside knowledge and be the first to let the cat out of the bag.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Seth Godin & Ariel Hyatt Discuss The Music Industry, Part 1

Legendary Seth Godin, author of best-selling books like Tribes, Permission Marketing and Linchpin, joins Ariel Hyatt for a discussion on the state of the music industry and how to approach a career in the New Music Industry.

The paradigm has shifted from that of selling music to selling the "experience" of music. Many of the most successful up-and-coming acts are realizing that the vast percentage of their livelihood will be derived from live shows rather then retail sales.

It becomes increasingly clear that the goal or every musician going forward should now be to lead a group of fans (tribe) who want to be taken somewhere and who want to hang out with other fans. Social media is, in effect, expanding outward.

The model of The Grateful Dead and Phish can be held up as prime examples of how bands can develop a dedicated fan base which will follow them to the ends of the earth just to participate in the "experience." In the Christian world, the spirit of this model is exemplified through artists like Hillsong. From personal experience, I can say that their live performances are something beyond mere performance and create an opportunity for the attendee to experience God on a whole different plane. For that very reason, fans of the group will drive hours to attend a concert or conference.



Or view the interview HERE!

Indie Artist Promo Tip #67

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #67
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Develop and lead your tribe. Fans want to know who you are and what you’re about.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #66

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #66
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Post an individual fan message on your site every day, week or month depending upon how many messages you are receiving.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #65

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #65
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Update, update, update! Make sure you update your social media pages each and every day. A page will only draw interest if there’s a constant flow on new content to consume.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #64

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #64
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Ask fans to create their own mixes of your music and feature it at your shows and on YouTube. Fans want to be part of the story! Provide beats and other raw musical elements from the original recording to make it easy for them. Ask them to share their creations with you and other fans by posting to YouTube and your official site.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #63

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #63
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Encourage fans to set up fan websites, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and YouTube channels featuring news and other content about the band. Provide the tools and let them run with it!

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #62

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #62
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Post a “fan kit” (press kit) on your website containing a bio, press clippings, promotional and cover images, and other content which will provide the necessary tools for fans to blog about your music.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Marketing Lessons From Pomplamoose

Having heard about the growing success of the band Pomplamoose many times now, I decided to check them out and listen to their music/interviews and watch some of their videos to get a feel for who they were-both as artists, and see what we could learn from this independent band who have carved out a living with STRICTLY their MUSIC, using a 99% web-based business model.

Listening to them in the first interview with Tech Crunch’s Andrew Keen, Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn answered several very basic questions, of which, although the interview could have been hosted better to get down to some more insightful questions, the resulting insight I continue to find the more I learn about this powerhouse duo remains consistent with the very simple mantra this band has so very successfully modeled for us as independent musicians in our brave new music business.

Pomplamoose, who have now turned down all of the “big three” major labels – are in fact making enough money to live in a fully paid for house, primarily off iTunes revenue, and don’t see the need OR the strategic advantage to sign with a major record label.

The bottom line is that Record labels today - are more like general contractors...

Read the rest of the article on MusicThinkTank!

Indie Artist Promo Tip #61

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #61
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Ask fans to contribute to your blog. This makes the band more relatable and accessible to the casual fan.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #60

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #60
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Ask fans to send in stories related to your music stating why they love it. Offer a prize to the best entry.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #59

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #59
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

When blogging, use images, video and audio. Audio and visuals go a long way in garnering interest from the casual fan.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #58

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #58
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Get the fans involved! Create a newsletter featuring fan-made content.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #57

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #57
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Set up roundtable interviews, chats with friends, and fan Q&A sessions and record them all on video. You can share each bit or edit into a full-length video to sell of share.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #56

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #56
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

If you tour extensively, create a documentary of your tour which you can sell to or share with your fans. Always have a video cam at hand to record content. You never know when that golden moment will present itself and you don’t want to miss capturing it on video. You can even blog a roving report and interview concert-goers.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #55

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #55
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Promote upcoming events with pre-event “tasters” such as video clips, webcasts and interviews. Hype the show and let the fans know you’re looking forward to playing for and meeting them.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #54

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #54
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Start a blog and use as much video content as possible. Most people would rather watch a video than read an article any day.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #53

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #53
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Ask the soundman to make a board recording of your shows and share them with fans who attended the show. It will become their own personal keepsake for the event and something they can cherish for days to come.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.

Indie Artist Promo Tip #52

Indie Artist Promotional Tip #52
From We Are Indie Christian & CLG Distribution:

Share audio outtakes or non-album tracks with your fans and ask them to blast it out to everyone they know.

To learn more about distribution, please visit CLGDistribution.com.