| June 5, 2007 Our first Digital Press Conference and the Musicians’ Publicity BootCamp that Bob Baker and I presented (twice) last Saturday were big successes and we all had a great time. There is a summary of what happened at the Digital Press Conference below with photos at the bottom of this email (a wrap up of the BootCamp will be included in next months eZine). These fabulous events got me thinking about a critical component in the life of every successful artist: networking. Networking is hard for some people. I know many musicians who HATE networking, and they abhor the idea of selling themselves (this is why I have a job). However, as a musician without networking, you will not get very far at all. I’ll give you some tips to help alleviate the pain and get to your goal, which is more fans and therefore more sales of: CDs, downloads, tickets, and merch which equals MONEY. The basic elements of face-to-face networking are outlined here. So, Here We Go: NETWORKING 101 First of all, I am not saying that you should go and join a “networking group” (although Meetup.com is a great place to do that). I’m pointing out that simply leaving your house can be looked at as a networking opportunity. There Are 3 Reasons Why We Network - To find a direct target or a customer. For example, a fan who will buy tickets, music, or merch and support you.
- To gain a sphere of influence, and therefore a source for referrals (i.e. the people who like the people who know & support your band).
- A resource for you and your customers (yep- I’m calling fans customers).
When You Go Into Any Networking Situation: The biggest goal of networking is: Be memorable. How do you do that? Simple: The more that they talk, the more that you are remembered. After that, follow these ABC’s when you go to a party, wedding, or any social situation. Know what to ask for (I suggest an email address as something you can always ask for if you do not have a goal that day). Be a walking advertisement for your music and what you are up to in the world as a musician. Be a gatherer. This means when you are in any social situation, you should be gathering as much information as possible about each person: interesting tidbits about them, what they like, who they know, where they go, etc. TIP: For this don’t think about yourself! Think: How can I be helpful to this person that I am talking to? So, let go of your story and your pitch and let them talk all about themselves.
The Follow Up - After you get home and it's time to follow up, never send your marketing pitch or talk about your business in the first initial e-mail. Get people to respond to your follow up. Say something very simple without a pitch, like: Dear Leslie, It was nice to meet you. Weren’t those little pigs in blankets delicious? If they respond, then you can pitch them. So, remember, the first follow-up is always friendly and positive and not business-oriented! On First Contact When you meet someone, first ask a question about them. "What brought you here today? How did you meet the bride?" Get them talking. Never walk up to someone and say: “Hi, I'm David.” That makes it all about you. So, what you're basically saying there is, “Hi, it's all about me.” Let's proceed. Instead, you want to say something like: “So, Nancy, what do you do?” Or: “Are you having a good time?” Then, it's all about them. Business Cards 1. If you don’t have one and you are above the age of 18, GET A BUSINESS CARD NOW! You have no excuse – they are free. Go here and order one:
http://www.VistaPrint.com TIP: Put one sentence about your music (your PITCH) on your card and the instrument you play. A card with a “name and an address” is TOTALLY USELESS and unmemorable! Put a photo of yourself on the card or your band logo to add even more branding and recognition.
2. Don’t worry about giving out your card; focus on getting their cards. Never give your card out unless someone asks for it. If you give a card, you are selling (people hate selling). If some asks for your card, they are buying (people LOVE buying). Be A Shark In A Sea Of Tuna When networking, don't think about your industry. If you are trying to grow your business, always go to the places that are exactly opposite of your industry. So, as a musician, go and network with a bunch of other musicians if you are looking for more people to play with or to tap into a community of other musicians. However, this is probably not going to make you money. If you go to, say, a bridal convention and you meet a whole bunch of people that are planning weddings and you introduce yourself as a musician, you might get some really good gigs. Initial Follow-up On The Phone Something like: “Hey, Larry. Laura asked me to give you a call. This is Ariel.” Use only your first name. Never say, “Hi, my name is Ariel,” because then people will think of you as a stranger (you would never call your mom and say: “Hi, my name is Ariel.” It's too formal). So, just say: “I'm Ariel,” and then carry on with your conversation. Words Never To Say: Words that you should never, ever say are: “I'm just...” “I'm not looking to sell you anything...” “I'm not looking for connections...” Don’t use these to try to put them at ease because the person will immediately think the opposite. The brain doesn't register "I'm just..." When It Is Finally Your Turn To Talk: How To Position Yourself When they are finally engaged with you (after they have talked about themselves) and you are ready to make your pitch, talk about what other people say about you, instead of pitching yourself. Why? Because people always believe what other people say about you more than they believe you saying it about yourself! So, you could say something like: “People say my music sounds like Bob Dylan crossed with a touch of The Beatles.” OR “My voice gets compared to Annie Lennox.” That registers very, very well. In next month’s Sound Advice, I am going to discuss a critical element for success: How to Build Your Email List. Stay Tuned… -Ariel
Cyber PR Digital Press Conference Wrap-Up Delicious food, good wine, and great friends: The overwhelming success of the first ever Ariel Publicity Digital Press Conference, served as both the culmination of a year’s hard work in launching CyberPR and a sign of a promising future for the innovative firm. After a flood of interest, the venue was changed in an effort to accommodate more guests. The new location, Ariel’s parent’s beautiful and spacious apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, made for an evening that was equal parts joyous social gathering and serious press function. Rive Video, one of the most notable names in major label & independent music video promotion, served as event co-sponsor and took over Ariel’s childhood bedroom, creating an impromptu TV studio to host six hours worth of artist interviews for their assorted shows. Everyone’s favorite Internet radio personality, Jerry Bumpsky - with his Lennonesque son Patrick helping on the tech work - broadcasted the entire event live from a den that was transformed into a makeshift recording studio; going four and a half hours uninterrupted with fresh music, artist interviews, live impromptu performances, and the usual comedic banter that his fans love. Attendees were kept on their toes with Catherine and Nick from Question of the Week roaming the apartment in search of great response to this week’s inquiry (tune in to find out what the question was!) Dan Herman of Radio Crystal Blue, bounced from artist to artist with a small digital recorder. While some, such as Ajay Chandriani from Mixed Bag Sound System , Mark Petracca of Culture Catch Podcast and Thea Beemer from Brooklyn Radio, chose to put down the recording devices and keep it casual, preferring cordial conversations with the artists. DJ Copperhead from Next Big Hit Podcast booked several upcoming studio Given the unique location, journalists had to get creative in finding quiet areas; Curtis Waller, from MTV and Waller Worldwide, set up for video interviews in the kitchen, being forced into momentary pauses as more hors d'oeuvres were taken from the oven to feed hungry guests. At one point, even the bathroom was used for interview purposes, hip-hop artist Ill Phil actually delivered rhymes from the bathtub but that flow was kept brief to avoid an angry line. Several artists were in attendance including eight from Ariel’s Cyber PR: Darrin James, TRAEDONYA, edibleRed, Joe Deninzon of Stratospheerius, Leiana, Trystette, Kyle Lardner, and the lovely ladies of Lez Zepplin. Blood Red Sun and Emiko came along with several representatives of ISL Publicity who helped shuttle artists around to interviews. Additionally, the guys from Rive brought Telesma and hip-hop artist Ill Phil Carnage. For many, the six-hour digital press marathon was a first-time experience, and each artist took full advantage, bouncing around every press station for interviews, videos, photos, conversation, and so forth. With such a positive response from all participants, the event was a smashing success, prompting many more, as it may potentially become a quarterly occurrence. The next event, however, will likely be held in a larger venue as the firms network and client list continues to grow. Event Photos
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