Selling Your Music Without Selling Yourself Short

Locally Famous

Selling Your Music Without Selling Yourself Short

We all know musicians that are so desparate to get their music heard that they will sell their soul for free just to be heard.  Many times it seems tempting when things are slow. Often as musicians we think if we haven't gotten a call or contact in a couple of days, the world has forgotten about us.  In many ways that theory is correct.  Musicians need to constantly have "things" out there to keep the audience and the public interested.  In advertising that is often called Top-of-the-mind Awareness. But it's important to remember to not get too caught up in being "visible".  Sometimes in our desparation to be seen we forget what kind of image we are presenting. 

In my case I am an Americana Blues Singer/songwriter.  I do a solo act with my guitar and put on about a 3 hour show.  I have played many places and I've learned which places I perform best and which places pay the best.  Venues come in all shapes and sizes. 

Some venues are small.

These places are quaint little coffee shops and pubs and bookstores that want to have live music to bring in customers but they have very little money to pay.  These place are fabulous for new songwriters or musicians looking for an opportunity to perform in public, but you can't make a living on it unless you live with your parents and eat a strict diet of Mac-N-Cheese and Ramen Noodles. 

Mid-sized Venues

Most of us find ourselves in this category.  We play for larger pubs, restaurants, popular bars and taverns, chain stores, small festivals and private parties. The pay is okay but you find yourself, working alot to do it full time or take on a part-time job to make it go. The best way to do well at this level is to get to know the owners of these places and hand out lots of business cards.  If you're good, you can stay very busy.

Large Venues

If you're lucky enough to be playing large venues then you are both very busy and very tired.  Playing big venues is alot of work.  Many musicians at this leve have not acquired a team of roadies to do the work, they just pitch in and get it done.  For big venues, you'll need big equipment and more people to run it.  There will be more expenses to go along with the higher rate of pay for performance.       

Ugly Trends in Music 

In my opinion, there are some very undesirable trends in music today.  One of those are Pay-to-play venues.  How desperate are we as musicians that we should have to pay someone for us to share our gifts on stage?  There are many ways to create opportunities to play for big audiences without having to pay to play.  You could take that same money that you use to pay to play, get with other musicians and create your own Summer music festival at a public park.  It may take some work in the beginning but in the end you have something to show for it.  Another, is playing for free.  I realize that when you are just startingout it is very tempting to just say, Ok, we'll do it for free!  But my suggestion is to work out a deal for some kind of valued exchange.  Your music has a value, and your hard work should be compensated for two reasons: First, because you deserve it.  You've worked hard and should be compensated even if its in exchange for free food and drinks.  Second because business owners need to realize that the service you offer has a value.  And they will not see that value if you continue to play for free.  In music there are always more ugly trends. If you have some other ugly trends you'd like to tell me about, send them to me at songwriterscottwilcox@gmail.com.  I might even include it in my next blog! 

Rock On!             

    

Locally Famous - The Press Release - When to Release it?

To some, the press release may seem like a no-brainer, but to others it always seems to be an afterthought. Before learning how to write a good press release you have to first know when to write one! Many musicians are so busy performing, practicing and recording that they forget how important it is to let your fans know what you are doing. Believe it or not, your fans want to be a part of your process. They want to know what you are doing, when you are doing it and why. Many times these things can be communicated over social media like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc. But you cannot forget the traditional media as well. When you record a new CD, write a press release. When you launch that new CD, write a press release. When you open for a bigger named band, write a press release. If you appear on TV, Radio, newspaper interview, Webcasts, or any other media exposure, write a press release.

Each time you do, you connect a little bit more with your community. Old Martha Smith down the street may not listen to your music, but when she reads about you in the paper, she will say, "Hey, I know that boy!" and tell everyone she knows. Many of those people will either be fans of yours already or become potential new fans. Keeping your name in the local paper regularly is a great way to create a popular "home base". Why do you want to create a home base? Because, like it or not, your hometown is part of your story and your fans will want to know about it. By creating a popular place to start from, it will give more credibility to the places you will eventually go.

TV and Radio are a little more difficult but not impossible. When you release your new CD, call the News director of the local station, tell them about the new release and ask them if you can play a song live on the air. Many times they will say yes, because it will be something about the local area that people can be proud of. Radio is the same way, some commercial stations will allow you to play a song or two on their station to launch a new CD or announce a big gig. The important thing is to look at what you are doing and find a way to spin it so it is "news worthy". Your CD launch, Big performance, TV appearance has to be presented in a way that it seems the entire community could benefit from knowing about it.

You will not get every news director or reporter to take you seriously. Sometimes there is just too much other news for you to fit in. But eventually you will succeed because on a slow news day, even the most popular shows and newspapers need places to fill. Good luck and do get discouraged, Rome wasn't built in a day. Persistence can be your most valuable tool in the media world.

If you like my blog, I would love it if you could send it to more musicians you know. Heck, send it to Martha Smith, she'll tell everyone about it! If you would like to know more about Scott Wilcox, check out my website at www.bearcreekrecording.com

Market your music, with little or no money? Its possible!

Locally Famous (Widely Unknown)

Market With No Money! ~ Yes, it is possible!

My name is Scott Wilcox. I am a singer/songwriter from Wisconsin that just happens to have many other talents in marketing and advertising. This first blog is just an opportunity to introduce myself and tell you my goals for this blog.

I have been writing music since the age of 12. As far back as I can remember, when anyone asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I gave them the same answer: A Rock Star! Usually it was followed by the famous "Rock Star" hand sign. My mother says that I'd been making up songs since the age of three, words music everything; I just had no way of writing it down (Give me a break, I was three). I played drums by the age of seven and by 12, I had written down my first song and learned to play piano by ear. As you read my blogs you'll notice that my gift is in music and marketing and not punctuation, so I'm apologizing ahead of time.

I spent the past 30 years going to college, working in two careers (marketing and education), before turning 43 and realizing my dream of being a rock star was slowly fading away. I am now 44, have three beautiful children and I'm not ashamed to say it, overweight. Not your typical "Rock Star". But as I've matured, so has my music and my writing style. My music is Americana and blues with a strong sense of passionate storytelling. But I am not here to talk about my music, I am here to talk about my success in music even though I am a 44 year old, overweight father of three living in a small town in Wisconsin.

In the past year and a half I have experienced success in music that I had never dreamed possible, and the best part is, I'm only just getting started! Let me start from the beginning...

I used to be a special education teacher at a small school in Southwestern Wisconsin. I loved teaching kids with disabilities because I loved to see "potential" blossom. It’s sad to say that many of these kids are written off before they are even given a chance to shine. But that's not how I roll! I was a passionate teacher and I encouraged my students to question authority, even me! I challenged them to demand an education and not expect it to come to them. I expected them to work hard and reap the rewards. Needless to say, this kind of passion was admired by some and hated by others. Change, especially in small town Wisconsin, is often a bitter pill. 
Towards the end of my 5^th year in teaching I gave a discussion about the word “hypocrite” and what it meant.  The glazed over eyes of my students told me they were not listening but I finished my explanation and moved onto a more exciting topic. Later that day a student came to me (who was labeled with a behavioral disability) and said something I have never forgotten.  He said, “Mr. Wilcox, I think you’re the greatest teacher in this school, but I think you’re a hypocrite.”  I chuckled out of surprise and said, “What? Why am I a hypocrite?” The student explained, “Well, for the past five years you tell us everyday that we all have gifts and that we were meant to use them. You say that we are supposed to follow our dreams and never lose sight of our goal.” I said, “Okay…” He continued, “And here you are, with all this amazing musical talent, 150 songs and an amazing voice, but all you do is talk about the things you would like to do. All you do is stay here and teach us! Isn’t that the definition of a hypocrite?”  With all my years of schooling, the student had become the teacher.  I answered, “Yep.”

I suppose I could have said, “I’m giving you the tools to follow your dreams”, but that would still mean I was a hypocrite. So I talked it over with the students and did not renew my contract at the end of the year.  I got a part time job and began to make CD’s, three of them in a year to be exact. In the past year, I have produced three CD’s designed them myself, had them duplicated and sold them on my own with the help of all the tools I will be sharing with you in future blogs.  I appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Lifeclass Show as a guest. I won the Bob Dylan Songwriting Competition. I have qualified for the Big Top Chautauqua Songwriting Competition in august.  I have appeared on TV Radio and Newspaper hundreds of times. By no means am I a rock star, but I have learned many marketing strategies that not only work; they are free.  And all you have to do is read my blog.  

I can help you: 

·         Learn ways to create an effective website.

·         Find free or low cost resources to help you market your music.

·         Get more hits on your website.

·         Use your Facebook and other social media tools to market yourself.

·         Create free email newsletters to fans.

·         Write press releases that get media attention.

·         Find low cost ways to record demos

·         Find low cost ways to record and master your projects

·         Realize your dream! 

By no means am I the answer to all your marketing prayers.  Marketing takes time and patience. I can show you how to take that passion for your music ask questions and challenge industry norms. I’ll show you how to take control of your image and find direction. I will expect you work hard, set goals for yourself and take time to reap the rewards. Heck, In no time, you too, might be Locally Famous!