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6 of the Biggest Mistakes when Promoting Your Own Product..
1. Not understanding how the industry works.
2. Not having enough budget
3. Thinking that you can do it yourself without knowing anyone in the industry.
4. Sending out poorly constructed packages
5. Hiring the wrong people to do independent promotion
6. Poor planning
For more information or to book ads contact Kevin Ross kevin@blastadvantage.com
Biggest Mistakes Promoting to Radio and Music Industry.
Are you ready to MAKE MONEY OR WASTE MONEY? Welcome to Radio Facts Boot Camp, this is a way for you to learn firsthand the tips and tricks of how the industry works. Spend a little save a lot.
Radio Facts is the most read and most respected radio and music industry blog. We know that we are the best suited to help you promote your product both online and off and we have the BEST team of independent promoters ready to get radio on your product but we see a lot of major mistakes and we are approached daily about ways to avoid getting ripped off in the industry. We want your experience in the music industry to be a win/win. So we finally post some of the most frequent questions we get when it comes to the "Biggest Mistakes Promoting to Radio and Music Industry." Be prepared to get the most for your money because we stand behind what we do and say. We invite all the major as well as independent artist and labels who read Radio Facts to pass this link around to the music community and anyone promoting their product to the industry. Our services are not free but we will provide you with an HONEST opinion of your product so that you can get the exposure you deserve. We will offer you a one hour consultation that can literally save you thousands of dollars but first here is the list of the most common errors made in the industry. You will not see this list from any other industry site. You can contact us about this here staff@radiofacts.com after you read this list if you need more help. Here are the RADIO FACTS BOOTCAMP: Avoid the Biggest Mistakes Promoting to Radio and Music Industry. Click numbered tabs or "next" tabs (above or below) for the entire tips.
Biggest Mistakes Promoting to Radio and Music Industry
Politics
There are a few GREAT independent music promoters in the music industry and we know them all. Unfortunately, we know the bad ones too and many artist's projects get caught up in the politics of the industry which is the biggest reason many fail. In today's industry climate, getting your records played is NOT enough. You also need proper industry exposure. The promoter may be effective but his methods of promoting could be wasting your money. Here's the scenario... the person hires an independent promoter who in turn "hooks up" his friends by taking a part of the budget and doing advertising in non effective under read antiquated industry sites. These sites often have very low (if any) rankings to support their readership and the artist or small label is often misled into believing the site is the "top industry site that is most read by the decision makers" and it's a lie. Ask the promoter to provide you with stats on visits, hits and impressions for the site he's going to advertise your product on BEFORE you spend that money and see what you get. Make sure the information is legitimate (Google Analytics, Google Webmaster, Alexa, Quantcast). Radio Facts will provide you with our numbers and give you links to double check. For example, this month, we have had 2.5 million impressions, that means your ad can be seen that many times this month.
Biggest Mistakes Promoting to Radio and Music Industry
Hiring the Wrong Independent Promoters to Promote Your Product
While there are some independent promoters who are great at what they do, there are others who don't give a shit about your product and are just in it to take your money (we will provide you with a list of our top industry pics for the best promoters for a small consulting fee). After they give you a great presentation, get your money, promote your product on under performing industry sites, if at all, you get little or no traction.
Biggest Mistakes Promoting to Radio and Music Industry
Not Asking Around
The artist or small label may not know how to promote their product so they go by a recommendation and they don't do any further checking because they don't know. We invite those people to contact Radio Facts for a small consulting fee for a LIST of the top promoters.
Biggest Mistakes Promoting to Radio and Music Industry
Does the promoter understand PROPER internet Promotion?
Most promoters don't know about the internet but YOU should. If not, this can completely stall and kill a project. Ask questions like: How many hits does the site get (that the promoter is advertising your product on) a day? What are the impressions? Can you tell me what programmers read the site in the past week? The promoter should also be savvy in getting your song on popular music sites like itunes and links to buy your song, your twitter address and Facebook address should be attached to any and all of your ads.
Biggest Mistakes Promoting to Radio and Music Industry
Don't Believe the Hype
The music and radio industry is a promotions business. Watch out for over-the-top presentations, they are warning signs of bullshit. Contact us for a list of the top industry promoters..
Biggest Mistakes Promoting to Radio and Music Industry
Use Radio Facts as a Reference FIRST
We can and will answer your questions and point you in the right direction.
Biggest Mistakes Promoting to Radio and Music Industry
Understand Your Budget
How much do you have to spend and what do you expect from it. Realistically, if you don't have at least $5000.00 for a budget, your music will most likely not get promoted.
Biggest Mistakes Promoting to Radio and Music Industry
Promote the product yourself?
This can be done but you MUST be sure you are working with a FULL SERVICE company like Radio Facts. We not only can provide you with the numbers that make this site Number 1, we can direct you to the right people to do your radio promotion. Don't ever try to promote the product on your own if people in the industry don't know you, they won't deal with you.
Biggest Mistakes Promoting to Radio and Music Industry
Promoter not connected to today's industry
One promoter asked us what we thought of a rap record that he was charging the client for and promoting. The song sucked but even worse is was dated every other word was "nigga" and "bitch" and it sounded like something from 1996. The promoter was clueless and wanted us to help him promote it and we declined the project and the ad. However most other companies will take the money and not say a word. Part of that is YOUR fault, you can ask your teenaged son or next door neighbor for FREE what they think of the song and they will be very honest with you for the most part.
Biggest Mistakes Promoting to Radio and Music Industry
Finally...Questions You are Not Asking
- Can you provide me with a radio program director reference?
- Is this station in a medium or major market (This is usually privileged information but a true industry source can provide it for you)
- What kind of online advertising can you do for my brand/product?
- What is the name of the site that you will do my marketing on?
- Can you provide me with the site's rankings, visits, hit/impressions? (if they can't you are wasting your money, when they give it to you the site should be ranked below 500,000 on Alexa, if it's above that you will get limited coverage.
- Do you promote to consumers? (does the site promote to consumers? Most industry sites, besides Radio Facts, don't.
- What was the last record you promoted? If it was MC Hammer, hang up the phone.