Almost every artist who approaches me has had one or more negative experiences with music promotion in the past, and this is largely due to the “quick fix syndrome” on behalf of both individuals who engage in the partnership. First of all, there are the automated music marketing services who I tend to call the internet cowboys. They offer progress and lavish promises at the push of a button. Facebook likes? You got it. Youtube views? Not a problem. Get your press release on the desk of thousands of journalists? We do that too.
The artists who tango with these folks also suffer from the quick fix syndrome. Rather than build a team of people and gain fans organically one by one, they aim for the mountaintop, neglecting to do the proper research or seek out the proof that Google can provide.
So what are some common “warning signs” when researching music promotion type services and companies that artists should be aware of? Well, these are not hard and fast rules for every situation, but they are serious things to keep an eye on.
1) Do they have a “buy now” button, meaning they accept everyone?
Not good (unless it’s a service such as bio writing of course). This almost always means that their audience ignores their outreach. If there is no filtering whatsoever, it’s a virtual guarantee that the output is unprofessional. No quality control tends to mean no results. The service essentially has a welcoming face with no brain function.
2) Do they offer something called “email blasts”?
Same thing. Usually a sign you should run for the hills, ESPECIALLY if these email blasts come with promises along the lines of sending you to X amount of newspapers, magazines, journalists and music blogs. Find me a single story in a major publication that …read more
Source: Music Think Tank
