You’ve finished your best album yet. You’re excited to get your CDs or vinyl back from the manufacturer. You book an album release party. You tell all your fans about the new recording and your upcoming concert. You pack the house, put on an unforgettable show, and sell a bunch of merchandise. Good for you.
But wait, is that it? What about trying to get press? What about preparing promo materials to support your new album? What about promoting your music beyond your existing fanbase? What about a… [get ready for some business lingo]… “promotional campaign?”
The #1 mistake musicians make when promoting their newest album or single is to wait until the music is available before trying to promote it.
The day your album goes live on iTunes or CD Baby is NOT the time to start thinking about music promotion. By then it’s too late, especially because in the eyes of the music media (who thrive on newness), a launched album is old news. Bloggers, critics, podcasters, journalists, TV and radio producers, program directors, DJs — they want the first taste, the early scoop. They want to break the news, not simply report it. They want to be setting the trends, not simply abreast of them. In order to do that, they need to know about your music well in advance of its release.
Early promotion isn’t just about getting advance reviews, press coverage, and radio play though; it’s about widening your fanbase — and oftentimes that begins with engaging your existing fans. You want to give them enough time to anticipate your release, hear a single or two from the album, and share the music with their friends. You want them to be galvanized so they’ll purchase your music as soon as it’s available (or even a pre-order through iTunes or …read more
Source: The DIY Musician
