• Interviews

    Ajax Garcia on Proactive PR

    Do you know what I love about The Napoleon Blownaparts‘ frontman, Ajax Garcia? He knows how to take action when it comes to artist PR. He doesn’t simply follow the crowds… he leads them. Indie bands across the globe make an incredibly common mistake when promoting their music – they do what everyone else does. Is it going to hurt…

  • Music Promotion

    How to Write a Press Release for Your Band

    At some point during your career as an indie band, it’s likely that you’ll need to learn how to write a press release. A press release can be used to improve your media relations, by sending newsworthy information about your music to newspapers, TV, and radio stations. The idea is to only send a press release when something is truly…

  • Music Promotion

    Does Your Band Have an Elevator Speech?

    Most business owners have what’s known as an “elevator speech.” Does your band have one? You should! So what’s an elevator speech anyway? Definition: An elevator speech is a very short and concise description of who you are and what you do, which you should be able to convey to a total stranger in the time it takes to ride…

  • Music Promotion

    Is Your Band Newsworthy?

    If you’re a musician, chances are you’d jump at the opportunity for some good press. But how do you get it? How can you convince newspapers, radio stations, magazines, or other media outlets to not only feature you, but even so much as mention your name? That’s easy: just make yourself newsworthy! Most media outlets aren’t interested in running a…

  • Music Promotion

    Designing the “Perfect” Press Kit

    The “perfect” press kit can get your gigs, radio airplay, media mentions and more! But what makes a “perfect” press kit? Here are the basic dos and don’ts for making your kit the best it can be: DO make your kit adaptable. The kit you send to the local clubs’ booking agents may not be the same kit you should…

  • Music Promotion

    Ten Band Publicity Tips

    1. Create a great website. Make sure your band’s website is easy to navigate. Include a collective band biography, and information on each band member. Include plenty of mp3 samples, and video clips if you have them. Add links to, or copies of, any press quotes or reviews. Exchange links with music-related businesses and other bands, to help build traffic…

  • Music Promotion

    The Music Promotion Master List

    Not sure how to promote your band or new music? Here’s a quick-and-dirty list of 30 music promotion tips that you can start implementing right now: 1. Create a great website. 2. Design a professional press kit. 3. Network to build your contacts. 4. Create a mailing list. 5. Form a street team. 6. Sign up with mp3 websites and…

  • Music Promotion

    Dos and Don’ts for Writing Your Band’s Bio

    Here are a few dos and don’ts for writing the always-important band bio to include in your press kit. Don’t underestimate the value of a well-written bio. I’ve seen unsigned bands write brilliant bios, and label bands who make themselves look like a bunch of morons. Your bio is your chance at a good first impression when someone receives your…

  • Music Promotion

    Planning Your Own Radio Campaign: Part 4

    Working with the Media In this series of articles, I’m going to walk you through the basic procedure for planning your own radio campaign. We’ll cover topics such as choosing your target radio stations, creating a radio-friendly press kit, how to find media contacts, how to write a press kit cover letter for your radio campaign, how to handle follow-up…

  • Music Promotion

    Planning Your Own Radio Campaign: Part 3

    The Budget In this series of articles, I’m going to walk you through the basic procedure for planning your own radio campaign. We’ll cover topics such as choosing your target radio stations, creating a radio-friendly press kit, how to find media contacts, how to write a press kit cover letter for your radio campaign, how to handle follow-up calls, and…