Jan 09 2007
Why You Need Publicity
For those readers that are in a band, manage a band, have a label, or really have ANY company or service where you want more business than you have right now, you need to be utilizing publicity.
Plain and simple, publicity is editorial coverage – placement in magazines, on the web, on television – that you don’t pay for. It is essentially the opposite of advertising, which is guaranteed paid placement. Instead, when seeking publicity, you are trying to convince editors (music directors, programmers, etc) that what you have will be of interest to their audience. The decision to give coverage is solely up to them, hence it is seen as more truthful and honest than a simple ad.
Publicity is fairly simple – find appropriate outlets, determine the best person to pitch, and then inform them of your CD (dog walking service, new drug). It is also smart to specify the exact type of coverage you want. It is important to remember two things – the outlet must be relevant, and your pitch must be newsworthy.
Examples of newsworthy topics include a new CD, an upcoming tour, a lineup change, launching a new label, and the outside activities of your artists.
More to come…
