May 17 2007
The Three Ultimate Elements of The Music Biz
It all breaks down to three elements.
CONTENT -> DISTRIBUTION -> AWARENESS
These go by many, many other names, but the concept is simple. First, you need content – a CD, a live show, a t-shirt, a concert ticket. Then you need a way to get it out to the masses. For most products, this can be a retail store such as Virgin or a website like Amazon. There are many, many ways to distribute your music – don’t forget lifestyle outlets like skateboard shops and Starbucks. Last, you have to create awareness. Sure it’s nice when your fans spread the word for you, but you cannot rely just on that. You need a plan to create awareness and interest, causing the final spark that makes someone buy.
Look at your label/band/etc – are any of these three areas weaker than the other? Now you know what’s next on your to-do list.
It seems that one of the best ways for bands to actively promote themselves, connect with new and existing fans and generate direct sells is by performing live. I’ve created a blog for artists and bands looking to perform in Atlanta. The list is a work in progress and is not genre specific. Visit the Atlanta Music Showcase Blog for details.
This is another outlet for bands to distribute and bring awareness to their music in Atlanta on an ongoing basis.
Creating the product is easy. Getting your product in retail, is a bit more difficult, but itunes and other online retailers have made it easier. But what about the awareness? That is the difficult part. What are your thoughts on creating more awareness?
Radio? – tough, and they are very limited to what they accept.
Internet? – easy, but very oversaturated
Television? – expensive, or tough to get on any networks that have enough exposure to sell.
Other than the obvious live performances, what else would you suggest?
Jared Ribble
http://musicindustrycorner.blogspot.com/
http://www.advantagemusicproduction.com
Agreed. But I would like to change ‘Awareness’ to Music discovery.
To be honest with you, you can be in control, because consumers have changed their ways in discovering music, the internet may be oversaturated, but with proper use of blogs such as this one, and podcasts, awareness may be raised.