How To Get More Sales On iTunes!

How To Get More Sales On iTunes!

You have worked hard on writing and recording your album.  Now it’s time to put it on iTunes.  But what do you do next to make sure that you see some sales? If you want your album to sell, you will have to promote it.  Below is a list of 12 easy things you should do to get more sales on iTunes.  Follow these suggestions and you will be selling more of your music and growing your fan base in no time!

1.       Send Your Album Out For Review:

Send your album out to local newspapers, magazines, and blogs along with a friendly letter asking if they would consider reviewing your album.  Getting reviews is extremely important.  It allows your music and message to be exposed to new audiences.    Hopefully, someone will read the article, like what the author is saying, and go to iTunes to check out and purchase your music.

2.      Print Up Download Cards With A Sample Of Your Music:

Download cards are an affordable, easy way to get some promo for your new album.  I would suggest making up a card and putting 1 or 2 songs from your album on it.  On the card make sure you include your contact info, track name, any band artwork, and of course a message stating that the full album is available on iTunes.

I have found that since these cards are cheap, as little as 1000 cards for $99 through Distrophonix, you can hand them out for free to potential fans and not feel guilty or go broke.

The goal with the download cards is to hand these cards out to as many people as possible.  A great place to hand them out is at local malls, music festivals, and outside venues as shows are letting out.

3.      Create A Banner With A Buy Link: 

Make it easy for fans to buy your music.  One of the best ways to do this is to make a simple banner that can be posted on your site and social networks.  This banner would link directly to your music on iTunes.

4.      Sign up for LastFM: 

This is a great place to get exposure for your music.  LastFM has the power to introduce your music to millions of potential fans.  When you do your distribution through Distrophonix they do this for you automatically.

5.      Get On Your Social Networks: 

Not to overstate the obvious, but getting the word out through social media is an absolute necessity if you hope to have strong sales on iTunes.  Use Facebook, ReverbNation, Twitter, MySpace etc. to let people know that your music is available on iTunes. 

6.      Start A Mailing List: 

Your fans want to stay in touch with you.  One of the best ways to do this is to start a newsletter giving updates about the band and informing them of new shows.  In this newsletter also include a link to your music in iTunes so that your fans can easily find your material.

7.      Offer To Give Something Away For Free For A Good Album Review:

Getting positive album reviews on iTunes is the key to success.  The more album reviews you have, the more exposure you will get in the stores.  A good way to get positive album reviews is to offer your fans free tickets to a show, or some free merch for any review they do.

8.      Tell People You Are On iTunes While On Stage: 

While you are on stage, and have everyone’s attention, make sure that you tell the audience that your music is available on iTunes.  This is really a no brainer, but you would be surprised by how many artists forget to do this. 

9.      Get Help From Your Existing Fans:  Ask your fans to help promote you. It is amazing the impact even one fan can have if they get on Twitter or Facebook and start talking about their favorite band or artist.  Make sure to reward anyone who helps you in this way, and of course let them know how much it is appreciated.

10.  Consider Putting Your Music In The Rock Band Video Game: 

Consider using the power of video games to market and promote your music.  By getting one of your songs in the Rock Band video game, you have the chance to expose your music to an entirely new audience.  If they like the song, you can bet they will buy it on iTunes.  Distrophonix can also assist you with getting your music on Rock Band. 

11.  Do A Facebook Advertising Campaign: 

Facebook can be very powerful because it allows you to specifically target those that may be interested in your music.  For a few cents a click, you can drive a lot of potential fans to your iTunes storefront.  To learn more about this check out the advertising section on Facebook.

12.  Consider Taking Part In A Shared Magazine Ad In A Major Publication:

Advertising in magazines specific to your genre can be very effective, but expensive.  To keep it affordable, consider buying an ad space and splitting up the costs with a few other artists that you are friends with.  That way everyone gets exposure, but at an affordable price.

Written By:

Distrophonix LLC

www.Distrophonix.com

http://www.distrophonix.com/video-game-distribution/

http://www.distrophonix.com/distribution/

http://www.distrophonix.com/download-cards/

What Not To Do When Marketing Your Band!

What NOT to do when Marketing your Band

Summary: 6 don’ts when marketing your band 

There are many “don’ts” that people are unaware of when marketing to certain audiences. This blog focuses on marketing don’ts for musicians trying to promote their band throughout communities. Some individuals over promote, while others do not advertise enough. Be sure to follow these six steps, because if you don’t you may send current and potential fans away from supporting your music.

1.             Do not use social media to force sales

             

Social media networks are intended to connect and build relationships with individuals through    possible common interests, etc. These platforms should not be created to force sales on your friends and fans. Make attempts to connect with your fans instead of promoting services and products. Also, do not use Facebook or Twitter as a sales tool; for example, when selling a new T-shirt or album. You should be offering free T-shirts and albums every here and there to show appreciation for your fans.

2.            Do not “spam” your friends

First and foremost, everybody hates spam mail. Sending out a mass e-mail occasionally is okay, but constantly sending out blast e-mails to your fans can get very aggravating. You want to your fans to be excited when receiving an e-mail from your band so make sure they are personal, and interesting. Another way individuals can spam is through Facebook events. As an artist, be sure to only promote the events that you will be performing at. The more events you send out to your fans that do not include you, the more likely they will start ignoring your invitations. This could lead an individual to un-like or un-follow your page and you do not want this to happen. People become your friend on social networks to follow you, not to follow other bands and artists that they are not interested in.

3.             Do not create lengthy advertisements 

It is very important to keep ads simple; lengthy and drawn out advertisements usually are not attention-grabbing to readers. Please, veer far away from creating ads that contain paragraphs and are full of long sentences. Avoid using special words that may confuse readers who are viewing the advertisement. Typically, lengthy and unappealing ads will not attract individuals to continue reading and will draw readers away. Advertisements should always be concise, to the point and attractive when creating promotions for your band. Choose a color and font that your audience will enjoy and can easily read. Whether you are creating an advertisement for an        upcoming show, or a new song release, adding images to an ad can really bring it to life and catch potential listener’s interest.

4.             Don’t be like everybody else  

Bottom line: nobody likes a copycat. There is high competition in the music industry; therefore    musicians should be different and unique. What if there was only one song in the world that    everyone had to listen to, wouldn’t life get boring quickly? When starting a band, you should aim   to be unforgettable and special. Don’t copy an image from another artist, and certainly do not imitate a song from another musician. By being different and developing your own sound, more individuals will become interested and intrigued with your music. The same goes with your “look,” create an eye-catching look so your audience can buzz about you. “Hey, did you see _____’s outfit at the concert? It was awesome!” Lastly, make sure that all advertisements aren’t comparable to other musicians. The last thing you want is someone to mix up your ad with another band due the fact that they were similar in color and phrase.

5.             Do not ignore your fans 

Responding and paying attention to your fans is extremely vital. Do not, I repeat, do not ignore   your fans! Not only can you lose their trust and loyalty, but fans can utilize word-of-mouth     marketing by putting a bad word about your band out in the public. If you have Facebook,Twitter, or a Myspace page etc., be sure to respond to all posts and comments. Just think about it: you don’t have an image without fans, and you don’t have fans without creating connections with individuals. Fans are very valuable aspects in the music world and you need to maintain strong relationships with them. By consistently responding to e-mails or social media alerts, this can help build your trust with each fan which is priceless.

6.             Don’t forget to produce a marketing plan 

Creating a marketing plan tends to be the most overlooked tactic when marketing a band. Many musicians may be focused on producing high quality music instead of generating marketing methods. Marketing plans are important because they set overall goals and help focus on how to achieve specific objectives within a band. One day, sit down with your band and construct a plan covering ideas like: How can we attract and gain more fans? What is our budget? What are some ways to expand our opportunities in the music industry? How can we inspire the public to purchase our music? A marketing plan entails what hopes you have and how to get there, and is something you should absolutely spend time on.

By: Danielle Peterson

Danielle is a Marketing Specialist for Distrophonix LLC. Distrophonix is a company based in Baltimore, MD specializing in music marketing, distribution, Rock Band Encoding, CD pressing, and mastering for musicians worldwide.
 

www.Distrophonix.com

Promote Your Band

Summary: 4 Tips to promote your band.

1.     Make your name stand out

It can be hard to get your name out with all of the clutter people see and hear throughout the day. A good tip to get your name out would be to branch out and spread word of mouth about your band. There are many ways to make your bands name stand out:

·         Logo

o    KIS - Keep It Simple!

o    Make sure it is appropriate and distinctive for your band

o    Colors, fonts, and images gree with each other

·         Banner

o    Create a memorable banner to always place behind your band while playing at a concert- people remember logos and colors to match up with who you are… think about it- What color do you think for Coca-Cola? Red.

·         Pictures

o    Every band needs a great picture—make sure you have a certain style you want to portray to your audience

·         Newspaper Articles/Press Releases

o    The best way to get your name out is to be out there. That means capturing your concerts through audio and video, going to many events and shows, and network with all different types of people. You never know who could help you out in the end.

2.     Interact with your audience through social media

If you don’t have a Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, or YouTube account get one now! By having your own bands webpage, your fans are able to track your daily lives from your music, tour dates, pictures, or concerts they may have been to. People love to personally connect with their favorite bands on the Internet and it is a definite bonus if you comment back to create that relationship every fan wishes for. Your fans may also want to receive a daily/weekly newsletter so they can follow your band even more and receive special updates just for them.

*TIP- Remember to close your newsletter with a call to action to encourage your readers to be more involved and visit more often.

In addition, by doing this- their friends will see who they are talking to and it will create more visitors to your page AND your music. If your fans are checking you out- their friends will also want to.

3.     Advertise, Advertise, Advertise!

Remember a press kit is an important key starter for your band which should include: the bio for your band, a photo postcard to be remembered by, articles or CD reviews, and your CD or download card.

This is the first step to advertising for your band. Although, there are many other ways to promote your band using banners, websites, stickers, flyers, posters, etc. By promoting your band on many different outdoor advertisements, it creates awareness to a new audience. Distrophonix can help with these services by creating your bands own graphic design, stickers, T-shirts, and promoting your music on Rock Band.

        4.   Support Others

By coming to show support for other bands and people, it shows that you and your band care about music, your fans, and what else is out there.

Distrophonix employees take time off work to go serve meals to the homeless and hungry of Baltimore City by volunteering at Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen.  This summer, Distrophonix will be collaborating with local bands to sing to the homeless. This is a great opportunity to show your support for others and also promote your band. To see pictures of some of the work Distrophonix does there please check out their Facebook page.  

      By: Deborah Hercenberg

Deborah is a marketing consultant to Distrophonix LLC.  Distrophonix  LLC is a music marketing and distribution company based in Baltimore, MD. They design marketing plans for musicians, as well as offer digital distribution, CD pressing, download cards and mastering.       

www.Distrophonix.com

Music Marketing Tips on a Budget

Summary: 6 tips musicians can utilize when marketing their band on a tight budget

Many musicians become stressed out when it comes to creating a valuable music marketing plan, especially while promoting on a tight budget. Not only does marketing involve a great amount of time, effort, and hard-work, but it can quickly become extremely expensive. Most commonly, artists usually don’t have marketing finances to splurge on; your key focus may be on producing great quality music for your fans. Here are some music marketing tips for artists to exploit while upholding a budget.

1.     Take advantage of social media outlets

Social media platforms are marketing tools that every musician should take advantage of. The two essential benefits that social media marketing brings to the table is the fact that it’s free and can reach a mass audience. You can use websites such as: Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, YouTube, ReverbNation, and so on. These social media networks can help build your bands awareness and can also assist with connecting among fans. By connecting and building relationships with fans, this allows you to communicate which is an important factor when promoting your band.

Upload new songs to your page and keep it entertaining. Keep your fans updated when shows are coming up and also when new songs will be released. Posting funny and interesting stories while touring on the road, or traveling to shows will keep fans on their feet and amused. Social media platforms allow individuals to upload photos, so by submitting images onto your pages, this will become appealing to viewers and will keep them coming back for more. Another piece of advice is when individuals comment on your posts/songs/photos, make sure to comment back and make it personal.

2.     Create a blog site for your band

Blogging is a great way to create an image and express yourself as a band. Most blog sites are free, which once again is a benefit for your pocket. This is a fast and easy alternative to get your bands name out on the web throughout the online presence. Blogging is an excellent and fun technique to use. You can write about crazy and interesting occurrences that happened during shows, recordings, and trips. You can utilize this tool by sharing background information about your band, and by expressing your thoughts and opinions as well. Be passionate about your writing because fans and followers will be reading your content, and hopefully exiting your page with a good notion.

3.     Maintain and build relationships with fans

Maintaining personal relationships with fans is the most vital aspect in the marketing world. Connecting with fans is important because the more you build a connection, the more love and support you will receive from them. If a fan is totally feeling your band, and you build a relationship with them through social media or blogging sites, your fans will sincerely feel connected with you. Where else but online can you connect with thousands of fans at once? Fans will become loyal to your band and express their delight through word-of-mouth to friends and family if you maintain friendly relationships. This will not only lead to a positive image, but loyalty will increase awareness as well.

4.     Make certain contact information is present on all sites/e-mails

Artists should always double check and make sure that their contact information is listed on all e-mails and web pages. This is the most inexpensive, yet the most common marketing mistake that I have seen artists make. Whether you are trying to book an open microphone (mic) slot at a local café, or a search for an open concert/event listing, make sure the respondent can contact you. Also, this goes for websites too. If you are creating a Facebook, Twitter, or company website, be positive that you list all contact information so individuals can get in touch with you with questions and opportunities. Include information like: band name, e-mail, telephone number, potential address and all links to social media sites.

5.     Attend and play at local shows

Attending and performing at local shows may be the priciest out of the 6 marketing tips, but this suggestion will leave you with the most experience. Some shows may even be free to attend which is a huge advantage while on a budget. You can bring flyers or download cards with you to hand out to individuals who seem interested in your band. Attending shows can also help you build relationships with potential fans, which is extremely valuable for artists. By being on the other side of the picture and performing, this may be the most influential marketing tools to take advantage of. Sign up and offer to perform at open mic nights, or even offer to be the opening band at a local concert. Although, you may not be paid as much as you would like, this can build a great image for your band and people can enjoy your live tunes. Focus of making an excellent impression and really “wowing” the audience!

6.     Distribute download cards

Instead of distributing business cards for promoting your band, hand out download cards as a different and more interesting alternative. Download cards allow artists to promote and advertise bands with the ability to host albums and demos. Be creative when designing your download card. Design these business-sized cards with full color and visuals to catch fans attention. These cards have codes located to either the front or back that fans can use to download your music. Distrophonix offers 1,000 download cards for $99; this is a great and affordable deal. You can gain the $99 back by selling them to fans and making a huge profit.

By: Danielle Peterson

Danielle is a Marketing Specialist for Distrophonix LLC. Distrophonix is a company based in Baltimore, MD specializing in music marketing, distribution, Rock Band Encoding, CD pressing, and mastering for musicians worldwide.
www.Distrophonix.com

Using Social Media to Market Your Band

Summary: Five tips on how to use social media to promote and advertise your band.

So, you're in a band, and all your members embrace social media as a promotional platform for your music. With an online presence already established on social media websites such as Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Purevolme, you continue to post, tweet, update, and comment.

But unfortunately, you're not getting the results you expected. Nobody is checking out your Myspace, Facebook, etc., nobody is sharing your music with others, and nobody is buying your merch. On top of all that, it's always the same group of friends and handful of fans that attend your shows. So what's the problem? Well, your band probably does not have something unique to offer, does not use an effective method of marketing, or both.

Social media becomes a powerful marketing tool only when you know how to use it. Sending countless spam messages and friend requests is not an effective way to market your band. As a fellow musician and friend to numerous independent bands, the following are a few tips that I've come to learn, which can help you effectively and efficiently use social media to market your band.

Build relationships. Social media is all about connecting and communicating with others. Use Twitter and Facebook to engage with your fans on a deeper level. Don't simply put out content. You must create interaction, participation, and involvement. Get to know who your fans are and let them learn more about you. But always remember to maintain a personal feel and not to use social networking purely as a promotional tool.

Increase awareness. Clearly, your band's goal for using social media is to spread your music to as many ears as possible. However, this does not suggest that you set up accounts to as many social media websites you may find. Instead, focus your time and effort on a few. You want to be able to increase your impact and awareness to those communities. In addition, when creating content, update it regularly with timely information.

Start networking. Social media sites such as Myspace and Purevolume allow you to find other bands that share things in common with your band. By networking with a group of artists or an indie music scene that fits your band's identity, genre, or style, it will certainly benefit your band. The bands in your scene can share fans, promote each other, and belong to something bigger, a community with shared common tastes and interests.

Generate traffic. Creating content is essential in getting your band out there. The more content you generate, the more likely people are to discover your music. By linking all your sites and advertising your band, shows, and music on each channel, your band can benefit from generating traffic.

Measure success. Tracking your social media success rate with Band Metrics is the best way to know if you are doing a good job in promoting and advertising your band online. Built just for musicians, Band Metrics can measure the way your fans interact with your band and content. As a result, your band receives valuable information of what your fans respond to.

Overall, there isn't one specific formula that works for everyone. Social media is used for numerous reasons and the how it is used may vary from others. However, by following the tips proposed, as well as maintaining a commitment to your strategy and goals, you can effectively use social media to market your band.

By: Martin Abcede

Martin is a Marketing Specialist for Distrophonix LLC. Distrophonix is a company based in Baltimore, MD specializing in music marketing, distribution, Rock Band Encoding, CD pressing, and mastering for musicians worldwide.
www.Distrophonix.com