[Boydie]

Hi All

Following some discussions with JN and RAMSY in the bar ( http://www.songwriterforum.co.uk/the-bar/free-live-ep-and-new-website-james-nighthawk/ ) about using a more "business" type appraoch to getting music "out there" I would like to see if there is any interest in the following...

With my "business" related qualifications/experience I think I could put together a pretty simple, methodical and effective approach for bands and artists to use tried and tested techniques to achieve their goals (by first setting them!!!), widen their reach, drive traffic to websites/social media, build a fanbase and ultimately make sales

I just wanted to "test the water" and find out how many would be interested in such a guide?

Would you?

Also, if such a guide were to be put together what would you want it to include?

I have already thought that it should be VERY simple, effective and practical - even complicated marketing concepts can be explained in simple terms - it bugs me when so called marketers don't (or can't!)

I have a few topics in mind but what are the things you would want help with?

Please feel free to leave any thoughts here or PM me for a more private discussion if you would prefer

There are a few books out there that cover marketing for artists/bands but I am looking at a much more practical concept...

[montydog]

Yep,

I'd definitely be interested. From things such as what sort of package do you need to put together for submission to radio programs, publishers, record labels. How many tracks, quality of recordings needed, methods for getting attention to your songs on websites, social websites etc. basically, everything you can think of which would help get songs listened to and possibly recorded or played on the radio. Also, ways to approach local live music venues and persuade them you and your material is good enough to be given a slot. There must be other things which I guess you are aware of but I can't think of 

I think there would be a lot of interest from forum members for this type of guide.

M

[Ramshackles]

I think there is a lot of stuff about putting together 'submission' or press packs out there..although your thoughts could be interesting.

What would be interesting is 'alternative' options for promotion (outside of the usual hassling of radio, blogs etc).

Or perhaps a structured approach to promoting a new recording/EP/band...
I think a lot of bands tend to record something, send it out willy nilly, get a few intial gigs, perhaps get played on unsigned show on the radio, maybe even a blog spot but then it dies off as there is very little structure and aim to their approach.

There are plenty of people 'out there' who you might contact on your way to getting somewhere - promoters, booking agents, managers, radio, blogs, magazines, other bands, PR, record labels, anyone-related-to-music.
How should you structure an approach to contacting these people? Should you at all?

A big question for me might be:
What can a band do that you don't need to hire a PR company for?
And what can a PR company do for you that you can't do yourself (at what point might you think about hiring one?)

But as the whole business side of things is a grey jungle for most artists, just any general thoughts could be useful I suppose!
I think many budding artists, if they are like me, don't even have a concept of 'marketing concepts' 

[Jess]

Please put something about copyright in it! I know what it is, but quite a few people (in the lyrics section anyway) have little copyright symbols on their work, and I don't even know how they do that...