Word-of-Mouth Music Promotion for Professional Musicians

Word-of-Mouth Music Promotion for Professional Musicians

 

If you asked 100 people who play music for a living what their best means of music promotion is, more than 90% would say, "word of mouth" music promotion. And if you asked these musicians what "word of mouth" is, only a few could tell you. To some, it means that you just sit back, do nothing, and people will just naturally seek you out. That of course is ludicrous. Successful word-of-mouth music promotion needs constant attention on your part. It means consistent tweaking of ideas to getting your bands name out there, coming up with reasons for people to talk about you in a positive manner, and staying in touch with your own personal circle of influence, such as fans, club owners, booking agents, press, other bands and people in the music industry, updating your web page, etc.
Good word-of-mouth marketing starts with knowing your craft. Nothing gets the ball rolling more than playing really well, and knowing your instrument inside-out. With a band, it means having a tight group, with talent as good as it gets. You're only as good as your last performance, so every show has to be kick ass and each performance better than the last, and a well-received playing job keeps that word-of-mouth music promotion going.
But not everyone can hear you play all the time. Not everyone knows of your successes and achievements. Not everyone knows where you are playing all the time. And that's where some coaxing is necessary to keep that positive spin going. The nice part of word-of-mouth music promotion is that it costs little or nothing. You don't have to spend big dollars on CDs, press kits, and promo packages. You just have to keep the right people talking about you.
Creating a buzz isn't limited by the type of music you play. You could be a death metal, hard rock or heavy metal band, a emo band, or symphonic string musician. The idea here is to tell everyone you come in contact with where you are playing. Let them know you're a musician and your in a band. It could be your local dry cleaner, druggist, or a Fed Ex delivery person. Doesn't matter. If you come in contact with this person on a regular basis, say, "By the way, we're playing at the Whatever Club this week, come see us. We've been getting excellent reviews." And ask if they could mention it to all their friends. Next thing you know they are telling their friends that "the musician who plays at the Whatever Club" is someone they know. They've heard the group "has been getting excellent reviews." They may have never heard you play, but they may spread the word to their friends. If you play with the local symphony, let everyone you come in contact with know as well. Don't just hand them a schedule, let them know what you play, and when the next show will be. Create some PR on your own. If your band has won an award or competition, if you play for a Charity or in a Fund Raiser, or for some good cause let people know you're involved. Word spreads. Get everyone you can on your mailing list and do regular mailings to your fans.  ." Starting your own buzz is word-of-mouth marketing.
Also, don't forget about local call-in radio shows, and the opinion page and community section of your local paper. They're great venues for keeping your music promotion going. If you have a take on the local music that is even slightly controversial, it could play in your favor. Get yourself known as an expert in the area. People will talk about you. Getting your name out through word-of-mouth music promotion is easy, it's cheap, and it works if you're creative and continually working to keep it going. Remember this: people spread your buzz if it is simple to repeat, outrageous enough to get attention, and a success story to keep you in a positive light. How you come up with music promotion is up to you. Then you have to remember to fan the flames once in a while to keep it going. If you're a great musician word spreads fast. But it only spreads if you seed it yourself on a regular basis. That's what word-of-mouth music promotion is all about.
Personality skills, creativeness, and cleverness do pay off when you are trying to jump start your bands musical career Visibility is important and anything you can do without spending lots of money is the key.
I know of a  band that sends out a letter with a Japanese Yen cemented to the top of the page. It reads, "We've got a Yen to play your next concert" Yen coins cost next to nothing. And I bet the letter gets read 90% of the time. You also might want to think about your business cards.  Full-color cards are relatively inexpensive today. Pictures  can make a strong impact. Be creative and get those cards out to everyone you come in contact with.
You should have a up to date mailing list of people who will come to hear your group wherever you are playing. But you also need a up to date mailing list of people who might possibly book you, or your involved in the music business with as well. And you need to stay in touch with these people on a regular basis. It could be something as simple as a postcard letting them know where you're playing or a phone call in the middle of the morning when you're more apt to get an answering machine. Then you just leave the message, "Got good news for you. Please give me a call." Everybody likes good news. It could be that you have an open date, or you can supply a mailing list of 2,000 names of people that might come hear you, or have added something different to your play list.
You never know where the next creative idea for getting someone's attention is going to come from. It could be from a friend, a fellow musician, another band, or even a business down the street. Use a little ingenuity and don't be afraid to copy what is already successful.
 When a gig you thought you had falls through the cracks, or club owners, agents, or anyone booking musicians start to look elsewhere, maybe there's a way to keep it from happening. Maybe it's just an issue of getting that person to hear you one more time. Maybe you need to get their attention,  starting with finding ways to get them to call you back.
If you depend on club dates shows, and gigs to get your name and music out to the public, to further your music career or for an income, then it's a business. It takes more than just musical talent. You need to get your bands name out there, and you need to create attention for yourself. A little cleverness and creativity will never hurt. I look forward to hearing and seeing more about you and your band.