| As I talked about in part one of my three part article | | | | that you may come up against as an artist. |
| series on the preparation of a solid music marketing | | | | Describe in details thinks such as: |
| plan there are actually 2 types of plans and | | | | What distribution channels are best suited for your |
| marketing strategies guide that you should research | | | | particular CD? |
| and assemble. In this article we are going to very | | | | Explore the radio market - Which best suits your |
| briefly discuss the first kind of plan -- The Informal | | | | recording? |
| Music Marketing Plan. This is the plan you will use and | | | | How saturated is your particular market |
| follow to put into place all of your music marketing | | | | Do a competitive analysis- Outline your strengths and |
| and music promotion strategies on a daily basis and | | | | weaknesses verses your competitors |
| the research that will be necessary. In part three of | | | | What kind of touring opportunities are available in |
| this article series I'll discuss in more detail the | | | | your market? |
| elements of a formal marketing plan. This will plan will | | | | What is the best music media to pursue? |
| have all the essential elements of your informal music | | | | Describe the optimal geographic regions for your |
| marketing plan with the added aspect of financial | | | | music |
| projections. This is the plan you will use to attract an | | | | Who would you consider to be your most aggressive |
| investor in your music career. | | | | competitors? |
| Brief Anatomy of an Informal Music Marketing Plan | | | | Explore and detail the demographics of your fan base |
| A good music marketing plan should include some of | | | | Define and detail your target market and audience |
| the following elements. First though however, you | | | | The Challenge: |
| must ask yourself; where do you want to be in 6 | | | | A brief summary of the product ... the record that is |
| months, 1 year, and 3 years as an artist or band? | | | | to be promoted, and associated goals, such as |
| Lay out the time frame. Be clear, truthful, realistic, | | | | record sales you project that you will receive, and |
| and concise, with yourself. Write it down. Keep in | | | | other strategic goals... |
| mind that part of putting together a realistic and | | | | Describe the music industry trends as they exist |
| effective plan will require a good deal of market | | | | today |
| research. So please be prepared to do some if you | | | | What is your most challenging market and how will |
| want to do it right. | | | | you overcome it? |
| First Step: Do your "Due Diligence and Research" | | | | What trends in the industry are on your side and |
| So what do I mean by due diligence and research? | | | | which are not? |
| The first thing you must remember during this entire | | | | Detail and list your marketing strategies and the time |
| process is that as an independent artist trying to sell | | | | frame for implementation |
| your product (CDs and Merchandise) after all, as an | | | | Determine a street date for your new release |
| independent artist, in essence, You Are in Business. | | | | Describe the distribution channels in detail you plan to |
| Please make no mistake about this. You are in the | | | | pursue |
| business of selling yourself, your band, and your | | | | Define which regions you will focus your distribution |
| products. And as in any business, you have to | | | | on |
| explore the market environment for your particular | | | | Define which forms of music media you plan to go |
| offering in order to be competitive, and make certain | | | | after |
| that you are concentrating your efforts in the right | | | | Determine your touring regions best suited to you as |
| place; which of course is your particular niche music | | | | an artist |
| market. Whether your genre of music is Rock, Pop, | | | | Now what we have talked about in this article is |
| R&B, Hip Hop, Punk, or whatever, it matters | | | | merely the tip of the iceberg. The plan needs to go |
| not. What matters is that if you are in the | | | | into far more detail then is discussed here. This article |
| Alternative Rock Market then this is where you need | | | | is only geared toward giving you an idea of what you |
| to focus your marketing research and implement | | | | need to do and just how important actually having a |
| your subsequent marketing tactics. | | | | written music marketing plan really is. Part 3 will go |
| The Music Industry Climate in General and in Your | | | | into the financial aspects of a formal marketing plan. |
| Particular Niche | | | | If you're truly serious about advancing your music |
| First of all, you want to research and determine the | | | | career you may want to consider having your music |
| music industry climate in general -- all genres. You do | | | | marketing plan prepared by a music industry expert |
| not need to focus too much time and attention on | | | | with experience in planning the careers of |
| this it's more important that you research your | | | | independent musicians. |
| particular market. So how do you research your | | | | Most importantly, whoever prepares your marketing |
| music market and what exactly is it that you are | | | | strategy plan, Follow It Closely. There no use in |
| trying to determine and why? Let's say for example, | | | | taking the enormous amount of time it will take to |
| your band is in the Rock/Alternative Rock Genre. | | | | gather the necessary information and writing the plan |
| Describe the current state of the music industry in | | | | or spending the money to have a professional do it, |
| that particular music market and lay out in detail just | | | | unless you use it. Good luck! |
| how you plan to overcome any strategic barriers | | | | |