must have's when starting up!!!

[weatherbill]

If you're an artist or band, you must have material that will help you market it all.....in other words, YOU MUST HAVE AN EDUCATION!
Take it from me. I was on a small indy label (with not much capital) and I blew 2000 cd's out and then the label fell apart.
Finally, I stopped trusting industry and hitting the "demo lottery" and am now in the beginnings of doing my own marketing myself.
So I ordered some help stuff from www.thebuzzfactor.com and was amazed at how easy it is to get your foot in the door to many places. All you need is motivation.
For instance, you can pump out a flyer with a record stores add on one side and an add on the other side of your band's gig and offer this free advertisement to the store manager as bag stuffers (you pay for the flyers) and then set yourself up a little display in the store of some 3 song samplers of yours, with an offer to buy your full album. You make money, the store makes money and the store manager is happy and sold because he gets free advertisement. This is just one of so many promos I've learned. There's a ton of other great must knows to learn.
This is what a band/artist must do now adays to get a local buzz, then some more important record people will come your way, but by then, you might say, who needs 'em. You will be paying the bills by then.
SO GET AN EDUCATION before you pump out your music that goes no where. And you must do it agressively!!! And learn that an indy band/artist gets by with multiple streams of income, not the traditional check from the label or just some money from gigs.....learn these multiple streams of income and you will be able to get some of your own capitol behind you to branch you out further.

[Blue Bear Sound]

SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM
SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM
Lovely spam
Oh wonderful spam


Now go away...........

[jitteringjim]

I made it to the 8th grade. Am I educated enough?

[SPINSTERWUN]

Hey, weatherbill. How much of an education do you need?????????

[Son of Mixerman]

My personal opinion is that....Talent is the first thing you must have. Secondly, you must have real connections based on a reputation of live performances, othrewise known as a "following". There are enough AnR type floating the club/bar scene to go around most places. Thirdly, get a real manager to work the club owners and record stores. Most musicians aren't smooth enough personality wise to do more good than harm. If you try to go around the buddy system in alot of cities your demo will get round filed before you can say "Uh"!
If none of this is working for you then you more than likely havent met the first requirement. This may not be true in some cities, but its true for the most part.



Look free information and no weblink


SoMm

[jcmm]

I thought I needed good tunes!!!?!!

No wonder I'm not getting anywhere.......