Effective technique or not?

  • Thread starter Thread starter mjr
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mjr

mjr

ADD -- blessing and curse
Here's an idea I recently came up with, but I don't know how effective (if at all) it may or may not be.

Every year, my hometown (not where I live now) has an annual festival with a parade, arts & crafts, and so forth.

There are two manifestations of this idea.

1. To buy those CD frisbee things, put my single in them, join the parade (I think it's free, just requires a sign-up form so they can position people in the parade), and fling the frisbees into the crowd at random intervals (people throw candy...why not frisbees??).

2. To just wander around aimlessly with a bag full of these CDs in jewel cases (maybe a hundred or so) and just hand them out (along with business cards or a photo, or something) at random to people who may be walking around the streets, and who may be interested.

There's one other manifestation, since I know a lot of people don't like being harassed while they're enjoying themselves:

3. Ask some of the local shops (my hometown is one of about 18,000 people) if I can just drop off a few at their shop, and if people want them that's fine, if they don't, that's fine, too.

Of course, there's one other option...just take stacks of them (or individuals?) and just leave them here & there...maybe that's not such a good idea because people may consider it littering...

Also, how effective are press releases for a virtual unknown who's about to release his debut album?
 
press releases are fine if you have press covering you... or if you plan on sending them to local papers, magazines, or radio and television stations (my band doesn't generally do press releases and we've been covered plenty in the media locally - I think it's a waste of time until you have too many media people covering you that you have to release one)... I suggest putting your free samplers in specific locations where people who might actually LIKE your music will be able to listen to it... local music shops and record stores are a good place to start a buzz with the musicians and college students in your area and maybe even some coffee shops or places like that... just make sure the labelling is clear so they know what genre it is and why it might interest them. also put your web site and contact info on the cd itself, saves money because you don't need to put photos or business cards.
 
i think the frisbee thing is a good idea - depending on the parade - if it attracts people who like your tyep of music then i think its a good way to get it out there

people usually like tlhings that are related to waht they are doing . . . if they percieve even a free item as annoying, unrelated . . . then it will be a turn off - but also that can have a lot to do with who is giving them the item . . . one of my associates is, honestly speaking, a real ladies man -- chicks fall all over him . . . so thats who i use to pass out my cd n stuff . . . me? they run from me - i look mean -- cant crack a smile to save my life!!!! but they walk up on him and ask him who he is . . . so . . parade, party, or just sittin at the red light - he is my pass out guy!!! i just wish i had 5 of him !!!!!
 
grn said:
press releases are fine if you have press covering you... or if you plan on sending them to local papers, magazines, or radio and television stations (my band doesn't generally do press releases and we've been covered plenty in the media locally - I think it's a waste of time until you have too many media people covering you that you have to release one)... I suggest putting your free samplers in specific locations where people who might actually LIKE your music will be able to listen to it... local music shops and record stores are a good place to start a buzz with the musicians and college students in your area and maybe even some coffee shops or places like that... just make sure the labelling is clear so they know what genre it is and why it might interest them. also put your web site and contact info on the cd itself, saves money because you don't need to put photos or business cards.
Click to expand...

Well, I was considering sending a press release to my hometown newspaper, but if it's not going to do any good, I may need to reconsider. There are a few places in this town that I can put these CDs. There's a Starbuck's there, but my wife doesn't seem to think Starbuck's is a good place to do this because the people that patronize Starbucks probably aren't interested in country music. There's a Burger King/Exxon there, and I used to work for one of the managers there, all I can hope for is that she's in, and I can ask her if it's ok. There's a GameStop, but I don't know of any exclusively record stores there, although there is a Blockbuster. There are a few places, I'm just trying to do as much effective marketing as I can on a budget.
 
gullyjewelz said:
i think the frisbee thing is a good idea - depending on the parade - if it attracts people who like your tyep of music then i think its a good way to get it out there

people usually like tlhings that are related to waht they are doing . . . if they percieve even a free item as annoying, unrelated . . . then it will be a turn off - but also that can have a lot to do with who is giving them the item . . . one of my associates is, honestly speaking, a real ladies man -- chicks fall all over him . . . so thats who i use to pass out my cd n stuff . . . me? they run from me - i look mean -- cant crack a smile to save my life!!!! but they walk up on him and ask him who he is . . . so . . parade, party, or just sittin at the red light - he is my pass out guy!!! i just wish i had 5 of him !!!!!
Click to expand...

Well, it's primarily a Czech festival, with primarily polka & country music (don't ask me how those two tie in...I have no idea!). The parade has a wide variety of entries, from classic and antique cars, to people showing off their lowriders, to people riding their Harleys, to people on floats, to people dressed in authentic Czech attire, to shriners on their little go-carts, to the homecoming queen, to the football team, to rolling advertisements, to people on horses. People from all over the county come to watch the parade and wander the streets afterwards, and hit some of the dances (both at local halls and in the streets).

There are also people selling arts & crafts of all different kinds there. They just have their little tents or tables or whatever set up, and just sell their stuff. I thought about doing that, but GIVING away the CD, and maybe some autographed photos.
 
what i have found is that even with music as "foreign" as indian and arabic pop music, there are always people within that specific culture (especially growing up in amerikkka) who have SECONDARY music interests . . . so go for it . . .

i have met (or at least heard of) arabic teens in this country who listen to arabic music cuz thats what they grew up with n their family, but hwo also love hip hop . . do do u!!!
 
Why not try to find a location where you can play? A live performance will attract (or repel) people who might be interested in your music, and if they get a free CD just for listening to you they might tell their friends. You might make it like a game (for them), between songs give out a CD or two to someone (who came the farthest, oldest/youngest, whatever) you decide who but this gets the audience involved. You will still be passing out free CDs but when people think they have won something they will be more likely to keep it, even brag on it, than if you just hand them out randomly. It's an old advertising/promotion strategy but it still works.
 
my elder brother does something similar to what Dani Pace suggests ... but not with CDs ... he got a pack of that type of paper, where you print on to it, and then use an iron to transfer what you've printed on to T-shirts and stuff... he's done tea towels, tea cosies, t shirts, long sleeve shirts, hats... and halfway through the set (often as part of a more lively song) he gets all the audience clapping, or stamping, or clicking their fingers... and basically he chooses who does it best (often its someone crazy who does back flips or something...) and they win whatever it is he's made. and its wierd. because its only a tea cosy, but just a few people go crazy to get it, just for the hell of it more than anything, and it really wakes the rest of the audience up.

i know this has nothing to do with what you actually asked about (i'm actually going to try out the 'handing out CD's randomly trick at some point - possibly get a few friends doing it while we're playing somewhere outside for free... free band, free cd - i don't know many people who'd say no to that :p) it'll be a little while before i get chance, what with it being winter and everything, but we're playing a few local festivals in the summer hopefully, so i'll try and post something to tell you how it goes.

Andy
 
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