Marketing A Studio??

[JadionMusic]

Does anyone have any suggestions as to where I can find some literature on marketing a studio? A book or something? Your personal advice is also welcome. Basically, how do you get clients in to spend money with you instead of the horrible quality competitor who sucks ass!?

 

[mikeh]

A large amount of studio business comes from word of mouth.

Obviously, to get the word of mouth moving you need some initial clients that you can hopefully impress (or at least satisfy).

At first you have to be an aggressive salesperson, with a quality product at a very fair price (until word starts to spread).

Some possible places to get clients would be:

1) Open mic nights (open jams) where you may find singer/songwriters or other musicians who may want to record their songs/playing

2) Nightclubs and other performance venues (in particular that present original music)

3) Churches/schools that have music programs

4) Talent agents/management company (that may need demo's)

If you have writing, producing and arrangement chops you could also try to solicit jingle business through local marketing agencies, radio stations and businesses. However, this is a very competitive field with extremely talented people trying to get the same business.

It helps to have a demo recording of a few songs (in particular in the musical styles you are trying to book into the studio). Hopefully, you have the chops and the sound quality to prepare a good demo. It also helps to have a rate sheet (how much will this cost?) and a list of the gear that you have. A picture of the studio is always good eye candy.

If your studio is not stocked with the greatest newest gear, then you need to "sell" why your studio is the best choice (fair rates, relaxed setting, best drugs in town - just kidding!!!).

Always, always, conduct yourself as a business professional (this is business right???). I find even with "burn out musicians" when I conduct myself as a professional, they seem to try just a little harder to keep their act together (at least when they deal with me).

Naturally, the risk of this cold call marketing is that you are informing total strangers that you have valueable gear at your facility - but that is a risk you may have to take. Hopefully, you have a secure facility!!

 

[Myx62]

Do you have any projects you have done already? Drop some CD's of a band(project ) you have recorded to show prospective clients your quality is in fact better and hopefully for a better deal. Thats is where I would start. Most gigging original bands want to record a CD if they havent already. You should be able to tell at their shows. They have CD's, or they dont.
Hope this helps.
Myx

 

[JadionMusic]

Thanks

Well you guys pretty well touched on all that my associates and I came up with in a marketing meeting. Bottom line is this... My production is FAR AND AWAY the best in this area, maybe state... Problem is, in Oklahoma, no one wants to PAY! Everyone has this idea that they are so damn good, that a Dr. Dre or Max Martin will discover them and do their whole fucking album for FREE! or on spec. To make it big is 90%biz, 10% show, and MAYBE, just MAYBE one out of 50 has the 10% skill necessary to make it, and of those VERY FEW, maybe one in twenty have the other 90% business mind to make it happen. It seems like people JUST SPENT 2 grand RIGHT BEFORE they met you! And it sounds like ASS! Sad part is, when you A/B our stuff to theirs, there is no comparison, yet they THINK that what they have is great because a few hood rats heard them on the local top ten requests and gave them a BJ because they think they are the next Eminem or Creed. Big Fish in a Small Pond theory is in FULL EFFECT here. Nevertheless, We push on!! Thanks guys

 

[Downside Studio]

Re: Thanks

Bottom line is this... My production is FAR AND AWAY the best in this area, maybe state... Problem is, in Oklahoma, no one wants to PAY!

Ok, here we go......

I own a commercial recording studio, and the business is expanding well. Next to that, about two years ago we bought all the equipment of a theatre productions and have been running that from the technical side for the past years, and many years to come. And about three weeks ago we opened a new musicschool with a capacity of approx 500 students (which I allready had for several years but lost in a divorce....)

So I guess I know what I'm talking about.....

One thing I learned is not to tell people you're the best. you're probably not, there are ALWAYS people aroudn that do a better job. Take it for granted. instead I show people that I CAN do my job in a very good way, and EVEN MORE important...i like doing the job

that last simple fact got me mucho work...because this is indeed business, but it is FUN business.

Nobody becomes a musician because it pays well. A real musician will be more than happy to have minimum income, but be able to live from making music. Remeber you've gotta work with people like that. They don't care if you're the best. If you own a studio you'll probably know what you're doing. It has to feel right!


Oh, and it's a great way to go broke.......

 

[Dani Pace]

OK it sounds like you've got it together to do the bussiness part, are you ready for the roller coaster ride? Speaking as a musician I know that most of us dont have a huge bankroll to blow at the studio so try to give us the best deal possible. Be prepaired to put up with a lot of nonsense from us (some of us are real assholes) and be ready for some really dumb questions and some stupid lack of respect for your equipment, most of us have more experience on stage than in the studio, be patient with us. Figure out as much as you can in advance so when we ask things like "Will that cost extra?" you can give us quick and accurate answers. Don't let your staff try to tell us how to play (even if we sound like crap) just record it (the playback will speak for itself.) Remember we musicians are like a family so treat us accordingly. Don't let us bring our wives, girlfriends or other unnessassary people to the recording sessions. Don't let us get drunk or stoned, it's safer for us and your studio. And for the sake of everyone keep a good tuner in easy reach at all times, and remind us to use it. Remind your staff that we are paying you and them so do all you can to make a pleasureable experience for us. Remember if you treat us well and give us a good deal we will either be back or at least send more bussiness your way. But if you're not nice to us we will trash your studio and put out an aviod this studio warning to every other musician for at least 100 miles. I guess what I'm really trying to say is if you help us musicians sound as good as possible we will make your studio a success, we're all in this together.

 

[Downside Studio]

Don't let us bring our wives, girlfriends or other unnessassary people to the recording sessions.

Now that I'm going to put in a frame on the studiowalls...