This Blog was written by my friend & Associate Janie Jennings/Industry Works
"Etiquette, Professionalism & Protocol" Where did it go?? Very good good article.. for more Log onto www.industryworks.com or clink on the link below..
Thanks Janie!!
Ladies and Gentlemen, you have taken the time to record, shoot a video and create graphics. Hopefully, register your copyright, PRO, establish your production/songwriting agreement, split sheet as well as mix and master the song. But now you are irking the heck out of us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Foursquare, Hootsuite, Ping, and ECT by spamming us with your new music. It is understood you need to network, present, push, promote your music to the professionals in the business, but there is still an etiquette, professionalism and protocol to it all.
It is understood that getting music to the masses and your fans has become more accessible. For 80 bucks (www.songcastmsuic.com) you can have your music (or so called music) up for sale on 15-30 digital retailers in a matter of 4-6 weeks, as long as you have graphics and sound. With this new direct to consumer access, many of you feel that you should have the same access to Professionals, Executives, DJs and Tastemakers in the industry. Not so! I repeat NOT SO!
The Music Business is still not push button. It still relies on relationships. It was not just YouTube that made Soulja Boy a success. It was not just ITunes sales that made Drake catch Wayne’s ear. Every step of the way there were relationships and meetings that created the opportunities for each and every artist, rapper and entertainer that are now on the top of the sales charts.
Just a few days ago, I was on Twitter, (and this happens on a regular) I was doing my usual perusing of timeline and tweeting with a few associates that I began to get hit with links for songs and videos. I completely understand that when opportunity knocks, you take a chance to see who it is. But in the case of Twitter, you as the artist are knocking on me or my associate’s doors, not the other way around. Trust me we are not looking for opportunity on Twitter, Facebook or any other social site. For the last few months, I have been “nicely” tweeting that I did not appreciate links on my timeline. But this particular day I was in no mood to deal with people who I did not know, nor took the time to introduce themselves, much less follow me. So when someone sent me a link and then a “Google me” tweet I was done. Thus here we are…I feel like the Ms. Manners of the Indie Urban Music Industry. But someone had to do it.
When attempting to communicate with those of us on social networks, a simple and professional introduction will go so much farther than an informal “check me out”….www.bettalistentome.com link. For most of you who have sent a tweet asking for an email address and we find you are following us, we will oblige and send you an email address. The next step is to send an introduction that is well thought out. Email is great, it can be opened at 3am in the morning when our heads are clear and open to new people and ideas. Be courteous, direct to the point and have information so that we do not have to work to learn about you. Remember it is 3am and we want to point and click not type. Simple and Professional.
Should you keep spamming and bugging/harassing us, the BLOCK button is such a wonderful tool. Trust me it is so worth the effort to move fingers a few strokes and no longer see you on our timeline…
Many of you will see marketing and promotions companies connecting with DJs online in some form via social networks. But most of the time, they are servicing the DJ directly so that there is a quality relationship in place in order for the DJ to listen to the new music. Hitting the DJ directly will not make much headway for your cause. DJs like to find and discover new music or communicate amongst themselves for new records. NEVER Blast a DJ because they are not responding to you social networking requests. Trust me DJs and Publicity are the last people you want to discourage about you and your project.
For those of you looking to work with solid companies that support (for a fee) indie artist and service your records to
DJs, Internet stations, Blogs, and DJs strongly support the following companies:
Core DJs.com Downsouthdjs.com Coast2Coast DJs.com Moremixshow.com
Stopbeefinradio.com Digiwaxx.com Onthegrindmixtape.com Makinitmagazine.com
Viral marketing is an essential part of today’s marketing plans. Please use professionals or if you must build your own do so courteously and professionally.
See you soon on Twitter!
Tags: Industry Works Janie Jennings Twitter
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
ASK AN EXPERT – Going For Radio Adds
Unless you have worked for the radio department of a label, or else you have worked for an independent promoter or radio magazine, you probably have never heard of an “add date”. But the “add date” is probably the most basic building block of both commercial and college airplay, and it is used in every successful airplay charting campaign there is, so we better cover how it works.
The closest analogy there is to an add date is the “street date”. A street date is when a CD is “available” to the public. It is supposed to tell retailers when to “make available” the release to customers. That is where the similarity ends, however; radio goes on to be far more complicated.
A radio “add date” is supposed to tell stations when to add a record to its playlist. It is completely separate from, and has little else to do with, the street date. The add date can be before, the same as, or after the street date. Regardless, an add date simply MUST be used with any serious airplay attempt. A negative side effect, however, surfaces: You have one chance… and one chance ONLY… to make a particular song or album go at radio. After all, the date is printed right there on the package. You cannot come back next year and ask a station to reconsider it (and, we are talking here about new artists/labels.)
Everything a radio promoter does when talking to stations centers on the add date…
Four weeks before the add date, the promoter is describing the package to the stations (and for commercial stations… the consultants are handled too,) giving the stations a rough idea of what to expect musically. Also, a fax goes out, showing the release.
Three weeks before the add date, the promoter is describing the artist and the music in more detail, describing the spine of the CD, and scheduling resends for stations with changed personnel/addresses.
Two weeks before the date, the promoter solicits PDs/MDs for their initial interest/non-interest, and continues resends. Also, the details of any pertinent tour dates, press articles, or retail events/carriage are presented. It is also at this time that the first trade ads (advertisements, not “adds”) will run… scheduled and worded by the promoter.
Finally, one week before the add date, the promoter fishes for commitments from the most-interested stations; re-words the next trade ads; sends a second round of faxes; re-affirms to each station that they know the correct add date; does a final round of re-sending; scans for possible early adds; and finally, makes one last contact/message with each PD/MD in hopes that the station can be swayed at the last minute… while stations are deciding on which record to add. This is done with 25 to 2000 stations every week, depending on the campaign.
That’s the easy part. Now the real work starts… getting spins to occur after the add date; being “added” does not necessarily mean you are being “played”. Being added simply is the step you have to go through, “officially”, before spins occur. That’s why the “add charts” are separate from the “spin charts” in radio magazines. Your goal for the first charting week of every radio campaign is to get on the “most added” chart first, and you have only one week to do it. Thereafter, your focus becomes the main spin chart. And one by one, every week, the promoter contacts/messages each PD/MD, and attempts to get more and more of them on the bandwagon. Artists with bad music, or with no support, will struggle to get new stations, and probably won’t be “most added”. Releases with great music and good support will easily make the most added chart, and will then jump onto the main chart, with several new stations coming on each week (again, assuming we are working a new artist/label.)
The promoter’s work then continues: A non-commercial campaign may go 5-10 more weeks; A commercial campaign (for a single song) may go 3 to 12 more MONTHS, depending on results.
This Blog was created by Nick H. expert@newindustrytips.com
ASK AN EXPERT – Going For Radio Adds | New Industry Tips
The closest analogy there is to an add date is the “street date”. A street date is when a CD is “available” to the public. It is supposed to tell retailers when to “make available” the release to customers. That is where the similarity ends, however; radio goes on to be far more complicated.
A radio “add date” is supposed to tell stations when to add a record to its playlist. It is completely separate from, and has little else to do with, the street date. The add date can be before, the same as, or after the street date. Regardless, an add date simply MUST be used with any serious airplay attempt. A negative side effect, however, surfaces: You have one chance… and one chance ONLY… to make a particular song or album go at radio. After all, the date is printed right there on the package. You cannot come back next year and ask a station to reconsider it (and, we are talking here about new artists/labels.)
Everything a radio promoter does when talking to stations centers on the add date…
Four weeks before the add date, the promoter is describing the package to the stations (and for commercial stations… the consultants are handled too,) giving the stations a rough idea of what to expect musically. Also, a fax goes out, showing the release.
Three weeks before the add date, the promoter is describing the artist and the music in more detail, describing the spine of the CD, and scheduling resends for stations with changed personnel/addresses.
Two weeks before the date, the promoter solicits PDs/MDs for their initial interest/non-interest, and continues resends. Also, the details of any pertinent tour dates, press articles, or retail events/carriage are presented. It is also at this time that the first trade ads (advertisements, not “adds”) will run… scheduled and worded by the promoter.
Finally, one week before the add date, the promoter fishes for commitments from the most-interested stations; re-words the next trade ads; sends a second round of faxes; re-affirms to each station that they know the correct add date; does a final round of re-sending; scans for possible early adds; and finally, makes one last contact/message with each PD/MD in hopes that the station can be swayed at the last minute… while stations are deciding on which record to add. This is done with 25 to 2000 stations every week, depending on the campaign.
That’s the easy part. Now the real work starts… getting spins to occur after the add date; being “added” does not necessarily mean you are being “played”. Being added simply is the step you have to go through, “officially”, before spins occur. That’s why the “add charts” are separate from the “spin charts” in radio magazines. Your goal for the first charting week of every radio campaign is to get on the “most added” chart first, and you have only one week to do it. Thereafter, your focus becomes the main spin chart. And one by one, every week, the promoter contacts/messages each PD/MD, and attempts to get more and more of them on the bandwagon. Artists with bad music, or with no support, will struggle to get new stations, and probably won’t be “most added”. Releases with great music and good support will easily make the most added chart, and will then jump onto the main chart, with several new stations coming on each week (again, assuming we are working a new artist/label.)
The promoter’s work then continues: A non-commercial campaign may go 5-10 more weeks; A commercial campaign (for a single song) may go 3 to 12 more MONTHS, depending on results.
This Blog was created by Nick H. expert@newindustrytips.com
ASK AN EXPERT – Going For Radio Adds | New Industry Tips
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