1. 10 Essential Marketing
Strategies for Musicians
Presented by Laura B. Whitmore

2. The Four P’s of Marketing
Product Price
Place Promotion

3. 1. PR
• News Releases
• Interviews
• Guest writing
• Product/song reviews
• Events and Show reviews
• Charitable participation
• Participation in unrelated activities
• Buzz!!

4. 1a. PR Distribution
• Fit your pitch to the recipient
• Free wire services
• Build your own list – reviewers,
local press, national reviewers, etc.
• Sites that have news submission forms –
Blabbermouth, eMusician.com, Mi2N.com
• Hire a publicist – make sure they are the right fit. And be a
squeaky wheel.

5. 2. Social Media
Facebook, Twitter, MySpace
• Update your posts and profile regularly
• Include contact info
• Interact – make it a dialog
• Respond – your fans want to
know you listen
• Numbers count – build that fan
base
• Get your fans to invest in you
emotionally
• Don’t completely disregard your
MySpace base

6. 3. Social Media
YouTube
• Make a YouTube channel that you control
• Use the skin to support your projects
• Link from your website
• Keep the best videos at the top
• Put key words in your descriptions
• Include URL or contact info in video descriptions
• Do cover songs of new/popular material
• Respond to comments
• Post your videos on other social media
• Include links and embeds on your website

7. 4. Social Media
Others: Foursquare, Linked In, Pinterest, Instagram, more!
• Use social media for its strengths
• FourSquare: Reward fans for coming to shows
• Linked In: Network, network, network
• Pinterest: Share photos of you, your band, your favorite cup of coffee, and more
• Instagram: Photos of you on the
road, on stage, back stage, your
gear, your clothes, etc.
• Give people a reason to come back
• Be visible in a variety of places

8. 5. Your eMail List
• Opt in email lists are extremely valuable
• Use an email service that starts off for free like MailChimp
or Constant Contact
• Do not abuse your list – mail only relevant, timely info
• Touch base with
your list at least
once a month

9. 5a. How to Build Your List
• Include a sign up field on every page of your website at the top of the frame
• Encourage people to sign up to receive specials
• Do a contest on Facebook that requires someone to both like you and give you email
info
• Have sign up sheets at your shows. Give away
a t-shirt to encourage sign up.
• Put other info in your list besides email: where
they live, age, source, etc.
• Offer a free song for signing up, or a first crack
at your tour dates
• If you have a store on your site, encourage
opt-in for your list during checkout

10. 6. Advertising
• Try free event listings
• If it’s time to pay, shop around so you know
you are getting a good deal
• Don’t be afraid to negotiate, but be fair
• Make sure your target audience matches
theirs
• Can you share costs?
• See if you can barter – a banner on your site
for one on theirs

11. 7. More Exposure
• Forums: Share your music, comment, participate. Include your web link.
• Blogs: Comment on posts. Include your web link.
• Groups: Yahoo, Linked In,
more. Comment on
discussions. Include your
web link.
• Media outlets: Share articles,
comment, vote. Include your
web link 

12. 8. Endorsements
• Show your value to the endorsing company
• Provide what they need without being
asked – audio clips, video demos, a quote,
pix, more!
• It’s not just about free gear – it’s about exposure
• This should be a win-win relationship
• Be the most responsive, helpful partner ever
• Don’t be a nudge
• Get their attention through social media –
posts, tags, pix

13. 9. Contests
• A way to get names and email addresses on your list
• Get your face and name out there and associated with
other companies
• Have news to talk about
• Share the winners with your audience, give your fans a
reason to repost
• Good will!

14. 10. Website Checklist
• Photos – rights cleared with photo credit in low and high res
• Bio – long and short version
• eNewsletter sign up
• Social media icons with links,
and news feeds
• Video embeds
• Audio files and a way to buy songs
• Tour info
• Merch store
• Contact info
• Something fun

15. Contact
Laura B. Whitmore
Mad Sun Marketing
www.mad-sun.com
• Sign up to get a download link for this
presentation.