Authors, Musicians & PR’s Brave New World

February 24, 2012 Leave a Comment

Yes, the music industry has changed and in many ways it’s more challenging than ever before, but with change comes new opportunities.  Success can still be had by those who work to create it.  The traditional major label options aren’t as great and as varied as they were when the Stones or Madonna or REM initially made their marks, but there are now new and different ways to succeed, develop an audience and build a strong career

It’s not only the music industry that has been stood on its head by the internet.  The worlds of publishing, film and TV are also reeling.   In the past authors expected to sign a publishing deal, get an advance and then prepare for a book tour.  Well times have changed.  Fewer and fewer publishing houses are investing in tours unless it’s for one of their reigning literary superstars.  So whereas more and more musical acts are back on the road and touring, fewer and fewer authors are out there meeting the public and bookstore owners.  Book tours are more important than many realize.  They are about making connections with individual stores, store owners and managers.  Even those inevitable signings that end up with a handful of people in the audience can be beneficial, if a relationship is forged between the writer and a bookseller.  Making it even more challenging is the fact that bookstores themselves are facing some of the roughest times they’ve ever encountered. Independents are falling by the wayside; Borders is gone and Barnes & Noble is doing all that it can to simply survive.

As with all types of intellectual property, book sales are being hit hard.  The model that worked so well only a few years ago, is now broken. Still, in both music and publishing as the old models begin to falter, new avenues and opportunities are surfacing.  For musicians and authors that take their careers and their works into their own hands there is a new world of opportunity out there.

The tough part here is that artists either have to become marketers, or they have to hire PR and marketing firms to handle their promotional needs for them.  Particularly in the fields of art and entertainment, marketing cannot be looked at as a luxury.  Marketing, particularly media relations, is a necessity.  The upside to the internet is that every area of interest has its own bloggers and social media sites.  Savvy authors and musicians are using social media, blogging, and article marketing to create an inbound marketing funnel for their books CDs and music downloads.  Some are launching and investing in their own tours, others are offering online events.  Those that are truly savvy are launching traditional public relations campaigns to reach their target market, establish themselves as experts in their field and gain the validation and legitimacy of being in the news.    With the right buzz both musicians and authors can with a bit of creativity generate their own sales and build their fan base, and establish their own successful careers.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Filed under Authors Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Surviving (and thriving) In The Music Industry

February 22, 2012 Leave a Comment

The music industry has made such a complete 180 in the past few years, that it’s enough to make you dizzy.  The days of A&R reps finding a new band, recording them and putting them through the star making machine is pretty much a thing of the past. The mid to late ‘80s was one of the heydays in the music industry.  From The Police and Motley Crue to the GoGo’s and the Chili Peppers (originally Tony Flow and the Majestic Masters of Mayhem) bands were signed and snatched up out of the local rock scenes.  Those were the days of powerful large labels and upstart independent labels.  Most bands sparked for a minute or two and faded away, some are still on top today.  But the difference is that back then there were labels that were willing to take a chance on an artist or a band, produce, market and distribute their product.  That was also the heyday of MTV.  A video in strong rotation could launch a band.  Touring was still important, but bands could do so more sparingly.  Radio and video exposure could help keep an act in the spotlight.  CDs were sold directly to the consumer.  Artists actually made money by selling their music.

Fast forward to 2012.  The world I just described is as anachronistic as that of the era of the horse and buggy.  Everything has changed.  It is now a true struggle to make money by selling music.  Touring and merchandising is a must.  The days of musicians and record labels spinning gold by selling music are over.  Not long ago there were bands who wouldn’t consider selling their music to an advertiser or TV show.  They could make their revenue off of an album and then CD sales.  With product placement now becoming the name of the game, recording artists are having to rethink their approach and their career paths.

The upside is that there is more of a level playing field.  More singers, bands and musicians now have an opportunity to get known and develop a career.  But, it has become more of a do-it-yourself world; musicians, who know how to work social media, blog, and launch traditional media campaigns, can still establish a presence, create a fan base and build a buzz.   There is still a way to launch a music career and make money while making music, but musicians now have to be savvy marketers.  They need to understand PR, media relations, publicity and the basics of marketing.  It’s a bit daunting, that goes without saying, but for those who learn the ropes, it also puts the power squarely in their hands.  It’s true that labels launch many a band, but there are also myriad stories of bands who were taken advantage of and ripped off.  Musicians now have to be more savvy about marketing and business, but they also command more control.  In the long run it could be a decent trade off.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Filed under Entertainment Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Promoting Your Art Utilizing PR – Part II

February 17, 2012 Leave a Comment

I know how difficult it is for artists to promote their work.  Look at it this way.  PR is an art.  It’s not hawking or selling, it’s the art of effective storytelling.  For it to work it needs a narrative, a story arch.  Learn and use the art of storytelling to promote your art.  Use your creativity in your media relations campaign.  My last article highlighted 4 approaches that artists can use to highlight their work and garner media coverage.  There are at least two other approaches to consider:

1) Controversy:  Are you creating art or a show that is different, or controversial?  If so utilize that.  The media loves controversy.  You don’t want controversy for controversy’s sake (although people have gotten pretty damn far going that route) but you want it to be a part of your work, your show, your journey.

2) Timeliness: Can you tie your work, or a show to a particular time, season, date, etc.?  Can you revolve your media pitch around a particular holiday or tie it into a story that’s currently in the news?  Try and find ways to make your story pitch timely and use that to your advantage.

Regardless of the type of marketing campaign you choose to launch, keep in mind chances are you’re not going to hit a home run your first time at bat.  There are those situations where you score big right off the bat, but don’t count on it.  The most effective campaigns are long term, cumulative approaches.  They need to be refined, adjusted, and modified.  As you go, you learn.  But as an artist, public relations and being featured in the media is your best approach.  It offers the validation and credibility of being featured in the news.  Take a look at your favorite, famous artists, most likely you will find most or all of them are media darlings and have learned the art of PR.

You can definitely launch a campaign on your own if you’re working on a shoestring, but if you can possibly afford it, bring a professional on board to guide you and run the campaign.  If you do bring on a PR consultant or public relations company, work with them.  It’s a collaborative process.  It’s important you work as a team to develop story ideas, media pitches and create a campaign that meets your needs but also allows your PR firm to meet the media’s needs.  Don’t look to your friends and acquaintances to give you marketing and PR advice.  Advice is cheap and easy to give.  Everyone believes they’re marketing mavens, but few actually have a clue.  If you start listening to everyone’s advice you’ll continually be in reactive mode.  Your marketing campaign will function like an old fashioned pinball machine, shooting to the right and then to the left with no focus, no point of view and no concrete direction.

Don’t let marketing your artwork intimidate or depress you.  View it as an artistic challenge.  Play with it.  Have fun with it.  Remember you’re building the bridge between yourself and the public.  You’re giving your art a chance to soar.    

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2012

Filed under artist pr, Authors, Uncategorized Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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