As part of the online launch of www.jaggededgecommunications.com, I offered bands a free online advice session. Many of the musicians I spoke to expressed confusion about how to make their band stand out among the masses. What follows is some of what I told them.
The underground music scene in Australia is thriving. The sad thing is that the entertainment industry is so overcrowded that many emerging bands will remain undiscovered, because they are not making themselves discoverable. You need exposure.
One of the problems many bands face is that most of their audience comprises friends/family and, while it is important to have the support of these people, it is vital that the fan base expands to include those who do not have personal attachments to the people on stage.
How do you make that happen? You have to let people know that you are there – make yourself accessible and spark interest in those who might never have come across you – and the easiest way to do that is through the media.
Not only will media coverage broaden your audience, it may even attract the attention of music industry VIPs interested in taking your band to the next level – you never know who is going to read about you, hear or see you, be at your next gig …
The press kits on Reverbnation and the like are great for venues and fans, but not ideal for attracting media attention. That is one of the reasons a journalist compiles Jagged Edge Communications’ electronic press kits for bands – journalists know what journalists want.
Up-and-coming bands are also not always prepared for media attention and get nervous about interviews. A traditional media release, such as those that form part of our press kits, can lessen the need for direct contact and provide a stronger, more self-assured message for the media to transmit.
Of course, it depends on the media medium. In the case of print media, it could be as simple as copy and paste, no contact needed. A radio presenter might be alerted to your existence by a media release, but would probably want to interview you on air – however, the media release you’d have would give you a clearer idea of what you were trying to say and how to say it.
Other than making yourself discoverable, there are two other small pieces of advice I’d give:
– Play every gig like there is a record label in the crowd, because there might be;
– Build a website, because most professional bands/musos have one. This should be in addition to facebook/myspace/etc.
KJ.
Jagged Edge Communications is a boutique communications agency specialising in SEO website copywriting and public relations mentoring. Our media copywriting services, including media releases, are offered primarily as a support service to those who have participated in our public relations mentoring workshops.