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Jazz Marketing 101
By Paul J. MacArthur
This Isn't About You...
It's About Your Audience
Opening Thought
I've been involved in jazz radio since 1987 in on-air, programming and
management capacities (WAER, WITC, WWLR, & KSHU). I've been writing
about jazz for magazines (The Jazz Report, Jazziz, LEAK, Lounge, Experience
Hendrix, & CountryBeat), books (several artist bios/reviews for MusicHound
Jazz: The Essential Album Guide), CD liner notes (Muse Records) and newspapers
(The Houston Press & Event Magazine) since 1994.
In that time, hundreds, maybe thousands of CDs and press kits have come
across my desk. Most get ignored -- often because the music sucks. But,
often it is because the product looks unprofessional. In the ultra competitive
music industry, professionalism and proper marketing of your product are
paramount. Too often great artists promote themselves ineffectively. Promotion
is often nonexistent, or may as well be given how it was implemented. The
result? Numerous jazzers (and folkers and rockers) who have tremendous talent
never get noticed because they don't adequately market themselves. Remember,
at best, talent is 15 percent of the equation.
Don't believe me? Consider this: Three of the top five Billboard mainstream
jazz albums are compilations from the old Muse label. Those songs on their
original discs never sold very well before. What's the difference? The Muse
catalog is now owned by 32 Records who took some of the soft jazz cuts,
made compilations out of them, put models from Elle magazine on the CD covers,
priced the CDs at $8.98, and gave the CDs titles like: Jazz For A Rainy
Afternoon, Jazz For The Open Road, and Jazz For The Quiet Times. Guess what?
People who have never head of Woody Shaw, Wallace Roney, Johnny Lytle, Kenny
Barron, David "Fathead" Newman or Hank Jones are buying these
discs because they create a mood. Mood music? No. Power of suggestion? Yes.
What's selling better than these discs? Diana Krall: Jazz's very own blonde
bombshell. Need I say more?
Yes, it's always about the music. But, if your music is to survive, you
must think about your audience. I don't mean compromising artistic integrity.
What I mean is, how can you make it easier for your fans and potential fans
to find you, see you, hear you, buy your albums and support you? That's
what this is about. This isn't written with the artist in mind. It's written
with the consumer in mind. Make music that is true to your heart and soul.
But when you try sell it, remember the music is only one part of the equation.
The equation includes the 4 Ps of marketing (product, price, placement and
promotion). Music is only part of the product equation. Product includes
many other elements.
With that thought in mind, I present Jazz Marketing 101: The Basics of
Product Presentation. (Yeah, it's an academic title. I'm a professor of
radio-television, so what do you expect?) Ignore these basics at
your own risk.
Nota Bene: This is a work in progress and will be periodically updated.
Please feel free to send me your suggestions. Also, for the sake of brevity,
I've used the sexist words he and his. No offense intended. Finally, this
piece is brutally honest. You are likely to find me bashing you for some
mistakes you have made. If you have thin skin, don't read this.
Albums/CDs
Does your CD has the following information:
Bar Code (an extra expense of $175 or so, but ensures you can be listed
in various directories and carried by national chains)
Address
Phone number (hey, train your family to know you may receive calls about
your albums).
800 number - Sprint will charge only $3.00 a month, plus 10¢ a minute
for the call.
Ordering information
Website address
Email address
Run time for each song (honestly, this is very important to the DJ &
Programmer - it saves them unnecessary work - extremely important when a
DJ is trying to fill time)
All of this information is important if you want the radio station to
tell people where to find your music, especially, if you have limited distribution.
Additionally, if you get hot in Tampa, then the record stores can order
you. They can't if they don't know where to look. Also, think of the out-of-towner
who saw you in club and picked up your album. Maybe his friends like the
disc and would like to order it. Make it easy for people to find you. If
I have to work to find you, I won't.
One more note here: Radio DJ's hate self-titled discs. They also hate
discs named after a song on the album. It makes them sound redundant when
they're talking up your album. They don't like that. Be creative. Give your
album its own title.
Liner Notes
They are what the DJ has in the studio. They are what the reviewer has
in his hands if the publicist didn't send any copy. They are very important.
Screw the, "I don't want my CD to have a lot of notes on it, I want
it to look cool." That's what your cover is for. The inside should
be filled with relevant information.
Liner notes serve as a mini bio and discuss of the music. They are reference
tool. That helps the DJ and the reviewer. Consider this: You're a DJ, you
have 30 seconds to talk up an artist. Are you going to talk about the artist
who has very little information on his CD or the one with lots of information
his? Your "cool" looking CD just got ignored in favor of the one
that had some information on it. He got publicity, you didn't.
You need not, and probably should not, get Stanley Crouch to write your
liner notes. Hire someone cheaper than Crouch who doesn't get into fist
fights at jazz conventions. Smaller labels generally pay freelancers anywhere
from $150 - $500 for liner notes. The majors have been known to pay in the
$1,000 range. Or you can do them yourself (be sure you can write if you
do). It's worth the added expense to get someone to do this. Really.
The Cover
The cover must look good. Fact is a good looking cover can sell discs
(see 32Jazz example above). I've seen some UGLY discs in my time. Rule of
thumb: if it looks like you know what, it usually sounds like you know what.
Books are judged by their covers. So are CDs.
Your Label
Does your label have a name? I see albums without label names all the
time, just the artist name and album title. To the programmer and writer
this sends the following message: self-produced amateur blather. Think that
is going to the top of the "listen" pile? Guess again.
Obviously your CD isn't amateur drivel, so make it look professional
by starting your own label. Perception is reality. Costs a whopping $25
- 50 to register your business name. Another $240 if you want to trademark
it.
Internet Sales
Aside from selling your album on your website, have you checked with
cdbaby and amazon
to see what
their requirements are for carrying your CD? No? You were waiting for....
Once you've learned what their requirements are, fulfill them.
Remember
It is YOUR responsibility to make sure YOUR album is in record stores,
available on-line and being sold at YOUR gigs. Even if you hire someone
out to promote for you, it is still YOUR baby. The nanny can't do everything.
Bio
Do you have a bio? If not, you need to write one or have one written
yesterday. Why? Because writers are lazy. They want you to tell them all
about you. Ditto the radio programmer. Oh, the writer will do some research
on you. The radio programmer is less likely to, too many albums too little
time. The radio DJ is 50/50. But, if you are a local act without a lot of
articles written about you in major national publications, it makes the
writer's job more difficult if you have a lousy bio.
A bio is not a single four sentence paragraph. The writers want more
information. Like a one or two pages worth. This is particularly helpful
if he is going to interview you. The writer will look for topics of conversation
in your bio. Were you trained by Art Tatum? Mention it. If you are not listed
in all three major reference books (Grove, All Music Guide, Music Hound
Jazz) your bio is even more important. If you've never had a major article
written about you in a major national magazine, your bio is even more important.
If you've never released an album on a major label, your bio is even more
important.
If you have a bio, does it include:
Birthplace
Birthdate (for everyone please - helps the writer establish your generation)
Where you grew up
Where you studied music & who with. Especially if famous people trained
you. Also, it's nice to plug your old teachers if you thought they were
good. Never know when someone puts their name in. Think that makes a teacher
feel good? Damn right it does.
Famous players/bands you worked with regularly and when (a one or two
night stand doesn't count).
Not so famous bands you played with and their genre.
List of albums you've made and appeared on.
Career highlights.
Your thoughts on your music.
The style of music you play.
Awards (avoid high school and college awards please - no one cares if
you won best trumpet in 11th grade - placing second in the Thelonious Monk
Competition is another story)
Influences & Inspirations (two different things here - one affects
your style, the other just makes you want to play, regardless if you incorporate
them in your style).
Why anyone should care about you
Can't/don't want to write your own bio? Hire someone. Depending on the
time it takes to cull things together and how long it is, a bio usually
runs anywhere from $100 - $350+. Consider it a career investment. An indispensable
one at that.
If you want to read an wonderfully written bio, check out the bio of
my good friend Bill
Kunkel. The electronic games wizard did a great job writing his bio.
Internet site
Though less than half the US population has internet access, a website
is mandatory in 1999. Again, makes it easy for writers, programmers and
fans to learn more about you. You can get free websites via angelfire, infoseek,
geocities and other places.
Does your site have:
Ordering information
Your Email address
Your postal Address
Your tour schedule for this week, next week, the next two months. Last
week's tour dates are of no use. Few things annoy me more than going, "Oh,
look he's going to be playing here...last week." Yeh.
Your bio
Your photo
Interesting information about your CDs
Someone updating it regularly (weekly at least). This is the internet.
It's about immediacy.
I like Annie Haslam's website
and Steve Vai's site. They are good starting
points for anyone thinking about what their website should include.
Often fan websites are even better. The fan website
for Brian Wilson is great. So is Brian Wilson.
Your Internet website should not be extremely graphic intensive as it
screws up older computers, and some newer ones. I like glitter girl Sara
Hickman. Sara
Hickman's website is okay, but some pages can take forever to load.
It doesn't matter how nice your site looks if my computer can't load it.
She also doesn't update it enough.
A really crappy artist website is the Herbie
Hancock website. Out of date and useless, which is a surprise given
Herbie's love of new media. Since I just bashed his site, I should take
this moment to say, Herbie is da bomb when it comes to music.
Again, you can hire people to do web design. Rates can go anywhere from
$75 - $300+ depending on the complexity of the page.
Press Clippings
Make a file of your press clippings. You can take the best quotes and
incorporate them in your bio or attach them to it. Writers and programmers
enjoy getting a media kit that includes your bio, a publicity, five or six
articles about you and your latest CD. You've helped them with their research.
You've made their job easier. You want to do that. Remember, publicity is
not about you. It's about who will see it.
Publicity Firms
There basically two types of PR firms I deal with: Radio publicity and
Print publicity. Radio publicity is covered later. Print publicity firms,
independent promoters who handle a number of different labels and artists
include DL Media, Annie Ohyon, and Shore Fire Media (there are more). They
handle getting the publicity materials and the CD to writers. Labels, such
as Blue Note, often farm out their releases to print publicity and radio
publicity firms. If you are independent, and you have the cash but not the
time, it is worth farming it out to them. You can also hire publicists and
managers who handle print and radio.
If you are hiring anyone, do your homework. Ask around, get references,
not just from artists who use them, but writers and programmers(they're
the ones who can tell you how easy the firm is to work with and whether
the materials are delivered).
Of course, major labels will do this stuff in-house as well. Some are
nightmares to deal with. Most are pretty good.
Publicity Photo
Do you have professional photos of yourself? You should have at least
one good headshot and one good shot of you and your ax. The 8X10 photo should
have your name, address, ph# at the bottom. Don't know a good photographer,
ask around. Good photo sessions will run around $100 or so.
If you want your picture in the paper, you need to have a professional
photo.
Why do you want your picture in the paper? Even if you look like Lyle
Lovett, people are more likely to respond to you (read the article about
you) if they see a face.
Radio Airplay
If you are serious about national airplay, you can spend your time sending
the discs out, calling radio stations, tracking airplay, etc. (hard - programmers
see independent release and wait until someone bothers them to listen to
it) or hire an independent promoter like Groov Marketing, Allegro
Distribution or Dr. Jazz to get
airplay for your product. This is purely a financial decision. But if you
are serious about it and you are not backed by a record label, you should
seek out an independent promoter. They represent your best bet of getting
airplay. Fact is, if Groov Marketing calls about an independent disc, the
programmer will note it and be more likely to listen to it. Why? Because
the programmer talk to them weekly. If no one ever asks, the programmer
is too busy to check out small independent releases, unless they know it's
going to be good. Sorry dudes, that's the way it is.
When asking for a story...
If it's a local story, what's the angle? Why should the reporter or audience
care? Whether right or wrong, "there's some great music happening here"
isn't enough. Fact is, there's usually some great music every week. What's
unique? What makes it news? For local acts, CD release parties and live
recording sessions at a particular venue are easy hooks. Noted out of town
acts are obvious hooks. After that it's a bit tougher.
Sometimes writers seize on things almost by accident. True story: Grover
Washington Jr. plugged Houston legend Conrad Johnson when I talked to him.
Being new to the area, I knew nothing about Conrad, so I looked Conrad up,
talked to him and Conrad appeared in the article. Conrad got free publicity
off that. You think Grover and Conrad liked that? Was that planned? No,
it just happened. Dumb luck.
Jazz clubs, take note, the moment you book a national act, you should
let your local media know about it. The more lead time, the better chance
of getting the story approved, getting more space, and getting an interview.
Remember, there are no guarantees when it comes to getting your story
out. Make it easy by giving an angle and as much advance notice as possible.
One more thing. Don't forget television. Most local TV newscasts have
more time than stories, witness the garbage that passes as news on most
stations. That's good for you. You're a new jazz club? That's a story. Recording
a CD some weekend? That's a story. When you send media releases to the local
media, do not forget television. They can help. If it's a slow newsday,
you're even in better shape. Will they always go for it? No. But if you
have three stations with newscasts in your area, chances are good that every
now and then one of them will bite. Combine that with effective radio, print
and internet promotion, and you have a better shot of getting noticed by
the public.
Final Few Bars
Those are some of the basics. There's more, oh there's so much more.
At some point I will discuss media campaigns and other topics. I'll revise
this page as time and ambition permit. For now, send me your thoughts and
suggestions.
Send email to: Paul J.
MacArthur
Still interested, check out An
Interview With Ann Braithwaite
For The Few Who Might Care Who I Am Continue Reading
For Those Who Don't, Thanks For Reading This Far
This is a variation of the mini-just-the-facts-bio I used
for MusicHound Jazz
Please note: Your own bio should be longer (and hoepfully
more interesting).
A native of Syracuse, New York, and a jazz radio personality for over
11 years, Paul MacArthur is the music editor for Event Magazine in Tampa,
Florida and a contributing writer for The Jazz Report and The Houston Press.
He contributed 41 artist biographies & discographies to the recently
published reference book, MusicHound Jazz: The Essential Album and is a
former Compilation's Editor of LEAK CD Music Magazine. MacArthur's writings
have also appeared in Jazziz, Lounge, CountryBeat and Experience Hendrix
magazines. Along with David Skolnick, he is publisher and editor of Wrestling
Perspective, a newsletter has analyzed the professional wrestling industry
since 1990.
MacArthur earned his B.A. in Broadcasting/Mass Communication from The
State University of New York College at Oswego and his Master of Professional
Studies Degree in Media Administration from Syracuse University. He's worked
in corporate marketing for a top-ten cable television MSO and has taught
at Cazenovia College and Onondaga Community College, (both located in Central
New York). In 1997, he completed a three-year appointment as an Assistant
Professor of Communication Arts & Sciences at Lyndon State College in
Vermont, where he oversaw of the Radio Performance and Writing program.
MacArthur is currently teaching in the Radio-Television Department at Sam
Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, where he teaches communication
law and several courses in the programming, management & sales track.
The Director of Jazz Programming for KSHU-FM, MacArthur is an avid water-skier
and snowboarder. His hobbies include photography, boating, and sitting on
the beach.
Last updated 2/1/99
Copyright © 1999 Paul
J. MacArthur
All Rights Reserved.
soulbox@yahoo.com
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