This year I have met over 200 bands all looking to establish their place in the music industry.  Out of them all, over 75% were people who's music moved me in ways I haven't heard in years from FM radio.  They spent months, or years writing these songs and pouring every ounce of their soul into them. 

After writing these amazing songs, these bands hunted out venues, promoters, and record labels looking for someone to help jump start their path to success. 

So why did we not sign them?  The answer is in their action outside of emailing me.

These guys believed in themselves enough to email me, or spend there own money on sonicbids submissions in hopes I would like their music.  They probably spent hours sending emails and press packs to venues with nothing but their belief in their music guiding them. So, what about the fans?

Truthfully, most of these bands had no real fan base yet.  They come to me wondering why after all these performances and help from promoters they still don't have a fan base.

Imagine if instead, these bands spend next year searching out people at local shows, on myspace, twitter, and facebook, who listen to the bands that inspire their own music.  They spend hours sending emails back and forth to these people communicating the feelings they have about their music.  Imagine if they spent the amount of time speaking to potential venues and promoters, and instead spent it  on speaking to potential new fans.

I want you all to know something.  Something I wish I was told ten years ago when I sat out with my first band trying to get heard.  It doesn't matter where you play, it's who you playing for when your there.  Things like sponsorships, videos, Itunes distribution, and performances don't matter if there is no one to tell about them.  

As a record label we can put your music and faces in places that could of taken you months or years to achieve.  We can not however, make people listen to you.  The people listening want to know more about the writers of the song they just heard. And now a days, they only want to hear it from the writers themselves.  

We live in a new world where you can directly chat with your favorite celebrities pretty much anytime you want.    They, despite already having fame, do this because they to, like connecting with people who like their work.  They understand that the average movie goer, or music listener wants more of a connection with them than just their WORK.

Next year, lets all dedicate a little more time to our friends and the people out there that want to become part of that group.  Stop promoting and start connecting.  

Most bands will take to the streets eager, with flyers in hand, only to be distrought after the first few times by the low results.   Here are three simple steps you can use to increase your buzz from street promotion.

1) Take the time to plan ahead. just going around and handing people pieces of paper is not enough.  Plan your promotions.  Try attending FM Radio sponsored events, Live performances by other indie artists comparable to you, and the clubs where you will be performing. 

2) Let people know what they are taking.  Include on your flyer, if not making it the key point, what type of music you play.  You may even want to include a sentance that says "If you like (band x), you'll like our song "song title".

3)  As always, be personable.  Take a second to greet the person.  Tell them what kind of music you play and ask them if they would like info on your band. 

So don't give up on street promo.  Get back out there and start applying these 3 simple steps.

So your the best guitar player in the world, you got a badass band and an awesome album.  Congrats.  That is a huge step.  however, its not the only one.

So many artists think they can just put their album out and wait for the deals to come in.  It wasnt true 20 years ago and its even less true these days.  Even getting a deal doesnt mean the work is over for you.

You must always try to make new friends.  Talk to the fans and engage in their stories they way they have with yours.  Push your cd's and shows in the streets.

Ultimately if this feels like real work to you, your probably in the wrong business.   It's friday.  Get off the computer and go meet some new people!

Band Buzz: David Correy

TUN Records will be hosting it's first ever independent music promotions seminar.  This is a great oppurtunity for bands and musicians of all genres to meet other artists and gain valuable knowledge on how to launch their career in the performance industry.

Even if you have been performing for a while, this seminar will still give you insight to how the old and new business side of the industry thinks, how to utilize it without sacraficing your values as an artist, and show you how to increase turn out from your current promotional stratigies.

This seminar hosted by myself and Scott Hesslegesser, also of TUN Records, will take place on Saturday, December 12th 2009 and will include -

• How to cater flyers to the people you want reading them
• What is a sampler Cd and what are they used for?
• How to plan a street promotional campaign
• How to, and the importance of making 1,000 new FRIENDS
• Proper places to promote
• and much more

Location TBA. Will be in or within 20 minutes south of Baltimore. Seminar is from 2pm-5pm.

GET TICKETS HERE!  or Call 240-386-9385 for more info