The Social Jazz

How online retailer amazon.com can get you more fans

2012-02-11T07:29:00.000-08:00

You’ve worked really hard and at last you’ve got a great band together and the gigs, fans and music sales are increasing. Then you see another artist in the same town or city playing the same kind of music as you, maybe playing the same instrument and approaching the same venues. So what do you do?

Some musicians make the mistake of becoming rivals, competing against each other. Just this morning I overheard one musician invite another to their live show only to get the quite frosty response “I’m not sure where I’ll be. I’ll probably be performing myself.” That chilly musician is missing out on a huge opportunity to meet more fans!

When the online retailer amazon.com launched, one of the reasons people liked and returned to it was because of the now familiar “Customers who bought this item also bought ...” feature. Me and my friends went online, bought music, got suggestions for other artists and then listened to (and often bought) more music.

It may be hard for you to admit, but your fans listen to other artists! As a consumer I have a fondness for jazz piano and listen to (and buy) music from any number of jazz pianists. Very often I’ll discover one artist by listening to or reading about another. As someone who helps musicians grow their audience and fanbase, I’ll look for fans of one musician and introduce them to another artist that I think they might like.

Why not try the amazon.com approach yourself? Here’s some easy ways you can support a fellow artist:

· Tell your Twitter followers about their upcoming gig

· Comment on their blog/Facebook/Youtube posts

· Mention them to other musicians, venues, bloggers or press

· Review/comment on their CD listings (including the ones on amazon.com!)

· Offer to open for them at a live show

Do this with a genuine heart and build a trusting relationship, both on- and off-line. Why? Because you’ll develop a healthy respect for each other and along the way you’ll naturally be introduced to each other’s fans.

Don’t worry about losing gigs, fans or CD sales. You have your own niche and your own loyal fanbase who’ll love you even more for introducing them to new music!

Do you already do this? What results have you had? Please feel free to leave a comment and tell me!

How to make sure every step leads you in the right direction

2012-01-18T12:14:00.000-08:00

Footprints by Will Keightley
CC BY-SA 2.0

2012 is here and you're determined this is the year you really try to make it as a musician. You've played some gigs and recorded some tracks but what next? How do you make the move from playing at your local venue to playing on a national - heck, let's dream big, international - level?

Find some quiet time, grab a pad and pencil and answer these questions about yourself and your music career:

Where are you now?

What have you achieved so far? List everything you can think of, no matter how small it may seem. You may be surprised to see just how far you’ve already come!

What are you good at? If you’re not sure answer this instead – what do you enjoy doing? Generally speaking, what we enjoy doing is very often the same as what we’re good at. It's always good to know what comes easily to you - that way, even if you're having a bad day you can still get something done.

What aren’t you so good at? What skills will you need to learn to move your music career forward? Where can you get them? Who can help you?

What connections do you have? Who do you know that can help you? Don’t overlook anyone - friends, relatives, dog walkers ...

This next one’s a toughie to answer but you need to be honest with yourself -

What are your limitations? How far do you think you can go, given your knowledge of the music scene in your genre?

How much time do you have to dedicate to your career in music? If you’re holding down a day job or studying full-time, how many evenings a week can you devote to it? How much time at weekends? What other commitments do you have that will take you away from your music career?

Answering these questions openly and honestly will help you see exactly where you are now in relation to your ultimate goal. Which leads us to ...

Where do you want to end up?

Where are your dream venues? What kind of audience do you want? Do you want to sell albums? Play live? Tour internationally? Don’t fall into the trap of saying “yes” to all of the above! Really focus on identifying one goal and make sure that everything you do moves you closer to achieving it. Set smaller goals that lead to the big one so you have something to work towards in the short- and medium-term.

Set a deadline. Hopefully your career in music is going to last for as long as you want it to but, without a firm date in mind, you run the risk of thinking you have all the time in the world. So put some timescales against what you're working towards, because I’m guessing you don’t want to have your first success in music when you’re 80, right?

Take one small step every day

Once you know where you’re headed, make a list of everything that will help you get there. List absolutely every task you can think of – right down to the really simple ones - and add a date for when each one needs to be completed by. Break down bigger tasks into smaller ones – that way you’re more likely to actually do them. Even the smallest step – like making a phone call or sending an email - will take you one step closer to where you want to be and you’ll feel like you’re making progress. Just keep taking one small step every day and before you know it, you’ll look back and see how far you’ve come!

The small step I took today? Booking a meeting room to talk through a musician’s plans for 2012. And suddenly I'm really focussed on having all my preparation done and ready for that meeting.

What’s your next step and when do you need to get it done by? Tell me - I'll put it in my diary and I'll check back with you!

What can you learn about blogging from musicians?

2011-12-08T15:26:00.000-08:00

The other week a musician asked me whether or not they should have a blog. We kicked the idea around for a while and came to the conclusion that it wasn't right for them right now. That got me wondering what the musician community thinks about blogs. Here the authors of the blogs I read regularly share their thoughts with you - let me introduce them (links to their blogs are at the end of this post).

Ben Cottrell - Director of Beats & Pieces big band
Brass Jaw - UK Parliamentary Jazz Award winners
Jack Davies - band leader, trumpet player and composer
Josh Jennings - British Jazz Blog editor, musician, student
Zack Moir - musician, composer, improviser
Mark Powers - drummer and traveller
Will Rodway - musician, 606 worker, blogger
Huw Warren - musician, composer, educator and writer

Why do you blog?

Huw: “Mainly, a desire to share information, thoughts and finer details about my music and the musicians life; but also to link to other things I care about (musical and non musical) and obviously a marketing tool in terms of linking with a wider audience, and other musician bloggers worldwide. I've always enjoyed writing anyway - although it never comes as easy as writing music for sure! Jazz and improvised music seems to be as much about the process as the final result, so I'm interested in seeing a blog as more detailed info on the "process".”

Brass Jaw: “I think blogs have an appeal to a certain type of internet user. I think it's an informal and gentle way of allowing a bands audience to feel part of the day to day life of a band, especially when they are touring. It's a bit of a look behind the scenes.”

Ben: “I think it’s interesting for people to read things on an artists' website that are extra to the standard stuff like gigs, records, biography etc. Obviously that stuff has to be there too but having a blog allows you to address those things in a more personal and social way, as well as writing about and posting other things like photos and videos from behind the scenes, regularly updated news and competitions as well as occasional articles on other subjects or music that I'm listening to and am enjoying. I also try to tweet about stuff like that, and I've just set up a tumblr blog that the individual band members can post to from their phones so (in theory...) this will provide a more interesting view on what the band is up to than I can provide alone!"

What do you enjoy most about it?

Josh: “I love the amazing feedback I get from musicians, publishers, fellow bloggers etc on my writing and thoughts. It’s also great to stir up a little controversy once in a while.”

Will: “Within the [jazz] scene it can be such a cliquey genre, whilst also considered quite niche by the wider public, that a seemingly straightforward critique can be considered outrageous. I do enjoy some of the debates I've had since blogging; it's nice to know something you've written can stir a response in a reader! It also allows me to get stuff off of my chest. For example recently I pondered on the idea as to whether a living, already canonised jazz musician is beyond criticism (I won't say his name, you'll have to read the blog!) This brought out the same old spiritual garbage when I posted it on his yahoo group, but it's important to put the cat amongst the pigeons!”

Mark: “One of the things I've enjoyed most has been connecting with a number of incredible people. Readers (and other bloggers) occasionally comment, email, tweet (etc.) and personally share tidbits of their own stories with me. Those exchanges teach me a tremendous amount, have brought about many new friendships and help provide me continual focus and motivation.”

Brass Jaw: “It becomes like a journal, or a collection of thoughts, memories etc...It’s a good way of archiving the bands history.”

Jack: “It's great that the blog seems to encourage people to come up to me at gigs and chat about the things I've been writing about. It's also nice to hear that some people do actually read what I've written!”

What’s the most difficult aspect of it?

Zack: “The most difficult aspect is definitely finding the time to blog as regularly as I would like. Ideally, I would like to post weekly or fortnightly, however this can sometimes feel like a considerable amount of work and encroaches on time that could be spent practicing or composing, for example. Consequently, I try to wait until I have something substantial to write about and then post on the blog - this does mean that the posts are less frequent but hopefully also less trivial. This is one of the reasons that I love using Twitter, i.e. micro-blogging presents a channel for more frivolous, spontaneous and less considered information to be disseminated.”

Brass Jaw: “Finding the time to keep it all up to date whilst on the road - the constant search for free WIFI!”

Ben: “Posting interesting things regularly - for example often on the day of a gig I'm so busy sorting everything out that I forget to take 30 seconds to post a reminder on Twitter or Facebook about the gig, or post some interesting pictures of us sound checking. Generally the times when the most interesting things are happening to you (and therefore the times when you've got the most stuff to tell people about) are the times when you're actually most busy and have the least time to post! “

Jack: “The same thing as when composing: finding a clear, coherent way of making your point in an engaging way.”

What (if any) benefit has it had to you as a musician?

Huw: “Any social media/blogging activity that brings you closer to your audience in an interactive sense can only be good, surely. It’s often easy to dismiss internet strategy as a gimmick ... but one of the main collaborations I'm currently involved with came about entirely from a MySpace link. After that fortunate experience I am reluctant to dismiss out of hand any of these current developments!”

Will: “It helps you cement your aesthetic ideas whilst forcing you to broaden your horizons and research new musical areas (if done properly and not just used as a vehicle for ranting - but ranting can be good also!) It's the old adage "the more you learn, the less you know". Blogging is a beautiful, communicative mode of learning.”

Zack: “It allows you to have a regular channel of communication with readers - also the fact that this is web-based means that your potential readership and geographic location of readers (and thus potential fans of your music) is increased. If readers are interested, it often points them towards your music - this increases awareness of you as an artist and often leads to increased interest and, in turn, sales of music and merchandise.”

Ben: “I think that nowadays it’s clear that having a good website is essential to the career of any musician or creative artist, and a blog, Twitter and/or Facebook page can be a central part of that. It’s also always useful to take a step back from your music and interact with the people that are interested in what you're doing because they're ultimately the ones that allow you to do what you're doing - often I find doing this also makes me think about what I'm doing differently or approach it in a different way so it feeds back into what we do.”

What one piece of advice would you give a musician thinking about starting their own blog?

Jack: “If you've got something interesting to say, say it!”

Zack: “I would encourage anyone starting their own blog to really think about how they want to use it. If it is promotional then take it seriously! Don't use it in the same way that you might use Facebook etc., i.e. to have fun with friends, for example. Use this as an interactive web-presence and make sure that you present yourself in the way you would like to be perceived. Disseminating information in this way is incredibly powerful and allows for you to present yourself internationally, without even leaving your office - make the most of it!”

Huw: “Find the right tone that really reflects you as an individual. Your web/blog presence is the one opportunity to present yourself online exactly as you intend.”

Josh: “Work hard on it and be patient! Don't expect to see results straight away. The more you put into it the more you'll get out!”

Will: “Just do it! The more the merrier. Social technology rules the online waves and it shows no signs of diminishing, so it's important to get as many jazz musicians utilising the technology to increase the music’s fan base.”

The last word goes to Mark, who inspired and encouraged me to start my own blog a few months ago:

“As musicians in this digital era, much of our market is here online. If you're not tapping into the potential that a blog and social media harness, you are missing out. Many people who very well may love what you do will simply never hear of you if you don't have an online presence. Music fans are all over the internet, searching for new favorite material; other artists are online, grabbing their attention. You can't afford NOT to be. Welcome to 2011.”

Links to the blogs:

Beats & Pieces Big Band http://beatsnpieces.net/

The Amazing Inflatable Brass Jaw Blog http://brassjaw.blogspot.com/

Thoughts from trumpeter Jack Davies http://jdodavies.blogspot.com/

British Jazz Blog http://britishjazzblog.com/

Zack Moir Music http://blog.zackmoir.com/

Powers Percussion http://www.powerspercussion.com/

Sure, Nuff! Will Rodway on modern music and interesting bits http://surenuff.wordpress.com/

And the kitchen sink http://huwwarren.wordpress.com/

What do you think about musician blogs? And what did you think about having musicians write this piece? We’d love you to post your thoughts, comments or questions here!

Does your online image reflect who you are in the real world?

2011-11-23T04:25:00.000-08:00

As a performer you probably have an on-stage image that you project, even if it’s one of a musician completely engrossed in music and not interacting very much with the audience. But have you ever stopped to think about your online image?

Recently I’ve been privileged to meet a few musicians who play wonderful music. Their social media postings are humorous, thought-provoking or just downright entertaining. So it was quite a shock to find some of them very different in real life from their online personas. Which got me thinking - am I the same person online as I am in the real world?

This week I took an objective look through my own social media postings, starting with Facebook – here’s a couple of samples:

“Looking forward to renewing an acquaintance with Jamie Cullum this week.” Did the great man himself invite me to lunch? Err, no. Did he call me and have a long chat? Again, sadly, no. My Facebook community knew that I’d missed three consecutive broadcasts of his radio show and had planned an evening to sit down and catch up with them.

Here's another one - “One of my baby musicians just released a video!” Am I now following child prodigies? Umm no. “Baby musicians” is a term I use to describe musicians who are not yet known to a wide audience and who, coincidentally, are a lot younger than me (not difficult these days). My friends know if they see the words “baby musicians” on my page they’re going to find a link to music from someone that’s new to them. They enjoy discovering new music and I enjoy sharing my new discoveries.

Do I post these to a wide audience? No, just my small number of friends on Facebook, all of whom are friends in a real-world context. Amongst them I’ve become known as the “crazy jazz lady”, so I use Facebook to entertain them and keep them guessing – it makes for interesting conversations when we meet up.

Then I took a look at my Twitter page which has a larger following, predominantly from the jazz world. Here I share what I’m listening to, which events I’m going to, chat with people I’ve interviewed and post content that musicians might find helpful in their PR and marketing efforts. No postings referring to “baby musicians” or “catching up with Jamie Cullum” here!

Curious about my public online “image”, I asked some musicians (who I know only in a virtual sense) what they thought and braced myself for the answer. As someone who for the last couple of weeks has posted frequently on Twitter, had I turned into a stalker? To my surprise these were some of the replies: “You clearly have a passion for helping musicians use social media.” “You really have a good understanding of the current jazz scene – you pick up on artists that aren’t widely known yet.” “It’s great to see you so active online, it reminds me I need to do the same.” Those who know me in real-life know that my passion is for helping emerging musicians use social media in their public relations - fortunately that message seems to come across in my online presence. Phew! So no, not a stalker then ...

This little experiment got me thinking about messages, about what we choose to share and who we choose to share it with. So here’s an invitation – take an objective look through your social media and answer these 3 questions:

Does who you are in front of a live audience match up with who you are in your social media?
Do you tailor your social media messages according to your audience?
What impression would your posts give if someone who doesn't know you read them?

Why not ask someone you don’t know (or only know through the virtual world) to take a look through your social media and give you their first impressions? Like me, you might be surprised. If you are, I’d love to hear about it!

Three things you can do on The Social Jazz today

2011-11-13T04:04:00.000-08:00

You may have noticed the blog has been a bit quiet recently. That’s because this is the biggest week in the UK jazz world – London Jazz Festival – 10 days when some of the best jazz musicians working today come together for one of the major events in the international jazz calendar.

So what’s that got to do with me not writing so much lately? In the run-up to the festival I’ve been approached by a number of musicians wanting help with various aspects of their public relations or promotion. As a result I’m now writing a number of articles covering subjects like:

How to write a great intro email
What makes a great press photo
The shortcut to social media success
How to put together a killer press kit

All my posts are written in answer to a musician or band’s social media or PR question – if you’ve got a question you’d like me to answer, please feel free to email me and I’ll be happy to help.

Whether you're new to the blog or have been reading for a while, here’s 3 things you can do on here today:

Read one of most popular posts - Five easy ways for a musician to start a conversation
Leave a comment on any of the posts or pages – agree, disagree or just share your experiences with social media and public relations.
Listen to some of my favourite new music or read some musician interviews

Now, if you’ll excuse me - I have some writing to catch up with ...

Find out more about the London Jazz Festival here http://www.londonjazzfestival.org.uk/

How to sell your band's most important merchandise

2011-10-31T14:26:00.000-07:00

“You can buy my latest EP on bandcamp!” “Click this link to buy tickets for our gig!“ Every day musicians and bands use social media to sell to their fans. Now there’s nothing wrong with that but we’re all bombarded by advertising, from the minute we wake up to the moment we go to sleep. Your fans use social media for entertainment so they want more from you than just being told to buy your stuff. Here's three things your fans want from you:

They want to have a real conversation

Your fans want to connect with you. They want to peek inside the life of a working musician. They want to get the inside scoop on new projects you’re working on. Some musicians choose to talk about their work, music and life on the road with the band. Others give fans a window into their home life. The good thing is that you can decide just how much (or how little) you share.

They want you to be yourself

Some musicians I follow have a great sense of humour that shows in just 140 characters. Others are deeply thoughtful and that comes across in their social media posts, as well as their music. I follow one musician whose music doesn’t grab me but their posts often bring a smile to my day - so when they announce a new soundtrack I'll take a listen just out of curiosity.

They want to get to know you

Once in a while a musician will ask me if I’ll run their social media. I know some artists employ companies to do it for them but I always advise against it. Why? Quite simply, it won’t have the same impact. No public relations professional can replicate your tone of voice, your interests, influences and day to day story. You can always tell the social media channels that are run by PR companies – the overall emphasis is on pushing ticket sales, CDs or merchandise. By all means use a professional to help you plan your social media journey but you need to “do the do” yourself - day in, day out. And don’t worry – you don’t have to be perfect either! Actually, your fans will probably like you better if you’re not ...

Take a quick look now at just how often your social media posts are sales-related, because your fans won’t want to connect with you if all you’re doing is selling to them. Then have a think about how you and your fans can get to know each other because they want to buy into you and you want them to buy your music. When they do both of those, they'll start doing the selling for you - so give some thought to how you can sell your most important merchandise ... you!

What’s your experience? Have you found that using social media purely to sell works for you? Or have you concentrated on building a fan-base and then selling? There’s no right or wrong – this post is merely meandering thoughts so I’d love to hear which has worked best for you ...

Feel the fear and tweet it anyway

2011-10-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

Any visitor to the blog can’t help but notice there’s been a good few weeks with no new posts. Oh yeah, there’s a bunch of reasons I could hide behind – working for music festivals, throwing myself into my own music education, travelling all over the country interviewing musicians. All great stuff for me - but that doesn’t help you guys, my musician followers. So what changed? Quite simply – I got scared. Scared at how many people read my random thoughts. Scared to see the blog was being read around the world. Scared at the thought that musicians might read and act on my words – what if I wrote something that sent someone down the wrong path?

Recently I’ve been privileged to meet some incredibly talented musicians and educators who play, improvise and compose the most beautiful melodies while I can barely read music. They patiently listen to and answer my most basic of questions (what is the difference between a major and a minor key anyhow?!). Each one has encouraged me to think that – just perhaps – I might be able to learn to play music. They’ve shown me that it’s not about what you know, but how you share it that really matters.

Over the last few months I’ve worked with several musicians who don’t really use social media because they find it scary. They don’t want to talk to people they don’t know. Or they don’t know what to say. Or they don’t see how it can help get their music out there. They’ve asked me if they should just hire a PR company to do it for them. My answer is - only when you’ve exhausted every other avenue yourself. You know your music and your audience. You know what radio stations they listen to (and if you don’t, you need to find out!). You probably know musicians who sound similar to you and the venues they play at. You may even share some fans with them. No PR company will get to know you and your music as well as you know yourself. You may be overlooking the most important PR/marketing asset you already have – your knowledge - which you can use to build your audience, get gigs and meet new fans.

For any musician who’s scared about taking their first baby steps in using social media to promote themselves I have just one question. What’s the worst that can happen? Someone doesn’t click a link to your music – it doesn’t mean your music is awful. Someone doesn’t retweet you – it doesn’t mean they don’t like you. Just like me and my piano lessons – keep doing it and you’ll build the right muscle and start to create something that truly reflects who you are.

I hope past – and future – blog posts here will help you build confidence in your ability to use social media to promote your music and connect with people who can help you. Email me your questions and I’ll respond through a blog post. It doesn’t matter if you think it’s a really simple question - if it’s important to you, it’s important to me. I won’t mention your name because I don’t want you to feel silly - any more than those very gifted musicians have made me feel silly while I try and learn to play music they could probably play when they were 10 years old.

Thank you to Abram, Dan and last but by no means least Henry – for inspiring my long-held desire to explore and create music, and for inspiring this blog post!

How to get a great interview

2011-09-05T05:56:00.000-07:00

The Music Lounge - Sirius Radio Interview 6 by Oscar Rohena
CC BY 2.0

You’re on your way – the band is working well together, the music sounds better than you hoped, you’re getting gigs and working on a CD. Sooner or later you’re going to be asked to give an interview for a newspaper, website or blog, on the radio or TV. Here’s a dozen ways to make sure you get a great interview:

Respond promptly to the request. Journalists usually work to deadlines – sometimes tight ones. For example if you’re lucky enough to be nominated for an award and are invited to give an interview, the journalist isn’t going to wait until days after the ceremony for you – they want something that will hit the wires while it’s still news!
If you’ve never heard of the interviewer, Google them and read or listen to some of their work. Do you like their style? Does the person being interviewed come across well? Or is it more about the journalist's opinions? If they’ve interviewed another band you know, call them and ask how it went for them.
Be clear what you will and won’t talk about – some journalists may want to cover specific aspects of your career to suit their client or media. If you don’t want to talk about it you’re not going to get along, so be open and transparent from the start. Better to turn down an interview than give one where neither party is happy with the end result.
If they need to talk to your manager first, give the email address or phone number and your manager’s name so they can make a personal approach.
Be honest and don’t play one journalist, interviewer or blogger off against another. If you’ve already agreed an interview when you get approached for a second (or third), make sure they know so you can work together to time it for maximum impact. Two or three interviews spaced a few weeks apart will keep you in the public eye for longer than three interviews in the space of week then nothing for three months.
Before you agree to the interview ask if it will appear in full or be edited. For printed interviews, your answers are probably going to be far longer than the writer’s word count will allow, so they’re going to have to cut the story together. If that makes you nervous, it’s OK to ask for final copy approval before it goes out into the world. If the writer won’t give copy approval at least you’ll know, and can decide whether to go ahead with the interview.
If you don’t want to give the interview, still respond with a polite “thanks but no”. That way the interviewer knows not to wait for you, and can find someone else for their story.
The back story can sell an artist to the public so share yours – people are interested in you, where you came from and how you got here. Be sincere.
If you’re giving a series of interviews find something unique for each one – perhaps an anecdote about a performance or the story behind a song. Every interviewer wants original material and is looking for a great headline.
Even if you’re tired, hungover or nervous, be personable. I remember one world-famous musician admitting to being horribly hungover, but he still gave a great interview! If you make it easy for the journalist you’re likely to get a better interview as a result.
Try and stay away from well-worn phrases, like talking about your music being “relevant”.
It’s OK to plug your CD, tour or gig but remember the bottom line – it’s all about the music. Talk about your music because that’s what will make people want to buy your CD or come to your gig.

Just like the music industry, journalism can be a competitive industry. It takes time and effort to build relationships, but that’ll be repaid when you need your CD reviewed or your tour promoted. So find journalists, reviewers, reporters and bloggers and start building online (and offline) relationships with them now – because sooner or later you’re going to need them!

Have you had an experience (good or bad) of working with an interviewer or journalist? Did you ever give an interview that didn't quite turn out as you'd hoped? I hope you'll share your stories here ...

How to find your own voice

2011-08-22T04:21:00.000-07:00

Singing in the Shadow by Kevin Kloecker
CC BY-ND 2.0

As a musician or band you probably already have a pretty good idea of your sound - even if it’s a work in progress, you know what you’re aiming for. But have you ever stopped to wonder what you sound like when you’re not performing? How you talk to people? What language you use? Quite literally – what your “voice” is?

Why think about words?

You probably give endless hours of thought to the words that make up a song lyric - the words reflect an attitude and a personality. The words you choose – whether in your lyrics or in your speech – give your followers an idea of what you think about certain things. The world sees you, to a larger extent than you probably realise, through the words you use.

Everyone likes to “belong”

Have you ever found yourself echoing the accent or speech pattern of someone you’re talking to? Subconsciously you’re just trying to fit in. Misunderstandings can happen when someone uses a word or phrase in a context we’re not familiar with. I remember an interview I did once where I had to go away and look up the musician’s use of the word “woodshedding” before I could edit correctly! Maybe it’s our way of using language as a test – if they understand you, they belong but if they don’t get it, they don’t.

How do you sound?

Tone of voice doesn’t only apply to big corporates like the Virgin Group – it also applies to individuals. The words you use on your website, in your blog, in emails and face to face should be similar. In a previous post we looked at consistency – and that goes for language too. Why? Because when you meet a booker, agent or fan if you don't come across in person in the same way as you do in your press, PR and social media they’ll feel uncertain at best and at worst let down - not a good position for you to sell to them!

How are you supposed to sound?

A musician once told me they stay away from social media because they’re not sure how they’re supposed to sound. My answer? Just sound like yourself. The chances are you’ll already be using similar words and phrases to those your audience use – remember that desire to belong? You probably don’t want anyone to say “oh, I love your tone of voice” but, whether they’re aware of it or not, people will make decisions about you partly based on your choice of words.

Why should you give a thought to your words and tone of voice? Because if you get it right, your website or blog will be visited more often, your printed fliers are more likely to be read and your introductory emails stand a better chance of being acted on. Get it right and your words will convey to a much wider audience who you are and what you’re all about

What do you think? If we spoke on the phone do you already have an idea of how I'd sound?

How to make sure your band isn't left on the shelf

2011-08-08T04:59:00.000-07:00

Winter Innocent Smoothies by Charlotte Marillet
CC BY-SA 2.0

What makes you pick one kind of breakfast cereal or orange juice over another? Whether you’re aware of it or not, brand has a large part to play. Brands are about more than just a name, a logo or a colour theme. A strong brand can influence people’s behaviour – here’s 5 elements of building a brand that can help you get noticed.

Be unique

In an earlier post I invited you to think about what makes you and your music stand out from the crowd, because knowing that is the first step to building your brand.

You also need to be unique in your band name (unless you’re a tribute band) but make sure people can pronounce it. If your band name is a clever reference that not everyone might get, be prepared to explain it to anyone who asks. Between 1993 and 2000 the American singer/songwriter Prince renamed himself with a symbol that was unpronounceable so he became known as “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.” Needless to say, he’s just Prince again these days.

Make sure your band’s logo can’t be confused with that of another band. And that the logo is still distinctive when reduced to avatar size - your Twitter followers will scroll through their tweets stopping to read when they see particular avatars so make sure yours stands out.

Be a person

Each member of your band has their own personality and will relate to the audience in a different way. They may attract their own audience both within and independently of the band. A great example of this is John, Paul, George and Ringo (why do we always put them in that order?) - four guys each with their own personality, musical style and fanbase who were collectively known as The Beatles. Strength of recognition comes from a group of people who are known both individually and collectively.

Your band has its own personality too. The Beach Boys let it be known that the origins of the band were as a group of high-school kids in California. Their music and lyrics reflected it. So did their album covers. And the way they dressed. They really nailed their brand as a group of laid-back surfer types even though behind the scenes the reality may have been different. How do you want the public to see you?

Be consistent

When people become a fan of something – whether it’s a fruit drink or a musician – they buy into an image that’s presented to them largely through words and pictures, which is reflected in their actual experience. You buy an Innocent smoothie because they always taste like they’re good for you, and the words and images on the carton remind you that the company started out with three guys, a bunch of fruit and a stall at a music festival.

If your professional image is that of a sharp-suited sophisticated performer of smooth jazz, it’s probably not a smart idea to post material using language that’s guaranteed to offend in your social media channels. If your press photos are mean and moody but you’re selling yourself as a band that loves to have fun performing there’s a contradiction – which are you?

Your audience expects you to be the person your professional image portrays so be consistent when you’re in front of them and let your hair down when you’re not!

Be in social media

Advertising campaigns are a constant presence reminding us of a product, ultimately influencing our buying decisions. You don’t need a fancy ad campaign or PR person to keep your name in front of an audience. You can do it for yourself with whatever social media you’re comfortable using. You’ve got lots of content to entertain your fans with and hold their attention – and that’s something each band member can contribute to.

Be professional

Stand behind your band (and brand) and make sure you can deliver on the promises you make in your fliers and on your website. People may come and hear you based on what you’ve written about yourself so make sure you live up to it.

The way you treat people is important. Chat with your fans and audience members before, during or after an appearance. Even if you don’t feel it, act confidently. Let fans take photos with you if they want to. Talk – and listen – to them. Make them feel valued. You don’t have to go as far as Lady Gaga did and buy pizza for fans waiting in line at a CD signing!

“Good will, and kindness to the fans that make celebrities rich, as well as famous, is worth more than money. Most people just want celebrities to treat them, their fans, with a little respect, but generosity is even better.” Image and quote courtesy www.hollywoodgrind.com

The best reason to be professional is because people will perceive you as being a “quality” band and people buy into (and buy) quality.

These five ingredients will create a brand that makes you memorable. By packaging up who you are and what you do in a memorable way, you’ll stand out in a crowded market. You’ll appear more professional – and venues, record companies and agents like dealing with professionals.

Last of all, a brand isn’t for life – or even for Christmas. Bands and musicians constantly evolve, so review your brand periodically to make sure it still reflects who you are.

Is branding for washing powder but not musicians? Tell me what you think ...

Why musicians should leave stamp collecting to people interested in postal history

2011-08-02T14:19:00.000-07:00

US Postal Stamps 1936 by Nathan Hughes Hamilton
CC BY 2.0

“There’s a prize for the 100^th person to like our Facebook page!”

“Our Youtube video has had 500 hits!”

“Only 20 more followers till we hit 3,000 on Twitter!”

Now don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you to put up your hand in class if you’ve ever posted something like this. We see it every day – from actors, writers, musicians, venues, celebrities, bloggers ... just about anyone.

Maybe you know someone who has over 1,000 friends on Facebook. But really - 1,000 friends? That you know well enough to share your every waking thought with? That read your status updates and are interested enough to comment on them when you meet in person? That care what you’re having for dinner or which TV programme you’re watching right now?

I call this approach to social media “stamp collecting”. Here’s 3 ways musicians can avoid being stamp collectors:

Check your Facebook fan page and reply to whatever comments people leave there. If you can, share something that will be meaningful to them. If they were at a gig and you made a mistake that you thought everyone noticed, share the moment from your viewpoint. You need loyal fans who feel that you're a real person, not just a band.
If your video is being discussed on YouTube don’t be afraid to jump into the conversation and share your thoughts – that’s the “social” part of social media.
If someone follows you on Twitter don’t send a standard reply - those automated direct messages don’t fool anyone. Take the time to send a personal reply. Every interaction you have should be aimed at getting people to sign up to your email subscription list (you do have one, right?).

Which is more important? The number of hits on your website or the number of people that buy your music through it? The number of Facebook fans you have or the number of people that share your news, gigs and music with their friends? The number of followers on Twitter or the number of venues, journalists and fans that read and retweet you, and chat – either with you or about you to their friends?

A couple of months back I looked at how many followers some other bloggers have and decided that I’m completely clueless. Then I remembered why I'm using social media: to build relationships with musicians, help them out if I can, point them in the right direction if I can’t and be among the first to hear and support amazing new music. It might mean I have a small following, but at least I’m interacting with my target audience. The next time I turn up to a gig, I'll feel a connection with the musician I'm there to support. And I'm gradually building a list of email addresses for musicians and venues who are more likely to be interested in what I can do for them than if I just sent out a standard e-mail.

So here’s the big question - what are you using social media for? To just collect people or to build relationships with them? I’m going to invite you to leave stamp collecting to the people who are interested in postal history – because you want followers that will listen to your sound, tell their friends, come to your gigs, book your band and buy your music.

What do you think? Is it quantity, quality or a combination of both that matters? And if you've managed to achieve that magical combination, how did you do it? Please drop by with a comment - I'd love to learn from you ...

What a trumpet player can teach you about handling a public relations nightmare

2011-07-20T23:57:00.000-07:00

You’ve spent months getting followers to your website, Facebook and Twitter pages. You’ve got a gig. You’ve got an audience. Now you’ve just got to get there. You and the band are on the road when disaster strikes and the van breaks down. You’re not sure if you’re going to make it in time. What do you do?

Here’s 10 ways social media can help you handle a public relations nightmare:

Work out which channels you can use to get your message out immediately – most likely it’ll be Twitter and Facebook.
Let your followers know what’s happened and what you’re doing about it.
Be truthful - if you know straight away that you won’t be able to make the gig, say so and give your audience time to make other arrangements. Don’t forget to apologise!
Post frequent updates to keep your fans and followers in the picture – if you say nothing, they’ll make assumptions about what really happened (and they might not be complimentary).
If you have to cancel the gig, let people know how to get a refund if they paid for tickets. If they need to get in touch with the venue, give the venue advance warning.
No matter how large or important the gig is, complaining will only disengage your fans - some of them may be having a bad day too, but they probably don’t share that with you.
Keep your sense of humour and try to find something amusing to share with your followers. If you can, take a photo - don’t worry if you have to “stage” it a little to make people smile.
Respond to disappointed fans who leave a comment on your Facebook or Twitter page. They’ll only get more annoyed if you ignore them – and they’ll be less likely to buy a ticket next time you’re in town. Respond to them because that’s how you build relationships and trust.
Show your fans you care by finding something to make up for their disappointment. If you’ve got another date within a reasonable travelling distance, can you arrange a discount on the tickets? Or can you send them a link to an exclusive soundtrack in exchange for their email address (also a sneaky way to get more fan email addresses)?
Still waiting for that trumpet player to make an appearance? Abram Wilson made good use of the time he had on his hands when he found himself stranded at the roadside recently. He never did make it to the gig, but I think there’s a fairly good chance this post made his followers smile:

Click this link to run the video

Why is this so engaging? Because he took the time to record and post something amusing, because it looked as though he'd posted it while it was happening and because it showed he was thinking about his followers and fans.

Health warning: this is not a recommendation to try out this particular example – least of all on the hard shoulder of the car park known as the M25 on a Friday afternoon (although you’d probably get a decent-sized audience).

What do you think about this post? Have you seen another musician or band try something like this? Do you think it would work? Why not comment and let's exchange ideas ...

7 ways to keep your audience listening after the gig

2011-07-11T23:41:00.000-07:00

Last week we looked at the idea of creating a publishing schedule for your social media channels. Deciding to take my own advice I drew up a schedule for the Social Jazz Blog. Seconds later I was staring at a blank grid, wondering what on earth to post each day. After some soul-searching (and some inspiring jazz piano from Bill Evans) I realised the answer - share whatever it is that you’re passionate about because that’s what your fans want to know.

Here’s some ideas that'll keep your audience listening:

Twitter

Search for tweets mentioning you and reply. If you're playing a gig, find the venue's Twitter page and thank them afterwards. If you’re listening to another musician, search for recent tweets mentioning them and join the conversation ... there’s a reason why Twitter uses that as its strapline! And make sure your Twitter profile has a link to your website.

YouTube

Search for yourself or your band and if you find a fan video, leave a thank you comment. Check back on comments posted on your own videos, reply and let fans know where else they can follow you.

Facebook

Try using the “Notes” feature – you can share selected content from your newsletter, tell people what you’re working on at the moment or just share random thoughts. Whatever you share, you’ll appear in the news feed of your fans, reminding them that they’re following you.

Photo sharing sites

One artist I follow has set up a photo album and invited fans to post their own photos taken during a gig. Then they pose for photos with fans afterwards, and naturally some of those fans will send their friends to the site which - surprise! - also has links to their music and website.

Your website

Search engines like websites that are updated frequently. Here’s just one way to keep it fresh – instead of a whole page dedicated to press reviews or testimonials, chop each one into a series of quotes with the name of the source, add a space on the home page for them and refresh them regularly. Those pesky search engine bots will routinely find new content on your website and your search engine ranking will improve.

Your blog

Don’t underestimate the value of blog comments. End each blog post with a question and invite comments. Then – and this is the crucial bit - when someone takes the time to comment on your post, comment back and invite further discussion. And it doesn't have to be all positive either - before now I've revisited a blog just to see who's winning a debate (to put it politely). Commenting keeps your blog fresh and will encourage readers to keep coming back.

Your email newsletter

Don’t underestimate the desire people have to feel they know something others don’t. So don’t disappoint - announce upcoming gigs in your newsletter before anywhere else. Give your subscribers a discounted ticket rate or an exclusive download - and there’s nothing wrong with using Facebook, Twitter or your website to let people know that email subscribers get the good stuff first.

So the next time you’re staring at a blank screen and wondering what you should be tweeting, facebooking or blogging about, remember this from David Karp, founder of the blogging platform Tumblr: "Share things you find, love, hate and create. Share the things you've made, even if it's not finished yet. That's what makes it engaging."

Next week we’ll be looking at how you can use social media to stop a PR mishap becoming a PR disaster. In the meantime, what are you currently loving, hating or creating? And what do other artists share that makes you want to go back for more?

Is your band's social media presence like cheap television?

2011-07-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

What do you do when a TV channel shows a repeat of a programme you’ve seen before? Watch and enjoy it all over again, in amazed wonderment? Watch it again in the hope something different happens? Or do you switch over and see what else is on? I’m guessing that (with the notable exception in the UK of “Dave” thanks to Top Gear) you probably don’t watch too many channels that run endless repeats of programmes you’ve seen before.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a page on Myspace, Facebook or Twitter or a blog or website - they’re just ways of getting your message out – they’re communications “channels”. And just like TV channels, each communications channel has a particular audience that likes particular types of content.

Do you have enough content to support each of your channels?

You need to regularly publish enough original content to get an audience that keeps coming back. Endless repeats (from your Twitter feed, Facebook page, blog or website) just aren’t going to satisfy your audience. Why would I follow you on Twitter if I already get the same status updates from your fan page on Facebook? As a musician or band you’ve already got good digital music files, great digital photos and video - whether taken professionally or by a fan at a gig. If you haven’t got a variety of each of these three basics, the chance is you don’t have enough content.

What does your programming schedule look like?

I don’t know much about running a television station, but I’m fairly sure employees don’t just turn up on their shift, randomly select a bunch of programmes and broadcast them. But how many musicians or bands plan their social media a week ahead? Stop reading this for a minute and think about what you’re going to be posting on social media for your listeners and readers this coming week. It doesn’t have to take hours to plan, it just needs a bit of organisation.

So get organised – make a schedule

Keep it simple – just a piece of paper with each social media channel down the left-hand side, the days of the week across the top and a note of what you’re going to post on each day of the week in the grid.

When you’ve filled it in, read down each column and find out what your total output is going to be each day. Make sure it represents your overall message - if you’ve got a new album or gig, make sure that message comes across. Then read across each row and find out what each of your channels will be showcasing through the week. In the case of YouTube I’m not suggesting you post a new video every day - but you do need to check back on fan comments and reply.

Make sure you post different content in different channels on different days.

If you find you’re repeating more than 50% of your content across two or more channels, it’s time to make some new stuff to keep your fans coming back.

Next week we’re going to take a look at where you get ideas for new content. As a musician your social media presence shouldn’t be like cheap TV so take the time to think about what you post, when and where – because you’re worth it.

I’m off to make a programming schedule for the Social Jazz Blog. Do you already use one? And does it work? Would love to know ...

Defining the word “social” - How to stand out from the crowd (part 2)

2011-06-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

You know what it is that makes you unique - the one thing that sets you and your music apart from everyone else. So how do you tell people? There’s a reason why the phrase is “social media” - here’s three dictionary definitions of the word “social” and our interpretations:

The dictionary says “relating to ... the way people live”
We say “meet and talk to people”

I’ve noticed at jazz gigs there’s two kinds of artists – the ones who disappear backstage immediately after the set, and the ones who get out there and chat to their audience. Translated into social media terms – the ones who endlessly facebook, tweet and link to their music but never respond to comments, and the ones who start a conversation when someone comments on what they post.

Being social is about meeting others – and that includes through social media. Talk to people - about your work, your music, your projects. The other side to being sociable is listening to people. Ask them what they like (or don’t like) about your music. Who else are they listening to? How did they hear about you? Have they been to any good gigs lately? Do you think I'm more likely to look out for, buy or recommend your music if we’ve said hello to each other?

The dictionary says “seeking or enjoying the companionship of others”
Read that as “involve your fans, followers and peers”

Involving other people is an effective way to gain interest in a new project, album, gig or tour. People who have had an input will feel a connection with the project and are likely to talk about it.

Even (or especially?) non-creative people love to feel involved in a creative process. Through social media over the past few months musicians or bands have asked me what I think about their choice of tracks on an EP, how I’d describe their music and my thoughts on album cover art. Am I a musician, reviewer or record label exec? No. Just a fan.

A musician I know sometimes leaves one track on a new album for fans to choose from a shortlist he provides. Are people who voted for the chosen track more likely to go and buy the album?

The dictionary says “relating to activities ... when you are not working”
Translated means “be a person, as well as a musician”

Making connections with people is easier when you know something about them. Use social media to reveal something about yourself - what you’re listening to, or what you do when you’re not playing music. Let fans know something about you so they can talk to you while you’re signing your CD for them (you do sign your CDs at gigs, right?).

You want to approach a particular record label? Check out their social media, find out what you have in common and use that for a conversation opener. Do you think a music exec is going to spot your creative work from the pile if you just thrust your music at them and run?

If you’ve read this article and are thinking “yeah, fine but that’s got nothing to do with me making and selling music” think about your answer to our three questions, because you really need to know how to make you and your music stand out from the crowd.

How to stand out from the crowd (part 1)

2011-06-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

Right now the music business seems to be more competitive than ever – even a complete outsider can see how many bands and musicians are working hard to get noticed. The best way to get noticed is to be different. What makes you unique?

What’s that I hear you say? There’s nothing unique about you?

Some musicians seem to think that unless they’re creating completely original material there’s nothing different about them, so they don’t push themselves forward. Every day both established and upcoming artists perform both original compositions and standards – no two musicians will perform the same piece in exactly the same way. So if you think there’s nothing original about you, you’re just going to have to believe me on this one. You have something utterly unique – your talent.

What makes you different from everyone else?

Perhaps there’s a song you perform that just about everyone on planet Earth knows, but you give it a musical facelift with your own interpretation. Or maybe you play very serious music but make people smile with your sense of humour when you meet them. Or perhaps you’re always discovering new music. Any one of these skills, combined with your own sound, will make you stand out from the crowd.

Why do you need to stand out?

Peter Cashmore (founder of Mashable) can answer this so much better than me: "There's so much already out there, and people have so little time that having something unique about yourself and your music can give you a competitive advantage. Figure out what's unique about you and ask: What is the distilled message? It has to be something so remarkable that other people will have to share it."

What's your message?

Bob Dylan used music to get a political message across with his protest songs. The Great American Songbook lyricists often wrote about finding love, having and losing it. Perhaps your message is something like: “Listen to us, we’ve taken an instrument that everyone's forgotten and made it sound like nothing you’ve ever heard before.” Or “You think you know these tunes on our set list? Well think again.”

Whatever it is, the message “Hey world, look at us - we’re here and we’re different!” just isn’t enough. You need to make sure the world knows why you’re different because that’s how you’ll get noticed.

I’m going to give you a few days to think about what your message is, and in the next post we’ll take a look at how you can use social media to stand out from the crowd. Meantime, feel free to comment on this post, tell me what you've done to get yourself noticed, or tell me what your message is and together perhaps we can work out how to get it across!

Acknowledgement:

Los Angeles Times – Five social media tips for indie musicians

Five easy ways to use social media and build a relationship with your fans

2011-06-12T06:08:00.000-07:00

When you’ve got something interesting coming up, start talking about it a few days in advance. It may be that fans or followers are going to be at the event and will share your posts with their own followers or friends, increasing your audience.
Nominate a chief tweeter for the band’s Twitter account and get other band members to join a conversation from their own profiles. They’ll have different followers, so when you add up the combined audience it’s likely to be wider than that of the band’s own page.
Don’t get to the gig and leave your followers wondering what happens next. Is there anyone interesting in the audience? Comment on it. Have you been given a teeny tiny space to play in? Show us!
Keep up with your Facebook and Twitter pages at intervals during the gig. If people post a comment, a personal reply while you’re in the same building goes a long way – remember your fans may be too shy to approach you in person.
Once it’s over, make use of whatever material you have. Did you notice a fan taking a photo or recording you on their smartphone? Ask them to send it to you and if it’s any good, post it. Did someone tell you they particularly liked a tune you played? Ask them to follow you and post a link to it for them with a personal note.

You can use the time you spend on social media to build a relationship with a core group of fans and followers who will stick with you – because not only are you musicians, you’re also entertainers.

How to use social media to build a relationship with your fans

2011-06-07T13:13:00.000-07:00

The first time contemporary big band Beats & Pieces came to my attention was when someone I follow on Twitter retweeted a comment from the band’s resident tweeter, Ben Cottrell. I took a look at their profile and listened to some music. They were about to compete for the European Young Artists’ Jazz Award in Germany and I was curious to see how they’d get on, so I followed them.

Get your fans warmed up before the event

Starting a few days before, the band’s Twitter page gave us an insight into the trip. Between Facebook and Twitter we learned about the competition, their anxiety at getting a large band and their instruments to the venue, and the major names who would also be performing during the event.

Let them know what's happening during the gig

While they were waiting for the competition’s results they posted a photo of some very glum band members listening to their competitors. It didn’t take more than two minutes, but it kept their social media audience engaged and added a visual to the narrative. I sat up far too late waiting to find out the results – can you imagine the disappointment if they’d stopped the commentary and announced their win the next day?

Keep talking to them afterwards

Once they were back in the UK Ben and the band kept the momentum going, with personal replies to posts from the audience in Germany - building audience loyalty.

http://www.facebook.com/beatsnpiecesbigband

They uploaded albums of photos of band members rehearsing, performing and behind the scenes.

http://beatsnpieces.net/

An email newsletter followed . As soon as they had video, it was published on YouTube and linked to from their Facebook and Twitter pages, just to be sure we didn’t miss any of this lovely fresh content.

So which was the “right” social media channel?

Facebook? Twitter? YouTube? The email newsletter? Their own website? The answer is all of them – it was the combination and timing of their posts that were the key. If they’d waited till all the photos and video were ready the momentum would’ve been lost, and most likely the interest of their followers along with it.

Did it work?

You’d have to ask Ben and the band - but I do know it was a pretty effective way to introduce themselves and take us along with them on a part of their journey. Their followers on Twitter and “Likes” on Facebook are now in the hundreds and the word about Beats & Pieces and their music is spreading.

Want to give it a try?

Use this link to read our handful of tips to get you started ...

Beats & Pieces will be recording a live album at Band on the Wall in Manchester on Monday 13^th June, with the album due for release this autumn.

Is there a band, actor, broadcaster, comedian or other performing artist you follow for the entertainment value off-stage as much as on? I'd love to know so I can follow and learn from them, so please tell me!

Five easy ways for musicians to start a conversation

2011-05-31T12:44:00.000-07:00

Are you holding back from using social media because you don’t know what to talk about? While you might think your life is ordinary, for a lot of people it’s far from it! Presumably you’re using social media to connect with peers, venues, record labels or fans. Here’s five ways to get started:

What are you working on?

Are you writing or performing an original piece? Adapting or re-arranging a melody that people already know? Perhaps you’re blending eras or genres to create a new sound? Your followers want to know - so give them a clue as to what they can expect if they spend their hard-earned cash and come to hear you perform live.

Who are you listening to?

If there’s a particular artist or band you’re enjoying or admire, tell them! Chances are they’ll listen to your sound in return and before you know it, you’ve got peer support. If you’re listening to a particular track, tell us and post a link along with it. If you post “I liked a YouTube video” tell us why. Your reputation as a musician who introduces new music will get you more followers.

Where are you playing – and where would you like to play?

Venues are busy being venues – they don’t have the time to generate a lot of content for their Facebook or Twitter pages. So whether they’re a new venue or a world-famous one, they’ll love you if you can help them out by adding something their followers will find interesting – perhaps a link to an obscure YouTube clip of an artist they’ve booked or a link to a review of their venue.

Go through their online calendar and see who interests you on the forthcoming events schedule. If you and the venue are both on Twitter, tweet a comment with a link to the gig details on their site. Build up a rapport with them and you’ve got the perfect opening to introduce yourself.

What’s your day like?

OK, let’s just be clear about this – we don’t necessarily need to know that you’ve just had a shower and cleaned your teeth (unless you’ve been gigging in a desert and unable to do either for a month or so). But are you on the road playing a bunch of dates? Or in the studio recording? Maybe you’ve got something coming up that’s making you a wee bit nervous? Your followers are more interested than you think ... don’t get too hung up on keeping a “professional” image (whatever the heck that is). Fans will follow you in social media for a real-life glimpse into what your life is like. You’re playing a festival and camping? Show us what breakfast looks like. You’re doing a publicity photo-shoot? Show us just how much prep goes into making you look good (or not).

What do you do for fun?

Pretty much anyone who listens to Radio 2’s Chris Evans knows he’s a golf loving, car-collecting, Formula One fan. If you follow comedian Bill Bailey you’ll know he’s an avid twitcher (bird spotter), and plays a whole bunch of instruments. Don’t be one-dimensional - tell us a bit about what (apart from the music) you’re into.

You’re a musician – but you’re also a person. Show your audience who you are between one gig and the next - because when you meet them you’ll both have something to talk about, they’ll have something to tell their friends and the word about you and your music will spread.

What do you find gets the social media conversation going? Share your thoughts or comments with us here and let's talk about it!

How to find the social media channels that really work

2011-05-23T06:09:00.000-07:00

You’ve already got a Myspace page, now you’ve decided you need your own website. And a Facebook page. And a Twitter page. And a blog. And hey look - you can link them all together to save yourself time ... but which one is “right”? That all depends on what you’re trying to achieve.

Define your purpose

You need to have a clear idea of your short term goal – say for the next three months. If you’re a solo musician you probably already have a pretty good idea of what you’re working towards. If you’re in a band, do you all agree? If you’ve never asked the question before, you might be surprised at the answers. If you come up with more than one, concentrate on which is the most important right now. Keep distilling your ideas until you have a clear focus. Once you’ve worked out what your goal is, you’ll also have an idea of who to talk to.

Find out where your audience is

Different social media channels have different audiences. Your peers may be using Myspace or SoundCloud. Fans may be using Facebook. Journalists may be following Twitter and reading blogs. Some audiences might use multiple channels - a fan may “like” your Facebook page, follow you on Twitter and listen to your music on Myspace. (If they follow you in every social media channel you’ve got a presence in and turn up at your house they’re either potential stalkers or work in public relations – or both.)

Join in and start a conversation

If your aim is to get gigs, why would you set up a Twitter page and not start following and talking to venues? If your aim is to reach a wider audience, why would you set up a Facebook page and not respond to fan comments? Social media is a way for you to have a real conversation with people you haven’t met yet.

Focus your efforts

Don’t over-stretch yourself - choose a couple of channels you’re really interested in and concentrate on those. It doesn’t matter if you make mistakes – your audience will see that you’re a real person and not a public relations professional. I’m not for one minute suggesting you abandon any plans you might have to set up in several of these media - on the contrary, if you’ve got the time (and, in the case of websites, the cash or know-how) to invest, go ahead and try as many as you like. Just remember the more audiences you want to reach, the more work you’ll have to do.

Your job is to be a musician. Because you’ve limited time for public relations or marketing, decide what you need to get done and choose the social media channels that are going to help you do it – those are the ones that really work.

Which works for you? Using as many different channels as possible or just concentrating on a few? I’d really like to know ...