{"id":2364,"date":"2010-11-28T05:00:28","date_gmt":"2010-11-28T13:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michaelbrandvold.com\/blog\/?p=2364"},"modified":"2015-09-30T18:59:42","modified_gmt":"2015-09-30T18:59:42","slug":"ten-tips-for-do-it-yourself-pr-and-publicity-for-bands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michaelbrandvold.com\/blog\/2010\/11\/ten-tips-for-do-it-yourself-pr-and-publicity-for-bands\/","title":{"rendered":"Ten Tips For Do-It-Yourself PR and Publicity For Bands"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Christopher<\/a>

Christopher Buttner PRThatRocks.com<\/p><\/div>\n

I asked my good friend Christopher Buttner if he would like to write a little something about publicity and press for bands. Christopher operates a PR agency called PRThatRocks.com<\/a> and has worked with a number of clients such as: Dream Theater, Greg Kihn, Jordan Rudess, Peavey, SF MusicTech Summit, Crest Audio, Furman, John Petrucci and many others. He agreed to write up Ten Tips For Do-It-Yourself PR, something every band should read. Thanks Christopher!<\/em><\/p>\n

PRThatRocks.com<\/a>\u2019s Christopher Buttner Guest Blog Post<\/em><\/p>\n

Long before I started my publicity firm in 1994, during my hard rock bass playing halcyon Heavy Metal Big Hair Band years of the 1980\u2019s in New York City, I realized I had a natural proclivity at handling all of the band\u2019s business affairs including bookings, radio promotion and publicity.<\/p>\n

A band is a business, and that business produces music, concerts, and tee-shirts; products that people want to buy. \u00a0But you have to promote that business in order for people to become interested enough to want to part with their hard-earned cash, so you can get it and use it at the grocery store.<\/p>\n

Learning the \u2018Black Art\u2019 of the music industry was no easy task. \u00a0\u201cFahgetaboutit!\u201d my Brooklyn-born father would remind me\u2026 \u201cGet a normal job, you need to make a consistent salary, so you can raise a family and be happy\u2026 like me!\u201d \u00a0For 30-someoddyears, for an executive desk job he hated, Dad was on the Long Island Rail Road at 5:30 a.m. to downtown Manhattan and then returned home at 6:00 p.m. looking like he helped an elephant each day push out a kidney stone\u2026 from the inside. \u00a0But I digress\u2026.<\/p>\n

Educational books didn\u2019t exist 25-years ago the way they do today. \u00a0Much of what I learned about the business was by trial and error, talking to other musicians, and from what I picked up as a ravenous reader of all things music, musical instruments, bands, etc, from the fan magazines of the time, such as Creem, Circus and Hit Parader, Guitar Player and Musician Magazine, to Billboard Magazine, the latter of which was pretty hard to find on the neighborhood newsstand.<\/p>\n

No one in the upper echelons of the business, at that time, was willing to help or give up any info to anyone looking to make their way in the industry. \u00a0The music business was very much a private club; you were either in or out. \u00a0I got a lot of doors slammed in my face when all I wanted was a little help, or an answer to a question, and that had an impact on me.<\/p>\n

Hence the reason I spend so much time helping those interested in furthering their careers in music through speaking engagements for SFSU\u2019s Music\/Recording Business Program, the SF MusicTech Summit, the PR Club at Cal Berkeley, and programs produced by NARIP, Pyramind Studios, and others. \u00a0Even though I run a PR firm that works with major or funded bands and corporations, I hate turning anyone away, therefore my cheapest services help a DIY band get their music to radio and reviewers for as little as $99. \u00a0And if you\u2019re going to be contacting members of the press, here\u2019s the first of what I hope will be many more informational pieces to help guide you to success in music and entertainment. Good luck.<\/p>\n

PRThatRocks.com\u2019s Ten Tips For Do-It-Yourself PR:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Learn how to sell yourself.<\/strong> Want media coverage? \u00a0Ask. \u00a0Don\u2019t be afraid to pick up the phone and ask to speak to the person in editorial who handles music or entertainment.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Be Creative. <\/strong> News doesn\u2019t happen. \u00a0News is created\u2026 and develop a sense of humor, especially about yourself. \u00a0If they\u2019re laughing, they\u2019re listening. \u00a0Let\u2019s be real\u2026 you\u2019re playing music, not curing cancer. \u00a0Try not to be so serious, but don\u2019t be a buffoon either.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Learn how to spell and know the fundamentals of grammar. <\/strong> (Use the spellchecker).<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Proofread your work.<\/strong> Then have someone else proofread your work\u2026 and then have someone else proofread your work. \u00a0Then let it \u2018marinate\u2019 for a few hours or overnight. \u00a0You\u2019ll be amazed at how many spelling and\/or grammatical errors will appear, as well as glaringly required edits, when you come back to it with fresh eyes.\u00a0 Sloppy, incoherent press releases or introductory pitch letters will result in their instant deletion. \u00a0You only get one chance to make a first impression<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Consistency of press output \u2013 if you\u2019re out of sight, you\u2019re out of mind.<\/strong> Also, instead of blasting out a press release, why not send a personalized \u201cpitch\u201d or \u201cinquiry\u201d letter to a few editorial contacts with media outlets that you really respect, that cater to your specific audience? \u00a0When you get to know a reporter one-on-one, and build a relationship, that\u2019s when you\u2019re going to start to see things happen for you, possibly with a little write up first, and then a feature article a few months down the road when you play the biggest club in the county.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Know your media outlets<\/strong> and build and maintain a database of editorial contacts, reporters, staff and freelance writers with:<\/p>\n