MARKETING AND PROMOTING WHAT YOU DO IS KEY TO THIS COMPETITION, AND EQUALLY ESSENTIAL IN THE BIG BAD WORLD. TO MAKE YOUR MUSIC HEARD, YOU NEED TO MAKE SOME NOISE ABOUT IT, NOT JUST WITH IT.

GET ONLINE

Promoter, Joe Segreto, who manages artist agency International Music Concepts and whose artist roster includes Pnau, Bob Evans, Wolfmoth, Jet and Cut Copy says, "bands need to get out there and do the utmost to generate interest in their music. This is easy to do these days with the internet, blogging, social sites such as MySpace and Facebook, etc."

If you haven’t already, get yourself on MySpace. It’s free, easy to use and has become one of the best resources in Australia for new bands. And you get your own URL to slap on posters and flyers at will.

MySpace is where you send your fans for info about your band, to listen to tracks, check out your gigs and read the latest news. You need to update your page regularly and be smart about how you use it: build a network with artists that have a similar style to yours and link up with their fans as well.

"I think MySpace has helped immensely with with many acts. I can state that I still listen to demos although I much prefer to log on to a band's MySpace account and listen to their music (as well as checking out how many plays and what type of comments they've recieved). It's an easier and more efficient system that reduces an incredible amount of waste" says Joe.

You can use the comments section on other people’s pages to link back into your profile, but be nice about it: no one minds you advertising your band, but they won’t thank you for taking up their whole page. 

So use MySpace as much as you can, but keep in mind that it’s a pretty crowded place and it won’t do all the work for you. The site is a valuable marketing tool, but it won’t turn you into a star overnight.

Nor will Bebo and Last.FM, but they’re both worth checking out. These sites can also put you in touch with a mass audience for no cost and minimal hassle. Last.FM is particularly worth a visit, not only because of its popularity but because you can actually collect royalties if someone downloads your track.

And, of course, you should be using your profile page on the MySchoolAct site. Each profile has a dedicated URL, so keep your page up to date and use the web address to direct future fans to your profile.


THE PRESS

There are plenty of magazines and publications around dedicated to artists and gigs, but the unfortunate reality of the press is that they’re not going to be a great deal of help.

Sending demos to magazines, or even free press like Drum and Beat, won’t get you far - they’ve got new releases from chart topping artists to fill their pages with. Don’t take it personally: the magazines have a limited amount of space and they’re trying to make a profit with reviews, articles and cover lines that will sell copies.

Most music titles also have an online presence, which captures more audience attention than their printed publications and some also have digital radio stations. Websites, for a publisher, obviously have the appeal of being much more immediate that print, with instant updates for the latest news, audio and video content and user interaction.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be any more open to unsigned acts on their site than in their publication, but some do. Scout the local press too and anywhere you get a mention, direct readers to your MySpace and, more importantly, your MySchoolAct profile page.

PR AGENCIES

The music mags get most of their content from PR agencies and without one of these, you’re going to have trouble getting in. Unfortunately, until you have a label behind you, the PR agencies won’t play either.

Most independent labels have a PR firm they use and, at first, they’ll be your best means of getting exposure in the press. As you are increasingly in touch with this side of the industry, it’s worth thinking critically about what you want from a PR team and, ultimately, recruiting your own.

It takes skill to develop a reputation and build an audience, and there’s a year in no-man’s land while you’re making your first album. If your record company’s PR agency is going to fail you, it will happen in that recording gap.

PERSEVERANCE

Stephanie Ashworth, bass player with Something For Kate, says "My advice would be to just play and play and to get really good wat what you do and don't be discouraged if it doesn't all fall into place straight away. It takes time and a lot of perseverance. Make sure you are playing with people who have the same amount of dedication as you and that you share a vision. Once you have refined your music and feel its time, get it out to everyone you can think of. If it's good, word of mouth is strong."

EXTRA READING

For more detail on the career of an artist or artist agent read our interviews with Stephanie Ashworth from Something For Kate and Agent/Promoter Joe Segreto.