If you’re planning on hiring a publicist or perhaps an entire team to promote your next release, don’t just send the check and lay back, and let them handle the rest. The most successful musicians are those who are involved with every aspect of their careers, and you need to follow their lead! Sit down (virtually or in person) with those who are going to be reaching out to the media on your behalf to come up with a plan that will deliver some truly excellent results, as opposed to just one or two minor press hits.
The ideas mentioned below are just a few that have been successful in the past. In reality, there’s no limit to what you and your publicity team can do, as you are bound only by time, money and your own creativity!
In This Article:
Give Your Publicist A Good Story
Keep Your Publicist Up-To-Date
Host Media-Only Events
Use Social Media
Mail Something Out Of The Ordinary
Give Your Publicist A Good Story
These days, journalists are inundated with requests from publicists, managers and even fans, all asking for them to write about their clients (or in the case of fans, their favorites). Those who cover music for a living can receive hundreds of emails per day, and the majority of them blend together. Too many who work in the PR field don’t put in the time and effort to craft a story, instead opting to just send the facts and hope for the best.
There are thousands of musicians who have yet to break, and at least a good portion of them are creating art that is worthy of coverage…so what sets you apart? You need to find something that makes you stand out. That can be impressive streaming numbers, the endorsement of a major star, or perhaps it’s a story. Maybe you came from very humble beginnings and worked incredibly hard to get where you are, or it could be that you’ve suffered some tragedy and turned it into something positive with your work.
If you’re new, or even if you’re beginning to become established, but you need a hook for your latest album or song, think of what the interesting backstory is.
Keep Your Publicist Up-To-Date
Coming up with one excellent story that may entice writers and other tastemakers is a great way to begin a publicity campaign, but don’t leave your media team out in the cold after that. Keep these people up to date with what’s going on in your world, especially if something major happens. You don’t need to tell them everything, but if you happen to score a viral hit or if a much bigger artist decides they want to work with you, that can change everything.
Many publicists are accustomed to changing their plans as opportunities arise. They can rewrite press releases or reach back out to those who didn’t respond or who initially said they weren’t interested if they have a new hook to share. If you don’t keep them in the loop with the exciting details of your professional life, how are they supposed to do their best for you?
Host Media-Only Events
Inviting writers, DJs and others in the industry to concerts is common practice, but again, these people are typically asked to dozens of shows per week, so chances are they won’t make it to see you play…unless you set something up that seems infinitely more attractive. Instead of just setting aside tickets for a regular concert, try hosting a media-only event, one which is much more convenient and personable than a show. Find a quiet place where they can sit comfortably, enjoy snacks and free drinks and listen to you talk and perform. As a journalist, these are the best types of events I have been to.
The downside here is that paying for food, drinks, and possibly even renting out a space that is easy for many important people to get to can be quite costly, so understandably, this isn’t an option for everyone.
Use Social Media
Many musicians use social media solely to keep their fans updated on when new music drops, promote upcoming tours and sell merch, and while those are all incredibly important tasks that you should spend your time on, you may be missing out on other opportunities.
Talk to your publicust and ask who they will be reaching out to when the promotional campaign around your next release begins. They may have certain writers that they believe will potentially be a good fit, though they will likely tell you that nothing is certain in the world of online PR. Find those tastemakers on Instagram and Twitter, follow them, and work to form a relationship with them. Like what they post, comment, and, if things are going well, try messaging them. This will make things easier when the team you’ve hired begins emailing, as by then at least some of these journalists will recognize your name, and that can lead to them opening the message, which is already a big win.
Mail Something Out Of The Ordinary
Publicists don’t mail as many CDs as they used to, but it’s still common for writers at major publications to receive dozens, or maybe even hundreds of packages per week. The majority of artists and their teams send links to songs, videos, albums and more, as it’s economical and there’s a better chance someone will see it…but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a way to make traditional mail work for you.
Instead of sending a CD in a plain envelope with a piece of paper or two, try spicing things up! Colorful packaging would be the minimum, but there’s so much more you can do, if you have the money and the creativity. Work with your PR team to come up with an idea that will surely grab the attention of those you’re trying to reach. Sending musical packages, ones with some sort of demonstration, or perhaps something they want specifically, like merch they can request or perhaps even personalized items.
Again, this will likely become costly, quickly, but marketing is expensive!
