When musicians email me asking for publicity tips, I share my best advice. Then I lead them to Bob Baker’s website.
Bob is a writer, independent musician and former music magazine editor who is dedicated to showing musicians how to get exposure and publicity, connect with fans, sell more CDs, and book more gigs.
Here are four tips I found at his website and blog:
—Jimmie Vestal has written songs that reference certain restaurants and tourist attractions in the southeast United States, and even a gourmet steak sauce called Bald Head Diva. Of course, he makes these establishments aware of the exposure and tries to set up promotional opportunities with them.
—“I know a couple of radio disc jockeys in my town who have sandwiches or special meals named after them at certain eateries. Why couldn’t you do that? Especially if you perform regularly at a particular coffee shop, bar or restaurant. For example, if your band is called Sweet Potato Sunrise, approach a manager with the idea of offering a Sweet Potato Sunrise omelette, or a Sweet Potato Sunrise latte, or a Sweet Potato Sunrise daiquiri. You get the idea. The special name would get you exposure at the establishment whenever it’s open (hopefully, your item will be listed on the menu). Plus, you can use the unique promotional angle to get mentions in the local press.”
—Add mystery to your next CD by announcing that there’s a secret message to uncode within your lyrics, song titles or CD liner notes, a la “The DaVinci Code.” Make a game out of it and you just might get an infectious buzz going.
You can read more great ideas at his blog.
If you’re a musician who’s too busy to do your own publicity, you can alway shire a publicist. My ebook “How to Hire the Perfect Publicist,” explains that a good way to find a publicist is to call other bands in your genre that generate good publicity, and ask them who they use.