BUILDING THE BAND BRAND: 5 things to do when nothing’s happening

Photo taken from Myspace

You’ve posted to YouTube. You have a MySpace page. It seems like no one is visiting your site. You’re in the dumps about it.

First, are you phrasing it right? An old headline trick I learned long before most readers parents were born – put some drama into it. So instead of saying “Nice sunny day,” rephrase as “Hot sun beats down upon earth.” Same thing, just a little more flair.

Here are five things you can do when nothing is happening:

- Post a Tweet. I like to use Friendfeed. If you’re on Facebook or other sites like Digg it will do the updating. Tried Tweet Deck but did not like.

- Go to MySpace and look up people you can add as friends. I was blown away when Beyonce’s cousin Shanica Knowles contacted me with a friend request. You know Shanica as the ever popular Amber from Hannah Montana. Maybe as Aly and AJ’s co-star in Super Sweet 16 the movie.

Here’s how I do it. I look for people I know and see who they know. Through one artist I found one of the biggest influences on my music – Howlin’ Wolf. An up-and-coming blues band, The Aces, whom I met through LinkedIn, would be wise to go to my page and introduce themselves to Bob Corritore, purveyor of one of the finest blues clubs in the nation, the Rhythm Room.

Same thing with Twitter. Type in the name of someone you want to follow. Can’t find them, then try Ashlee Simpson who will lead you to Papa Joe Simpson who will lead you to Jessica Simpson. See. Easy. You could also go to We Follow if you’re looking for The Real Shaq (why?).

- Post a bulletin on MySpace. Easy and it draws attention. Do it once every other day.

- Check and recheck. Find new places to SELL your MP3s. Fix MySpace. Make those tunes 90 seconds instead of the full song (that’s for YouTube). Are they available to buy at MySpace, Amazon and everywhere?

- Another great networking opportunity. Join LinkedIn and list all the places you’ve listed your MP3s for sale (a sales tool) and ask LinkedIn members if they know of more places to place your MP3s.

Creating a 21st Century band brand

Looked at Warner Music stock recently? Its tumble reflects how music has changed in the past five years.

In Phoenix, there are few places to see a band anymore. How do musicians get exposure? Record labels are dead. No one listens to radio anymore. Television is dead. If I want a TV show, I go to YouTube – there’s gossip TV shows similar to TMZ that don’t go anywhere but Internet. Some call this guerilla marketing. I call it today and the future.

The answer of how musicians market today came when Malese Jow sent a request to be my “friend” on MySpace. Like record producers of olde, I listen to all the MySpace friends’ requests. I don’t accept everyone.

Anyone on my MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/greatimageltd is a very talented musician. Of course it helps when they look like Jessica Simpson, Brooke Hogan, Jordin Sparks and Hilary Duff. Even Yoko Ono is there! People I idolize like Eric Burdon, Edward Bernays and Joe Vitale too.

I am a rabid fan of Tiffany Giardina. See http://tweenmusic.blogspot.com/ Jow is as talented – plus she was in the movie “Bratz.”

Jow has a street team everywhere. This is how you market music now. Street teams, Face Book, MySpace, YouTube – and being on TV commercials didn’t hurt a wonderful songstress named Vanessa Hudgens. Then you post those ads to YouTube, MySpace – where ever you can.

I may be missing something Jow is doing, but I could not find any MP3s anywhere. I know MySpace will help you sell them, I was unable to find Jow’s music on Amazon, but that’s where I discovered she was in Bratz. She’s losing money here! Get those MP3s up everywhere possible. Same deal with a very creative guy from Tiffany Giardina’s neighborhood – Christoph; think Dirty Vegas meets Keith Emerson.

On the other hand, a new “friend,” The Fastest Kid Alive (guess their slogan is, a girl walks up and says got a minute – I say, it won’t take that long) know how to merchandise. You can buy the CD on MySpace for $5.99 or Amazon for $4.99. They also have “Click here for online merch store.” Nice touch. Guys, you might want to think of selling single MP3s on MySpace because someone like me might want to do a YouTube mash up with your’s and Miley Cyrus’ “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.”

Throughout MySpace, and Tiffany Giardina does it, bands list where they are playing. Seems like I get a daily blast from Scotty Johnson, Gin Blossoms guitarist, about where he is playing either with the band or solo.

Ironically, there is a bi-monthly “vinyl” album sale in Phoenix. People are still dealing in vinyl. The bad part is bands of olde don’t get any money from that.

The challenge for musicians right now is how to make money. How would the Rolling Stones market themselves today and build a following like they did in ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s?

The answer is post to YouTube, a MySpace, Face Book, Twitter presence. Also get on as many Internet radio stations as possible, Pandora, I heart whatever, AOL radio, Radio Disney, on and on. Make sure your MP3s are available to purchase EVERYWHERE, like MySpace, Amazon, iTunes-(really, that’s so olde school). I’ve been hyping the heck out of Giardina. I got a full album for under $2! I’m happy. That’s how you market.

Lastly, another marketing tactic from the olde days, the ‘90s. Bands like the Gin Blossoms and Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers tour, tour, tour. Yet, I see Scotty Johnson at many social functions, another marketing tool. Make those American Music Awards, Oscars; get your picture with Brad and Angie (my tween equivalent is Zac and Vanessa or Zack and Cody).