5 Steps to Avoid Music Marketing Information Overload & Disconnect

Many emerging artists and record labels work hard every day at marketing their music to potential fans. They sit behind their computers, hit the streets at night working the local club scene passing out flyers, and they even play open mic or free shows to be seen. The only problem is that most are not seeing very many new fans, any higher CD sales, or more activity around their websites or social networking sites from their efforts. Many artists and musicians feel that time and money are being wasted or worse, they get discouraged thinking their music is not up to par when in reality the only problem is how they are trying to market their music. The problem is most emerging artists, musicians, and record labels only have part of the necessary information to make any music marketing efforts they try really work. Why? Information overload and disconnect!

The internet is a wonderful place to gain music marketing knowledge. You can literally find millions of articles dedicated to independent artists, musicians, and record labels trying to market their music to potential fans. It is great. However, one article might suggest one theory while another points in a different direction all together. In addition, with so many options available, how do you know what to try, when to try it, and weather or not it is working once tried? That is the subject of this article on music marketing; how to avoid information overload and disconnect.

Information Overload

Too much information can cripple your efforts to market your own music on a tight budget. This happens when fear of spending money incorrectly or too soon makes you continue your fact finding for so long that you pass up opportunities to actually create a buzz. Worse yet, the further you research music marketing the more confused you become trying to figure out which option or music marketing strategy will work the best for your situation.

Information Disconnect

Information disconnect happens immediately after you find yourself trapped in information overload. Too much information running around in your head will start to become jumbled and strategies will start to merge making you think one step of a strategy goes with another. This is dangerous and will cost you wasted time and effort. Information disconnect in music marketing is almost always the number one reason a marketing strategy fails to produce the desired results.

5 Steps to Avoid Information Overload and Information Disconnect in Music Marketing

1. Keep Research Limited to One Music Marketing Strategy at a Time
When you start researching ways to market your music try to limit you research to only one topic at a time. Meaning; If you want to gain more online fans keep your research to online marketing strategies. But remember, some music marketing strategies can be broken down into sub categories. An example would be online music marketing. In online music marketing you will find that there are many categories such as internet radio, blogging, social networking, online magazine reviews, etc. Be sure that once you know that several categories may exist within your chosen strategy, focus on only one subcategory at time. This will help you keep information overload to a minimum.

2. Check the Source of the Information Before Reading Any Music Marketing Strategy

There are thousands of so called “experts” that are willing to share their information with you. Before you even begin to read an article, blog post, or “free” ebook check to see who is providing the information. What you are trying to determine is weather or not they are really an expert or if they are just trying to sell something. Experts will have websites listing their accomplishments, credits, and awards. Sales people will only talk about what products they have and want you to buy. Nothing beats experience. If you are reading music marketing information make sure the source of the information has the experience to actually know that the strategies they are detailing work.

3. Watch for Music Marketing Strategies that Keep Coming Up
Music marketing strategies that work will keep coming up within search results on Google, Yahoo, and other search engines. Do not try to reinvent wheel by thinking; “Everyone else is already doing that so, I need to find a new approach.” Yes, fresh ideas are great and can gain new fans rapidly when they work. However, if you are new to music marketing strategies, now is the time to learn the basics so when you do come up with a new, fresh, approach you have a solid foundation to build upon. Once you find a music marketing strategy that keeps popping up, start your research and see if it is for you.

4. Make a Music Marketing Decision
The hardest part of music marketing is making the decision to actually do it. When you are doing your research you will find many different strategies. Using the above approach, pick two or three that seem to fit within your budget, knowledge base, and teams capabilities. Once you pick your strategies stop researching new music marketing strategies. The other strategies will still be there when you need them once you have your chosen strategies in action.

5. Create A Music Marketing Strategy Action Plan
The fastest way to get bogged down with information disconnect is to try and remember everything you have researched without writing it down. Go to the store and buy yourself a spiral notebook for each of your music marketing strategies. As you continue your research on how to put your chosen strategy in action write down what you find. In addition, use this notebook as you are working your music marketing strategy to keep track of what actions you have taken, when you need to take another action, and what results you are receiving from your actions. This note book will be a very valuable tool for future music marketing efforts as it will clearly detail what works and what does not.

Conclusion
Music marketing for the emerging artist can be an overwhelming task. There are many strategies available to choose from, many more experts claiming to have the only way a particular music marketing strategy works, and an even greater amount of information to  go through once a strategy is chosen. The key to staying focused is not to get overloaded with details until one or two particular music marketing strategies are chosen. There is no wrong or right way to market music. There are only easier or harder ways. Music Marketing experts all think their ideas and information is the best. They may be correct - for what they are doing, where they are doing it, and what artist or musician they are doing it for.

Peace,
Jai
"Love the Music in Yourself, Not Yourself in the Music!"
©2009 Jai Hutcherson All Rights Reserved