Getting traction for your music is the quickest way to gain new fans and exposure. But without the right tactics, that’s easier said than done. There are certain steps independent artists should take to gain traction the right way that will help build a music career with longevity. In this article, guest contributor, Maria Herrera a Campaign Manager from Pressed PR shares 3 publicity tips that can help you gain traction with your music.
Start early with a detailed timeline
Nailing down your release date is dependent on more than just sending it to a distributor. You need to account for photoshoots, mixing and mastering, PR research and pitching, along with the hundreds of other holdups that you will encounter. Set dates for anything and everything, to the best of your ability. By stepping back to view your full timeline, you can find any holes or pending problems that can be avoided by rearranging your schedule. It only takes one mismanaged step to throw off your whole plan.
In addition to your solid timeline, you need to be ready to start early – at least 6 months before your release date. For a single, you can be a little more relaxed, but albums definitely need a hefty lead time because they require much more in terms of content and strategy. This will allow some wiggle room when things get rescheduled. If you haven’t polished the full project yet, don’t worry! You can start your timeline before the music is finished, sometimes that can even help make up for lost time that you’ll encounter along the way.
Have up-to-date and quality materials
Whether you’re working with a publicist or doing PR yourself, you need to keep your EPK, bio, photos, links, and everything in between up-to-date. Editors don’t want to learn about your single from 2014, they want relevant information that will catch their readers’ attention. Include the most current info about releases, gigs, and where you see yourself in the near future.
One of the biggest mistakes artists make is not investing in quality materials. You don’t have to spend thousands on a fancy photoshoot, but you do need a set of quality, enticing photos that complement the release. Solidify your brand and target audience for this release. Does the music sound different than your previous stuff? Are you wanting a new vibe for your social media? Putting effort into the way you present yourself to the media will be a game changer for results.
Related: 10 Things You Can Do To Promote Your New Music Release
Related: 7 Ways to Generate Buzz for Your Next Release
Watch: 3 Easy Steps to Get Media Attention
Be scrappy and persistent
Face it, you will get a lot of rejections when pitching your music, but that doesn’t mean your art isn’t great. It simply means the outlet isn’t able to promise coverage at that time. Don’t let rejection discourage you from reaching out to the media. It can be really easy to just give up and move your focus back on creating the music, but if you want to gain traction with an audience, you’ll need to work on more than just the art.
A lot of independent artists think PR is just pitching their music to a handful of people and hoping for a placement. Wrong. You must be willing and ready to pitch to hundreds of outlets for your release, especially if you don’t have a publicist and are working with no existing media relationships. This is just another reason to start prepping early on. Good research and quality writing doesn’t happen overnight, and you have to realize the incredible amount of time and work it will take to get the placements you want.
Get The DIY PR Guide
A step-by-step “how to” for independent artists looking to do their own media campaign for releases. This guide gives you 5 Steps to follow for a basic PR Strategy!
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