My Black jack code

I retrieve a piece back reading Saint David Nevue's book, "How to Successfully Promote Your Music the the Internet". In it he threw out a cool suggestion for increasing the searchability of your band.

His suggestion was to compose a review of CDs that you experience are similar to your style of music or CDs that divine your music. The thought is if you advance traffic to this webpage, visitants will also see a review of your band, and bank check out your music.

I loved that thought so much that I was psyched when I learneda very simple and similar promotional thought on Amazon.com. Here's what you have got to do:

First, you necessitate to sell your cadmium on Amazon.com Oregon at the very least offering a free MP3 in their Digital Music Network.

Second, make a hunt for a set or record album similar to yours. In my case, my group, the Brobdingnagian Bards, released a cadmium inspired by the Godhead of the Rings. So I went over to the "Fellowship of the Ring" soundtrack.

Third, coil down and you'll see either a nexus that says,

"Recommend an item!"
or a box that have
"I urge ___ in addition/instead of this album."

Fourth, catch the Asin from your webpage. (The Asin is the 10 charcter codification listed in the Produce Details). All you have got to do is insert you Asin into this blank to make your recommendation.

Your music is now linked to the creative person you see yourself similar to. The beauty of this promotional thought is that it all takes place in the Amazon shopping environment.

This means, more than than likely, they'll travel consecutive to your Amazon page. They'll read about your album. They'll listen to your MP3s. And hopefully, they will purchase an album, and/or Hunt down your band's website where you'll gain a new fan.

PS. The 2004 Edition of "How to Promote Your Music Succesfully on the Internet" by Saint David Nevue is now available.

Recently, there was a treatment on the MusicThoughts listing regarding how to develop inactive income as a musician. Of course, there are many types of inactive income unfastened to musicians, but this treatment in peculiar involved using affiliate programmes to gain money.

For the newbie, affiliate programmes are programme online that let you to gain money by merchandising merchandises or services that you make not own. Companies like Committee Junction, LinkShare, ClickBank offering a assortment of a affiliate programmes on every subject. While companies like Amazon.com (books, music, and more), MP3DownloadHQ (free music downloads) offering more than specific merchandises or services.

Building a successful affiliate income is NOT easy. And as cyberspace companies come up and go, they are also not a hugely dependable beginning of income for the long-term. I prefer to concentrate on offering merchandises and services for my active websites, but most of my websites were created with affiliates in mind. Consequently, I've learned the affiliate game quite well.

Most people don't like sharing how much they gain from inactive income. So determination those stats Will be difficult. But frankly, I prefer helping folks with facts.

So, here's a couple short letters on the assorted passive voice cyberspace income beginnings I gain or have got earned in the past:

1. Google Adsense. Google can be great, but a batch of it depends on what keywords your site is focused on. Head over to PixelFast offers a great Overture Keywords and Command Amounts Tool and you can happen out how much people command on certain types of keywords through overture.

Having done testing which got me banned from Google Iodine learned a few things when I was using Google Adsense. I establish on the average, I made about pittance on each of my random websites. Some however, did much better. Namely the 'free music downloads' websites.

You'll observe at PixelFast that companies command heavily for those keywords with clickthrus averaging at about 45c per click. Seventy percentage of the income I earned on Google was from one free music download website that somehow made it high on the hunt results. I'm not allowed to state how much Iodine made, but you can make the mathematics when a site acquires approximately 500 alone visits a twenty-four hours and have a 5-10% clickthru rate.

The point is if you make and advance webpages with high impact keywords, you will make fairly well.

2. Affiliate Programs. Since I'm no longer with Google, I've feel learned to happen other options using Google style ads. You can those on my Directory of Free Music Downloads as an example.

I've establish other affiliate programmes to fill up the spreads lost by Google through:
Clickbank. I've focused primarily on free music downloads. The large job I have got with Clickbank is that my Mozilla browser at place doesn't like their redirects. But I still gain about $500 per calendar month from Clickbank.

MP3Dollars. This is a free music downloads site for MP3DownloadHQ. Their affiliate golf course are good redirects. So I've made them much more than outstanding so as not to lose income that might've been lost from Clickbank. The affiliate programme is solid paying 50% of the money they earn. So I gain about $500 per calendar month from them. Best of all, it's paid weekly!

Amazon.com. Usually gains me about $50 a month. And this come ups from a batch of heavy referrals from my Celtic Language MP3s Music Magazine.

Commission Junction. Their redirects look to have got the same job as Clickbank. I mainly utilize them for web hosting services that gain about $150 per month.

Linkshare. I've used it for years. Earned no money (like the huge bulk of affiliate programmes I've tried). I did mark up for iTunes earlier this month. And we'll see if that alterations substances at all. I also gain another $100-150 per calendar month from the Bards Weeper Music Selling and Promotion Ezine's assorted associations with IMHO some of the best music sellers out there. Course, I also have got got a nice online cadmium gross sales income, and other artistic undertakings that gain me money (and I still have a twenty-four hours occupation for at least another year).

3. The Key to retrieve when you're making money with affiliate programmes is really to intermix it into your website. For instance, if you travel to thebards.net. You can download our MP3 "Tolkien (The Hobbit & Godhead of the Rings)" on the homepage. It downloads from amazon.com using my affiliate link. So it makes another cooky which hopefully will gain me more than income from future amazon.com orders from that customer.

Prominent advertisements also work like at my Directory of Free Music Downloads. Meaning, Google have really hit upon a great style of advertising. Oh, and Vertical advertisements out execute horizontal ads.

I'm also a large advocate of creating a website that volition gain you income as well as popularity. Again, bank check out the Celtic Language MP3s Music Magazine. The site is designed for two purposes:
Promote independent Celtic Language Language music by luring in signed Celtic music fans of Enya, The Chieftains, etc. It's a technique I learned from Saint David Nevue's How to Successfully Promote Your Music on the Internet and have proved exceptionally profitable, and
Promote my music. You'll see a batch of golf course and information about the Brobdingnagian Bards and my ain solo Celtic Language music recordings. There is one other facet I would wish to point out that volition make whatever you do more than money. It's sales letters. Quite honestly, I detest difficult sales. I don't typically care for gross sales letters online. But they bash execute well.

Some of the best-selling webpages are composed of one long gross sales missive like some of the material you'll see at indiebiz.com. I've no uncertainty that Saint David do well-over $3000 a calendar month for any of his webpages just from some of his inactive income gross sales letters. By learning about copywriting, you can make webpages to execute just as well to advance your affiliate programs. It's an astonishing accomplishment to have.

One Last Important Note: I have got got NO Religion in most of my cyberspace affiliate income. Sure Iodine believe Amazon will be there for old age to come. But the passionateness for 'free music downloads' volition dice with the adjacent cyberspace fad.

My suggestion is to make a difficult merchandise that you can sell. For instance, make and sell ebooks using your cognition and those gross sales letters I mentioned. People are willing to pay fo your cognition of the most everyday things. It's not about being stupid, it's about ease. If you can collect that cognition and sell it, more than powerfulness to you!

You will constantly necessitate to mulct melody everything. And larn how the hunt engines work.

Passive money on the cyberspace is not unreasonable. But it's also not easy. It takes quite a spot o'work and a batch of forbearance because it can take calendar months for hunt engines to happen out if you're website is important.

Hope that assists some folks, slainte!

It goes on to boggle my head how many sets don't take the time to come up up with a nice verbal description of their music. It's extremely important, and when you're marketing yourself online, it's essential.

So catch some paper, we're gonna make two simple set verbal descriptions that volition aid you gain you web traffic and assist you with all facets of your music promotion. Whether you're looking to advance your set to person in an elevator, on the telephone or submitting to a directory, these two verbal descriptions will function you well.

2. Your Set in 500 Characters Or Less
Iodine print the Celtic Language MP3s Music Magazine, and I can't state you how hard it is sometimes to happen out Exactly what sets are all about. I have got got to seek through the site, read the biography, etc. That's fine, but I don't have the time. I'm a instrumentalist first and foremost. So it's always affects me when I can travel to a band's homepage and happen out who they are in 500 fictional fictional characters or less.

If you can depict your set in about five hundred characters you are a caput above the rest. That's really all you necessitate to depict your music, talking up your band, and offering a benefit for exploring the site further. Post that information on your homepage and not only makes it do it easier for the mass media and fans to larn more than about, but there are other music promotion advantages.

You see, many websites, like mine, usage books like the 1 offered by Gossamer to easily collect golf course on their website. Gossamer Golf Course gives you 500 fictional characters to depict your music. You can copy and paste that information straight from your homepage.

Do you advance your music on webrings? Webring.org gives you room to depict your site in just 400 characters. A small trimming and you're cook to submit.

There are numerous chances for you to submit up to 500 fictional character verbal descriptions of your band. Yes, you could just submit an Elevator Description, but any good copywriters will state you that more than textual matter is better.

You see, your occupation is to convert people visit your website. Then it's your website's occupation to sell them on your band. But the first measure is to acquire them there. And short verbal descriptions usually are not interesting adequate to oblige visitants to look further. Just see the Best Set Music Award links. What utilize is it to set your set name with a verbal description that states "great music". So?! Who cares!?!

There's an further benefit to having a good, long verbal descriptions on your homepage--search engines.

Search engines love textual matter content. And if the first words on your site are "Enter Site", you're putting yourself at a disadvantage. Describe your music in your first paragraph, and hunt engines will add those keywords to their hunt algorithmic rules so that your site will rank higher for "hardcore metal" than person elses "enter here."

I designed the Brobdingnagian Bards paragraph to include to the point information about our musical style, to offer benefits for the band, and to make well in hunt engines. "The Brobdingnagian Bards are The Master Celtic Language Language Renaissance music grouping from Austin, Texas offering free Celtic mp3 downloads. They execute a alone style of music combining Scots and Irish common people songs with music inspired by the Godhead of the Rings, performed on non-traditional instruments--autoharp, recorder, and mandolin. In just five years, they've completed six studio record albums and performed coast-to-coast. Ask their fans, and they'll state you The Bards are just apparent 'fun!' Which do sense since, after all, they just love the music." This verbal description tells the insouciant visitant exactly what sort of music we perform. They see a benefit (free mp3s, and 'fun' music) and even adverts a few accomplishments.

This concise verbal description have helped do my set 1 of the top 20 sets searching for 'celtic music.'

The point is if you really desire to garner any interest, you necessitate to larn how to depict your set quickly. So make your verbal description and electronic mail me. I'll be happy to review it for ye.

Over the past couple o'years, I've gotten out of the wont of authorship fourth estate releases. I have got got got a mark of websites and undertakings that I'm working on, and I have just as many alibis as you probably have.

But today, I read a great article from praseodymium Fuel which kinda struck home. The idea: "the more than than fourth estate releases, the more press." It's a pretty simple conception that tipped a chapeau to my music selling education.

You may have got heard in advertisement that you must place an advertisement in presence of someone's eyes seven times before they'll move on the ad. Well, it's the same thing with the media.

A few old age back when I had fewer excuses, I sent out fourth estate releases every couple o'weeks. Consequently, I got some nice ink from assorted publications out there. My mass media marks knew the name "Brobdingnagian Bards," even if they couldn't pronounce it. The reason: I kept the mass media updated through frequent fourth estate releases.

Now, there's another side to this that I didn't believe about.

Whenever I let go of a new CD, I compose A fourth estate release. But ye cognize what? You don't have got to restrict yourself to ONE fourth estate release. As the praseodymium Fuel article points out, some companies compose respective fourth estate releases for the same product. And if you believe about it, do sense.

I mean, when you compose a fourth estate release, you won't to focus, focus, concentrate your message. Don't clutter up it with multiple ideas. Just one message.

But your cadmium may have got more than than one message to share. So compose more than fourth estate releases. But space them out over a hebdomad or two. Hit them hard with a message that volition do them sit down up and take notice without bothersome them.

The better your music selling plan, the better the results that you will receive. This all advertisements up to more than fourth estate for your band.

I was never a very "great" marketer. I remember in the sixth grade we had a Social Studies project where we could sell whatever we made. I made some chocolate chip cookies, threw them in cheap sandwich bags. My base cost may've been low, but it was no good when no one bought any. Not when there were delicious homemade lollipops for sale as well.

So I got creative! I added one old baseball card to each baggie. Sure, I neglected to remember that the average 6th grader really doesn't have much interest in vintage baseball cards.

I forgot to think about "value".
Not in terms of what I consider valuable,
but what does the buyer consider valuable.

Ever watch infomercials? They barrage you with things you really have no interest in. Then there's that great line.

"How much would YOU pay? Well, don't answer yet..."

That's Marketing 101. Give 'em an offer then sweeten. Yet, even they typically offer absolutely worthless bonuses. They might as well give away baseball cards.

But I seem to be getting better at it. At Opus Fantasy Arts Festival last weekend, a vendor was there looking at our CDs. Vendors were feeling the economic blow. Sales weren't good.

The vendor wasn't sure she could afford our $15 CD. Unwittingly, I gave her the closer. "Well for vendors, it's only $10."

She bought THREE CDs!

Wow! Where did that come from? I wasn't even *trying* to sell her a thing, and she bought THREE?!

So it got me thinking. Maybe I need more such closers.

Check out Bob Baker's "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook" as an example.

Not only is the book packed with music promotion tips that'll greatly benefit your music business, but he offers SEVEN, count em' SEVEN Free Special Reports, including: "Killer Press Kits: The 29 Most Important Elements in Creating Sizzling Music Publicity Materials", "Advertising Your Music: How to Make It Pay (and Avoid the Most Common Mistakes)" and lots more.

Go read the list yourself.

So what can YOU offer that'll add value to your deal? How about a homemade bonus CD with some live tracks, or even just MP3s, burned on it? Not good enough? Let's add a sticker or even a T-Shirt to REALLY sweeten the deal!

Oh! Here's one. How about, if they buy a CD and join your mailing list, you'll email them to give them Exclusive access to a webpage that offers free MP3s. That'll also help you gain new subscribers!

As you can see, I'm still working on ideas.
But maybe you can help?

What do you offer to your fans to
"sweeten" the deal and sell more CDs?

It goes on to boggle my head how many sets don't take the time to come up up with a nice verbal description of their music. It's extremely important, and when you're marketing yourself online, it's essential.

So catch some paper, we're gonna make two simple set verbal descriptions that volition aid you gain you web traffic and assist you with all facets of your music promotion. Whether you're looking to advance your set to person in an elevator, on the telephone or submitting to a directory, these two verbal descriptions will function you well.

1. The Ten-Word Elevator Description
Saint David Hooper of Kathode Raye music utilizes the term "Elevator Description" as a manner of describing your music quickly. Your Elevator Description is the words you would utilize in an lift if you had to state what type of music you make quickly... in just 10 words.

This mightiness look like the most-difficult part about describing your band, but it's also the most utile all around. To make it, focusing on an intense verbal description combined with a benefit for your audience. I set this speedy verbal description in the first sentence on our homepage.

"The Master Celtic Language Language Renaissance music grouping from Austin, Texas offering free Celtic mp3 downloads."

Obviously it's not ten-words exactly. But it acquires acquires the point across.
Musical style: "original Celtic Language Language Renaissance music"
Location: Austin, Texas
Benefit: free Celtic MP3 downloads

Short sweet and to the point. Obviously, not everyone is as focused on downloading music. Coming up with benefits, but make some brainstorming and you'll happen your niche. Check out these descriptions:

The Rogues
A Houston based Pipe and Drum Set with an attitude.
http://www.therogues.com/

Gilli Moon
Melodic-Kinda-Folkie-Indie with a multi-layered guitar
(and all-sorts) wall of sound.
http://www.gillimoon.com/

Mountain Mirrors
Psychedelic Zen Buddhism Rock. Fans of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd
or Spiritualized will bask this music. Free MP3 Downloads!
http://www.mountainmirrors.com/

Add your lift verbal description to your "Description" META Tag. Also add an even shorter verbal description in your statute title tag, and you'll hike your traffic for people looking for those keywords.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of "Two Easy Steps to Describing Your Set for Greater Web Traffic and More Fans."

If you're looking for more than great web traffic tips for your music, Saint David Nevue wrote the book on it, literally. See how he earned over $4000 per calendar month turning music into a full-time profession. It's all in this book How to Successfully Promote Your Music the the Internet.

A couple hebdomads ago, I asked "How make you dulcify the deal?" to happen out what you give your fans to procure other cadmium sales. Then I started reading Seth Godin's new book, "Free Prize Inside!", and I realized a large error I've made.

I'm a large fan of freebies. Peruse my many websites, you'll happen freebies of all forms and sizes from MP3s to stickers, CDs to occasional t-shirts. I love giving things away. It's sorta my part to the 'free award inside' concept.

Except that's really not what Seth is about. Seems I've been giving away a free award for old age without entirely recognizing it. It's the same thing that made me a wild fan of Black 47. You can even read about Saint Andrew WK have done the same on Saint David Hooper's Music Business Blog.

What am I talking about? Exactly.

I'm talking about talking with fans. I make my best to react to every electronic mail that our fans direct to us. If they take the time to compose us, you can bet, I'm gonna take the time to respond. And with the growing drove of debris mail it's getting tougher and tougher, but dangit, they rate it!

I'm sorry to say, there is one country I have got neglected until now-CD order forms.

CDBaby, our chief online retailer, is sort enough to offer all that great contact information about people who order our CDs. I have got done a very mediocre occupation contacting those people. But as every seller mentions, the bulk of gross sales will come up from past customers. So those are the people I need to be following up with.

Think about it a moment. I've built a very strong and loyal fanbase by communicating with fans. I have got tons of personal information online and confabulate with these folks. They've consequently gone out of their manner to back up us, buying many CDs and telling their friends.

Just conceive of if I contacted those 100s of past purchasers and said give thanks you. Not to sell them something more. Just to state "thanks". That's powerful stuff. Those who've stopped hearing will start back up. Those who already state their friends are gonna be a million times more passionate when they associate how I went out of my manner to compose them. It acquires me excited just thinking about it.

If you really can't believe of a manner to "sweeten the deal". Don't sudate it. But do certain you acquire their electronic mail address. Drop 'em a line and say, "thank you". And you'll be certain to have got a trade name new fan for life!

References:

Seth Godin's "Free Prize Inside" (1st printing) come ups in a cereal grass box
Saint Andrew WK in Saint David Hooper's Music Business Blog

One of the Brobdingnagian Bards' early CDs, Songs of the Muse is going into it's back pressing. When I saw Saint Saint Christopher Knab's article "Your cadmium Screen is Your Best Ad For Your Music", I decided this was the perfect inspiration I needed to update the cadmium graphics.

I've been a fan of Christopher Knab for about as long as I've been a fan of British Shilling Baker. He is without a uncertainty 1 of the top Top 10 music sellers in my book.

Well, whenever I make graphics, I happen too often that I bury a clump of stuff. So this article functions as a great checklist. But when I read Seth Godin's Best-Selling book, Free Prize Inside, I realized that it was NOT a complete list!

In fact, the music industry in general have greatly missed out on an astonishing chance to break sell CDs.

The thought I got came from the dorsums of books. Go catch a best-seller and bend it over. On the back, you will happen the secret...

What did you find? You might've seen testimonials, a little verbal description of the book, or maybe even an exerpt.

You see, one of the jobs I establish with Songs of the Muse is that since we name our music "Celtic music." It wasn't till much future that I realized that in the Celtic Language music tradition, "songs" have got words and "tunes" are instrumentals. This record album is all instrumental. So it was poorly named for the "Celtic music" world.

But if we utilize the dorsum screen correctly, it doesn't matter!

The new dorsum screen now names songs statute titles along with a little verbal description of the ideal individual who will bask this CD. It includes testimonials. And anyone who reads it will have got all uncertainty removed as to if this is a vocal or instrumental CD.

Use Saint Christopher Knab's checklist for a better cadmium graphics. Then believe outside the box. What can you add to the screen that volition do this cadmium sell better than ever?

Everytime I do a new friend, they look to come up away with selling ideas.

Today, I got an electronic mail from one. Her name is Jen Clower-Brown. She is a phantasy creative person and friend who I've worked with on a figure of phantasy fine art projects. She wrote:

Marc,

I just received the cadmium I ordered of "The Trial of Lancelot" by Heather Dale. I haven't even given it somes full listen yet, but already she have made an feeling on me. Let me explain...

When I pulled out the packing reception that was with the cd, she had hand-written a short, personal thank-you to me on the receipt! It states nil more than "Thanks Jennifer! Enjoy, Heather", but I doubt I'll be tossing out this reception any time soon. It was just a antic gesture.

I recognize this may be a spot boring to maintain up with, but it's worth considering for your ain cadmium orders.

Jen Clower-Brown

Course, I've been a large advocate of authorship personal short letters for a long time. For a while, I handled cadmium orders in house and followed her suggestion. Now, however, CDBaby manages most of our orders. Even there, it's a batch of work to follow-up each order with an email, but allow me state you it's worth it.

Fans desire to cognize that they're not just a face in the crowd. Something as simple as "Thanks Jennifer!" is all it takes to do that impact to gain a traditionalist fan for life. That's not too tough is it? Well, follow my example, I'm gonna travel catch up on sending give thanks you messages to our fans. They've given a portion of themselves to us. And they rate it!

I was listening to NPR the other twenty-four hours when they did a study on tipping in the eating house industry. One they had a listing of tips on how delay staff can increase their tips.

That got me brainstorming and surfing the nett for other thoughts to hike tips. That concerted with tons of public presentations at Renaissance Festivals helped me to develop my ain listing of ways instrumentalists can improve their tips.

1. Introduce yourself by name

Too often instrumentalists bury to present themselves on stage. Brand certain you state the audience your set name, but to really hike your tips, you should also present yourselves individually. Let people cognize who you are as an individual and you'll see greater tips.

2. Go out into the audience with a tip jar

You really can't be inactive when it come ups to getting tips. You have got to walk out into the audience with some ocular mention that states "Tip Me!", and they will tip you.

3. Meet your audience at their level

Take the time to speak to your audience members at their level. Holding a treatment from a phase sets a wall between you and them. So instead, travel out into the audience and talking to them face to face. Kneel if they're at a table, so you're at oculus level. And if you have got ayour tip jar with you, you will you will not only derive a fan, but you will also improve your tips.

4. Brand your visual aspect personal

We have on kilts to most of our gigs. A kilt adds a very personal touching It associates us to a certain civilization and do people take notice. Course you don't have got to travel that route, instead happen some piece of clothes that reflects your personality and you will hike your tips.

5. Recommend your favourite CD

If you have got multiple CDs, your audience will always inquire for your favorite. State them what it is. If you only have got one, you can make the same by recommending other people that you like. That adds a two-fold advantage of helping your audience happen music they like and helping your chap musicians.

6. Smile

A bright, confident smiling will convey fans back again and again with tons o'big tips.

7. Involve your audience in the music with a gag or game

Next time you're up on stage, see what haps when you jest around with the audience. Your personality will freshness all the more than and so will your tips.

8. Chat with fans by name

Music fans love nil more than to be recognized by the sets they love. So make your best to retrieve their names. They will experience that much more than attached to your music and experience like your friend. And these friends will tip you better for the courtesy.

9. Touch your audience

When you're come out of the closet socializing with your audience, touching them (in a non-sexual way). Whether you agitate their hand, rap them on the shoulder or back, or just brush against them, delay staff happen that that even that volition encouragement their tips 50%. And it will yours too.

10. Use tip jars with the VISA/Mastercard Logo

According to surveys done in restaurants, just seeing those Son is enough to promote clients to tip more. I cognize it sounds crazy, but give it a try. You may be pleasantly surprised with the results.

11. Give your audience something in tax return for their tip

People love feeling like they're getting their money's worth. And many people don't recognize you should tip bands. So give something in return. It could be something as large as a spine or magnet, or as simple as a concern card that mightiness include a $1 off your CDs. Or hey what about eating their sweet tooth with a piece of candy. Whatever the case, that small gift will intend large tipping results.

12. Draw a picture

On a similar note, if you give them a concern card, draw or do a remark on it. That piece will be more than valuable to them and will result in larger tips.

13. Brand tipping a portion of the show

Why delay until the end of the set to inquire for tips. Sing a song about tipping, or acquire your audience involved in the tipping procedure by cheering something. Or offering a award to the first tipper. But incorporate it into your show and it won't look like you're just begging for money, rather you're making it merriment to tip.

14. Thank your audience

No gig would be complete without an audience. So give thanks them for taking the time to watch you perform. They will experience the personal touching and react when you inquire for money.

15. Bonus Tipping Suggestion:

If the alteration is five dollars, never go back a five-dollar bill. Always give back five ones. This lets the client to tip you with some of the dollar measures you returned. You will rarely acquire a $5 tip and returning a $5 measure will turn off tippers. In general, it's good to go back all 1s if the alteration is less than $8. You desire the client to have got at least two 1s so they can give it back as the tip.

I was walking on campus today back from our weekly gig at the University of Texas' South Mall, when I heard a member of the Young Conservatives of Texas speak. March 2nd is Texas Independence Day and so this chap was sermon that if you work difficult and play by the rules you too can take a good life.

Maybe it's the sceptic in me, but it made me think, "What a clump of crock!" Most people, including most musicians, work difficult and play by the rules, but did you cognize that Americans carry, on average, $5,800 in recognition card debt from calendar calendar month to month. Well Iodine inquire you, what sort of life is that when a immense bulk of state is in unprofitable debt?

But I've been reading books like "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" recently, in an effort to larn music concern and finance accomplishments from people who do millions. Bash they follow the rules? Yes...sorta.

The inquiries that came to me as I walked by the Young Conservatives were, "Who do the rules?" and "Are we following the Right rules?"

That's really the cardinal that many successful concern people learn. It's not a substance of are you following the rules. It's are you following the Right rules?

You see, our community is filled with rules on what you can't do, but there are also dozens of rules that say what you can do, but most people don't cognize what they are.

Taxes are a great example. The norm instrumentalist might not subtract things like auto traveling to and from gigs, or the cost of their picks, because they may not cognize that they can.

The same travels with promotion. Just because you're on MP3.com and acquire a twelve electronic mails from other instrumentalists in a word word form missive saying, "play my song", makes not intend that you should set together your ain form missive and Spam thousands of musicians.

Or just because most instrumentalists make their best to pull the attending of a Major label A&R Oregon even the President, makes not intend you shouldn't schmooze with the secretary.

The point is cognize the rules, but then look beyond them. The rules are a guide. They are not etched in stone. Interruption the rules. Bash what others are NOT doing and you will make a better of occupation standing out in the crowd.

I'm a immense fan of SpamAssassin. I have got many websites and all of my waiters utilize it. It cuts out about 80% of the dirt heading to my inbox. And while I make lose a few newsletters, it's worth it.

The job is too many indie concerns just don't acquire it. They believe flashy is the manner to go, but more than than than and more people recognize as Spam goes ever more rampant that if you desire to reach your fans, you necessitate to make your newssheets accessbile first, flashy second.

How make you do that?

Start by doing away with hypertext markup language in emails.

That's right. Ditch it. It's useless. I cognize one music game website that actually directs out hypertext markup language messages with artwork and all. And every edition acquires SpamAssassinated. hypertext markup language electronic mails are selling heaven. A seller can track which electronic mails are opened and which not. They include javascript and cookies, and of course, hypertext markup language is easy to steal a virus into.

So halt using hypertext markup language newsletters. Remember the point of fan newssheets is communication. If you don't effectively pass on with your fan base, then you're wasting your time.

How make you cognize if your newssheet is being Spam Assassinated?

For the past twelvemonth or so I've been using SiteBuildIt to optimize my websites for the hunt engines. SiteBuildIt is programme designed to assist you construct a webpage that Effectively sells your merchandise while helping you to exceed the hunt engines.

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A couple calendar months ago, I wrote The Rogues to inquire them directly what it is that brands them so successful at merchandising CDs, and why they are one of the top 10 sets on CDstreet merchandising CDs. Sharon Wothke wrote back:

"As caput gross sales individual for the band, I believe that I would be the 1 to speak to. The Rogues are definitely alone in what they do, and if you will indulge me, very good at what they do.

As a gross gross sales person, I cognize that the manner the cats play their music definitely is the greatest factor in their sales quotient. When the music, which can be described as infectious, is smoking hot, and everyone is having a good time, the gross sales are usually pretty good. Most people who come up up to a Renaissance Festival, where the set still makes the lion's share of their gigs, make not come
expecting to purchase a cadmium with pipes music on it. The Rogues have got converted many people to this word form of music. So in other words, they make a alone ambiance which is contributing to sales.

If the cats are doing their occupation (making great music), it do my occupation a batch easier. Iodine just have got to be available and approachable to people and looking like a I am a portion of the show for people to experience comfortable in coming up to me. We started from the very beginning employing the usage of a roaming basket. It is very effectual and other groupings have got successfully copied our approach.

Our Sellers walk around holding up the merchandise so people can see them. Our Sellers seek to intermix in with the show and not be pushy, just visible. I personally bask interacting with the crowd, spoofing off of what is being said on the phase and telling gags to do the audience laugh. And I will speak and be nice to everyone, even if they don't purchase a cadmium simply because I bask people and I am trying to be an embassador for the band. They may not purchase today, but opportunities are they will believe about it and purchase a cadmium at another time."

Straight from the Master's mouth. What makes it take?
1. Great music
2. Great unrecorded performance
3. Roaming gross sales people with handbaskets of CDs
4. Peter Sellers hold up merchandise DURING the show
5. Peter Sellers blend in an interact with the show

The Rogues utilize CDBaby to sell their CDs. Why? See for yourself?

This weekend, we're flying to Hollywood. We are booked to execute at the Into the Occident Oscar Party, sponsored by New Line Cinema's Official Godhead of the Rings Fan Club. We are so psyched.

Unfortunately, I haven't done nearly as much promotion for the event as I would've liked. After five old age of promoting twenty-four hours and night, I'm kinda burned out. Fortunately, our fans aren't.

So when I got an electronic mail last hebdomad from Hagar "the Horrible" (he get dresseds as a Viking at Renaissance Festivals and kinda looks like the amusing strip character) saying he wanted my permission to electronic mail the television stations about our Oscar Party gig, I was like, "Hell, yeah! Why didn't I believe of that?"

I didn't believe anymore of it until a photographic camera crew showed up that evening. Jim Gustavus Franklin Swift from KXAN News 36's "Out On The Porch" section saw on our website that we were playing that very eventide and decided to interview us.

The interview went antic and ran this past Sunday. It also got me thinking. Why on this Earth makes Hagar continually travel out of his manner to assist us? What's in it for him?

There are many reasons. I trust to travel into many of them in future articles. But allow me state ye, it's not for any fiscal reward. We don't pay him a thing. Actually, he won't even accept money or free CDs. He makes it mainly for two reasons.

One, we've educated our fans to advance us. Two, and more than importantly, it lets him to "pay us back" for the joyousness we've given him.

Hagar isn't so atrocious actually. In fact, he's a batch like you and me. All we desire is acknowledgment for what we do. The greatest wages your fans really trust to have come ups from two emphatic and sincere words: "Thank you!".

I first started publishing my band newsletter during the Summer of '98. I tried the snail mail route. It was exhausting. Electronic newsletters (aka ezines) were the way to go.

I must've tried it all too. I promoted gigs, told of our latest accomplishments, gave away a free mp3 every month. Some of it worked. Some didn't.

Here are some tips I've learned about running my band newsletter:

Give away something for free. It can be as simple as an MP3 download at MP3.com. Or a sticker. A free CD once a month. Well worth the cost for their loyalty. And it can be a great promo tool to draw people into signing up for your newsletter.

Hype your band. Tell your fans about all the band news. Who's reviewed your latest CD? Post rave testimonies by your fans. Post them on your website too. Be positive and let them know you are the best!

In the two years I've managed my fan newsletter, I've had scores of fans write, saying, "Wow! I'm glad you're doing so well." We weren't. And I didn't lie. But our many small successes sounded like big ones to our fans. That is what hype is all about.

Keep it short. Write as if you were writing for a newspaper. Compose brief paragraphs about your greatness. Use headlines that make your fans want to read it. Provide frequent links to your website where you can post articles or more "further info".

Publish every 7-10 days. This depends on how much info you get. But as long as the content is short and informative, people won't mind. If you add a little drama, like how you're doing on MP3.com, and how they can help, you'll keep the fans reading. But if you're not gigging much, and don't have much news. Don't publish. Give your fans what they deserve, the best.

Don't get upset if people unsubscribe. It happens. If you lose half your list, consider adjusting your publishing schedule. But expect that some people can't deal with a newsletter every 7-10 days. Perhaps every two weekes is better. I was doing every two weeks until I realized how much more effective a 10 day schedule was for our fans. But less than two weeks, and you are no longer on the fore front of your fans' minds.

Choose a great inspiring name. Something that has meaning and is fairly informative. Certainly you can can get by without one, but a good name could attract people just out of curiousity.

Make it visually appealing. Keep lines short--60-65 characters followed by a hard return. Have a decent amount of space between sections. Add a table of contents at the beginning of the newsletter. Text newsletters work best, at present, but if you decide on an HTML ezine. Make sure you test it out extensively beforehand. Graphics need to be attached to your message. But keep it visually interesting on all accounts.

Content is King. You hear it all over the internet marketing circles. Make sure the info you provide is useful and relevant. My biggest problem is that my newsletter has subscribers worldwide and until we got hooked up on MP3.com, it was useless telling our fans about gigs in Austin. So have info that is interesting for EVERYONE!

Reward your fans. Give discounts for their loyalty. Have your CD on sale to newsletter subscribers.

Well a great public presentation and an synergistic gross sales crew is just the start to seling more than CDs at gigs. The Rogues also use other salespeople.

"Our Sellers work off of a commission, with bonuses built in when an individual's sales entire ranges a certain amount. Giving a salesperson a committee motivates them to sell more than merchandise than just giving them a level rate. We make have got minimal pay for a day's work when the gross sales are not good. In that lawsuit the set usually pays $50 day, or a 10% committee of the gross gross gross sales total, whichever is greater.

At the more than modern venues, such as as upland games and Celtic festivals, we have got establish that having a sales table is an extremely successful manner to increase sales, especially in combination with a roaming salesperson (when using both are appropriate). At public house gigs, we only have got a gross sales table. Having person wander in a tight space like a public house would be seen as too aggressive or invasive, which the Rogues make not promote their salespeople to be. Friendly competition between two or more than Sellers is good as long as there is a feeling of squad spirit. Our Sellers aid each other out when one necessitates alteration or more than than stock.

The bigger the crowds, the more gross sales people are needed. The sheer size of the crowd have a enormous impact on sales. When you acquire that many people standing or sitting that stopping point together and they are all excited about the music, it is like a rippling effect--once the gross gross sales start flowing, everyone looks to leap on the purchasing bandwagon.

At one peculiar show at the Old Line State Renaissance Festival, where the crowd was huge, our three Sellers were not able to maximise the full sales potential. A good indicant of my not being able to tap the gross sales possible that is when I am standing in one topographic point and have got not moved out of it the full show. Just as soon as I complete one sell, another individual come ups up to purchase a CD. I name that standing in a "sweet spot"--when people come up up to you already wanting to purchase a CD. My occupation then is to seek to calculate out, as
quickly as possible, what cadmium or CDs would best lawsuit what they are looking for. I always seek to point out the fact that they can tell more than CDs through the website or mail order, or listen to the music on MP3.com.

As a bandmember's wife, I am always trying to advance the band. I take concern cards from people who desire to engage the set for possible gigs and I direct them to my husband, Randy, who is the concern director for the band."

1. Honor gross sales people with commission
2. Set up gross sales table for venues
3. Promote friendly gross sales competition
4. More people to sell for bigger crowds, bask 'ripple effect'
5. Take concern cards to gigs and manus out at every opportunity.

The Rogues utilize CDBaby to sell their CDs. Why? See for yourself?