Music marketing expert Bob Baker ("Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook") checks in this week with a primer on Guerilla Marketing and shares 7 low cost, unconventional marketing tips that will boost your music career in no time!

You've certainly heard the term "guerrilla marketing" thrown around a lot. But you may have wondered, "Exactly what is it?" Here are my thoughts on a definition: Guerrilla music marketers use creativity instead of cash. They don't limit their list of promotion options to the traditional tried-and-true. And they don't accept the age-old limitations set by the industry or the majority of frustrated artists.

Also, a musician who thinks in guerrilla terms doesn't waste time complaining about the sad state of things. Instead, he or she looks for opportunities or takes action to create opportunities. Guerrillas don't wait to be "discovered" or pray for a "big break." Instead, guerrilla marketers realize that they are ultimately the only ones who can steer their own music careers.

Guerrilla music marketers also understand that effective self-promotion doesn't have to be big, expensive or flashy. They know that taking small, creative actions on a consistent basis over time will have the most long-term effect.

To help this guerrilla attitude sink in, here are six examples of real music people thinking outside the box and doing innovative things to boost their careers.

1. The Power of Food

Members of the act Twelve:12 (www.twelve12.org) found themselves doing a 20-minute interview on a rock radio station in their hometown ... all for simply bringing breakfast to the disc jockeys.

"We stopped at a restaurant and ordered some omelets, bacon and biscuits to go, then brought them to a local station for the morning show hosts," says Eric Luedtke. "They talked to us on the air for 20 minutes about our music."

Eric points out that this happened in Madison, Wisconsin. "So we're not talking a small town where anyone can get on the radio just for knitting a nice sweater," he says.

Media people love free food, particularly morning jocks, who often don't have time to get a good breakfast on the way to work. Fill their stomachs and they just might reward you with some exposure.

2. Perform a Guerrilla Concert

Kenny Kinds of Blue Fortune (www.blue-fortune.com) performs what he calls a "guerrilla concert" before shows. He explains, "We find a location near where we'll be performing, like a market or cafe where a lot of people gather. Then we acoustically perform a couple of songs -- just long enough to tease people, hand out flyers, complimentary CDs, etc." Many of those unsuspecting people, of course, are inspired to attend Blue Fortune's show.

Are you overlooking simple ways that you can attract more people to your live shows?

3. Stamp of Approval

Here's a cool marketing idea from Corey Palmer of the band Monday Conspiracy. Like most club-playing musicians, his band gets booked at venues that stamp the hand of every patron who enters. Most bands don't give this common ritual a second thought. But not Monday Conspiracy.

"We had a stamp made that spells out our web site address," Corey says. "Before every show, we ask the manager if he or she would mind using our stamp at the door. Most managers say yes, which results in the entire crowd being temporarily branded with our web address."

And the results? "We've seen our web traffic jump quite a bit since we started doing this. People are less likely to forget our address with it stamped on their hands."

4. Happy Mood Ring to You

A few years ago, a band called Wordlove was drawing a pretty good crowd by playing music from the 1970s, complete with an image influenced by '70s pop culture -- disco-flavored funk, polyester jumpsuits, platform heels, lava lamps and disco balls. As well as the band was doing, the members wanted to go an extra step to create a bond with their fans.

They found the perfect gimmick: mood rings. Yes, those popular jewelry trickets from the '70s that changed color based on your emotional state. A band member bought 100 rings for $25 at a vintage clothing store. But they didn't just give them away for any reason. They sent them to fans as birthday presents.

On the band's mailing list sign-up form, fans were asked to write in their birth date. Then when the date arrived, each fan would receive a "groovy" card with a free mood ring taped to the inside -- compliments of Wordlove.

"Instead of the usual band mailing list garbage, each fan got something cool from the great new band he or she discovered some months earlier," says Shawn Fields, a former member of Wordlove and Founder of Getsigned.com. "No hype. No desperate pleas for show attendance. Nothing to sell. Just a simple birthday card with a free gift. Our brand awareness factor shot up 110 percent--and so did our show attendance as word spread about the unique bond we had with our fans."

5. The Eye Candy System

Nicola of Hot Cherry Records (www.cdbaby.com/nicolanyc) relates that after her live sets, she has two or three attractive girlfriends go out to audience. "One handles the CD sales and one or two circulate the mailing list and get names, addresses and e-mails," she explains. "Not to be sexist, since I am a woman myself, but this marketing strategy works for me."

She continues, "Women seem to be less threatening to both sexes than men, and that is why we have found this approach to work best. It enables us to come off the stage and immediately meet and greet people, without having to worry about selling and dealing with paper and mailing lists. It's a great system!"

How can you boost your mailing list sign-ups or improve your interaction with fans?

6. Print This

For the most part, using the Internet means doing away with paper and printing. Unless you come up with a cool idea like Bob Houlston has. To promote his guitar tips and tabs site, Bob invites visitors to print and distribute small fliers available at http://www.houlston.freeserve.co.uk/flier.htm

Great idea. In the past, I only considered printing fliers and physically handing them to people. But there is obviously another option: Have your fans print out and distribute the promotional items themselves. Basically, you've just created your own street team.

Considering doing this to promote your CDs or live shows. You can also ask fans to print coupons for discounts on recordings and admission fees.

7. Let Your Fans Help You

"One of the best tips is to appreciate and respect your fans," says singer-songwriter Nyree in an interview on the artistpro.com site. She is also the author of "Booking, Promoting and Marketing Your Music."

Nyree says that much of the good fortune she's enjoyed throughout her career came about because a fan got involved. For example, opening for Crosby, Stills & Nash, Santana and other high-profile artists happened because a fan knew somebody.

"When you try just to sell yourself it never works," she says. "But when somebody's really thrilled about something, they can sell it to anyone."

Nyree says a recent East Coast tour also happened because of her fans. "Some people saw shows I did in Palo Alto, and they asked me when I was coming to their town. My answer is always, 'I'll come to your town when you set something up, or help me set something up, because it's gonna be really hard for me to get something good on my own.'"

Great response.

Are you asking your fans for help?

See you next time,
Bob

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  Website Back	Bob Baker
	Bob Baker is an author, indie musician and former music magazine editor dedicated to showing musicians of all kinds how to get exposure, connect with fans, sell more CDs, and increase their incomes.   Bob Baker is the author of "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook," "Killer Press Kits" and "MySpace Music Marketing" and more. He also publishes TheBuzzFactor.com, a web site and e-zine that deliver marketing tips, self-promotion ideas and other empowering messages to music people of all kinds. Get your FREE subscription to Bob's e-zine by visiting http://TheBuzzFactor.com today.
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Comments (1)

good stuff

wow! good stuff. i've read a few of bob baker's books. Very insightful.

alex

Alex Chadwick of 3rd Brillyance , February 14, 2009 | url

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