Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Bob Baker’s TheBuzzFactor.com

Bob Baker’s TheBuzzFactor.com

Marketing tips and self-promotion
ideas for indie music people just
like you — since 1995

February 19, 2008

This issue is all about feedback. No, not
screeching frequencies through speakers. I’m
talking about comments and opinions. I’ll show
you one thing that I received but mainly I want
your thoughts on two important items below.
Please read and respond. I welcome your input.

What Do YOU Want in a Music Conference?

As you may know, I’ll be presenting the first
Indie Buzz Bootcamp music conference June 20-22
in my hometown of St. Louis, MO. If you’ve read
my early description of it, you also know that
I want to make this a weekend workshop event
unlike any other in existence today.

Derek Sivers (of CD Baby), NYC music publicist
Ariel Hyatt, Nashville singer and music career
coach Nancy Moran, and I are the scheduled
speakers, with more to be announced soon.

While I have some definite ideas about how I want
to present this life-changing event (solo speakers
instead of panels, a focus on education and action
plans instead of showcases and parties, etc.) I’d
love to get your thoughts on what you’d like to
see in a music conference.

Please consider the following questions:

  • What’s been missing from the music conferences
    you’ve attended in the past?
  • What would you really like to see in a weekend
    event dedicated to indie music career success?
  • What topics would you like to see covered?
  • Who would you like to hear speak?
  • What factors would motivate you to attend?

To send me your answers you can either go to
this blog entry and click the comments link to
post your responses. Or simply reply to this
email.

Thanks in advance for giving me your honest
feedback. I’ll give consideration to all the
responses and incorporate the ones that make
the most sense.

Note #1: You can still register to win a pair of
fr-ee admissions to the Indie Buzz Bootcamp here.

I’ll announce the winners by March 10, and
tickets will go on sale March 17. Everyone who
registers for the drawing will be first in line
to purchase tickets at an early discounted rate
before they go on sale to the public.

Note #2: If you’re on Facebook, I have an event
page for the conference here.

The Coolest Email I’ve Ever Received

“Bob, I found you in 2004 when doing a web search.
I have read your blog, watched your video clips,
purchased your e-books, and look at you as a
mentor. Since then, we have been played on over
500 Internet, commercial and college radio
stations around the world, all with your help.
We have had Top 10 songs in some of the biggest
cities using your advice and, right now, have
two songs in the Top 10 national jazz charts in
Australia!

“Using your advice, we got signed to Rhombus
Records in Los Angeles last year and, as a
result, made it to the second round of voting
for a Grammy Award in the Best New Jazz/Fusion
Artist category. It’s funny, you were our manager
for the past four years and took us from not
knowing business to guiding our careers to this
point … and you never even knew it. Thank you,
Bob, and may you help others like us in the
future.”

-Terry Copley, Catz in the Hatz,
www.myspace.com/catzinthehatz

Thanks, Terry. Congrats on your success! YOU
earned it. You may have fallen a little short
of an official Grammy nomination this year, but
you’re a BIG winner in my book. I wish you
continued success!

Could You Use a Music Success Coach?

There are many ways to learn and grow and move
closer to your vision of music success. Some
people develop their skills by reading books
and listening to audio programs. Some get
inspired by attending workshops and other live
events.

And some prefer to take things a step further
and work one on one with someone who will
encourage them, listen, offer advice, and hold
them accountable to the goals they’ve set.

If you’ve ever taken a guitar, piano or vocal
lesson, you know first hand what this process
is like.

More and more people are approaching me to act
as a mentor or coach for them. But the available
time I have for projects like this is virtually
nonexistent. So I have to turn people away, and
this has always bothered me.

But a recent conversation with indie artist John
Taglieri opened my eyes to another possibility.
What if I could set up a system that allows me
to pair up my readers with a coach that I know
and trust? Someone who could motivate and guide
aspiring artists to set and reach their goals.

John not only suggested the idea, but offered
himself up as my first officially sanctioned
coach. And he’s the perfect man for the job.
I’ve featured John in three of my books, and we
even teamed up on an audio program called “How
to Make a Living as a Full-Time Indie Musician.”

John has sold more than 12,000 CDs over the past
several years, tours, teaches, and more. He’s
got an indie music career work ethic like no one
I’ve ever met. I knew right away he’d be ideal
for this type of work.

I haven’t set up a page for this yet or finalized
the fee structure, but I wanted to throw this out
there and start collecting the names of potentially
interested parties.

Would you like to learn more about having John
Taglieri coach you? If so, reply to this email
and change the subject line to “Coaching Info.”
If there’s enough interest and we decide to
launch the service, you’ll be the first to know.

Books, Reports, Audio Programs You Might Enjoy

Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook
www.bob-baker.com/buzz/music_marketing.htm

MySpace Music Marketing
www.bob-baker.com/myspace/music.html

Indie Music PR Bootcamp
www.bob-baker.com/musicpromotion/bootcamp.html

Killer Music Press Kits
www.bob-baker.com/buzz/presskits.html

Guerrilla Music Marketing Power Course
www.bob-baker.com/buzz/music-books.html

70 Ways to Promote & Sell Your Music on the Internet
www.bob-baker.com/buzz/online-music-promotion.html

Online Music PR Hot List 2008
www.bob-baker.com/buzz/music_pr.htm

Will I See You at Folk Alliance?

If you’ll be there, look me up and say Hi.

Saturday, February 23
Folk Alliance Conference
Memphis, TN
12:00 Noon
I’ll be part of a panel called “The Internet Is
Your Friend.” Madalyn Sklar of GoGirls moderates.
Other panelists include Jim Schultz from Sonicbids,
Martin Folkman of Musicians Atlas, and Lydia
Hutchinson from Performing Songwriter magazine.
Registration details at www.folkalliance.org.

Thanks for reading. Until next time … share
your talents, connect with fans, get out there
and promote yourself!

-Bob

Get more tips at these sites:

Posted by InterNetics eMagazine at 18:08:46
Comments

One Response to “Bob Baker’s TheBuzzFactor.com”

  1. replica watches says:
    March 15, 2009 at 4:24 pm

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