A Different Way To Think About Music Marketing

Many independent musicians feel scared or overwhelmed by music marketing. We don't want to seem pushy, annoying, or like we're shouting at people. Luckily, you can share your music in a genuine way without bothering others.
How to promote your music in a unique way

Derek Sivers, who created CD Baby and has written multiple books, shares an intriguing approach to promoting music. In his book Your Music And People, the author provides helpful and genuine tips for indie musicians to share their music with others.

The advice is clear and specific, giving you practical steps to follow. But it is also general enough to be relevant for a long time. This is what I learned from the book.
Be inventive or imaginative.

Promoting your music means sharing something you created that you’re really enthusiastic about. It's a way to add more to your artwork. If you really believe in your music, you will spend time being creative with your marketing. Spend the same amount of time coming up with ideas to share your songs as you did when you were making them.
Be kind and consider the feelings and needs of others.

Being considerate in your marketing means you take time to understand and give people what they truly want. You should not send them unsolicited messages or talk to them in a aggressive and forceful manner. Think about why someone would be interested in you and your music.

According to Sivers, marketing is all about making it simple for people to notice you, connect with you, remember you, and spread the word about you to their friends.
Consider individuals

The saying "it's all about who you know" is actually correct. Can you do everything alone and become extremely popular on social media. Yes, but it's not very likely to happen.

What is more probable is that you make connections with people who later support you in achieving success. Just behave well and treat others with kindness. Consider ways in which you can assist other people. Doing the right thing is good, and karma might actually exist.
Explore the Industry

We use the term "the music industry," but it's actually just a group of individuals. So, go and meet those individuals. Get familiar with them. And do not ask people for help without proving that you can do it on your own.
Use what you have and be creative.

Use what you already have. Spend as little as possible. Imagine that nobody will assist you, even if there is a slight possibility that they might offer help. You have a small business where you work as a musician without being part of a big company. So create a strategy that will help you have a successful job and continue to pursue it.
Tell us about who you are and explain what makes you unique and special.

If you are going to meet people in the music industry, you need to have a simple and quick way to explain what kind of music you make. Please simplify this text into shorter and easier to understand sentences.

I should let people know what kind of music I make (I refer to it as "nostalgic folk"). Or you can make people interested so they really want to listen (Sivers’ example: “a mix of James Brown and The Beatles”).

Try not to mention the type of music or the instruments you play, unless you play a really special instrument like the Theremin. Use strong words that paint vivid images and convey the emotion and atmosphere of your songs.
Who should be focused on or aimed at for a particular purpose or goal.

A lot of people will not enjoy your music. Music is a matter of personal opinion and can vary from person to person. So you should concentrate on finding the correct people who listen, rather than trying to find the most number of listeners. Try to reach the outermost parts. Discover the individuals who share common interests, values, or goals with you.

Sivers says to believe in yourself and discover your specialty, figure out who you really are. "Say it over and over and over and over again. "


Make a table. Keep track of information about every person you meet in the music industry. Sivers suggests keeping a record of something.

The word "name" means a person's unique identifier or the word used to refer to a particular person or thing.
Contact
Place or position
Tags help you locate the correct individuals such as songwriter, publisher, manager, etc.
Information about our previous conversation
When do you need to get in touch with them again.

This will help you keep in contact with people instead of losing their emails in your inbox.
Earning money and advertising

If your friends are not talking about your music to others, then don't try to promote it, according to Sivers. If that's what's happening, you should go back and work on your art until people can't help but share it.

He also suggests not revealing your music until it's released, and I completely agree with that. Do you know how many times I have seen a lesser-known artist online saying, "My song will be released in two weeks," but then I ended up forgetting about it. I have missed out on a lot of great music because of this. As a listener, I find pre-saving songs to be bothersome. Just release the song and then advertise it.
Change your way of thinking.

Sivers says that living in a city with a lively music scene is beneficial for you. You can meet musicians, connect with industry professionals, and help local music easily. Don't forget, it's important to be connected with the right people. And it's also about being accessible and prepared for chances. Opportunities may arise unexpectedly, so make sure your career goals are flexible enough to accommodate them.

In simpler terms, Sivers suggests pursuing things that you find interesting.

"Do whatever makes you happy," he says. Stop doing things that make you feel tired or exhausted.
BW.