Posts tagged endorsements
Finding Investment for your Music – Endorsements, Music Grants and More
Mar 5th
I have just uploaded a Lens at squidoo.com about finding Investment for your Music. I talk about the various options available to funding your Music Career. To check it out please visit Music Investments Article
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Why you should indentify 3 selling points to Promote and sell Your Music
Mar 3rd
I have a little saying that i say to most Band’s “it’s about time your turned your Band into a Brand”, although i’m not directly writing this article about branding your Band, it does come under the same bracket. From when you walk past a product on the shelf in Asda to driving past a billboard on the M3, they all you use the same principles to get your juices flowing. Every product or service that is advertised identifies 3 selling points for that product and it should be the same for your Music. Most people who read an advertisement will make a decision on that product or service within 10 seconds, if they haven’t identified keywords that interests them in a product they will most likely put it back on the shelf. If you think of your Music as a product you will start to see how advertising your Music properly is important, by identifying 3 selling points about your Music that will grab the reader within 10 seconds you will more than likely generate more interest. The Human mind is very curious so make full use of this fact!
Please note, Rock Links is a free resource and we don’t offer any form of membership. Please show your support for Rock Links by taking the time to check out our below sponsors. Article Continued below Video.
So how do you identify selling points?
Selling points are everywhere, back in 2008 Rock Links was awarded an Innovation and Entrepreneurial Business award, so one of our key selling points is “The Award Winning Rock Links”, maybe your Music has won an award? Maybe you won a talent contest?
I happen to know a few all Lesbian girl Bands, imagine walking past a poster with the words “Band name! The all Lesbian Girl Band”. It provokes interest to read more!
Have you been featured on a National or Local Radio Station? In my local area we have Heart FM, although i don’t think they actually play Unsigned Acts i’m sure other local Radio Stations do, so again “Band Name! As featured on Radio FM”.
Maybe your age is a key factor? Maybe you under 16? Maybe your over 60? Again this provokes interest.
Maybe your a Country/Electronic/Funky/Banjo Playing act? Now that i would like to see!
Other key selling Points
Genre style, Size (maybe you have 8 Band members), fashion, bizarre instruments used, connection with a charity, jedward hairstyles, Free Music, Cover Songs, Endorsements, maybe your all born in the same city / town? (people love to support local people), basically anything that sets you apart from the rest that people can relate to or would want to know more about.
Please note, Rock Links is a free resource and we don’t offer any form of membership. Please show your support for Rock Links by taking the time to check out our below sponsors. Article Continued below Video.
Once you have identified your key selling points, make sure they are the first thing anyone reads, your Myspace, Website, Press Releases, Artwork, Posters, Facebook, Twitter, i’m sure your getting the picture. Like i have previously said, you have about 10 seconds to ‘catch’ the persons attention, choose your selling points wisely and the rewards will be more interest in your Music, it’s guaranteed and has been used by marketers since the first roman sandal hit the south coast!
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Type of Endorsements
Dec 31st
If you do get an endorsement then it will likely only be a small one, if your sat here now reading this article with an endorsement worth thousands of pounds then you would probably be managed by the likes of Simon Cowell. Endorsements are hard to come by, but as i proved in my other article Musician Endorsements they are not impossible. Below are the different types of possible endorsements.
Free Equipment
This equipment wont be free, the likely hood is the equipment wont be for keeps and will be old stock. Still it does count as an Endorsement. You do however need to consider if the equipment that is offered is better than what you currently have, is it reliable and practical? Don’t just take the deal because it’s on the table, sit back and make sure your going to benefit from it.
Money
These deals really don’t exist, if you do get a few quid it will only be on the condition that the money is spent at a certain shop (probably the shop owned by the person who gave you the money). Again be careful, make sure the deal is good for you.
Money off or savings
The most likely of deals offered. You get money off on the day or a percentage off for the length of the deal.
Individual Endorsements
It’s also possible for an individual Band member to get an Endorsement. I know a Drummer who currently has an Endorsement with a local Drumstick manufacturer. They are very rare deals, but they do exist.
Endorsements come in all shapes and sizes, don’t expect them to benefit you to much, just be proud that someone wants to be associated with your music.
Musician Endorsements
Dec 31st
An area which many Musician’s attempt to conquer but fail miserably, the main reason for this is the way they go about trying to secure an endorsement. For a company to offer you money or equipment takes a lot of risk and belief in the artist. They need to feel that their investment is safe, secure, worthwhile and brings a good image to the company. The Music, your Style or your Talent unfortunately wont be enough to get you an endorsement. I wont lie and tell you that Endorsement’s are easy to get or that their is any magic trick that makes one appear. However even the newest of Band’s can receive very small endorsements from local companies, which can put you on the road to bigger things.
If your a fairly new Band that has no recordings, and a very small gig portfolio then you will get a straight no from any potential endorsement. If you look at an Endorsement like buying a car you will be able to see the deal from the other side of the table. If you saw a Lamborghini for sale for £500 with no receipts, no service history, no mot records or tax would you buy it? I’m assuming you said no to that answer, but it’s exactly the same situation for the endorsement. Who is going to invest money or offer free equipment to a Musician who has no records, no portfolio, no upcoming gigs and no future? A company wants to see proof that an investment of whatever nature, including time, is a safe bet. Don’t get ahead of yourselves establish your Music before the approach. Prove you have the talent, prove you can do what you say you can.
So what about established Musicians? Well if you have a few CD’s produced, a list of Gig’s as long as your arm, rave reviews and a fan list to be proud off then you may well be in with a chance. Now let’s have a reality check, you and me both know that you wouldn’t be reading this article if you have had a few chart smashers, a successful tour and merchandise flying off the shelves. No, you would have been snapped up with a record deal. So approaching Fender and Marshall for some sponsorship is going to be a waste of time. But what about the local companies in your area? Music Shop’s, CD Shop’s, Cafe’s, Bar’s, Restaurant’s, Club’s, they may not sound glamorous but even if Trotters Independent Traders offered you a deal it would still be a company risking their name on the back of you, which is of course a good thing. I would like to take this moment to tell you a little story.
I was asked by a local Night Club owner to run a monthly Live Band Night at the club. The club was unfortunately not very reputable, but the owner was working hard to change the image of the club. I started the nights with very little success, word had not as spread as much as i had liked and things were going very slowly. After a few months sticking at it, i had taken the nights from an audience of around 25 people to a massive 280. The nights were going well and the word was starting to spread. The only areas i could improve on was the pre-organization, the booking of the bands, managing time slots and trying to borrow equipment to use from each band. The major hurdle was trying to get a band to lend a drum kit for the night. In the end i got fed up and decided to go and buy one. I approached a local Drum shop and inquired about a medium quality drum kit. We discussed the kit, i knocked them down in price and then made them a slightly different offer. I explained what the kit was to be used for and what i was doing down at the local night club. I asked them if we could come to an arrangement that they knocked the price down even further in return for me placing a Banner for the shop at the back of the stage. We shook hands and i walked out with a drum kit nearly £280 cheaper then it was marked at. I had a sponsorship deal for my night.
It just goes to show, that these deals do exist. It might not be Marshall, but it’s still a known brand that believes in what im doing and is willing to risk their reputation on my night. It can be exactly the same for your Music and if you think on to the future it looks very impressive on your Band Press Pack. Deal’s like this can also attract the attention of other companies, they can have a knock on affect.
The point being is deals do exist, but don’t expect to make hundred’s off pounds out of them. Do it for the fact that a known brand believes in what your doing and believes you have the potential to go further, those two things alone are priceless. You get a name attached to your Music, they get advertising and some great PR, everyone wins!
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