Music Marketing [dot] com

How to Write a Hit Song - A New Approach

I want to try something new and, if you're interested, you need to let me know right now.

I recently met this guy, I'll call him Mr. X, whom is an expert on the subject of creativity.  His background is in visual art (painting, drawing, etc) and the majority of what he does focuses on these mediums, but he is highly sought-after by artists of all types when it comes to them enhancing their ability to be creative.

A few days ago, he was explaining to me some things about the mind and how it works when coming up with new ideas.  As he was doing this, I was thinking, "This would work great for songwriters."

After 100+ episodes of Music Business Radio, many with top songwriters, this is what I know about songwriting...

1. Writers block happens...sometimes a lot.
2. There are only a few subjects people want to hear about.  The big one is love.
3. The real skill in coming up with a hit song is saying something which has already been said and is familiar to people, but doing it in a new way.
4. A small group of very talented songwriters gets the majority of the album cuts and singles, so you have to be exceptionally good at expressing yourself and "painting the picture" with your lyrics, if you want to compete with them and have any success.

As a visual artist, "painting the picture" is what this guy does...literally.  But he's in the same situation any songwriter is...he has to tell a heartfelt, emotional story with very limited space.  Every stoke of the brush matters for him, just like every word and note matters for you.

Ask yourself this...  Wouldn't it be great if you could:

• Eliminate "Blocks" in Your Writing - No More Staring at a Blank Piece of Paper!
• Instantly Come Up with New and Unique Ways of Expressing a Familiar Theme?
• Finish Entire Songs in Just Minutes...Not Hours, Days, or Weeks

These techniques have worked for painters, illustrators, and other visual artists and I'm convinced they'll work for you and apply to your songwriting.

Here's the deal...

Normally, these "Creativity Workshops" are about $500 to attend.  This version of it will be brand new though, with all new curriculum created just for songwriters.  In short, it will be a "beta test" and we'll be working out a few kinks. 

Right now, we're expecting this event to last about 8-10 hours, but I've been known to deliver seminars that go for 15 hours in a single day, so it might go a little longer, depending on if the audience wants to keep going.

Normally, I focus on marketing and "music business" things, so this is new for me.  Mr. X is the expert at the "creativity" stuff, so he'll be the one delivering the info here.  However, I'll likely add some content on the music business aspects of songwriting, just to give you an action plan you can use on all the great songs you're going to create with his method.

The admission cost: FREE

Seriously -- this is something new and we're testing the material, so we're not going to charge admission.  The only thing you'll pay is a "seat reservation fee" (probably about $20) just to make sure you're serious about showing up and we don't end up with a bunch of empty seats from people who say they'll be there, but flake out on us...and keep somebody else from being in that seat.

Date will be sometime in January, so it will be a great way to start off the new year.  Location will be Nashville, which will give us access to a ton of great songwriters and make it a great networking event.

My question for you...

Would you be interested in attending?

Reply below with you thoughts.  Let me know the specifics you'd like to cover, any questions that you have, and more about yourself.

Looking forward to seeing you in January!

Music Business Conference Call - Tuesday, January 29th

If you're looking to sell more music, get more people to your shows, and make more money in 2009, you'll want to be on this free teleconference.

Here's the info.  Write it on your calendar now!

EVENT:  MusicMarketing.com: Your Success in 2009
DATE & TIME: Tuesday, January 27th at 9:00pm Eastern
FORMAT: Simulcast! (Attend via Phone or Webcast -- your choice)

Phone-Number to Dial:  615-932-5997
Use Conference ID:  911902#

TO ATTEND THIS EVENT VIA THE WEB, CLICK THIS LINK.

SXSW 2009 - Are You Going?

We're just a few months away from SXSW.  If you've been before, you know what a great event it is.

If you haven't been before, definitely think about attending.  This is the biggest music conference in the US and lots of people will be there.

I'll be on this panel:

Demo Listening 1
Wednesday, March 18th
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM
Room 19A

We'll most likely be around the convention center (and elsewhere) recording new episodes of Music Business Radio, too. 

If you're attending or showcasing, please let me know.  Would love to connect.

Indie Buzz Bootcamp - June 20-22 in St. Louis

Yesterday, I had a good conversation with Bob Baker, author of the Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook, about his upcoming event in St. Louis, Indie Buzz Bootcamp.

Decided to tape the call... You can download the recording, if you're interested. 

Now, if you'll allow me to put on my Dr. Phil mustache for a bit...

If you can't make Indie Buzz Bootcamp, or you're broke and don't feel like you can afford it, don't listen.  You'll only be pissed at yourself when you find out what you'll be missing.

Of course, I suppose you could cancel your plans, charge it on a credit card, or get another job and make the extra money you'll need to attend...   That's what somebody who is really serious about a career in the music business would do.

Yes, it will be short term pain, but the long term results will be worth it.

It's much like learning how to play your instrument...  Not always fun to practice, but that works pays off when you're performing and are able to put on a good show.

Same is true for the business end of your music.  Learn this stuff about marketing and how to sell yourself and you'll make more money. 

Worth it?  Hell yes, it's worth it.

Do what you need to do to attend.  Make the sacrifice.  That's what I would suggest, because all the big players from the independent music scene are going to be there and this is your chance to get face time with them.  Plus, you'll get to find out what really works when it comes to making money as an independent musician as well as connect with others who are as serious about this as you are.

Derek Sivers from CD Baby will be there.  We're talking the man behind a company which sells millions of dollars worth of music each year.  He knows what gets people to buy and he's going to share that with you at this event.  If you missed it, check out this recording of Derek for some great music business advice.

Tom Jackson will be there.  You may not know the name, but you know the bands he's worked with and, once you see him in action, you'll never look at live shows the same way again.  This guy is the man when it comes to making your stage show major label ready. 

For a full explanation of who Tom is and what he can do for you, check out this interview I did with him...

I could give you a thousand reasons about how great this event is going to be and why you need to be there.  Bottom line though is that you really need to go to St. Louis and experience it for yourself.

Bob is so confident in this thing that he has a 100% moneyback guarantee.  At the end of the event, if you feel it wasn't worth your investment, just let him know and he'll give you 100% your money back, with no hard feelings.

But trust me...you're going to feel it's worth it because it will be worth it.  I've been to Bob's events and they're worth 100x what he asks for.

So do what it takes to get yourself to St. Louis next month.

A final word... There is limited room at this thing and bands are signing up 3-4 people at a time.  If you want to go, you need to make the decision now.  It's going to sell out regardless, so it doesn't make a difference to Bob whether you personally go or not, but it will make a huge difference to you, the income you make, and your life in general.  Don't kick yourself later because you missed out.

Derek Sivers of CD Baby - Audio Interview

Bob Baker just released an audio interview with Derek Sivers of CD Baby, which he did to promote Bob's Indie Buzz Bootcamp.  You can listen/download below.

Going to events like this is really important, not only because of what you'll learn, but also because you'll meet other musicians who are on your level.  It's a great place to swap information and connect with other people who are working as hard as you are.

I know both Bob and Derek personally and met each of them at music conferences.  And you can meet them both at one time, if you attend Indie Buzz Bootcamp.

By the way, if you haven't already downloaded my new audio book on networking, you can get it free by typing your name and email address in the righthand column.  It has some great tips for making connections with people while at events like this.

I'll have more information on Indie Buzz Bootcamp coming shortly.  Until then, enjoy this interview with Derek Sivers of CD Baby...

Derek Sivers Interview (MP3 file, 20 megs) (Right click and hit "Save As..." to download.)

P2P Market Conference To Focus On Revenue Generation

The Distributed Computing Industry Association, a trade organization with more than one-hundred Member companies representing peer-to-peer (P2P) and social networking software providers, content rights holders, and service-and-support companies, today announced the agenda, speakers, and sponsors for its upcoming P2P MARKET CONFERENCE.

This first-of-its-kind DCIA event is scheduled for Friday March 14th at the Princeton Club of New York, and is being held in conjunction with Media Summit New York (MSNY).

"We are pleased to announce a very exciting agenda of keynotes and panel sessions featuring industry leaders from all over the world as well as plans for a highly topical conference luncheon," said DCIA CEO Marty Lafferty in making the announcement.

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"In addition to our primary focus at this global gathering on commercial development, we will also invest time to discuss the renewed debate over net neutrality, exploring the latest arguments from content providers and ISPs, and current actions by regulators and consumer advocates responding to these forces," he added.

P2P MARKET CONFERENCE keynotes include BitTorrent's CEO, Doug Walker; VeriSign's VP, Marketing, Media & Entertainment, Steve Condon; RawFlow's President & Co-Founder, Mikkel Dissing; Pando Networks' CEO, Robert Levitan; Move Networks' President & CEO, John Edwards; Zattoo's Co-Founder, Chairman & CTO, Sugih Jamin; 1-Click Media's CEO, Arthur Madrid; Trispen Technologies' Founder & CEO, Jaco Botha; TVU Networks' EVP, Business Development, Kap Shin; Microsoft's Director, P2P Networking, Windows, See-Mong Tan; and  FTI Consulting¹s Senior Managing Director, Bruce Benson.

The conference luncheon will feature a report from the P4P Working Group (P4PWG) by its Co-Chairs Pando Networks' Laird Popkin and Verizon Communications' Doug Pasko; and a special address by QTRAX's Chairman & CEO Allan Klepfisz.

Panelists include Abacast's Mike King, AHT International's Mohan Nihalani, Azoogle Ads' Don Mathis, Brand Asset Digital's Joey Patuleia, DigitalContainers' Chip Venters, DoubleV3's Benjamin Masse, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz's Rick Kurnit, JamboMedia's Rob Manoff, Javien Digital Payment Solutions' Leslie Poole, KlikVU's Lowell Feuer, Manatt's Bill Heberer, MediaDefender's Chris Gillis, Media Global Intertainment's Jakob Schwertz, MediaPass Network's Daniel Harris, Oversi's Eitan Efron, PeerApp's Frank Childs, P2P Cash's Tom Meredith, Rebel Digital's Robin Kent, RightsFlow Entertainment Group's Patrick Sullivan, SafeNet's David Hahn, TAG Strategic's Ted Cohen, and Ultramercial's Dana Jones. More panel speakers will be announced.

There will also be a VIP networking cocktail reception with live entertainment.

The P2P MARKET CONFERENCE will highlight progress in advancing new business models and revenue generation at various levels of the emerging distributed computing industry.

In the business-to-consumer (B2C) arena, developments are now moving beyond conventional ad-supported, subscription, and paid download methods of monetizing the distribution of copyrighted works, as value propositions shift in response to increasingly empowered users.

In the business-to-business (B2B) arena, work is also now underway that similarly reflects the value of improved quality of service (Qos), speed of delivery, and dramatically reduced costs for participants at multiple points in the distribution chain, who are taking advantage of the latest P2P-relating offerings.

The P2P MARKET CONFERENCE is being held in conjunction with Media Summit New York (MSNY), and registration for both events yields a substantial savings for attendees. For more information, please visit www.dcia.info/activities/p2pmcny2008.

Pre-registration rates, which save attendees up to $325 end March 7th. To register please visit www.dcia.info/activities/p2pmcny2008/register.html.

P2P MARKET CONFERENCE sponsors include FTI Consulting, Javien Digital Payment Solutions, and QTRAX. For sponsor packages and speaker information, please contact Karen Kaplowitz, DCIA Member Services, at 888-890-4240 or karen@dcia.info.

About the DCIA

The Distributed Computing Industry Association (DCIA) is a non-profit trade organization focused on commercial development of peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing and related distributed computing technologies.

DCIA Membership is organized into three Groups: Content, Operations, and Platform. The DCIA conducts working groups and special projects, such as the P4P Working Group (P4PWG), P2P Digital Watermark Working Group (PDWG), Consumer Disclosures Working Group (CDWG), P2P PATROL, and the P2P Revenue Engine (P2PRE). It also publishes the weekly online newsletter DCINFO.

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Christian Music Conference in Nashville, TN

Indieheaven.com has just announced their 5th annual CIA Summit conference being held March 28-29, 2008, near Nashville, TN.

The Summit has established itself as an event that focuses on the independent musician, encouraging attendees to create momentum, and to pursue passion and excellence in their music mission. The event is quite different than other industry style music seminars, as no talent contests are held, or battles of the bands competing for industry attention.

CIA Summit founder Keith Mohr states, "There are plenty of idol types of contests and seminars, but our focus has been and will always be to renew the artist mind that they can be successful as an independent artist if they create content of excellence, have a strong work ethic, and engage in community with other independent artists. We are seeing many success stories from artists joining and using our Indieheaven.com organization, and cultivating strong relationships on our Network.

Teachers and speakers include: Indieheaven President, Keith Mohr, Sue Ross of The Inner Vizion, mainstream music guru Bob Baker of The Buzz Factor, Rick Cua, Tom Jackson, Robert Beeson of The Kindred Group, Eric Copeland of Creative Soul, Brad Mathias of Infinity Music Distribution, with many more to come!

Also planned for the days leading up to the CIA Summit, Tom Jackson will share his vast knowledge of live performance tips in a special one day seminar on March 26, 2008. On March 27, 2008, CMS Productions will hold their 2nd annual Nashville Songwriters Bootcamp, with Charlie Peacock and representatives from the CCM industry including EMI, Provident, Integrity and others. Songwriters will have their songs critiqued, and learn about the craft of writing from a seasoned panel of industry pros.

For more information on the CIA Summit and all of the events coming up in late March 2008, visit the Summit website at: www.ciasummit.com.

Music Business Conference Dos & Don'ts

by Allen Johnston

Music Conferences today have become big business for the individuals and companies that put them on. Almost every conference created has an educational component, a seminar, panel discussion or technical workshop. Here lays the problem: Why pay good money to come to a conference with positive seminars and not attend? Every conference I have attended in the United States this year has had more nighttime attendees for parties and performances than daytime seminar attendees.

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In Europe it is the complete opposite. Conference attendees come for business during the day in droves. Panels are packed and private meetings are scheduled.  Let me give you a few ideas on how to become more productive at your next conference.

Rules To Work Conferences

1. Research Your Conference: Know who is going to be at the event you will be attending. Read the schedule in advance and determine who you want to meet and WHY you want to meet them.

2. Schedule Meetings: Try and reach companies, executives, publicists and other artists prior to the event and schedule private meeting times to discuss your MUTUAL interests. Email works when used properly for communication, so please spell correctly.

3. Speak Correctly: Leave the urban street-based conversations at home. This is a business and professionals will be attending and speaking on the seminars. Lose the phrase "You know what I mean?" and the phrase "You feel me?" Say what you mean upfront and be prepared to explain yourself. The way you speak in the "trap" is not going to get you anywhere in the entertainment BUSINESS environment.

4. Take a Shower: Partying the night before is NOT an excuse to have bad breath or body odor. Make the effort to bathe BEFORE you come to the seminar. You never know who you will be standing next to. By the way, dousing yourself in perfume or cologne is NOT bathing.

5. Be on Time, Awake, Attentive and Prepared: Walking into seminar fashionably late shows disrespect for the other attendees and to the seminar speakers. It also says that maybe a professional does not want to work with you because you didn't think enough of their time to hear them from the very beginning.

6. Take Notes: Just like you were back in school. This is how you remember some of the information that will be disseminated. Plus, this is how you can keep names and numbers straight while you write down any questions you may have.

7. Have Business Cards Available: Name, email, website, phone number, mailing address and a representation of what you do. (logo, business name, etc)

8. Receive Business Cards: When you give a card, receive a card. Take the card in both of your hands if possible; read it before you put it away. This business card is the beginning of your entertainment industry database, treat it with esteem.

9. Carry a Camera: Take photos of the panelists to help you remember who was who. And take as many photos with other people as you can. Email them back to the person and use this as a starting point for a great business relationship.

10. Be Polite and Courteous: You want and need to advance your career, the worst thing you can do is to disrespect and upset a professional. This means NOT telling a DJ off for not playing your music. DJ's TALK TO EACH OTHER and so do distributors, store buyers, publicists, record exec's, club owners and almost everyone else who is a professional.

11. Follow Up: Email, telephone, regular mail and do ALL of these things consistently. It is true that the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

12. Have an Online Presentation: MySpace is good for starters however you do need your own website that allows viewers to find out more about you and your talent. You should also create MP3s of your material for sending and for downloading. If you have a visual talent, create video for web usage.

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Summer NAMM - Back in Nashville?

Word on the street is that NAMM's Summer Session will return to Nashville in 2008, after somehow going through Indianapolis and ending up for the last couple of years in Austin.

Smart move.  I like Austin as much as the next guy, but who was the brainiac who decided to do something known as the "Guitar Show" anywhere but Nashville?  Especially Indianapolis...  What was that all about?