[OutVoice] Ten steps to getting better press

[jddoyle1]

I love Jamie's columns, and this one got me thinking about a page of my website I compiled, called "Hints for Airplay and Promotion."
It was done in 2002 and many of my radio cohorts contributed. Thinking fresh about the subject, I added some new "hints"....

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"Know your audience".....I can't tell you how many times I've been asked to put someone's CD "in my rotation." Almost no GLBT radio show that has a rotation....that's top 40, daily programming...show that you cared enough to bother to understand the type of show you are contacting.

Just recently I threw out a 10x14 glossy photo of an artist, where would I keep it, I would have rather he spent his money on giving
me a real plastic case for the CD, instead of a paper one...I don't want to file CDs in paper on my shelves so essentially I paid for a case for his.
With the internet we don't need photos anyway, we can just grab one from their site....

....But thinking of that, their site NEEDS to have a large scan of the CD cover, and artist, to be grabbed. I've seen some with no graphics and some too small to be useful. Someone writing about your CD in an online column or blog may want to show the product, makes more interesting reading. I am much more likely to read an article with graphics.

Their site needs to have a way for a radio person to contact them! You'd be surprised how many don't, and I do NOT want to fill in a guest book and wonder if anyone ever sees that I wrote. And if I've played them on my shows I want to be able to let them know that....that just makes sense, I want to let them know that their efforts paid off, so they keep me on their distribution list, and they certainly should want to know that also.

I do like when an email from an artist includes a mp3, but go the step further, include the artist's name in the file title, like "Band X-let me love you"....if I get a file just called "let me love you"....and if I don't Immediately rename it, I will very shortly forget who it is, and after a few months may not even be able to guess when listening. That also applies for mp3s that a programmer can download from a website.

If I've already had contact with a rep and it's been clearly established that I ONLY play openly GLBT folks, when they write me six months later with another act, their email NEEDS to say if the artist is GLBT, I don't have time to try to research that...I'll just delete the email. Similarly, if you know a show is only for Women's Music, contact them accordingly.

Times have changed and the digital era, like it or not, is here....if you can provide the CD either as a real disc or a full download, offer a choice to the programmer. Some, like me, really want a real disc, with real liner notes, maybe even lyrics to read. Some consider that more clutter and just want the sound files. Ask.

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Please see my original page, and feel free to suggest additions,
http://www.queermusicheritage.com/outradio2.html

JD Doyle



In a message dated 11/09/11 08:49:20 Central Standard Time, TsunamiInc writes:
My latest blog:

_http://jamiebobamie.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/ten-steps-to-getting-better-pr
ess-%E2%80%93-a-guide-for-musicians/_ 
(http://jamiebobamie.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/ten-steps-to-getting-better-press-–-a-guide-for-musicians/) 

Jamie


Jamie  Anderson, writer and musician
creative - quick - sensible shoes
_www.jamieanderson.com/journalist.html_ 
(http://www.jamieanderson.com/journalist.html) 
http://jamiebobamie.wordpress.com/
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