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The music industry has been shaken by technology and the economy, but Mass Media Distribution says one thing hasn’t changed: the power of a press release to strike just the right note to get a band in the spotlight.
Few industries have been shaken by the technological revolution – and the tanking economy – as severely as the music industry. The heyday of domination by the major music labels has come and gone, and the market for indie music is wide open. That’s both good news and bad for those who want to make it in the music industry. While being independent has the obvious advantage of freeing a musician from the tyranny of a big label and the stuffed suits that run it, musicians are realizing that the indie route is a lot of very hard work. Without the support of a major music label, a band has to handle every aspect of management and promotion, taking time and energy away from more creative pursuits. And often the rewards aren’t as great as they can be with big labels, which still serve a valuable function of taking successful artists and making them into superstars. Moreover, the shaky economy has made touring less lucrative for many bands; there are fewer venues, less money, and more competition than ever. Accordingly, many musicians are learning to redefine success, turning away from the fantasy of super-stardom and contenting themselves with making a decent living through their art. Some things in the music industry, however, haven’t changed. For example, musicians are learning that while social networking is very useful, it has limitations, and traditional music marketing and promotion are still necessary. Musicians are also discovering that good press coverage is as important as it ever was, perhaps even more important.
And a powerful press release can open doors that social networking and advertising – or even a killer video on YouTube – can’t. So says Mass Media Distribution (www.massmediadistribution.com), one of the world’s top press release writing and distribution services.
Music industry newbies and veterans alike can benefit from a press release. In fact, some analysts deem a press release critical to the success of a new music related business or the continued success of an existing one. The major music labels have always been aware of the power of the press and have never hesitated to exploit it. Indie music labels and bands need to do this too, says Mass Media Distribution. In fact it is essential for musicians who want to create a name for themselves to get the attention of professional music reviewers and journalists, and a press release is one of the most economical and credible ways to do this.
Few independent bands have a big promotional and marketing budget – or any budget at all. That’s not a problem, though, because it doesn’t take a big budget to promote a band, says Mass Media Distribution. What it does take is a knack for getting the attention of music journalists and feature writers.
And there’s good news on this front. Just as bands need publicity, music writers always need something to write about. Many pride themselves on being edgy, being the first to “discover” a hot new talent or breakthrough music video. Like most journalists, music reviewers rely on press releases for many of their stories. However, merely sending a reviewer a music press release is no guarantee that the release will be read, much less used. A weak or untargeted press release is likely to be ignored or discarded. This is why a service such as Mass Media Distribution can be a godsend for the musician who knows how to write a song that will make the young girls cry, but doesn’t know how to write a press release that will make a music writer say, “Tell me more!” Mass Media Distribution uses professional writers skilled in crafting effective press releases.
There are many reasons for a band to issue a music press release. One of the most common is to announce a new album or video. While such a release must be factual, it also has to be interesting. As is the case with other entertainment topics, music press releases allow a little more creative license than is the case with more “serious” commercial topics. However, excessive hype should be avoided. Even though music reviewers are always on the lookout for new talent, they’ve also seen and heard all the hype, and few are going to be impressed with a screaming headline announcing a new era in rock or a music revolution. Even so, says Mass Media Distribution, the music press release must be compelling. It needs a “wow” factor – something that will pique the interest of music journalists and make them understand why people in the target audience will enjoy the new song or music video.
A music press release can certainly perform other functions besides announcing a video or CD. Since obscurity is career death, bands need to keep themselves in the public eye and should never overlook a chance to do this with a press release. A gig in a classy venue or a major music festival; involvement in a charitable event; or sponsorship of a humanitarian effort or social cause can all be newsworthy. A press release about any of these can interest other journalists besides music reviewers – journalists who are either looking for an angle for a feature story or just a filler. If it is sufficiently compelling, the press release might inspire an editor to print it verbatim or even to build a larger story around it. Or it could make a producer decide to create a segment on a local or national TV show. The result is great free publicity for the band and its music, and the journalists involved get their stories with little effort on their part. It’s a win-win.
Apart from effective writing, distribution is the other essential element for a successful music press release. Even the best-written release will hit a sour note if it isn’t distributed to journalists who are actually interested in its content. Mass Media Distribution uses a “4-Way Distribution Process” that not only reaches individual journalists by email, but also contacts newsrooms by wire services, and employs online posting – including to Google News – and RSS syndication to popular news sites. MMD sends proof of distribution to each client, as well as links to help the client track hits to the music press release online.
Targeted press release distribution is part of the success formula of Mass Media Distribution, which has a media list of more than 500 categories, as well as over 800,000 media contacts. This enables MMD to target individual journalists who are looking for music press releases. Additionally, each press release is sent alone rather than grouped with others, ensuring that every music press release receives the most advantageous exposure possible.
One final point for artists to remember is that while a single music press release is effective in the short run, the listening and viewing public has a short attention span. Continual exposure is critical for a band to remain in the public eye. That’s why successful bands typically opt for a full press release campaign, as do many of Mass Media Distribution’s other clients.
Although the ways music is produced, sold, and marketed have changed in recent years, some things in the music business will never change. Success still requires talent, great music, a lot of hard work, a little luck – and, as always, good press. A powerful press release campaign could very well be a band’s best friend. |