How to Create a Local Buzz Around Your Act

by Liz Winchester

OK, you've got a killer music act, and want everyone to know about it. So, how? Since most indie musicians cannot afford to hire a publicist, they are left with the daunting challenge of doing it themselves. Although this takes a lot of time and legwork, you can create a local buzz around your band without hiring a pro.

The first thing that you want to do, is to play at as many venues as possible. The more you play, the better chance that people will notice you! You may have to play very early or late gigs, but it will be worth it in the end! Offer to play for charitable causes/events. Even though this means that you will be "donating" your services, it will come back to you. Post eye-catching flyers at local businesses near your shows (coffee houses, restaurants, music stores) and at technical schools/colleges, too!

Second, make sure that you become familiar with local radio stations and their personalities.* Figure out what stations play your style of music. Radio stations are eager to support local musicians, if they are good and fit their format! Funds permitting, find out if you can advertise there, or make a donation (at non-commercial stations). Call them for the name and call times of their music/program director. Get in touch with him/her, and ask if you can set up an informal visit to their station. Use this opportunity to give them your CD, and invite them to an upcoming show (free tickets are nice)!

Next, get to know the local newspapers, magazines and TV stations.** The press is usually eager to support local interest stories. Find out who writes about the local music scene, and get in touch with them. This can be through a press release (Keep press releases short & sweet. Limit them to one page. Be sure to double check spelling, and include contact information for the band. Be sure to highlight any special achievements and/or unique qualities that may separate you from other local artists.), or via phone/email. Remember that they are very busy with deadlines, and it may take a while to get back to you, if at all.

Be prepared to mail them a CD along with a one-sheet*** about your band (and free tickets to an upcoming show). Whenever possible, list your gigs in the calendar sections. If your budget allows, try to advertise in the publications that "fit" your music, especially if they feature you! Many local cable channels have programs about regional entertainment, and they may invite you to perform. The TV station may also have slots available for purchase (late nights are least expensive), if you have the equipment/resources.

Invest in DIY guides for indie musicians, like The Musician's Atlas (www.themusiciansatlas.com), The Indie Bible (www.indiebible.com), or similar publications. These are available in both print or online versions, and contain hundreds of publicity & promotion tips, for do-it-yourself types! Print (& online) versions can be purchased directly at their sites, or through your local book stores. A very cool tool!

Create a page on MySpace (www.myspace.com), this is a FREE networking site for anyone! This is a very popular place for people to send messages to each other with common interests. Plus, you can list your upcoming gigs, clips of your songs, pics, and various other info. (If you need help in doing this, I provide this as one as one of my SERVICES.)

Set up an electronic press kit (EPK) on Sonicbids (www.sonicbids.com), this is an inexpensive tool for getting your press quotes, our dates, pics, song clips, etc, all in on place! You can email it to press, record labels, festival organizers, and competitions. (If you need help in doing this, I provide this as one as one of my SERVICES.)

When playing gigs, have a sign up sheet for fans, to start gathering email addresses or phone numbers of your fan base. This will allow you to email/contact people to let them know about upcoming shows. It will also be important when starting up a street team. A street team is a loyal group of people, that can help out with promoting your act. They can call their friends to invite them to the show, they can help design posters/CD covers/t-shirts, and help hang up posters, etc. If you do have a street team, then make sure you give them little "perks" for helping out. Free tickets to your show, free CD, or merchandise, goes a long way! A street team is an invaluable tool for any artist!

Finally, remember that the greatest selling point of your band is YOU!! Make sure that your website, CD cover, flyers, and one-sheets*** look professional (CD jewel cases for radio stations & press should be full size, and should have a label on the spine. Otherwise, it will get lost in their music racks/piles! Include contact info for the band on/in the CD just in case the one-sheet and CD get separated!)! Tap into your creative circle of friends and family to help you. Try to polish your act to the best of your ability, and get feedback from others. Criticism, while often hard to take, may ultimately help you become a better musician. The time you spend trying to improve upon your talents, will come back to you, because word-of-mouth is the most powerful publicity tool out there!

For more suggestions, just call or email me: RHG CONTACT

*Local radio stations can be found through Radio-Locator (http://www.radio-locator.com) or Newslink (http://newslink.org/broad.html).

**Newspapers and magazines in your area can be found through Newslink (http://newslink.org/statnews.html or http://newslink.org/mag.html) or web-based search engines. They can also be found by visiting your local news stands at grocery/drug stores. Don’t forget about free-zines, which are often found on racks outside certain local businesses/stores.

***One-sheets are a summary of your band and their accomplishments. Keep it down to one page. Include some cool pictures, along with one of your CD cover. Try to make them look as professional and original as possible. Double check for spelling errors! Color copies are best, but can be pricey. You can do them on your home computer, or go to the local office supply stores. You can also order color copies inexpensively through online services, like National Color Copy http://www.nationalcolorcopy.com

Adapted from my article published in MergeDigital