Bob Baker's Indie Music Promotion Blog

News, notes and ideas on music marketing, self-promotion, artist empowerment and more

March 31, 2010

Time Sensitive: I've Got 7 Copies of This - First Come, First Served

Earlier this week I was cleaning my office and uncovered seven copies of an incredible marketing resource. And if you're one of the first seven people to jump on it, you can get your hands on one.

I just posted a video that explains what it is and how to get it on this page.



This resource was previously available only to a limited number of people who attended my workshops last year. I've never offered it from my web site -- until now.

Again, there are only 7 copies available on a first-come, first-served basis. So please watch this quick video now.

I hope you're one of the lucky seven!

-Bob
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posted by Bob Baker @ 2:57 PM   0 comments

Location-Based Music Marketing w/ Foursquare & More

If you're a smart, self-promoting musician, you want to be on top of the latest trends. One that's creating a lot of buzz these days is "location based" web sites and services. Now would be a good time to start considering how you might use this trend as a marketing tool.

The major players in the "location based" social networking arena are Foursquare and Gowalla. If you're wondering how they work, here's a good explanation from the Foursquare site:

"People use Foursquare to 'check-in,' which is a way of telling us your whereabouts. When you check in someplace, we'll tell your friends where they can find you and recommend places to go & things to do nearby. People check-in at all kind of places -- cafes, bars, restaurants, parks, homes, offices.

"You'll find that as your friends use Foursquare to check in, you'll start learning more about the places they frequent. Not only is it a great way to meet up with nearby friends, but you'll also start to learn about their favorite spots and the new places they discover."

Hopefully, you're starting to realize the music marketing potential here. For instance, if your fans used these services and let their friends know they were going to see you perform live, that could potentially bring more people out to your shows.

'Location' Is a Natural Growth Area

A lot of marketers are salivating at the possibilities of location-based marketing and advertising. Think about it ...

Google and others already deliver relevant ads based on the search terms you use. Search for "bowling shoes" and you'll get "sponsored links" in the right-hand column linking to sites that specialize in bowling shoes.

Search for "Pizza in Milwaukee" and you'll get an instant list of pizza places in that city. And many sites already use the location of your home computer's IP address to deliver relevant local content for your city.

But what about when you're on the go? Now that so many people rely on mobile phones, which increasingly have GPS capabilities, it only makes sense that you should get customized information based on where you ARE.

And that's why location-based social sites and marketing delivery systems are on the rise!

How Could YOU Use This?

Imagine you are performing in a city for the first time. You're at the hotel wondering where the nearest sushi restaurant is. You use your mobile phone to search for "sushi" based on your exact location. Not only do you get a list of the closest sushi places along with customer ratings ... but one of them offers you a 20% off coupon.

You decide to go there, and you also "check in" on Foursquare or Gowalla. One of your fans lives nearby, sees that you are there, and stops by to meet you. A new friendship blooms, and that person brings three more people to your show later that night.

This is just one example, but I hope you can see the potential value of location-based marketing.

Yes, I know it's one more thing you have to add to your overflowing plate. And yes, there are privacy concerns and other issues you must consider. But ...

If you want to stay on top of trends and use them to share your music with more people, this is something to be aware of and act on.

-Bob


Welcome to a New Kind of Multimedia Learning Experience for 2010

The Virtual Music Coach
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posted by Bob Baker @ 11:09 AM   2 comments

March 17, 2010

Chat Roulette Piano Improv Viral Video

Have you heard of Chat Roulette? It's the latest web site to create a major buzz in a very short period of time.

In a nutshell, Chat Roulette allows anyone with a webcam to log on and randomly be connected live with other people on the site one by one. If you don't like who you're connected to, you click "Next" and get another random paring.

It's been widely covered (and made fun of) in the media. But I, along with a lot of online marketing people, thought it was a flash-in-the-pan novelty site with no possible self-promotion value. How could you possibly make use of such random connections?

Well, my view of that unraveled once I saw this YouTube video of a piano-playing musician named Merton. He does a wonderful and hilarious job of improvising songs based on the people he's randomly connected with.



His first video clip, called Chat Roulette Funny Piano Improv #1, was just uploaded on March 11. In six days it racked up one and a half MILLION views. Coverage on Mashable, the Huffington Post, and many other web sites has certainly fueled Merton's sudden burst of exposure.

Here's the marketing lesson ...

If you can be the first person to do something funny and cool with a new site or gadget that is creating a buzz, you will be rewarded. There's power in first-mover status.

Also, use what's given to you and don't be blinded by tunnel-vision. I looked at the limited qualities of Chat Roulette and didn't see it as a music promotion tool at all. But Merton opened his mind and asked a better question:

"How can I use the random nature of this site (and the buzz it's creating) in a new and amusing way?"

And the roulette aspect of the site lent itself perfectly to the music improvisation format. Brilliant! Of course, Merton also had to be talented and quick on his feet to make this work.

Two questions for you:

  • What new site, gadget or buzz-producing topic could you capitalize on?

  • How could you use the unique qualities of Twitter, Facebook, the new iPad, or any other trending topic in a clever and musical way?

    -Bob

    Update: YouTube pulled Merton’s first video when it reached around 4.5 million views. He made the requested changes and uploaded it again. The new version of his first video has already been viewed 1.5 million times. He just posted a second improv piano video on his YouTube channel.


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    Get more tips like these when you subscribe to my free Buzz Factor ezine — the longest running music career tips email newsletter on the planet. Since 1995. Learn more about the free subscription here.


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    • posted by Bob Baker @ 11:19 AM   3 comments