Learn From Your Fans Regarding CD Sales By Tim Sweeney

This month lets expand upon what we talked about in the previous article, Wait! Before You Write Your New Marketing Plan... To create an effective promo book this year, you have to make detailed notes of what worked for you and what didn't. Especially when it comes to your live shows, your performance and the promotion you did for them. We need to focus on what you learned from your previous ones and how you can learn from your future ones. This is the only way you will get the results you want.

So lets start by stating the obvious. We both know that more than 90% of your current CD sales happen at shows. While there is currently nothing wrong with that, we both know you are not generating enough money from CD sales at your shows to quit your day job and do your music full time. So lets talk about what you need to learn from your upcoming shows to make a difference in not only how many CDs you sell but the performance, the promotion and the new foundation you will need to build.

This year you will develop a proper mailing list. While I know most artists and probably yourself have over promoted your mailing list (meaning sent out an emailer about each and every show you are doing to everyone on your current list) you will learn to build a mailing list that makes sense. One that features the city, state and zip code where the person lives, have they bought a CD, when they last came to a show and even interesting facts about them. This way you can personalize the email to the people on your list. Especially those closest to where you are playing.

When promoting your shows measure the response you get in person before and at the show. Make specific notes of the conversations you had when giving out CD samplers. Find out what got people to the shows. Which promotions worked and why. One of the most important things I teach in detail in my workshops (http://www.MusicStrategies.com) is to learn from your fans. Improve your "people skills." Understand what people see in your music. What connects them to it.

The first step in doing that is to analyze the praise and rejection you receive. Learn to ask your new fans what they liked at your shows. Was it the verbal or visual part of your presentation? The same with rejection. Why didn't they want to buy your CD? Find out how you didn't connect with them? Analyzing praise and rejection is critical for you. It will help you understand whether or not people see you as a "real artist."

Being able to express to people, whether its the media or future fans who you are as an artist and what you are trying to communicate with your music is imperative.

If you want a successful career that will last at least 20 years, one that will not only financially support you but where you truly impact and influence others with your music, you must focus on developing your ability to communicate who you are as an artist.

Tim Sweeney

Tim Sweeney is an independent music consultant. He is one of the music industry's most highly sought after experts in the areas of artist development, radio promotion, record distribution, retail marketing and publicity. He has helped dozens of record labels both major (Columbia, Epic, MCA, Revolution, Hollywood, Capitol, Mercury, Polygram, Warner and their sub-labels) and independent (Restless, Skunk, Screaming Goddess, among others) develop some of their most promising and successful artists of all time.

For more information on Tim's seminars, books and artist consultation, please visit his website at www.tsamusic.com