One of the key things you will learn when going to music business schools is how to promote music. Whether you want to promote your own music, or whether you want to become a music manager, this is vital information. In the past, music promotion was one of the most complex elements of the industry as a whole. Today, this complexity still exists, but it is also simplified thanks to the internet.

10 Tips for Music Marketing

1. Create a brand name that works for you. Whether you’re setting up a band, want to be a solo artist, or want to become a label, you need something that is both original and creative, while at the same time being meaningful and non-controversial.
2. Invest time and money. We are all short on money, particularly if we just start in the music industry, but you need to invest as much as you can. Time is money as well, so invest as much time as possible.
3. Create free samples of any music you make or want to promote. Only pick the best songs for these samples, as they will leave listeners wanting more. Publicity is vital, so if you are offered a gig without getting paid for it, take it.
4. Network and make friends. You need to have contacts if you are going to make it in the music industry. That one person who bought you a beer may want you to perform at their wedding, or that street performer may at some point need a label.
5. Learn from your fans and understand your audience. This will encourage your creativity to go in the right direction.
6. Plan properly and ask your friends and family members to help you. They should talk about your music to others, and come up with other ways to promote what you do. Social media is a hugely important tool to achieve this.
7. Budget to involve some professionals. Your friends and family members are vital parts of your team, but you also have to make sure that have some people with you who already know what you’re talking about. Yes, they cost money, but that money is worth it.
8. Get onto social media and set up a MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram page for starters. You need to see the internet as a global village and social media pages and places that people within that village go to in order to receive information. Plus, this village is a global village, so you can literally see your work exposed globally.
9. Get onto YouTube. Again, it doesn’t matter whether you’re making your own music or trying to promote yourself as a label, YouTube is your best friend. While it means people can see your work for free, it also means they will recommend you in a positive way.
10. Focus on your reputation. You need to make sure that positive things are said about you. Dnn’t be afraid to be a role model for someone with less experience than you, but be ready to move on as well.