5 Secrets to Promoting Your Music and Growing Your Fanbase in 2022

Creating great music is what musicians are great at. Being a marketer is not an artist’s natural forte, but yet it’s required today. Creating a successful record release campaign is usually the weakest part of an artist’s career — and the hardest to pull off successfully. It can be completely overwhelming. I’ve had artists in tears on a regular basis completely overwhelmed on how to get their music out there. The first thing I start with is a strong brand foundation, marketing message and differentiators, setting the artist’s goals for release, creating a compelling offer to grow the email list (who you sell to), identifying the hook, and creating a strong sales funnel to monetize the music.

1. A strong brand foundation:

a. Your Artist Name: Your name is important. Does it ring? Over the years I have renamed several artists to create a stronger artist persona. These names are a stronger impression of the artist.

1. Ex: From AY to ALEXAYNDRA
2. Ex: From Tess Posner to TESS GOLD

In some cases you might want to consider creating a separate artist name from your actual name. It gives you the opportunity to step into a character and separate your career from you as a person. Father John Misty went from Joshua Tillman to “Father John Misty” which created a character for him.

b. Your Artist Message and Mission: Your Artist mission is what you base your marketing message off of. It is the foundation of your career. It’s what defines you and gives you a differentiator in the marketplace. A strong marketing message is one of the main reasons people will follow your journey. Your mission is based on your life and the lens through which you see the world. It comes from your story of what happened to you, what shaped you and the ways you can help others.

What is your mission as an artist? What do you want your music to do for people? Write it out. Get clear on it. Then layer it into all the content you create.

c. Your Visuals: Your visuals (photos, images) are your music at first glance. It is often the first thing people see. Strong compelling visuals that align with your artist message will pull your audience in. You are creating a world for them to step into.

In marketing your music:
What makes people click through from an ad to your offer / website is the visual.
What makes people want to opt-in to your offer is the message and the copy.

2. What’s in it for you?

Knowing what you want is how you set your goals for the release. It sets the direction to help you and your team achieve it.

1. What are your Goals for this record release -> What do you want it to bring you?
2. To do music full time and monetize your efforts? If so, what is your revenue goal that would allow you to do that?
3. Once you set your goal, then list 3 ways to get to that revenue.
   *See my blog on making a living making music: The 9 Steps to a Successful Musician Roadmap and Making A Living Making Music.
4. To grow your audience? Look at your numbers and target the realistic growth you want to achieve (social media platforms and most importantly your email list).
5. To get on tour? If so, make a list of venues you want to play. Select venues that align with where your fans are based on insights on social media and DSP’s like Spotify.
6. To sign with a management or record company? If so, make a list of companies you’d like to work with and make a plan to approach them when you have enough audience reach.
7. To grow your own brand and team? If so, write out a business plan to get you from where you are to where you want to be.

3. What’s in it for them?

A Compelling Offer. The fastest way to grow your listener base beside the wonderful music and the compelling message and experience you create for them is your Compelling Offer. A compelling offer usually consists of an album worth of material in a free download. If you have a previous album out (or a bundle of covers), give it away for a limited time on an opt-in on your website. Use social media and ads to drive people to the offer to grow your list. Use a compelling marketing message and visuals that draw them in.

4. What’s the hook:

Marketing Message. Your marketing message and copy is what helps to hook your potential listener. Use your writer skills to write copy that speaks to them. It starts with identifying your listener. The easiest way to identify your listener is to profile you. Your listener is going to be a person that is very similar to you in values, taste and aesthetic. Now, build your marketing message based on the message in the record and target that person. Work with a copywriter or music business coach who can help you! Start with our 6 week Step Up to the Spotlight Artist Development Program that walks you through how to build your brand, find your niche and your hook!

5. Your sales funnel

1. Your Website and your Compelling Free Offer (music giveaway)
2. Social Media: Visuals and Marketing Message driving people to your Free Offer
3. Once on your list (List Insiders) -> send them your Monthly Newsletter with one CTA (One Call to Action: watch a video to grow streams; Stream your new release; Come to a Livestream; Join your Patreon; Come to a Live Show;
4. Follow you on YouTube/socials – direct them to one platform that has the most activity).
5. Invite your bigger fanbase on socials and new listeners to Livestreams on Twitch $$$ (where you can perform for tips)
6. Invite your List Insiders to Live Concerts -> Sell Merch $$$
7. Invites your List Insiders to Your Community -> Patreon type behind a paywall $$$ where you host VIP Insider Events – concerts with conversations, songwriting, poetry etc.

To get started, join our 6-week online Artist Development program Step Up to the Spotlight. I created this program to help artists gain the tools, industry know-how and skills to become the artist of their life. Step Up was built over 12+ years and has my heart and soul in it. Since it began, this program helped over 15,000+ artists build a plan to make their dream of a career in music a reality and the community continues to grow. Come join us and get instant access to start your transformation!