Squeezing the Show

8/3/2019 Squeezing the Show

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Written by: ben Coe

THE ARTIST FARM

y ie t te tiate t aketi syste


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Copright 2009 b THE ARTIST FARM

All rights reserved. No part o this book ma be reprodced in an orm

or b an electronic or mechanical means, inclding inormation storage

and retrieval sstems, withot permission in writing rom THE ARTIST FARM,

except b a reviewer who ma ote brie passages in a review.

First edition


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table o contentsWh We Created this Sstem and Wrote this Gide

How This Gide is organied

Section 1 : Tor Planning Overview & Marketing Timeline

Section 2 : Show Marketing Tasks and Timeline:

SquEEzE 1: PROMOTER OuTREACH

Check promoter website

Call promoter once show is conrmed

Send promoter posters

Send marketing email to show contact

Call the marketing contact

2-week marketing contact callDa ater show call marketing contact

SquEEzE 2: FAN/COMMuNITy OuTREACH

SbSeee Web/Email

Add new dates online

Monthl newsletter

1 week ot show promotions

3 das ot show promotions

Da o show promotions

SbSeee Marketing Reps

Call to action

Compiling/naliing teams

Email nal teams

Mail posters

Feedback Form reminder email

Rating orms and sbmit gest list

Thank o emails

SquEEzE 3: MEDIA OuTREACH

Get press list

Send intro email to entire media list

Contact ke media contacts

Conrm interviews

Closing Words

Tool Kit Explanation

Resorces

01

02

04

06

07

15

28

31

32

33


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WHy We CreAteD tHiS SySteM 1

M name is Ben Coe, and along with m bsiness partner, Michael Allenb, I own The Artist Farm, an

artist management and ideas compan. Prior to owning this compan we both worked at indstr giant,Red Light Management. And beore that even we both have another 10+ ears o experience in the inds-

tr.

Over the past 4 ears we have worked with nearl 20 proessional artists (grops or individals) and the

primar revene stream or most o them was toring. We have worked on the management teams o some

amaing artists inclding: Los Lobos, yonder Montain String Band, John Btler Trio, North Mississippi

Allstars, That 1 G, Sirrel Nt zippers, Melissa Ferrick, The Inamos Stringdsters, Charlie Hnter,

Stanton Moore and more. Or responsibilit or man o these bands was to provide a sperior tor mar-

keting service: to be sre as man tickets sold as possible and that the cltre and brand o the artist was

enorced. While providing these services we made a ew discoveries:

1. There was no docmented inormation on tor marketing. yo coldnt nd a book that described

what tor marketing entailed nor cold o even nd a complete list o what shold be done to market a

show. Ever manager we spoke with gave a dierent answer o what it inclded and we ickl gathered

that no individal team was doing everthing possible simpl becase the didnt have a master list.

2. There was no timeline or tor marketing tasks. We ond that withot a preset timeline and de dates

or planning a tor or a show, big projects wold jam into eachother and case delas. For example, tor

art woldnt be done in time or the ticket presale or the tor annoncement email blast. And when shold

that ticket presale happen in relation to the start o the tor anwa?

3. There was no sstem to manage this inormation. With so man shows to manage and so man tasks

to manage or each tor and each show, some o the tasks on the list wold alwas all throgh the cracks.

Did o pt that show on Facebook? Did o talk to that promoter et?

4. Tor marketing is incredibl important! Even in the earl das withot a sstem, we ond that when

o care abot the presentation o or artist - whether it be in poster, website, email or phone call orm

it generates an eal amont o respect or that artist which in trn strengthens the brand.

With the realiation that tor marketing is incredibl important to the sccess o an artists career, es-

peciall in todas msic bsiness climate, we decided to dedicate or time to creating the ltimate tor

marketing machine. This sstem wold inclde a comprehensive, standardied list o show/tor marketing

tasks, the best timeline or all o these tasks and a wa to manage all o the inormation we collected and

the completion o tasks.

Ater ears o experimenting with dierent tasks and timeline scenarios, we nall discovered the per-

ect tor marketing sstem which combines tasks, timelines, procedres and databases to eectivel in-

crease awareness o the artist and brand in ever market. The Artist Farm ses this sstem ever da and

it serves as the backbone o or bsiness. Tasks dont all throgh the cracks anmore. B appling this

sstem or ever artist it allows the primar manager peace o mind to ocs on the bigger pictre oppor-

tnities. We eel so strongl abot the importance o this tor marketing sstem and its niversal applica-

tion that sharing it with the msic bsiness commnit is the next logical step. We believe in the vision o

artist as small bsiness and the potential or an artist to grow rom small bsiness to big bsiness. Given

that most artists are making mone on the road, we hope that this sstem provides as mch strength or

or artists careers as it has or ors. We certainl wish someone had given s this sstem 4 ears ago!

wh we created this sstemand wrote this book

Ben Coe

THE ARTIST FARM


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HoW tHiS GUiDe WorKS 2

This guide book is laid ouT in 2 primary secTions relaTed To The Tour andshow markeTing Timeline:

Section 1 is an overview o tor marketing and the timeline associated with it rom conception to tor

annoncement

Section 2 discsses the three primar categories o show marketing inclding:

Promoter Otreach /Fan and Commnit Otreach inclding Web/Email marketing and the se o

Marketing Reps /Media Otreach

Within each section you Will see the olloWing components:

tasKs:Tee ae a tta 23 tasks iste tt tis iebk. Tese

ae te backbe te etie syste. It is te ceti eac tese

eey sw tat kees te ti acie st.

sub tasKs:Tese ae iicate by bet its e eac Task. Wie e-

i ay ie task tee ay be a ew te ieces iati y

ee t cect wic wi be iicate as a sb-task. Tee ae 24 tta sb-

tasks.

Due Dates: Eac task as a e ate assciate wit it. A e ates eate

t eite 1) te ceti ate task 2) te be ays weeks

bee te sw.

tips: Tese ae witte eeat te tasks t wic tey eate. Tese tis

ae e its es wkw ieas. I se sectis I wi ee-

ece eai teates te Exce atabase wic y wi i te T Kit

e wic cae wit y case te Sqeezi te Sw syste. Y

wi 33 tis iste tt te ie.

Together, all o these tasks and sb tasks serve as the minimm amont o tor marketing to do or ever

show. It is a sstem that allows s to sleep a little better at night, knowing that the toring machine is

pshing orward on all clinders. This docment serves as the operational core, the central sstem, o or

bsiness. Doing more is amaing bt these alone are great.

how this gide is organied


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section 1:Tour plAnnIng ovErvIEW & mArKETIng TImElInE


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tor planning overview:There are two primar tpes o tor development plans:

1. The band is constantly touring, typically doing small tours o a

week or two or long weekends. Conrmed shows come in sprts and tpicall

the lead time or these shows is 8 weeks or less. Generall, this tpe o toring is

indicative o a developing band.

2. The band does defned tours generally 2-8 weeks in length. The

roting ideas are conceived well in advance o the tor start date and a specic tor

branding is made or that tor. Generall, this tpe o toring is indicative o bands

with decent draw and clot.

The second stle is the best in terms o tor marketing. It gives all parties involved with the tor a project

to ocs their energ on. I ore not crrentl doing dened tors, this wold be a good goal to work

toward.

I an artist is to the point that the are doing dened tors with a specic start and end date, then there

are some tasks that relate to the start o the tor which we will discss rst. Once the tor is set p and

the annoncement made, it is time to dive into show-specic marketing.

At the Artist Farm, we begin the process or all or shows with the receipt o a weekl itinerar rom

the booking agent. Once we have the rst itinerar, we enter the shows into or database and begin

the process o marketing the show. This gide book assmes that the rst step to beginning the tor

marketing process is receipt o the contract or roting itinerar rom the booking agent.

SeCtion 1: toUr PLAnninG oVerVieW 4


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5 toUr MArKetinG tiMeLine

tour marketing timeline:The rst responsibilit with an tor is to determine the approximate tor start date (even beore the dates

are actall booked). The tasks and de dates (in an ideal world) or a tor are listed below. We se this

timeline or clb-sied bands bt weve compared it to the schedle o arena-sied bands and its generall

the same.

24 weeks out rom proposed tour start date

Come p with a name and concept or the tor.

Determine the approximate tor start date.

Start the roting ideas and begin booking the dates.

14 weeks out rom proposed tour start date

Finalie all tor dates.

Start creating tor-specic art (or a poster and ad materials and merchandise).Start writing a tor-specic press release and bio (mostl or an albm release tor).

12 weeks out rom tour start date

Finalie art, press release, bio

Annonce the tor and ticket presale b email

Pt ot the call or marketing reps b email


Lanch ticket presale


General ticket sale begins, presale closes

Show-specic marketing tasks begin


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section 2:ShoW mArKETIng TASKS & TImElInES


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task:check The promoTer and venue websiTe for every show

This is the rst thing to do ater conrming the date. I this show is being annonced as part o a tor

with a specic tor annonce date, then its important to doble check that the show isnt listed on the

promoter or vene website et so o can bild anticipation or the big tor annoncement. Even i it isnt

part o a dened tor annoncement, its important to check these sites or se o the correct and crrent

tor photo, bio and/or press release.

Enorcing the image and branding o the tor is important. It bilds condence in the brand o the

artist and the tor. yo want to earn and maintain that condence with or ans. I recall working on tor

marketing or a Los Lobos tor in 2006. One promoter we worked with sent s a poster design or approval

and the photo on the poster was o the band in the 1980s becase that was the onl image he cold nd

online! Needless to sa, that experience helped reinorce the idea or this sstem.

I the inormation is not correct, let the promoter know in the rst commnication o have with them.

Then check back in a week to be sre its correct.

due daTe:

Tis s be e ieiatey ate te sw is ce a y et te weeky

itieay. It s be e aai ate te t is ace a te tickets ie

te ee/te website.

task:call The promoTer once The show is confirmed

In this rst ver important call:

Ask the promoter to confrm show details. Ask or an inormation that the

itinerar or contract is missing. Tpicall this is ino like: ages, show time, door

time, etc. Its important to gather this inormation immediatel so that o can post

the correct inormation on or artists varios web properties.

Ask promoter to correct website. I need be, ask the promoter to correct their

website i the have an old photo or bio on the site.

Get marketing contact ino. Ask the promoter who the marketing contact is or

seee 1:promoter otreach

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this show. Tpicall this inormation is not on or agenc itinerar and or com-

mnication or tor marketing shold be directl with this person. With smaller ven-

es or otside promoters or marketing contact is oten the promoter. Bt doble

check and make note o this person. As we will discss later, o will want to have

reglar commnication with this person to psh the show along toward a sell-ot.

Posters and CDs. Lastl, ask how man posters and how man CDs the wold like.

Generall speaking the posters are onl or the clb so the tpicall ask or 5-20. Also

ask them how man CDs thed like or promotional prposes and which stations or

writers the will be sending them to. Lastl, ask whether the wold like this pack-

age sent to the promoter address or the vene address. We alwas ask this becase i

its an otside promoter (as in, the dont work at the vene) there is a good chance

the will never see the package i its sent to the vene. Be sre to enter all o this

inormation in or database (see the Excel database in the Tool Kit that came with

this gidebook).

due daTe:

Tis s be e ieiatey ate te sw is ce a ate y ae cecke

te ee website (s y ca iscss ay ecessay caes wit te te at tat

tie).

task:send The promoTer posTers and cds

Now that o know how man posters and CDs the promoter wants its time to mail them ot. Once o

have the printed posters or each show, package them p with the CDs and send them ot to the promoter

or vene address.

due daTe:

I y atist is wki ee ts te tis s be e i cjcti wit

te ceti te atwk a t aceet -12 weeks i t te t stat

ate. otewise, se tese t at east 8 weeks i t te sw ate.

tips:1. Se bki aecies ec abes wi ai stes t bea

te atist. geeay seaki it is easiest t asse tis e i te atists ai

ce (aaeet) becase y ca ct a ec we tese si. Tis

way y kw tat te atist wi et t te ee a see tei stes

isay.

2. We ae tat te st eye-catci stes ae 11x17, ite i

c. We eae a 3 sace at te btt te stes s we ca it te sw

iati te btt. We it tese i bk eac t a se te

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sae stes te aketi es, wic we wi iscss i te maketi

re secti bew.

3. As iti te sw text te stes, we ece etti a it-

e tat ca ae 11x17 ae (wic y ca ie e $500) a

iti te t i y ce. o eac ste, i back ik, we it te ae

te ee, te ate, etiet st acts a sw tie. Y ca ceate

a teate tis si mS W a jst cae te text as y ee t eac ifeet sw.

4. As ste ite eceatis, we ae a sccess iti jbs

wit bt Zpt. a 4. at ey easabe ices, esecia-

y i ei i bk (1000-5000).

5. F ackai we ece te 100% ecycabe cate aies

u.. Tese ae itweit wic eces aii csts a sty

e t kee y cts sae. (nte: i y ae i t stf tese ai-

es t te axi exasi, y wi ee t ay exta tae t kee te

seae).

task:send markeTing email To show markeTing conTacT

To recap, at this point the show has been conrmed, the itinerar or contract has been received and the

marketing contact ino has been received. It is now time to send a marketing email to the marketing

contact. This email shold thank them or promoting the show and inclde a link to or press/marketing

kit stored online. For Artist Farm clients we tpicall create a marketing kit to inclde:

Tour Poster: Laered Illstrator, Photoshop or PDF le which the

promoter can se or ad materials

Tour Press Release

Current Bio

Current Photo: 300 dpi or print

Artist Logo or Current Album Cover Art

2 mp3s: Generall hits rom the most recent albm

You can fnd a Marketing Email Template in the Squeezing the Show

Tool Kit. Please eel ree to copy it and alter as you see ft.

ProMter oUtreACH 9


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due daTe:

At ii tis s be e 8 weeks bee te sw ate. I te ate is bke

we i aace te I ece sei a iitia eai ce y ae te aketi

ctact iati a te wi aai 8 weeks bee te sw.

tips:

1. Wr sr r pr K :We ceate a ess kit e i a .zi e a ste it website wic aws

s t iecty ik t it. I te te aketi eai we ice te iect

ik t te wa. uate te ateias isie as eee by t a kee

te ik te sae. I y t wat t st ess kits y w website,

ate sie ti is s, wee y ca ste ess kit es a

sa ty ee. lasty, y c ceate a assw tecte secti

y website wee tese es ae aaiabe te ess.

2. cr d a:

occasiay a te wi ask a ab tia ses

see i te eia wi ask te ab. I tey t ee a a cy

tee ist e tie t et te e, y wat t ae a iita cyeay s tat tey ca ae istat access. A sie, t aittey ess

sece, way t tis is t ie te a ik t a .zi e ctaii te ab

y see. Y c as se a ee ysit. acct t eai ae

es e 100mB.

3. Wr w r r r vr r.

I te sic aai, y te we y a a ew ab s te we

aketi acie a siicat e bicity. Tay ay bas t

yea- eaess ab cyces wic eas tat te bi ews eet

bicity ist te ew ab its te t itse. A t s ae

a st ccet bei it wic wi ie te ae te ess eease.

Wit t bicity, te it is t ie a exaati te t a te

ba a te t et tat iati it te as taete, iteeste

eia (ess, ai, bs, essae bas) w wi bacast y essae

t te it aieces.

4. sd rr r k v.

At tis et i tie, Facebk is sti t te scia etwki w.

Teee, te e eey y ca cs te Facebk eet te bette.

Ice a ik t tis eet i te aketi eai y se te. Ask te t

atte it (i tey t ceate tei w). make te a ai te Facebk

eet s tat tey ca iite tei w ists a eit te eet as eee.

5. cr w r rwrk.

We a atist ws t te it eati ee ts, ay aket-

i beets ae eaize. A ccet-base, ee t es isie atwk,

ecaise, ts, ess eease a ay te aketi ateias. T

secic at is se tia stes, ecaise a a ateias.

Bee a atist ets t tis it, y c csie i seasa ba-

i s eac Si, Se, Fa a Wite tee is a es k. We te ew

ste/a ateias ae bee ceate, a te t te ess/aketi kit s

te tes ae te ewest eiti.

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6. c r .

I te te ies a ca eia st act, ctact te as s as

te sw is ce ( ieiatey ate tey ae bee ae t te bi

a eisy ce sw). Se a eai siia t te te aketi

eai (i te T Kit) s tat tey ae te it ateias t e aket te

sw. ote ties tey ae wii t e by aki stes a si tei

aketi es. Y ca as fe t se te stes i tey wt be aki

tei w.

task:call markeTing conTacT

B this point, the marketing email has alread been sent so now o are read to call the marketing

contact to dig into the marketing plan. yor job is to determine where the promoter ocses marketing

attention and determine how o can reinorce or compliment these eorts. I have talked with man

promoters abot this part o or process. Most o them tell me its nsal or a manager to call abot this,

so initiall the are caght o gard. Bt as the conversation moves along, promotion ideas start fowing

and in the end the have all appreciated or extra eort.

What o are tring to do here is compliment their marketing eorts. yo are both partners in the shows

sccess, even i ove got a garantee, becase a ll hose will help bild the artists career and their

draw in the market. yo want to get as man ans there as possible so o shold pt as mch marketing

eort into this show as o can.

When o are on the phone with the promoter, ask them what press, radio, websites and blogs make

sense or this artist. Make note o these contacts on the press list. These will be or ke contacts.

Be sre to talk abot allorms o media. The top 40 radio ma not make sense bt even college and non-commercial stations can be helpl to reach a target adience. Not all papers will make sense bt i o

can get an enhanced listing (this is a little plg in the calendar page, like a thmbs p recommendation

or example) in the weekl arts paper thats great. Same goes or blogs and local websites. yo shold be

interested in getting all clinders ring.

Below is a list o topics we discss in the marketing call.

Marketing Plan. We ask what marketing the do in the ollowing areas and what we

can do to help:

Print

Ask what they are doing for print ads and where

Ask what papers/writers they are working with for

stories and the tpe (preview, review)

Ask them who you should reach out to for articles,

etc.

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Radio

Ask if they have any radio ads or non-comm an-

noncements and i so, which stations

If any stations are interesting in presenting the

show

Ask who you should reach out to for in-studios or in-

terviews, i an stations make sense or the artist

Online

Ask them what they do to advertise the show online:

website, Mspace, Facebook, Twitter, email and an-

thing else

Ask if they have any online articles or blogs they are

prsing

Ask if there are any blogs, boards or online groups

o shold pitch

Streets

Ask if they use volunteers, what they use (posters,

handbills, etc) and where the hit.

Ask if there are any neighborhoods or specic stores

o shold hit.

Other

Ask if they do anything else to market the show. Do

the advertise with TV, social grops or an organia-

tions?

Ask if they recommend you do anything else.

Attendance Expectations. We ask how man tickets the expect to sell or this show.

We captre this inormation so that we can compare or nal ticket cont with the pro-

moters expectations. We also captre the predicted attendance rom the manager or

comparison prposes.

Get Press List. I the press lists hasnt been received et b email, reest it again on

the phone.

Get the Key Media Contacts. Lastl, ask who the ke media contacts are or this mar-

ket in or genre. I o are a blegrass band, there ma be a Snda morning blegrass

show that o shold get in toch with. Even i the msic isnt mainstream there are

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probabl some media otlets that wold spport the artist.

due daTe:

8 weeks t te sw. nte: We ae exeiete wit te tii tis task

a tat cai te aketi ctact 8 weeks i t te sw, cb size

acts, is te tie we tis ae jst etti it ea.

tip:1. l or.

I y wk wit a atist tat sty ieties wit a cetai iestye (ex-

aes: s, ay/esbia, Cistia, a cetai eticity) te cs se

atteti teac t te aiate aizatis secia iteest

s i te aket.

task:2-weeks before The show, call The markeTing conTacT

The prpose o this call is to do one last check-in with the marketing contacts (i o havent been in reg-

lar contact with them). On this call, ask or the crrent ticket cont and how the eel abot the nmber. I

the show is lagging, ask what last minte marketing pshes can be made to help the show.

tips:1. g tk c

geeay seaki, we a atist ca csistety aw seea e e-

e e it, te bki aet wi et weeky ee aiy ticket cts

y. getti ticket cts eei atists eqies e wk te

aaeets at. Bt, ee te sae bas tat ay t c i

ticket saes bee te ay sw, its sti wt tyi t s y as i

tat iecti. Keei tack te saes is te best ace t stat. I te sae

ees i tetiay akets te te ay t aace tickets. Aai,

s t ae tis e (ee i its jst t etbt wic is a sie,

iexesie ie eet ticket saes at).

2. k ad

use Facebk as t taet ee a secic ae ae, cati (city

state), a iteest . Tese as ca be a eat way t ew as i a

aea t e s ticket saes, a ca be eat aketi a tyes s.

Y ca eite ce wit a ticket sae ti t aetise y ca

siy ake a a t eice te atist ae a ae it cick t t teeet etai ae tat atica sw. Tese as ae cea t I ec-

e te ay e cick bii ti (ate ta te ay e iessi)

st sceais. It is as ssibe t ictate te axi at y w

ike t se a aiy basis.

due daTe:2 weeks t te sw.

ProMter oUtreACH 13


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task:1 day afTer The show, call The markeTing or promoTer conTacT

In this call o are doing a nal wrap-p rom the show and keeping an pertinent notes in or database to

reerence the next time o come to the market. Some o this inormation will be in the nightl settlement

sheets bt its good to have the conversation with the promoter abot it. Ask the ollowing estions:

How many tickets sold and were they happy with this number?

How many tickets do you think we can sell next time (especiall i it was a sold

ot show)?

How was the weather (inclement or normal)?

How did the show go?

How was the crowd?

Was there anything you would do dierently next time either with the show

production or with marketing?

due daTe:

1 ay ate te sw.

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task:add new daTes To web properTies

Myspace. The trac on Mspace ma be decreasing as ar as the social network-

ing component is concerned bt it is still a powerl tool as a web presence or

or band. I someone tells me abot a new band I shold check ot, I oten go to

Mspace rst becase I know I can hear some o their msic there and see the tor

dates. All that said, it ma not be worth adding or dates to Mspace directl (see

TIPS section below or more ino). It is easier to se ArtistData (see next).

ArtistData. This site allows o to set p an accont or ree. Enter the artist tor

dates directl into this site and it will pdate the artist Mspace page, last.m, Jam-

base, eventl and a mriad o other websites that displa tor dates. Its a powerl,

time saving tool.

Artist Website. O corse, its necessar to enter dates into the one site that the

artist actall owns. I this becomes too mch o a hassle there is a wa to integrate

ArtistData into the artist website so that o trl can get awa with entering dates

onl once. (Well, actall, twice)

Facebook. Facebook is the one place that I recommend taking the time to enter

tor dates as Facebook Events rather than jst having the dates listed. I am aware

that there are several applications which will displa tor dates on Facebook, bt

the power o the Facebook Event is nrivaled in word o moth marketing. We

have ond that the event pages are most attractive to ans when it is lled with

video, photos and show ino.

due daTe:

12 weeks t t stat ate we te t is ace, i te ba is i e-

e ts. I te ba is cstaty ti, tis s be e ieiatey ate y

ae y st iscssi wit te te i wic y aize a ce te

sw iati.

FAn CoMMUnity oUtreACH : Web & eMAiL 15

seee 2 :an commnit otreachsub-squeeZe: web/email


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tips:1. mk k v uRl.

Cy it a t it i y atabase (see te Exce atabase i te T Kit). Y

ca ice tis ik i y eai cicatis wit te te, st

acts a aketi es (Exaes tese eais ca be i te T

Kit). Y ca as ice it i ty ewsettes t e te te sw. I

sw a exae tis i te ext secti.

nte: Tis s be te base te a Facebk eets. Ate te ei=is a sti bes y ca i. .f./t.?=

2. cr sw ir sdrd r sis r r.

A SIS is a ist iati tat y wat ste eey web ety y

ct. F s tat iati is:

vEnuE nAmE And AddrESS

dATE And ShoW TImE

Other Artists On bill

TICKET prICE

TICKET purChASE lInK (I y ae i t ist te ate -

ie aways ie te es a cace t by a ticket t it it

te ace wee tey t i its i y ct). AgES

A SIS ces i esetati iati a acss te web, a we

ye i te bsiess sei tickets a eei a eatisi wit as

tis jst akes sese. I kw tis ss sie bt it tk e 2 yeas t ea-

ize tis. oce I cae wit te e it eice y efts t et te cect

iati te te ieiatey ate sw cati.

lasty, te tat we y st iati i Atistdata, te SIS es wi t

be e eey tie. I kw se tat ee i y st a ticket ik i A-

tistdata, tat ik wi t tase e t mysace (a ssiby tat es

te sites as we).

3.k -rd f

We ceati a Facebk eet tee is a ti t se a ticati t

as a te aea. nticatis ae a bit ie witi te Facebk exe-

iece, bt seea a ce sic as ae t e tat tey aways ceck

tei ticatis becase tats wee bas st tei ates. S tat sai,

y s it y eets. It y takes a ew secs exta ate ceati

te eet.

I aways cse t se a eaicay secic ate ate ta a i-

esa ate t a te as. I ike te taete teac ate ta te sa

aac. I te ee cati aes t be ea a state be, te se

te ate t te eibi state as we. Its as wt ti tat we a

ew atist eet is ceate, it ses a ate t eac as ews ee (ee-i tei eeeces settis).

4. gie St Acts ai access t te Facebk eet.

gie te a ik t te Facebk eet a te te t atte it. oce te

atist ( at east e ebe) attes te eet, ake tat es a a-

i te eet s tey ca ate it wit tei iati as we. Te ask

te t iite a tei ies i te aea. I y st act is a ca ba,

caces ae tei ie/a base wi be ey excite t ce t a st

a ae atiay ti act. getti te st act ba wit te Face-

16 FAn CoMMUnity oUtreACH : Web & eMAiL


25/45

bk eet is e te best ways we ae t sea te w abt te

sw a siicaty icease atteace.

5. Cae mysace/Facebk/Website Iae t T At.

At te it we te atist is i ee ts wit t secic ba-

i, se te t atwk as te eat iae te ais web eties.

Cae it (at a ii) eac tie tee is a ew t. Tis kees te web

esece es, iteesti a tica.

task:include Tour daTes in a monThly email newsleTTer

We send an email newsletter once per month at approximatel the same time each month bt we will shit

that date accordingl to accommodate the annoncement o a tor or other signicant news.

I annoncing a tor, then obviosl it makes sense to inclde all o those tor dates in the newsletter

with a grand annoncement o the tor concept. When we annonce an pcoming tor that is at least 8

weeks ot, we list those dates in the bod o the email and then list the tor dates over the next 5 weeks

in a colmn on the right that rns down the entire length o the email content. I the artist is constantl on

tor, then list all o the dates across the next 5 weeks (ntil the next newsletter comes ot). The example

below shows a piece o an artist newsletter with dates listed jst so o can see how the are laid ot.

due daTe:

12 weeks t t stat ate, te t ace ate, i te ba is i e-

e ts (a ess ta 8 weeks t). I te ba is cstaty ti, te a-

ce ew a ci ates i a ty ewsette.

tips:1. u r sis.

pe y eis eti, we y ist te t ates ee se y SIS (Sw

Iati Staa) i y ae te sace. I y t ae te sace, -

ie a ik t a ace wee te SIS is aaiabe. Aai: aways ist te ticket

case ik wit te t ate. Y t wat a a wei w t by

tickets i tey ae eay t s.



26/45

2. add k v k.

Te e aitia iece iati tat we a t ewsettes is a

Facebk eet ik eac sw

3. gr d Vd r k r.

Tis is a sie te, t eate t t aketi bt a ti. vies, ts

a iaes eeate e cick-t tac ta ay te iece i-

ati a ewsette s se te! o ext e-bk wi iscss ieaketi tis a ticks.

4. e prvdr.

Tee ae a t eai aicatis t tee. We i eseac seea te

e a es a ecie fm.. Famai (a ceatie eft

betwee Jabase a ExactTaet eai seice) is taete twa sica

atists, s cste seice (wic is sei) as y i i. We y ca

t tak abt steet teas eaii 3s a ais seaces, tey kw

exacty wat ye taki abt.

task:1 week ouT show promoTions

One week prior to the show date:

Geo-targeted an email. Send a regionall specic reminder abot the show. Or email

program, FanMail, which allows s to do a ip code radis search so that we can nd all

o the ans on or email list within 150 miles o the vene ip code. O corse, o can

expand or shrink the radis search bt weve ond 150 miles to be eective. We send

this grop a simple email reminder with a list o the pcoming shows in their area. Below

is a piece o what one o these emails looks like.

tips:1. przd r.

Tis ti ces ate aae. F eey sw tey it mysace

(a y ca sbstitte Facebk, y eai ist ay te eaicay



27/45

seacabe a city ee) a seac t a ies w ie i te aea

a a sw. Tey te se tat es a esaize eai tei te

abt te sw. Its abt as secic as y ca et i tes a teac.

Wee tie it a t its iceiby efectie its as ey tie csi.

I y ae te esces te it.

2. gr Z cd.

T se e-taete eais y wi ee zi ces y a base. Tee aetw efectie ways atei zi ces. Te st is t ask as it we tey

si y eai ist at a sw (see eai ist teate i te T Kit).

Te sec ti is t ac a zi ce cecti caai. F a cecti

caai, tik a icetie etei te zi ce a a tie ae

cecti te ata te ace it t a ty eai a y ais

web eties. At te e te caai, eie te icetie (ee w-

as exae). lasty, as a eie, i y ae a ie eai aess

cect, set zi ce as a eqie e.

task:3 days ouT show promoTions

As we contine to get closer to the show, we send more specic reminders. 3 das ot rom the show we

send the ollowing reminders:

Facebook email reminder to event attendees. As an admin o the Facebook

event, o can send an emailed pdate to all attendees o the event. This is not a

notication or a stats pdate, it is actall an email that will go into their Facebook

email inbox. This is an eective wa o reminding someone and getting the event

back into the Facebook fow and ths on top o everones mind (i the havent pre-

prchased tickets especiall). Oten o will see an p tick in Facebook event attend-

ees ater sending this email reminder.

Send a text alert reminder. There are man text broadcast services ot there. We

ond a simple and ree soltion with Broadtexter.com that works well or s. It al-

lows o to geo-target text alerts b state and gives o the opportnit to schedle

alerts weeks in advance. For a more advanced soltion, o ma tr Moes. FanMail

has a relationship with Moes which allows ans to sign p on or email list b tex-

ting their email to o. There is a monthl ee or this.



28/45


task:day of show promoTions

Da o show is time or a last minte web-based marketing psh inclding:

Facebook status update. The dont call them stats pdates anmore bt the

idea is still the same. Mch like twitter, o can send ot a short pdate to or an

base. Plg in something abot the show that night- where and when.

Twitter update. Twitter is most eective as a tool or honest commnication rom

the artist to the an base. Bt it also doesnt hrt to throw in a shameless plg on

the da o a show, letting everone know where and when the band is plaing that

night.


29/45

I have an aversion to the term street teams. M rst job in the msic bsiness in 1997 was working

or the local night clb, as a street teamer. We were alwas given too man gl 8.5x11 fers and told to

blanket the town. I elt like I was littering and I wasnt sre how eective it was- the fers wold either

be ripped down or covered p within a ew das. However, there were alwas a ew posters that came

rom the record labels that were large, gloss and beatil. M job was to take these gems to the local

record stores or caes and politel ask the manager i we cold hang them in the coveted window space.

Permission was alwas granted and weeks wold go b withot those posters being taken down rom their

prime real estate. Its a bit like the broken window theor. I o show that o care abot the presentation

o or artist even in poster orm then people arond o will likewise respect that image and the brand

strengthens.

So, in an eort to cast awa the traditional street team se them and abse them mentalit, we

have introdced the term Marketing Reps (more accratel, we stole the term rom record labels) or or

volnteer work orce. In conjnction with the change o name, we have altered or theor o how to se

these olks most eectivel to help spread the brand o the artist.

How is the Marketing Rep model changed rom earlier eorts o rnning street teams?

Send nice posters. As mentioned earlier, we no longer print 8.5x11 fers, nor

do we se forescent paper to print or art on 11x17 paper. Instead we have an

11x17 poster designed or ever tor and then have this printed in blk which

makes the posters ver reasonabl priced (approx. $200 or 1000 posters).

Print show text on each one. When the posters come in, we recommend

printing the appropriate show text on each poster as needed (inclding vene

name, cit/state, show date/time, spport acts) rather than scribbling the text b

hand. As I mentioned beore, o can b a printer or or oce that can handle

printing text on 11x17 posters or or local cop shop cold do this or o.

Send ewer posters . Lastl, rather than sending them 100-150 posters (as I sed

to do), we recommend sending 10-25 per person (we send 10 and ask them to pick

the best spots in town). In m experience, when I sed to send 100-150, rarel

did a team member indicate that the posted all 150. Now, with 10 posters nearl

FAn CoMMUnity oUtreACH : MArKetinG rePS 21

seee 2 :an commnit otreachsub-squeeZe: markeTing reps


30/45

everone who does the work will respond with a ll list o where each poster went.

Additionall, we nd that the morale is higher when we onl send 10 posters. I o

send too man people eel like theve ailed o when the cant hang them all so

the drop o the team or good. Nearl everone can scceed with jst 10 posters!

Now that Ive explained the dierence in marketing reps vs. street teams, lets explore a thorogh sstem

or sing them eectivel. This work can be ver time consming bt also well worth the time. Throgh

the connections we have made with or artists core an base, doors have opened in each market that we

(as managers sitting in an oce) never wold have been able to do on or own (inclding connections to

radio stations, ndergrond message boards, the tape recording/trading commnit and so on).

task:markeTing reps call To acTion

The rst step in gathering a marketing rep team is to annonce the Call to Action in conjnction with the

annoncement o the tor. The Call to Action incldes the ollowing inormation:

A list o the dates or which you need assistance

What is required as part o the team. For our teams we require:

Hang 10 posters in high trafc, relevant retail locations

Promote online in 2 ways, possibly to include: inviting Face-

book riends to the event, posting a banner on a site or mes-

sage board or spreading the word on message boards.

Assist at the show for 15 minutes gathering email addresses.

What the incentive is. Some ans will volnteer as a marketing rep jst becase

the want to help. Bt we have ond it alwas helps to have an incentive or them

to join the team. The most eective incentive is one that relates to what the an is

marketing. In the case o marketing or shows, we recommend granting one gest

list spot (a ree ticket) at the show.

How they can sign up or the team. There are several was to do this. The most

rdimentar is to give them an email address o the marketing rep coordinator in

or oce. Alternativel, o cold set p a preerence in or email program that

allows the an to join the marketing rep grop.

22 FAn CoMMUnity oUtreACH : MArKetinG rePS


31/45

Announcing the call to action can take place through the ollowing channels:

Email newsletter. This is the most eective when tied in with a tor

annoncement.

Myspace bulletin. Mspace ma be dwindling in eectiveness bt it still

generates good reslts or these campaigns.

Facebook. Notes, notications, emails and stats pdate

Twitter update. The annoncement cold direct ans to the email address or sign

p page.

Email to current marketing rep database. Keep track o an marketing reps in

a spreadsheet database (see the Excel spreadsheet database template in the Tool

Kit) with name and contact ino so o can easil access and contact them in the

tre.

due daTe:

12 weeks t i tis is i cjcti wit a t aceet. Te atest ssibe

efectie ate aci a aketi e caai is 8 weeks bee te sw ate.

(Tat ies te aketi es axiatey 5-6 weeks t te te sw).

tips:1. Rdr c a.

oe week ate aci te Ca t Acti ceck y sws t see i tee

ae ay tat ee e aketi es (tyicay y wat 3-5 es e 1000aiece ebes). I y ae sws tat ae ai st, st a eie

ca t acti tat ists te sae i bt y ists te sws wit wic y sti

ee e. Y ca tis ce e week a te way t 7 weeks t

te sw. At 7 weeks t te sw y wi wat t cse te tea a

ai t stes.

2. e l c.

We se atists te a wit 3 cibas a ask tat tey et et at

te ecaise tabe. We te ask te atist aketi es t ick te

cibas te ecaise tabe bee a ate te sw t cect

eai aesses. Tee ae te ways t cect eai aesses (ike aski

ee t text it t te atabase si a eectic a eai cect) bt

a te ets we ae tie, tis is sti te st efectie (t ceay

t iceiby eciet).



32/45

task:markeTing reps compiling and finaliZing Teams

Next o need to decide which applications o are going to accept or each particlar show. We tr to se

one to ve marketing reps per show or an average-sied clb show. On average abot 3-5 marketing reps

per 1000 seats makes sense. In certain markets, o will have too man marketing rep applications and

need to trim it down.

Ater selecting the team members, we close ot the team and dont accept an rther applications. We

select or team members on the ollowing criteria:

Their distance rom venue. I we are plaing a show in a tertiar market and a

an rom 2.5 hors awa in a small town volnteers to hang posters, it wont make

sense. The cold be helpl in promoting online bt the posters wont be helpl

there.

Size o their home town. I a an lives 1.5 hors rom the vene bt it is the clos-

est big cit to the vene then it will make sense to se them.

Their previous perormance. We keep track o how each marketing rep per-

ormed on each show. Keep this inormation in or spreadsheet database (in the

Tool Kit) so o can compare notes next time the appl. We rate perormance on a

scale o 0-3 (0 = did nothing, 1 = poor, 2 = se again, 3 = awesome)

due daTe:

7 weeks bee te sw ate.

task:markeTing reps emailing final Teams

I there were an applications that werent accepted or this tor then email those ans thanking them or

their application.

Once you have fnalized the team, send an email to the team members bymarket (see example email in the Tool Kit) outlining the ollowing:

The duties or each show:

Promote online in 2 places We ask that everone promote on Facebook and also

give them HTML code or a small banner the can pt on a website or blog. (see

notes below in TIPS section)

Hang 10 posters



33/45

Complete a eedback orm which is de one week beore the show date. A simple

eedback orm can be created in Excel (an example is in the spreadsheet database in

the Tool Kit).

To assist on the night o the show with gathering email addresses on the mailing list.

The list o ellow team members to that the can coordinate with each other.

due daTe:

7 weeks bee te sw ate.

tips:

1. Base ata te ast 3 yeas, abt 65% teste aketi

es wi cete se ti te wk assie. Wit sei a sae

at stes y sta a bette cace a e ai a tei st-

es (weeas wit 150 tey it a sa acti ste).

2. habis ae ate et etti te w t. Ieay, ake

a t secic abi qaity ca stck, -c, wit ice at a a te t ates iste e sie. make te seis ate ta tas. Y

ca ice a sa stack tese i y tea aiis se se t te

te.

3. czxr. fes a ee seice weeby y ca a a bae it tei

syste a it wi ie y ce tat wi tack w ay iessis a cicks

y bae ets. A ice eate is tat y ca cae te iae te bae

at ay it i tie. Tis aws te bae t stay i ace te as ae bt

isay watee iae y ae ae i at te tie (e t bai). I

y ae te tie, y ca ceate a iqe bae eac sw te t s

tat y ca see wic aketi e tea is i te best jb wit t-

i te sw t te baes.

task:markeTing reps mailing posTers

We discssed the printing o the posters and getting the text printed on them in or oce. Now its

time to mail them ot. As reerenced earlier, we recommend sing the recclable mailers rom uline and

sending them ot via uSPS. The rate is approximatel $3 per package i o are mailing p to 14 posters

(ater 14, the weight pshes it into the next level o cost). yor cost (per team member) or the packaging,the posters and postage comes to approximatel $5.

tips:1. i d v , eti a pitey Bwes stae ete is e-

itey wt it i y see yse aii es aketi e ackaes

eac t.

due daTe:

7 weeks bee te sw



34/45

task:markeTing reps feedback form due daTe reminder

We reire eedback orms to be de 1 week beore the date o the show. The da beore the de date we

look throgh or database to see who hasnt retrned the eedback orm et and send them a reminder

email. It is easiest to set a deadline and stick to it so i a marketing rep doesnt retrn the orm b the

deadline, the will not be on the gest list. An example o or reminder email is in the Tool Kit.

due daTe:

9 ays bee te sw

task:markeTing reps raTing feedback forms and submiTTing guesT lisT

When all o the eedback orms are in, review and rate their work and make note o it in or spreadsheet/

database (in the Tool Kit) so o can reerence it in the tre. Again, we rate perormance on a scale o 0-3

(0 = did nothing, 1 = poor, 2 = se again, 3 = awesome)

due daTe:

6 ays bee te sw

task:markeTing reps Thank you emails

The da ater the show, we send a thank o email to all o the marketing reps who helped make the

show a sccess (the get a thank o i their perormance rating was 1-3). Its a simple thank o bt its

important to let them know o appreciated their help.

due daTe:1 ay ate te sw



35/45



36/45


37/45

When an artist achieves a certain level o nancial sccess the are able to aord both a pblicist (to

ocs on print and online media) and a radio promoter (to coordinate in-stdio perormances, radio station

presents, phone interviews and more). I or artist has reached that level, thats great! I not, then the

tips in this section provide an otline o what o can do in-hose to manage all orms o pblicit.

In man cases, even i o hire an otside pblicist or management oce can spplement the work

with these tasks. For example, we have worked with bands that had hired a pblicist bt that person did

not spend an time working radio. Thereore, we were able to step in and provide radio otreach.

Below is a plan or prsing at least one media event (preview, review, interview, in-stdio, in-store,

phoner, and so on) in each market. I o have hired a pblicist or radio promoter, o can se this sstem

to help agment their eorts.

The process o media otreach begins with or commnication with the promoter marketing contact.

This contact will give o the press list that the have or the clb. In or conversation, ask them or

the ke media contacts in the area that is, which radio, press and blogs will spport or artist. These

contacts will be or primar ocs or or media otreach eorts.

task:geT The press lisT

Ideall, o want to have the press list b 8 weeks ot rom the show so that o can begin reaching ot to

all o the print media. yo ma miss the deadline or a monthl magaine this close to the show bt or all

weekl arts papers and online otlets, o will be well ahead o deadlines.

due daTe:

8 weeks t

MeDiA oUtreACH 28

seee 3 :media otreach


38/45

task:send an inTro email wiTh The press release To The enTire media lisT

In man cases, there will be old email addresses on the press list o get rom the promoter. There will

also be man press otlets that dont reall make sense or or artist. Regardless, we send an email to the

entire list or 2 reasons. One, o never know where a closet an o or band ma be hiding within themedia commnit. Two, man o these media otlets ma not spport or artist directl bt the wold

be willing, at least, to pt the show on their calendar.

Thogh we never expect mch response rom this email blast, we have been srprised b the occasional

response o an otlet that wasnt a target.

due daTe:

8 weeks t

task:send a personaliZed email and call all of The promoTer- recommended key media

conTacTs.

I alwas name drop here, letting the media contact know that the Jim Bob, the promoter at Vene A,

recommended I give them a call. Generall speaking, the person on the other end o the phone will be

happ to hear rom o. Give or pitch and ask i it wold be possible to line p a preview, review,

interview, phoner or in-stdio.

I o are doing this work 8 weeks ot rom the show o ma be asked to ollow p again arond 4

weeks ot rom the show. Also keep in mind that no single media otlet will want to brn ot on or

artist. So tring to line something p ever month wont work.

Keep track o who o have contacted and when (o can se the spreadsheet database in the Tool

Kit or this) and i o get the reest or an interview. The simplest wa to keep track o an conrmed

event is in or calendar or in or database. Mch like we have a SIS or listing shows, we also ask or

a standardied list o inormation that we captre to rela to the artist or tor manager. That inormation

incldes:

Company

Interviewer name

Phone number

Email

Type (phone interview, radio in-stdio, preview, review, email interview)

29 MeDiA oUtreACH


39/45

Deadline

Interview location

Notes (idea, stor idea/angle, length o stor)

due daTe:

8 weeks t

tip:I y wk wit wat is t taitiay csiee a ai-iey ba tee

is sti a w tis y t exe i tes ai exse. gate

its t te tye exse y et T 40 ee Tie A ai, bt

y ca sti a ice w wi st y. Exe te -c, cee

city ai tis wit te te. Ask i tee ae ay seciaty

as wic w ake sese a te ty t ie a i-sti

iteiew e tese.

rai ca be a eat way t et te w t t a ae aiece. A it

iceases te caces tat tey wi ay se y tes tat ay, ee i itsjst te seciaty a.

task:confirming inTerviews / reminding The arTisT

Once the interview has been conrmed, mark it in or calendar with a reminder. On the da o the

interview, we send a text reminder to the interviewee and/or the tor manager to remind them o the

appointment.

due daTe:

day eia aitet

MeDiA oUtreACH 30


40/45


41/45

closing words

The hardest aspect o providing amaing tor marketing or or artists is the coordination o all the tasks

and de dates. For that reason, we have inclded a simple spreadsheet database template as part o the

Seeing The Show sstem kit which will help o manage or task check lists. yo will nd that its

hard to commit to doing all o these tasks bt I garantee o that it makes a dierence. Appl these

sstems consistentl and watch the artists toring machine grow more smoothl than o ever thoght

possible.

We hope o enjoed reading this text and that o will begin appling what ove learned toda.

Thank o or or prchase and or reading!

How can I stay connected with The Artist Farm?

Send us your thoughts Let s know what ove thoght o this sstem b

emailing [email protected]. I o have additional marketing ideas or

corrections to this text, drop me a line.

Check in on our blog We will be posting more tor marketing ideas and general

thoghts on the indstr in or blog. We hope to annonce more indstr gide

books in the tre and the lanch o msic indstr task management sotware.

Check s ot at: theartistarm.com/ideas.

Coaching/Mentoring - We oer mentorship and coaching services or

artists and managers. Read any book on business success strategies and

you will fnd that coaching and mentorship are key to success. Email me

today to learn more: [email protected]

CLoSinG WorDS 31


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43/45

whats in the tool kitemail templatesmaketi res Cati Eai

maketi res decie Eai

maketi res Feeback F reiemeia oteac Eai t etie ess ist

pte oteac maketi Eai Festia

pte oteac maketi Eai vee

show daTabase / checklisT1. tr mrk ck

I tis seet y wi ist te ae te t a te axiate t stat ate. Te eaies

ais t eate tasks atate i te seet s y ca stay t t tieies.

2. sw mrk ck

I tis seet y wi ete te Sw date, ee a atist ae i eac c. Te ws is-

ay te tasks a sb-tasks y ee t e eac sw a te atest ssibe e ate

eac task. Te e ates ae base eite te ceti ate task be

weeks/ays bee ate a sw.

3. sw D

Tis is wee y ca kee etiet sw iati ike cicati tes, aketi

a tes, ticket cts, ctact iati a st-sw iati. Y wi eeece tis

acie iati t ake bette ecisis ext tie y ae i te aket

4. sw mrk R

I tis seet y wi ist y ci sws a te iati eac aketi e yae iste tat sw. I te cs ate te aketi e iati y wi te

tasks assciate wit eac iiia tea ebe. I tese cs y wi wite te ate

ceti eac task. Fiay, tee is a tes e t kee tack ay aitia ia-

ti.

5. mrk R d

Tis is a ace t kee te ctact iati y aketi e atabase. Tis wi be es-

eciay se i y t ae a eai a tat aaes tis y.

6. md irvw

I ee y wi wite te sw iati a te ctact iati te eia tet

tat wats t iteiew y atist. Tee is a c te eia eet tye, eaie, tie iteiew, etc.

7. dk r x

Tis eeback is a sie exae wat y ca se t y aketi es t t i

bee te sw. Cy tis a aste it a W cet t it Exce t eai t te

teas.

mailing list sign up templateTis is te eai ist si tat we se st atists. Its sie bt efectie.

WHAtS in tHe tooL Kit 32


44/45


45/45

resorces

cxr.

Cixtac aws y t ceate a acct a a as ay baes as y esie. F eac e it

ceates tackabe ce wic y ca ie t a te aketi e t st tei website

b. Y ca te it te Cixtac syste t see w ay iessis a cick ts y

baes ae eceie. Cst: Fee.

Zpr.

A web-base it cay tat ies bk ates a qaity 11x17 c

stes.

4vr.

A web-base it cay tat ies bk ates a qaity 11x17 c

stes.

u.

A web-base waese sii, ackai a istia sies. Tey ae aazi t

a tie sii. Tyicay it wi be at y te ay ate e. We e 100% ecy-

cabe cate caba aies te.

arD

A website tat aws y t ete t ates i e ace a ae te bacaste a acss te

web. Cst: ee

brdxr.

A text bacasti cay wit a cs sic eate bsiess. Cst: ee.

k

le it ate it, its wee eeye is it w s it s eat bsiess.

yd.

Web base ae e eiey syste. Y a y ae e ( t 100 mB) it tei syste a

tey eai y a ik t it s y ca sae it.

m

A eai stwae sti tat is a ceatie betwee JaBase a ExactTaet. petty c ay

eai eate y ee, tey ae.

pbw

Y ca et a sa pitey Bwes acie axiatey $40 e t wit a te ees ic-

e. Tey ae a yea ctact t, s bewae tat. Its a ea i y ai ts ackaes

(it saes y tie upS/FeEx websites stai i ie at te pst oce)

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Squeezing the Show