Time for a recap. I began this series of posts where many bands and businesses do, by considering social networking before mentioning 4 important sites that can be used to spread the word in the early stages of your promotion. Next I moved on to consider the email list, the cornerstone of online promotion before considering some aspects of professionally networking (both on and offline) in the last post in the series. In the latest instalment I will be considering blogging.

Blogging is an incredibly easy way to gain an online presence from nowhere and can also serve as a handy hub to point to all of your other links (YouTube videos, iTunes listings, Facebook page etc.) and to promote any press you might get. The important thing to remember when blogging is that it must also be something good in its own right. You can’t just have short pages of text linking to some of your other bits of web presence, use a bit of time and creativity to cultivate an active and quality blog that will enhance everything else you do.

Blogging is an enormous topic and grows daily. I’ll mention a few ways you can get up to speed and stay ahead of the curve towards the end of the post, but first I want to list a number of things that you may want to think about whilst blogging:

Keep it regular

Post often or hardly post it all, its up to you; just keep it regular! If you post every Friday for 3 months people will expect a post from you on this day. If you then suddenly take a month off you will lose readers.

Make it interactive

Allow readers to comment on posts and make sure you respond to comments yourself if required. Also consider putting polls on the blog such as “vote for our best track” or “which of our new t-shirt designs is the worst?” Your readers will feel more involved and valued. A range of content is also important to keep readers interested. So embed your YouTube videos, show off your images and

Make it sticky

People use a variety of websites and browser services to save their favourite sites in one easy to use location. Make it easy for them to do the same with your blog. Put social bookmark buttons on the site and ensure they can sign up to your RSS feed and/or email updates easily.

Blogger vs. WordPress vs. Others

As you might guess, we prefer WordPress over all other blogging platforms. Its a simpler back-end and has a lot more functionality than Blogger. However, if this is to be your first blog then Blogger may be a good idea. There are other platforms out there that can also do a pretty good job but Blogger and WordPress are the big ones.

Get going but keep learning

There is so much to blogging that it can seem a little overwhelming. My advice is to make a brief plan (what do you want your site to feature, who do you want to read it, how much time can you spend on it, what do you want to call it etc) and then get going but commit to picking up information as you go along. Here is a great list of sites by Neil Patel that can teach you plenty about blogging and related disciplines.

So there you have it, a brief overview of things to consider for starting a blog for your band or company, I hope you find it useful. Don’t forget to stop back here and let us know how you’re getting on!

DR: How did Smoky Carrot Records begin?  What was the main aim behind the label?

Benny: Smoky carrot started originally as a live music night at Mother bar in Shoreditch. We then extended the company by creating a PR team to promote unsigned artists. We decided to set up a record label with the aim of releasing emerging talent through the means of vinyl and digital, creating a fair deal for the artist and having some fun along the way.

DR: How hard has it been to compete with all the mainstream music pushed by the major labels?

Benny: It would be silly to say it’s been hard to compete with them because it’s a completely different world. They have different values and views to the Indies. I would say the hardest thing as a new label is getting recognised and putting your name out there.

DR: As an indie, are your managerial decisions based on music quality or on purely a profit model?

Benny: It would be naïve to say it’s all about the music, because obviously for the label to keep going, we need to make money. I think it comes down to how you balance the two. We would never release something on the basis of making a buck that would go against our morals. Obviously money is important, but if you promote your releases well and believe in your artists, you should see the benefits.

DR: What are your thoughts on music piracy and has it affected Smoky Carrot Records in a positive or negative way?

Benny: Obviously music piracy is one of the biggest problems the industry faces, but I wouldn’t say it has affected us too badly….yet. Although people who download music illegally will probably be deterred from buying one of our artist’s releases due to the fact they are used to paying nothing.

DR: Do you see a solution to avoid piracy?

Benny: I don’t think it can ever be fully avoided, not now, it’s gone too far, you only have to look at the figures to realise that. I do think the subscription idea could work to an extent; it has worked in Denmark with their TDC play model. Whether it would work in such a culture as ours is hard to say.

DR: Where do you see the industry five years from now?

Benny: I think the industry will definitely try and develop the streaming model, but there needs to be a plan in place which will see the artist and label benefit. Income from programs such as Spotify is at the moment very minimal. In my opinion though, there will always be demand for ownership of content which is why we love releasing vinyl. I would always prefer to own a 7 inch record than stream it online and I think this goes the same for a lot of music lovers out there. You only have to look at the success of Rough Trade (records) to see that this rings true.

DR: Any artists/bands you recommend for 2010?

Benny: Of course, all the acts we’re releasing! Rodeo Massacre, The Border Surrender, Nat Jenkins, Melody Syndrome, Spindle & Wit. All different, but all absolutely fantastic!

Find out more about Smoky Carrot and their releases at:
www.smokycarrot.com.

DR: How did you get involved with Ernie Ball? How long have you been with the company?

Alex: I worked here 20 years ago for a few years so this gave me an insight into this industry, after that I went off to do other things like touring and living abroad, I came back in 2007. I got involved in the A & R side of things in 2008, initially just looking at bands that had applied for endorsement deals, and then onto the decision making process and looking after our artists on a day to day basis.

DR: How does it work when you sponsor an act, is it a discount process or just simply free gear?  Do you promote all your sponsored acts through your websites and other outlets?

Alex: We’ve got several levels of endorsement, from discounted deals to full (free) endorsements. Depending on where you’re at as a band at the application time will depend on which deal we can offer.
For instance Keane came to me a year or so ago, and due to their past successes it was a simple decision to get them straight onto a full endorsement, same with a band like the Enemy. But there are bands coming through now who have deals that will soon be up for review and hopefully we can take them onto another level.

DR:  What do you look for in any acts you sponsor?

Alex: In a word – attitude Not arrogance, but a work ethic attitude. Some bands make a real effort to get themselves out there, work hard for their fans and ultimately for themselves, and some bands think it’s an easy way to make easy money – which it isn’t.
For the most part it’s a slog, inevitably up and down motorways in a rusting transit, and if you can get through that, remain friends and generate a fan base you’re getting it right.

I get a lot of half arsed requests from bands who can’t even spell our brand names correctly, and my initial thought is that if this is the amount of effort you put into your business application, how much do you really care?

DR:  What are some things acts can do to stand out when looking to attract a high profile sponsor such as yourselves?

Alex: I think honesty.
If you bullshit about the gigs you’ve done and the success you’ve had you’ll get found out. I look into every application I get and I do my digging on the bands to see whether they’re trying it on, or alternatively if there is genuinely something there we can work with.

DR:  How does the process of sponsorship work when you find an act you`d like to sponsor? Do they come to you, or will you approach them?

Alex: With world leading brands like Ernie Ball and Jim Dunlop I rarely have to go out looking for bands. The bands generally use the products already and want either discounts or “hot swaps” for when they’re out on the road.
Alternatively I may be at a gig where one of our bands is playing and another band on the bill may catch my eye, if I think there is something there I’ll approach them. They may already have an existing endorsement and that’s fine, I’m not one for treading on toes, but if they don’t then we’ll talk.

DR: Merchandising and product placement have become a major part of the industry in recent years, how important do you feel it is for acts to try and attract a brand to help further their careers?

Alex: I think the Red Bull Bedroom Jam, Relentless and Vans tours etc can only be a good thing to break new bands, but they’re quite transitory in as much as it’s a 2 week blast and the brands will move to the next thing that they’re promoting at the end of the tours.

DR:  Many bands and artists have been accused of ‘selling out’ by cashing on high level sponsorships. What are your feelings on sponsor selection and making the right decisions when offered a deal?

Alex: Fair play to them, if they can write a song and somebody gives them enough money to pay off their mortgage because of that song, who am I to chastise them?

DR: Any tips for 2010?

Alex: The beauty of this job is I get to hear so many bands that I might otherwise not – ok, some are pretty awful and no, I’m not naming and shaming,  but there are some real gems out there.

Sonic Boom Six, The King Blues, Attack! Attack!, My Passion and The Guns are all ones to look out for.
DR:  Your alternative classic album?

Alex: Up The Bracket – The Libertines, not so alternative these days, but a shot in the arm (if you’ll pardon the phrase) when it was released
If there was anything you`d of liked us to ask Alex, please get in touch and let us know.

In the last post in the serious I talked about how to manage your email list, a vital tool of your online promotion but now we move onto something a little different. The very first post of this series talked about using social networks effectively to begin your online promotion which is an important part of things. Today we talk about professional networking.

This is a shorter post than others in the series but no less important. It is split into two parts, online and offline.

Online

Now it might seem a little counter-intuitive to talk about online professional networking as we see the Internet as mainly social but if you want to get business online, you have to look the business and it takes a little bit of thinking. Here are some tips and resources you can use.

• Make a professional email signature. Include your phone number, email address, mailing address and perhaps a memorable tag line.
• Use LinkedIn to network with professionals in your industry. Make connections, join groups and get introduced to business leads by personal referral instead of cold calling.
• Write properly. Simple as that. A comment on some YouTube video reading “wow man luv ur trak wanna managa? WB” doesn’t exactly show you in the best light.
• Another great website for spotting and following up opportunities is UK Music Jobs.
• Keep stuff consistent! Whatever you send to people, invoices, press releases, information requests, emails, whatever it is, keep it consistent. Make sure it is from the same person unless you introduce them to others in your organisation and address them with the same tones each time.

Offline

When you actively network you have to make sure you’re not making contacts just for the fun of it, you need to ensure that the people you are talking with can actually do something for you otherwise you’re wasting your time.

That’s not all the time of course! Don’t not talk to anybody at a gig or a party because they can’t give you business, I’m talking about the times when you are proactively attempting to make contacts that will benefit you and/or your business. And you may need to step out of your comfort zone to get them.

Lets take an example. Say you are a graphic designer and would like to get involved with a bunch of bands, labels and music industry people in order to carry out their work. You can do graphics for merchandise, album covers or websites and you are good at what you do. The trick is getting these people to find out about you.

So, get some smart clothes on (yes I know its the creative industry and you want your individuality and all that but if you don’t look the part, nobody will believe you are the part. Take your image out of the equation by wearing something reasonable and you can concentrate on wowing them with your competence instead), get your business cards together (you do have business cards right?) and high-tail it to an event that you wouldn’t normally go to. That’s right!

Your clients aren’t at graphic design conventions or workshops, those people are you competitors. Your clients are at gigs or PR conventions or seminars on music industry marketing or even music management events.

In order to attract prospective clients you need to go where those clients are and talk to them.

Well? what are you waiting for?

DR: How did you become a booking agent?
Jeff: I always did my own booking as a performer playing live around Washington DC.  Then, in 1998I moved to Germany and in 2000, landed a job as label manager for netMusicZone Records.
Running netMusicZone Records was basically a one-man operation. I had to take care of Product Management, Advertising, keep an eye on the promotion & PR team, follow-up on the publishing, look for compilations for the single(s), and get a booking agent for the band.  We were specialized in new artists, so most of them had no agency.  Getting a booking agent for a young, unknown band was always the hardest part.

In 2002, the label´s venture capitalist investor went bankrupt, so I had to find a new job.  I knew a lot of bands (mostly punk), I knew a lot of venues and promoters (mostly punk festivals and youth houses who put on punk concerts), and I knew how to book, so I saw a niche and went for it.
My company MAXIMUM Booking officially started on 01.February 2003.

DR: What do agents look for in artists you sign, what things make artists stand out?
Jeff: I look for music I like, first and foremost.  What makes an artist stand out?  Well, that´s really artist specific.  An artist must have a schtick.  If you don´t have a schtick, there is nothing there to differentiate that artist from any other musician doing the same thing.  The artist must be unique with their schtick.

Once I know I like the music and the schtick, I need to know if the artist can perform live and has a fanbase.  I´ll check with a few key promoters and take it from there.

DR: Do you select acts purely based on talent, or do they need management, labels etc?
Jeff: They do need management and they do need a label, but that does not mean that the management and label cannot be the artist!  I book quite a few DIY musicians who have their act together much better than other artists who have 3rd party management and/or label!

However the artist does it (on their own or with 3rd party representation), they must have their act together, be motivated, pro-active, and engaged.  I set up the dominoes.  The combination of the artist´s pulling power, the label´s promotion, the promoter´s advertising, and the management´s PR knock those dominoes down.

DR: What advice could you give for artists that are looking for agents?
Jeff: Don´t bother sending too much paper when you send your demo to the agent.  A cover letter with a description of your act / schtick and a CD are enough.
Get in touch on the phone first, follow up with your myspace via e-mail, and follow up a week later if you didn´t get an instant reply.  Make sure you have your Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook up, running, and looking good!
Be motivated and don´t sit on your tush waiting for the phone to ring.  If you get turned down by 20 agents, well, start booking yourself!  If an agent has a choice between 2 x musically compatible acts and 1 can pull in 150 punters in their hometown plus 3 other cities and the other hasn´t played a show in 3 months, with who do you think the agent would be more inclined to work?

DR: How important has live performance become since record sales have dropped?
Jeff: It used to be that an artist went on tour to support an album release.  Now, the artist releases an album to support a tour.  The artists who understand this are becoming successful and those that don´t will find themselves stuck in the mud.  The media is not really interested in writing about bands who are going on tour without a new album, unless they are HUGH artists or legendary artists who haven´t toured in a long time and a tour is highly anticipated.  The media are only writing about bands when they have a new album out.  So, once the tour dates are set up, the band/label/management sends the new album to the press so that the media will report on it.  The record album becomes nothing more than a tool for promoting the band´s tour. 

Also, I estimate that live performance situations are accounting for 90% of many smaller artists’ record sales.  The best and most successful record store for your band is merchandise table in the back of the club with your buddy behind it with a desk lamp ready to make sales from the time the doors open to the venue´s curfew.  No live performance = no record sales.

DR: Since the Recession started globally, have you seen many changes in the touring circuit and live market?
Jeff: I have seen changes, but I don´t know if the changes I´ve seen in Europe are based on the recession as much as those in the U.S.  Government cultural funding still exists in Europe and helps.  This has never existed in any practical way for young artists in the U.S., so it´s just that much harder when unemployment is over the top.  There have been a few cutbacks that I have noticed over here in Europe, but people still need to have live music.  They may be waiting a bit longer to buy a new dishwasher or dryer, but they still have a few bucks available for a concert ticket or two.

DR: Do you still see a future for record labels? Or are the new so called 360 business models the way forward?
Jeff: A record label can exist in the future if they are adaptable and take a new approach.  If they continue to work like they have for the last 20 years; sign artist, record artist, release album/single; and do not get involved in other ways, then they are doomed.  I think many artists are their best labels.  360 degree business models are great for that business signing the artist, but I don´t see how such a business model would be the best thing for the artist.  It simply seems like a way of bullying an artist into the corner and telling him/her, “you will never get your music out or be big unless you work with us and the only way you can work with us is if we take a piece of everything.”  For some bigger artists, it makes plain business sense to take a 360 deal because they can negotiate millions upfront in such a deal.  For smaller artists, it´s lousy.

DR: How is the live industry different in other countries (particularly around Europe) do you see similar sales and audiences?
Jeff: Similar sales and audiences is hard to say.  There are so many different markets.  I have a British artist that sells out 1500 seat venues in Germany and doesn´t pull in 200 in the UK.  I have another German artist who does really well in the UK, but doesn´t pull in more than a few hundred in Germany.  I will say that British promoters and venues are very similar to those in the U.S.  In Germany, for example, the local promoter really takes a hands on approach to promoting the show to the local media, while in the UK, it seems a lot of the time, that responsibility is pushed onto the artist him/herself.  I don´t like that.

Booking is also different in different countries.  The French promoters (other than a handful) do not seem interested in speaking with you unless you speak French or are French.  It seems you have to go through a French agent just to get things moving over there.  The Dutch are much more approachable in comparison.

DR: Your tips for 2010?
Jeff: Watch out for my artists and take notes because they will be taking the scene by storm!  I have some seriously amazing things happening.  ALEC EMPIRE has a new album coming out and will be ripping across the continent with a burning new show, plus a special surprise (I´ll give you a hint:  Space Invaders,  Ninja Turtles, and a Clash song with the word “White…” in the title!).  ANNE CLARK will be introducing her new band.  RAINER VON VIELEN will be conquering the German market with his new album.  ALUMINUM BABE will be extending their “Re-Start The Batteries” Tour.
THE INSPECTOR CLUZO will be in Europe after their tour in Australia.  CHUMBAWAMBA will have a new album and tour coming up, plus Allan Holdsworth, Terry Bozzio, Tony Levin, and Pat Mastelotto will all be on the same stage at the same time doing a completely improvised show throughout Europe in April 2010.

DR: What’s your classic alternative album?
Jeff: Dopes To Infinity by Monster Magnet

For the latest news and tours go to – www.MAXIMUMbooking.com

I had contact with various record labels including a meeting with Richard Reines of Drive Thru Records, which was very interesting and inspired me to try and make these dreams a reality. Fast forward a few years, and I was setting up, running and promoting live shows in High Wycombe working with some great bands including Enter Shikari and The Blackout.

During this time, we put Out of Sight on a line up for a gig we were running, and got talking to the guys in the band. They’d booked studio time with John Naclerio, who’d previously worked with The Audition and Just Surrender but didn’t have anyone to put out the results. This was the point that a decision was made to throw caution to the wind and start the ball rolling.

We were thrilled with the results that Out of Sight came back with and this would go on to become “Something Created By Belief”, Scylla Records’ first release. We did well with the release, and working with the record managed to set up physical and digital distribution and set up the company. From there, we realised that we were in a great position to help out other bands that we were into. The rest, as they say, is history.

Dead Record: What do you look for in bands you approach to sign?

Rich: The most important thing is good songs. Also dedication to their band and a drive, but without good songs it doesn’t really mean anything.

Dead Record: What advice can you give to any bands looking to get signed with an Indy label like Scylla?

Rich: I’m sure every label has different requirements but at Scylla we’re looking for great songs. Most of the bands that we have signed have been after they played live for us at some point too, so we can see how they their music across live. We have to fall in love with your band; as a small label we don’t have the time or budget to be working with a band that we’re not entirely in to.

Dead Record: Have the roles of labels changed in recent years, do you think bands perceptions of labels have become distorted?

Rich: The roles of labels have undoubtedly changed over the last 5 years. The fundamental purpose of a record label was also to fund recordings and then release and promote those recordings. These days bands can record their own material in their bedrooms to a decent standard and then release that material on to iTunes or similar digital service.

This means that record labels have to offer something above this to be worthwhile to the bands. I think that one of the main roles of the record labels these days is to offer a filter for fans. There is a real danger that all sorts of crap bands can put out music on the internet and everything gets watered down, to an extent this has already happened, but labels tend to allow the cream of the crop to rise above this.

Dead Record: Have you found it difficult to adapt with the recession and the changing face of the music industry?

Rich: There isn’t a massive change with the recession; as a small label our budgets aren’t massive and we’re operating with hardcore fans that, nine times out of ten will spend their last £10 on music rather than the casual fan like some of the major labels target.

Dead Record: Do you still see a future for Indie and major labels as the music industry continues to re-invent itself?

Rich: Simply yes. There will always be a place for both major and independent record labels as both operate with vastly different remits. There will always be independent labels finding the cream and then a major label will need to be there to push a band into mega stardom.

Dead Record: As an independent do you think the industry is in a better or worse state than it was a decade ago?

Rich: I’m sure CD sales were a lot healthier, but without the internet, things like booking tours, arranging meetings, showcases etc would be a lot more time consuming and costly.

Dead Record: What’s next for Scylla Records?

Rich: The next major step for Scylla Records is a move into the publishing world. We’re currently signing up our first artists and we’ll be moving forward from there.

Also, we’re putting out the Person L record “The Positives” which will be picking up speed into the New Year. They are the main things that we’re doing at the moment, but who knows what the future brings. I might find a new band to fall in love with.

Dead Record: What bands are you listening to right now and any tips for 2010?

Rich: Right now the bands I am listening to are Person L, Mumford and Sons, Mae and The Dangerous Summer.

My big tips for the 2010 are Drive Like I Do and Out of Sight. Drive Like I Do are a band who have the finest song writing skills around at the moment.

Out of Sight will be releasing their debut album which really is stunning. Both bands are going to have great years and really make large steps forward.

Also, Tiger Please seem to be a band that have a lot going for them at moment, a great little EP under their belts and some good touring schedules too.

Dead Record: Your favourite alternative classic album?

Rich: I don’t really know if it’s classed “alternative” but my favourite album is “August And Everything After” by Counting Crows. It’s a truly incredible album.

Thanks very much Rich it was great to talk to you and all the best for you and Scyllae Records in the future. You can find out more here at Scylla Records.

In the previous post I discussed the best way to spread the word beyond just using Facebook and MySpace by using other social networks and services such as Twitter and iLike. You can read more about this topic HERE. In this post I discuss the email list, the very cornerstone of online promotion.

When planning to use an email list to promote your band or business it is important to have a clear strategy in mind. The list can make you. All of the other facets of online promotion mentioned so far, and most of those that will be discussed in this series, pale in comparison to the effect that a well-managed email campaign can have on your promotion. In fact many other kinds of promotion are useless without an email list.

The reason why this is so is due to the fact that emails are personal and easily managed ways to provide their readers with a lot more information that they wouldn’t otherwise get were they not on the email list. It enables fans, customers or clients feel more valued by the sender and also makes it seem like they are privy to information not available to others. In addition emails are obviously sent directly to the reader meaning the information is pretty much first-hand and can consist of a simple message or have attached mp3, pdf or movie files as well as links to other places on the web.

When somebody signs up to an email list they are making a conscious effort to find out more about the sender. By taking the time to do so however they will also unconsciously invest something into the band or business and if their investment pays off with the acquisition of free gifts, exclusive information, downloads or other offers, they will feel closer to the sender and more likely to turn their interest into support and/or cold hard cash.

Email lists provide a means to transcend the more superficial promotion that social networks provide. Most web users log into their email accounts everyday and, as the vast majority of people use web-based clients such as Gmail or Hotmail they also have access to them all over the world. Now it may be true that many people also log into facebook several times in a day but they are mainly doing so to interact with their friends and pass along messages, not to read something brand new. Emails have always been a bit more formal and something that we take more care and time in reading and managing. This is yet another reason why they are perfect for promotion.

Now I must stress here that this post won’t tell you the functional ins and outs of choosing a platform and setting up an email list from scratch, there are plenty of resources out there that can do that such as http://hubpages.com/hub/Ultimate-Email-Marketing-Guide or http://www.kirtokreviews.com/email-marketing-solutions/. Instead I want the rest of this article to provide you with far more applicable information, how to utilise an email list effectively to drastically improve your music-based organisation’s promotion.

Below I have included a number of points that should definitely be considered when creating your email campaign. If there is anything else that you would like to hear about please don’t hesitate to comment on the post.

Getting Subscribers

This is a key consideration and can actually be quite simple. If you have followed some of the advice in the previous posts in this series then you will hopefully be in a position to contact at least dozens of people every single day. If that is the case then the next step is to turn those social network “soft” contacts into email subscriber “hard” contacts.

Now this can be done by simply advertising the list well, by explaining how good the emails are going to be and what will be included in the invitation text. This should be done obviously, but there is another technique that almost every professionally-run email list utilises; and that is to offer a free gift in return for signing up.

The free gift can take the form of an exclusive track(s), a discount coupon, an e-Book or even membership to an exclusive website, the only proviso is that it must be attached to the welcome email used to greet all new list subscribers. But that doesn’t actually limit you as much as you might think. If the gift is to be something physical then the email attachment could simply be an exclusive code that the reader can email to the company along with their address to get the gift sent to them.

Think outside the box and offer something that your fans would genuinely want, put invitations to your email list on all your website and social network pages then watch the subscribers roll in.

Write Good Emails

This might seem rather evident but it is important. If you litter your messages with spelling mistakes and nonsense it won’t be long until your subscribers don’t read them at all and just put them straight in the junk folder. Of chief importance is staying consistent, keep each email a similar length in a similar writing style and with the same message. Bear in mind that you do need to keep people interested however so a few little unique twists and messages will not go amiss.

Stay Organised and Honest

Stay on top of it, be professional and fulfil promises. If you say ‘weekly emails’ then do one every week, if you say ‘we provide you with exclusive tracks’ then make sure you do. It may be a good idea to prepare a few ‘emergency’ emails for times when you have too many other commitments and cannot stay up to date.

Be Interactive

Emails are great places to test things out. Send out some sample images of your company’s new clothing line and ask for feedback. Provide exclusive acoustic tracks and see if fans think they are good enough to warrant an acoustic album. Provide email addresses so people can write back to you and reply to those who do and this will further enhance your email list.

Indirect Profit

When your list is up and running, sign-ups are flooding in and you have developed a great style and format with which to communicate with your subscribers; now you are in a position to start profiting from your work. Firstly you need to consider the affect that the email list will be having on your business reputation and income indirectly.

Those who have signed up will be reminded of your services every time you send them an email and the trust they build in you will make them more likely to spend money on you. In addition, the simple fact the overall reputation of your business will be added to by the email list will hopefully translate to more financial success if not from your subscribers then possibly by professional collaboration.

Direct Profit

This method of cashing-in on your email list is not really recommended until you have built a bit of a following and should not be carried out too often. Basically, once you have enough people on your list you may want to go about selling advertising in your emails to other related companies. Alternatively you could include adverts or links to your own tracks or merchandise and make money that way. Whatever you decide to do respect your readership and remain true to your promises and message and you will find it much easier to succeed (and sleep at night).

Keep this stuff going, growing and evolving and a good email campaign will definitely translate to financial success. A good way to learn and stay up to date with email marketing techniques is of course to sign up to email lists yourself and see how they do it. Keep the email list firmly in mind when you do anything online and ensure that any new developments are communicated to your subscribers first. They will feel valued (as they should be) and with enough cultivation will be worth far more to your promotion with their positive word-of-mouth communication than a thousand facebook groups or MySpace pages!

Thanks for reading. Next time I will be discussing Professional Networking; how to act and appear fully professional when carrying out your online business activities. It isn’t about selling out and compromising your identity, it is simply about appearing to be completely reliable and able to carry out the task for which you wish to get paid. And it is easier than you think. Until next time!

Dead Record: Tell us how you started Engineer Records.

David: I was helping to run a label called Scene Police back in the late nineties as well as playing in a couple of bands too. I loved the alternative scene and wanted to do all I could creatively for it – I still do.

The band I was in at the time slowed down on gigs and the other two guys running Scene Police had had enough, so I set up on my own with a new label, Engineer Records. Back in 1999 when I started it the label was called Ignition, but we had to change that to Engineer Records after about two years due to some hassle from Oasis’ management company!

Dead Record: What makes an artist stand out when you’re looking for signings?

David: Having been in three touring bands myself, playing over 800 shows and releasing quite a few records I knew how bands felt and what they needed.

I want the label to do absolutely everything we can to push and promote our bands and support their releases but it is vital that they are good enough in the first place and willing to put the work in themselves too. I look for good guys, whose music I like and who are willing to get out and play!

The band needs a certain originality to make them stand out, but I guess it’s down to my personal taste if I really like their music or not. I go see them play and meet them first if I can, to make sure they are cool.

Dead Record: What advice can you give to any bands looking to get signed?

David: Keep working hard. Get gigs. That’s vital. And network all you can and send out demos. It’s not a race, get good enough first.

Dead Record: How have the roles of labels changed in recent years and what do you feel is the best purpose of the modern record label?

David: Hmm. This would be different for each label and how they run things. Things have changed massively in the last couple of years. I think most bands expect a label to swoop in one day and have them on MTV and selling thousands of records and touring with Green Day and Jimmy Eat World within two weeks.

Man, we’d all like to but generally, it isn’t like that. It is hard work and takes time. A label’s job is obviously to release the records, but also promote its bands as best it can and help them out. I guess now you need to be a computer, internet and download specialist.

Dead Record: How have you adapted the label with the recession and the changing face of the industry?

David: It is quite hard to adapt as we are something of an old-school label running things with a passion rather than a huge in-house team, but we have managed it. All our releases are available for digital downloads now on over eighty sites around the world through Shellshock / IODA.

We have download albums and MP3′s on our label site as well as a MySpace site that gets huge hits. The recession coming along doesn’t help, but that is not the main problem. Most of our sales are at shows when our bands play – although we have distributors all over the world and our own website and partners – we are a punk d.i.y. label at heart.

Our website has always been quite slick but changing everything to digital distribution was a time consuming process. We have changed with the industry and are now doing better for it.

Dead Record: Do you still see a future for Indy and major labels as the music industry continues to re-invent itself?

David: I see a much better future for Indy labels like us. The majors will suffer more and more as the kids expect downloads free or certainly cheap, and that will concern them more them us. We’re in it for other reasons than just money!

Dead Record: What do you think is the biggest problem with the industry at the moment?

David: The toughest aspect currently seems to be bands getting decent shows. There are not enough alternative promoters or venues and that make it very tough for any new bands to get out there and get known.

Dead Record: What’s next for Engineer Records?

David: Wow, we have so much going on right now!

We have brand new albums coming out from Kyoto Drive and SpeakYourHeart any day as well as new EP’s by The Startover and The Separation soon too. As well as these four bands we have My So Called Life and Call Off The Search in the studio soon too and touring early 2010 in the UK, also Exeter and Sound & Shape touring in the USA.

We have several new partners around the world for the label which will increase our promotions even more and we are working hard to get our bands music videos some decent air time.

Dead Record: What bands are you listening to right now and who are your tips for 2010?

David: My tips for 2010 are the eight bands I mentioned above – they all really rock and will be blowing kids away all year, but I also expect YouMeAtSix to continue to grow and Kids in Glasshouses will get bigger too.

They are leading the way for UK acts right now. There’s a lot of good US bands, but their labels are big enough to promote themselves, so I’d say check out some of the great bands coming out of Europe. We have several and the level of demo we get from Germany in particular is amazing. You may not have heard of them but try new bands out.

Dead Record: Your favourite alternative classic album?

David: Wow, there’s so many bands and records that have influenced me in my musical career, from Minor Threat, 7 Seconds, Descendents and Gorilla Biscuits, through Braid, Promise Ring, The Get Up Kids and Chamberlain. It’s hard to choose, but certainly one of my favourites has to be Hot Water Music’s ‘Forever and counting’. That is an awesome record and one you can turn to for positive motivation whenever it is needed. In fact, I’m going to throw it on now!

Thanks for the great interview David and best of luck for the future. Check out Engineer Records for more info on the label and their releases.

Mattie Bennett

Hey everyone! I’m Mattie. I am a lover of new music and I want to share my love for it with you all.

As well as being a musician, songwriter and DJ, my main love is discovering new bands. Nothing excites me more than finding a brand new band and I spend all of my time online searching blogs and browsing MySpace in the hope of finding greatness. Perhaps this is why I’ve been single for such a long time… anyway, I digress. My aim is to bring the best new bands to you as and when I find them.

Music for me is life. It is the only thing that gets me through the day. I love music so much that it’s actually affected my health. I have the greatest rock n’ roll injury of them all. Nodules; for those of you that don’t know what they are, I won’t bore you with medical jargon. All I will say is that the greatest singers of all time have had nodules – Robert Plant, Freddie Mercury and uh… Geri Halliwell to name a few. How did I get this? Well going to gigs constantly for the best part of ten years and shouting at bar staff, sound engineers, mates, dates and a chorus or two.

I’m always on the lookout for new stuff. If I like what you do, I’ll give you loads of attention and spread the word out there to all the people that read this and all my wonderful friends that I know in the music industry.

Looking forward to working with you!

Mattie

Micaela Ortego Maciel

My name is Micaela Ortego Maciel and I was born in Tenerife, Spain; where I was raised until I decided to come to London to study. I am now 21 and currently doing my second year of Fashion Marketing and Music and Media Management. Before London, I studied in an English school and a German school so I am fluent in both languages as well as my mother tongue, Spanish.

My first contact with music was through my parents; both have a passion for music and very different tastes. My dad is a fan of classical music and would listen to Dvorak and Haydn whilst my mum is the one who brought me closer to the music that made me fall in love with the industry of music and the mystery that surrounded it. The first song I remember listening to was ‘Bridge over Troubled Water’ and ever since I have not stopped from pursuing my dream of working in the music industry.

Ciao!

Micaela

Patrick Boylan

I’ve been involved in music in many ways for many years. I fell in love with rock ‘n roll at 14 and knew immediately that I was a lifer. Since then I’ve continuously devoured every music biography I can get my hands on and go to as many gigs as I can afford. I’ve travelled a fair bit, lived in Seattle for a while, and last year I did a musical tour of the US. I’ve also been a roadie, a tour manager, a touring musician and I’ve worked at labels – most recently at Domino.

I have other interests that play in to my views on the music industry – I’m especially interested in the role of music in contemporary culture and society. I’ve studied Psychology and Philosophy and recently did a Master’s in Cultural and Creative Industries, where my dissertation focussed upon the future of the music industry.

I’ll be doing interviews, reviews and a few articles describing some of my more memorable experiences.

Cheers!

Patrick

We’re looking forward to working with all these talented writers and wish them every success with us at The Dead Record.

Dead Record – How did you become a booking agent?

Geoff – I was social secretary at Oxford Polytechnic whilst at University so got used to dealing with bands and agents a lot. When I left Uni, I went looking for a job in the business and landed one with CMA (Cloud Music Agency), who I worked with for about a year until the company went under. Then I made the move across to The Agency Group and have been here now for 17 years.

Dead Record – What do agents look for in artists you sign, what things make artists stand out?

Geoff- What it all comes down to is talent. However, there are other factors that we take into consideration. We are far more likely to work with someone who has good management or a good label around them. Artists need people around them pushing them and marketing them in the right way, not necessarily a well-known company, but just someone doing things the right way. It’s pretty much essential for breaking artists.

Dead Record – What advice could you give for artists that are looking for agents?

Geoff – Make sure you look at the different types of agents out there. There are different degrees of agents; younger agents often specialise in breaking bands so it’s best to try and target these people first. Also, like I said, it’s vital that you have the right people around you pushing your music. Agents will very rarely take a punt on an act based purely on their music; it’s just not viable anymore.

Dead Record – How important has live performance become since record sales have dropped?

Geoff – Live performance is a massively important aspect of any bands career now. For some heritage bands that have no new records constant touring has become a means to an end for them so it’s important they stay on top of their game. However, a big selling record is still the biggest earner in the business, look at someone like Lady Ga Ga and the records she’s sold.

Dead Record – Since the Recession started in the UK, have you seen many changes in the touring circuit and live market?

Geoff – It’s been tough, but we haven’t seen too many significant changes in venue closures or audience losses. We’ve been pretty lucky in the UK as we have a good population of people interested in live music so there will always be a market for it here.

Dead Record – Do you still see a future for record labels? Or are the new 360 degree business models the way forward?

Geoff – I guess the expression is the horse has already bolted. There’s still a market for download sales but labels cannot keep the traditional business models. As for some of the new 360 deals that are going on, I’m not sure if they are the right thing or not, but they’re being tried out so let’s see what happens.

Dead Record – How is the live industry different in other countries, do you see similar sales and audiences?

Geoff- Every country has a different attitude towards live music. The speed of the markets usually relates to the speed of life and the amount of the population who are interested. In Spain for example we do see similar sales figures, but they come over a much slower period of time. Festivals and big gigs will sell out, but not until a day or two before the event, because the people are a lot more relaxed about it I guess.  In Europe, I’d say Holland and Finland have the most similar markets to the UK.

Dead Record – Any exciting acts for 2010?

Geoff – I’m really excited about one of my new acts ‘Foxy Shazam’ from the States. I’ve got big hopes for them and it should be a busy year.

Dead Record – What’s your classic alternative album?

Geoff – Well, it has to be ‘Nevermind’ by Nirvana surely….has anything come close?

For more information on Geoff and The Agency Group go to http://www.theagencygroup.com/. Also any questions you think we should have asked let us know and leave us a comment.