If you are looking to boost you efficiency when sending tweets, check out tweriod and FollowerWonk to get insightsi nto your twitter audience. You can know where they are, when they are online, and maximize your potential on Twitter.

If you are looking to get more out of pinterest check out pinterestplugin.com and get multiple styles of pin it buttons, as well as setting defaults, choosing images, and more. The good news is there is no monthly fee. You can purchase this plugin for your wordpress website. If you’re new to website check out the Building Your band’s Website to learn how to use WordPress to build your band’s website.

Shazam App

The initial rollout, planned for May 2013 will support the following currencies:

• Australian Dollar
• British Pound Sterling
• Canadian Dollar
• Euro
• Hong Kong Dollar
• Mexican Peso
• New Zealand Dollar
• Philippine Peso
• Singapore Dollar
• US Dollar

To sign up at nimbit (it’s free) go to www.marketingmusician.com/nimbit

Keep Things Simple

My current band has a TON of technology thanks to a lead singer who loves gadgets. The problem is the more technology you have on stage the better the chance a battery will go dead, or something will go wrong. It’s something that requires your attention while you are trying to connect to your audience. The singer in my band is running the sound system through his iPad, while he is reading the lyrics on his iPad. With his face buried into the iPad it might be hard to connect with the audience.

There is a difference between a want and a need. You NEED a powered PA system for people to hear your vocals and instruments. You WANT a new guitar to replace your current guitar. If your guitar doesn’t work, then that want is now a NEED.

You want to avoid putting hurdles in place that stop you from being able to perform at your maximum, sound your best, and create a memorable performance.

Holding Auditions

In today’s snippet of Get Your Band Out of the Basement we hear about holding auditions. Here are some key points:

1. Be prepared. You are interviewing them – they are interviewing you.

2. If you’re in a hurry, open auditions are an options

3. Have people perform the same song and record them so you can compare later.

Thanks to Ali for purchasing the book and for writing a 5 star review!

Get Your Band Out of The Basement Read Reviews

 

Today we have a great tool called Call Loop to help you connect with your fans via text. The great thing about text messages is they are seen 97% most of the time. Compare this to email, and it pales in comparison.

You can Create and schedule a series of SMS text and vice broadcast messages.

Automate your sms text and voice message marketing using our followups.

Trigger SMS text messages and voice broadcasts on demand when you want.

Send voice broadcasts to mobile and landline phones in seconds. It’s simple.

Instantly view your statistics, reports, and analytics in real time.

Add, edit, upload, and easily add new contacts and subscribers.

You can try it completely free for $1 for 14 days. Plans range from free to $99 for power users. Check it out at callloop.com

Be Prepared to Talk About Your Band

Today in the segment from Get Your Band Out of the Basement, we hear about preparing to take phone calls so you can sound professional. You can pick up the book at Amazon for some sofa change.

Powerful Countdown Timer for WordPress

You can set up a campaign for that will be a one time event, or maybe its a reoccurring event. Either way Scarcity Samurai can handle it. You have multiple options regarding what to do when the timer runs out of time. You can have it do nothing, or redirect to a new page. You can customize the banner to match your website, and choose if it show up at the top or bottom of the page.

Powerful Campaign Boosting Tool

If you have an email program like Aweber where you have a squeeze page, Scarcity Samurai can be involved and keep track of how long your new email reader has been signed up and send them to a special order page with scarcity built into it. The whole time Scarcity Samurai keeps the clock ticking.

What Scarcity Samurai Works

1. As Humans we have to miss out on a good deal.

2. The timer element ties into our emotional state. We see the logic of a good deal, and the feel the emotion of potentially missing out.

Statistics show that 40$ of ebay sales end in a sale. Why? Scarcity and a deadline. Think about most ebay sales. They have almost no copywriting, and many of them horrible pictures, and yet they result in a sales

When they ran some tests offering special pricing on Marketing Samurai, they found that 60% of the sales came on the last day. When the compared the sales to an exact same campaign without scarcity, the sales WITH scarcity out performed the same product with the same pricing by a scale of 4.5 to 1.

Best of all there are no monthly fees and you can use it on multiple sites. Currently it is selling for $97 Check it out at scarcitysamurai.com

Picking Band Members

Here is a small sample from the book Get Your Band Out of the Basement which is now available as a Kindle Book.

We’re going to break musicians down into different types.

For the Love of Money – Motivated

This person could care less what type of music they play, where they play, and when they play.  They go to each gig singing, “The best things in life are free, now you can keep ‘em for the birds and bees, NOW GIVE ME MONEY.” We are not passing judgment here. Just realize that some people could care less – as long as they get paid.

I Got the Music In Me – Motivated

This person is the complete opposite of “money motivated” person. They could care less if they get paid. They don’t care if the crowd is 10 people or 100. They don’t care if it’s 10 miles or 100 miles to the gig. They just get the rush from playing their instrument.  Some might say this person is in it “for the fun.”

Animal – Motivated

This musician will play any type of music as long as they can try to “hook up” with the audience. This can also expand to mean the person is looking for the party that may follow the scene.

Fame – I Want My 15 Minutes Now – Motivated

This musician wants to be heard by LOTS of people. They get a HUGE amount of fulfillment when that crowd cheers their name. While “Music Motivated” is enjoying playing, “Fame Motivated” is waiting for the applause at the end.

Band Virgin – Motivated

This person has never been in a band before. This person has graduated from Karaoke Thursdays and is ready to go.  They are so excited because everything is new.

The Good and The Bad

As you can see some of these types are on different ends of the spectrum. It’s nice if you’re a mix of all of them, but you are predominantly one or two of the types.

“Money Motivated” is a good person to have watching the books. However, if they are REALLY into money, this may not be such a good idea. If they value money over your band, they may find themselves tempted to “skim from the band.”

“Music Motivated” is great to have for “quality control.” As they are typically into the music, they will want everyone to do their part to make sure it sounds good.

“Animal” is typically good to have around as entertainment for the rest of the members. If a person is more motivated by the party scene (than performing) that can be an issue.

“Fame” is a great person to have on your team, because they will be looking for bookings. They will be great ambassadors for the group. However, once your group becomes popular, “Fame” can have a hard time getting their head through the door.

“Band Virgin” is great to have around because they are a little like a child at Christmas. Veterans get to view everything through their eyes, which can be kind of fun. However, much like a relationship is great when a couple first begins to date, band virgins may get into a band and decide three months into the project that its too much work. There is nothing worse than getting out of the basement to find out that the band virgin thinks the band takes up too much of their schedule.

For the record (so you know where I am coming from), I am “Music/Fame” motivated. I love to play my guitar, and I love to make people feel good. When people come up and stroke my ego about how good the group sounds, I feel all the hard work has paid off, and it’s a great feeling.

Dave’s Book is Now Available in Amazon

Getting On the Same Page

Today we hear the chapter “Getting on the Same Page” from the book Get Your Band Out of the Basement (and keep them out of the asylum). This points out that in some cases people are NOT control freaks (they’ve just joined the wrong band). One of the key points of assembling your band is to get the right people, and this is why you should have a list of songs that you want to play. Then ask each potential band member to produce a similar list and see how similar their list is to yours. For more tips, check out the book at musicianlibrary.com

Building Your Website LIVE CLASSES

I’m looking to hold some live classes that will walk you through building your band’s website LIVE. You will login to a webinar and we will all build our websites together. I’m interested to see if anyone is interested in joining me. If you think this is something you might be interested in check out marketingmusician.com/liveclasses the first people who sign up will have first crack at the class

Key Points:

Without paying facebook money, the BEST you will do is have 15% of your audience get your message. That’s beyond awful. This is why you need to use tools that YOU control.

Here are the coupons mentioned in this episode

Use the coupon podcast30 to get $30 off the audio version of get your band out of the basement. Use the coupon podcast to get $3 off the pdf. Use the coupon listener1 to take the course “Build Your Band’s Website” for $1 (now through April 30).

Get David Hooper’s New Book Six-Figure Musician – How to Sell More Music, Get More People to Your Shows, and Make More Money in the Music Business (Music Marketing [dot] com Presents)
for free by signing up for a free account at www.audibletrial.com/dave or pick it up for your kindle here.

Six-Figure Musician - How to Sell More Music, Get More People to Your Shows, and Make More Money in the Music Business (Music Marketing (dot) com Presents) (Volume 1) List Price: $19.95 Price: $12.60 Read Reviews

Turn

WordPress For Facebook

I found an inexpensive tool that helps you get more interaction on your Facebook page. You can get more likes, create sweepstakes, and encourage your current fans to find more fans for you. You can create custom wordpress tabs using built in templates that are completely customizable. Tools stop your fans from getting to content until they “like” your page. When it comes to sweepstakes YOU get to create the rules and make sure that your visitors have a winning experience. For more videos and ordering information click here

1. Does the person your auditioning have any stage presence?
2. Do they know the material.
3. Can they improvise?
4. Do they show up on time.
5. Did they bring any people with them to the gig (any kind of following).

It also allowed me to see if they had any of the above, and see if any kind of substance consumption issues my arise at gigs.

Interview with Jim from the Quiltcaster Podcast

The quiltcaster is “Your Resource for Music Crowdsourcing Custom Musical Gear · Niche Music Marketing.” Today we interview the host and he explains about this new podcast. Check it out at quiltcaster.com

Get Your Band Out of the Basement – Opening

Today you hear the opening to my book Get Your Band Out of the Basement and Keep Them Out of the Asylum. If you’d like to hear or read more, you can pick it up and have it in your hand immediately. Its available as a PDF and as an audio book.

Open Mic Participant Rachel Walker of the Rachel Walker Trio- on Songwriting.

Rachel is the first to record a segment for the podcast. She chose the subject of songwriting. Let’s face it if you don’t have a good song, it doesn’t matter what kind of marketing you do. It all starts with the song and Rachel shares her thoughts on songwriting.

Better songs typically come from your life experiences.

Try to take the lyrics and come up with a sound that matches the emotion.

Songwriting is like math. Put chords together that sound good together. If you get bored experiment with different tunings.

A strong song  has a great melody that you can hum along and the melody stick with you.

Songs don’t need to be complex to be good.

Planning for Next Year

Here is a great tool that shows all the holiday for the coming year. Find a holiday and start planning 10 weeks before on how you can tie that holiday into your music, your gigs, your songs.

Go to http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/2013

Sell Digital Downloads With Free Plugin

One way you can make money with your podcast is selling digital products (which in some cases may be your actual back catalog). It has a ton of features. I’m going to be playing with this over the weekend. I could see musicians having a field day with this.

Mentioned in this Podcast

Jason Mraz keeps it Real

inexpensive interface to record on your iOS device

 Music From Paul McCartney RAM

Have you ever thought of having your own Marketing Musician (or musician related) podcast? Well now is the time to step up to the plate. Instead of having your own show, why not “test the waters” by submitting a few topics on this show? Be sure to mention your website, and send along a song to play (it would be cool if you included the story behind the song). In some cases we may set up a situation where you “Co-host” the show and we do it love over Skype or a Google hangout. If you’re interested, please reach out and let me know. I’d love to have you on the show

Today I go over an article I found on hyperbot.com about the 36 Rules of social media. These are some great tips. I think my favorite is that the more you ask for money, the experience of the event goes down. Remember that if you can keep you social interaction about THEM and not YOU it will help. People want to benefit, so tell people how they can benefit. When you have a better understanding of your audience, then you can write songs that might connect with them better.

Bieber

Green Day

Maintain Your Professionalism

Gigs will always go in ways you may or may not expect (this can be both positive or negative), how YOU react to this is something YOU control. There is a saying that people are like tea – you see what they are made of when they get in hot water. You will be surprised how just one little slip of the lip can cost you gigs. With this in mind always stay professional. In this episode we talk about:

The Band rarely gets to eat at the wedding (on time)

My band lost LOTS of gigs when the bass player cracked a (not funny) joke on stage

Don’t yell at your band members on stage (instead laugh and address it at band practice).

Mentioned on this Podcast

The Musician's Guide to Brides: How to Make Money Playing Weddings List Price: $24.99 Price: $5.80 Read Reviews

Hal Leonard The Brides Guide To Musicians List Price: $19.99 Price: $17.98 Read Reviews

What You Can Do With Viewbix

You can create a music playlist with song for people to sample.

You can add a map to your video. So now you go out and take a quick video tour of the place you’re playing next week and your visitor can click a button and get instant directions.

You can include an RSS feed. This is a great way to bring people back to your site. You could put your website RSS feed into it, and then use the player on facebook. If people click the links in the RSS feed they are taken back to your website.

You can include photos from your favorite photo sharing sites. This is great if you want to make a “meet the band” kind of video for potential bookers. They could watch the video and click a button and view your official band photos.

You can create a list, and have that link to whatever. So if you want to send people to a special page on your website you can.

You can also easily embed a form for people to sign up for your newsletter, follow you on twitter, facebook etc.

You can add a “buy now” button to your video that direct people to iTunes (or wherever it is sold).

Viewbix Increases Clicks by 20%

According to their website viewbix videos receive 20% more clicks. This is partially due to having a customizable button that you can have link to anything.

Speaking of customization, you can change the color of your player to match your website.

Other ways your videos become interactive is the built in sharing features that make it easy to tweet, embed, and share on facebook.

Pricing

You can start using viewbix for free. This will get your toe in the water and you can have up to 5 players. If you want to add some of the more robust features it’s $20/month. You can cancel anytime. For my non-us firends they do accept international credit cards and your fee will be in US dollars.

For more information check out viewbix.com

“Donate $amount to @username for reason

They get a notification that the message was sent and an email message of the receipt.

You can even sell digital products. Once the tweet/payment is sent, the download link is provided.

The audience can purchase something by simply replying to a tweet with the word “buy.” That sure sounds simple.

With Chirpify you can sell both physical and digital items. Set shipping rates and receive shipping info when someone purchases your physical item. Upload and sell digital content, we’ll send a secure download link to the buyer when they purchase.

(you can use the micropayment option at paypal to have smaller fees).

Again, I like any system that makes it easier to receive money. This requires the audience signing up for Chirpify, but it does make it easy to send money via your phone. There are other systems that allow you to send money via text message, and now via twitter. The question is will your audience jump through this hoop to setup a chirpify account to send you a payment.

Chirpify also just received some big bucks in funding, so that’s exciting to see this technology being developed.

Last week we talked about QRCodes, and this week we have Chirpify proving once again that things are moving toward the phone.

It’s the end of the gig, and your audience is thinking, “Should I hang here with my friends, or should I go stand in line to pick up a CD or T-Shirt.

Why not offer a way to do both? If you haven’t heard about QR Codes these are Graphics that an be read by smart phones and then trigger the phone to go to different links. Check out this video

Send Your Audience To Your Online Store with a QR Code

Now you could have some post cards made with a QR Code (or even a business card) and leave them on each table in the establishment. Now instead of forcing the people to come to your merch table, the merch table can come to them via their mobile phone.

The great thing about (which is also the bad thing) QR codes is to get involved you need to install some sort of QR Code scanning app (like Google Goggles). While not everyone who has a smart phone has a QR can scan QR codes, those who DO have a QR scanning app are more than likely to USE it based on curiosity.

With the fact that a smartphone (or iPad) is more than likely going to be the one coming to your site, make sure that your website is ready to be read by a portable device and that it’s able to be seen on an iOS device (like an iPad, iPhone, etc).

How Do You Create a FREE QR Code

You can go to a site like QRStuff.com and enter your location you want people to go to click on the “Download QR Code” on the right hand side. From there you can put it on your business cards, t-shirts, bass drum, etc and send people to your website. You could have one code for your merch, and one for your email list.

A basic QR code is free, but if you want more tracking you can sign up for their premium service which you can sign up for one day for $4 and get high resolution graphics and more.

Also Mention In This Episode

Check out gotprint.com for cheap business cards and post cards (to put your QR Code on).

Scan Me: Everybody's Guide to the Magical World of QR Codes List Price: $15.95 Price: $9.98 Read Reviews

Today we interview the man behind Music Teacher helper Brandon Pearce who is enjoying running a n online business (as he and his family travel the world, home schooling their children, and enjoying different countries).

Music Teacher’s Helper will:

Track income and expenses and create reports

Automates invoicing

Tracks your mileage

Accept credit cards

Track any inventory (books, music, etc) that you lend to students.

Provide access to students and parents

For more information please use my affiliate link www.marektingmusician.com/musicteacher

Today I tell you about a free tool that lets you know WHEN to send your tweets. It’s called Tweriod. You can login and see when your followers are online. This helps you maximize your twitter efficiency.

Interview With a Booking Agent

This is an old interview from YEARS ago. I interviewed a club owner of Wlibert‘s in Cleveland Ohio and he talks about what he expects from bands when they come to play his club. He also goes into what mistakes bands make when then come to play his club.

You could make a poster and post it wherever you play. After all nobody caries cash anymore, and that open guitar case can look mighty empty. Why not put a poster explaining to text a word to 202–800-1100

They also make a site on their website (mine is tip5.org/podcast). It’s free to join, and they pay via paypal once a month. You can login and see if people are tipping (unfortunately you have no idea where they came from – that would be awesome.

You drop off a CD and you wonder for the next week(s) if the booking person has listened to the CD. What if you could send them a video of your band and now EXACTLY when they watched the video so you could call them.

You start tracking birthdays of your fans. What if you send a personalized video of you saying happy birthday to your fans.

You record yourself doing a song, then send this out to your list and right next to the video are links to follow you on Twitter, facebook, or buy your CD.

You send out an email blast using your email list management system (aweber, etc) and you now know not only who and when they viewed you video, but you know WHERE they are located, and HOW MUCH of the video they watched (so if you have a coupon for your CD at the end of the video, and nobody watches to the end you know to move that coupon).

You can guard your branding by embeding the video on your website, or use one of their 90+ templates.

This system work with outlook, or you can use their web based system. It allows you to send unlimited “Video Email messages” and it’s only $29 for a month for a limited time. Just got to www.marketingmusician.com/covideo

Why Not Just Use YouTube?

If you use youtube, you can embed the video in your site, but there is no way to turn off the link back to youtube. Now when someone watches your video and they want to watch in full screen mode they end up at youtube watching cat videos. Plus if you make a “personalized” video and that person goes to youtube and see all the other “personalized” videos, they don’t feel so special.

It truly is a very powerful system. I want to hear how it works for you when you use it. It’s only $29 a month for a limited time. If nothing else, check it out for free for 10 days.

Tools For Great Video

I revently purchased a Logitech C920 and it’s AWESOME. It’s HD and it needs almost no light (great for streaming gigs in a dark bar). The mic is “OK” but if you are looking for a cool dynamic microphone that doesn’t pick up so much background noise, check out the Audio Technnica ATR2100USB it is USB,  AND XLR, so you can use it for Youtube videos, and then go use it on stage. Best of all it sounds great and its only $50

1. Build your newsletter as you can (or not) require an email list when the sign in to get the downloads.

2. They can offer any kind of digital product. This can be music, video, pdf, etc.

3. You can have bonus content, so sell them the CD and then the behind the scenes video can be purchased via a download card.

4. They can be used for more than downloads (you can order VIP passes as well).

When I first heard about them I thought, “Why put another step in the purchase process?” Then I thought about it, you want to “Strike while the iron is fine” and now instead of hoping they remember to go to your website, you have given them a reason to go to your website.

You can even get a pice of code and paste it so your fans go to YOUR website to redeem the card. You will be able to see where the person is (by their IP address) and see where your fans are residing.

As they don’t take as long to produce, and they take up less space, this s a great way to get your music (qucikly) into the hands of your fans without having to worry about the case cracking.

Coupon Code For DropCards.com

Now through August 31,2012 you can get 10% off ANY size order by entering the coupon code marketingmusician (all one word).

Other Items Mentioned In This Episode

Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World List Price: $24.99 Price: $6.61 Read Reviews

Get this book for Free as an audio book by going to www.audibletrial.com/dave

All you do is set your time zone, pick what time you want tweets to go out, and then start writing tweets. At the scheduled times your scheduled tweets will be sent out. Best of all its free. If you want to have more than one twitter account it’s $10 a month. You can add tweets to your Buffer from any page with one of the browser extensions (Chrome, Safari or Firefox), which makes it even simpler to put tweets in your Buffer.

It’s not just twitter. You can tie in your Facebook (page or profile), and linked in. You can schedule 10 tweets at a time for one account (so you could have tweets, 10 facebook updates, I haven’t really tested that yet).

For ease of use and Power I really like it. Check it out at bufferap

I do a podcast about weight loss, and one of the things I tell people to ask themselves is “Is what I’m about to do going to help me weight loss efforts?” If it’s not, then don’t do it. If it is, then definitely do it. Brian loves to explain to people that having a high score on your favorite Xbox game is not going to help you sell more music, or get your more fans.

We spend hours working on our music chops, but in reality we need marketing, customer service, and other non “music” skills.

If you’re looking for some great content to chew on Brian just teamed up with Bob Baker to produce the DIY Marketing for the Serious Musician. That would be a great place to start (lots of great content for a very fair price).

Books Mentioned in This Episode

Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust

Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion

Brand Like A Rock Star: Lessons from Rock ‘n Roll to Make Your Business Rich and Famous

Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead: What Every Business Can Learn from the Most Iconic Band in History

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

If found Sara Haze through watching the television show Ruby on Netflix. I loved the song Lovely so much I Googled the lyrics. I then found Sarah on Youtube, and then went to her website (which doesn’t exist).It’s owned by some website design company. It’s very weird, and a very strange situation. I’ve always said “make it EASY to buy and connect with people.” I had to search, and finally find her on twitter, and hope she reads her tweets. I would love to have her as a guest on the show.

So what do we learn from this?

1. Have your website ready before submitting your music to be used in movies, tv, etc.

2. Always own your domain name.

3. Music MOVES people and when your music touches them they will ask Uncle Google to help find you.

4. Put your lyrics on your website as people may be Googling for them (make it easy to be found).

5. Sara is missing the ability to collect email addresses and build her community.

Sara I think you are awesome, and wish you the best. Please let me know if I can help.

Lovely By Sara Haze

iTunes

Lyrics
I don’t wanna be her
I just want to be little old me
Shouldn’t have to think
Who am I suppose to be today
And what give you the right
To tell me who I should be
Who gave you that right

Cause I, I feel lovely
Just the way that I am
Yes I feel lovely
The way that I am

I know you want the best
Yeah only good things for me
But you have to realize
I can’t be all these things you project on me
Cause I’m beautiful to me
Doesn’t that mean a thing
I feel lovely
Just the way that I am
Yes I feel lovely
The way that I am

I need that to be enough for you
Need that to be enough for you
Cause it’s enough for me
It’s enough for me

Am I suppose to give up everything I am
Just to make you happy
I thought I was the one you
Always wanted me to be
It turns out I’m just little old me
I’m just little old me
And that’s fine by me

Cause I, I am lovely
Just the way that I am
Oh yes I am,
Yes I am lovely
The way that I am
I am lovely lovely
I am lovely

This would be a good practice when you first name yoru band to see if your desired user name is already taken.  Also, if you have the budget it would be a big time saver to let them register your user name on these sites.

Social Metrics Pro Plugin For WordPress

There are times when we get overloaded trying to keep up with all the social websites. Sometimes you decide to take a stand. You would rather be a solid pressence on a few sites, instead of a no show on many. How do you choose which social sites to focus on? You can use a plugin cal Social Metrics Pro that allows yo to track all of your tweets, posts, pages, etc and see which ones were the most popular and where they were popular (which shows you where you can focus your energy).

Once you install the Social Metrics Pro plugin, you will be able to track tweets, likes, +1s, Stumbles, Diggs and LinkedIn shares for all your posts. You’ll be able to do this conveniently from within your WordPress admin area.

The best thing if you just have one website it’s only $27 and if you have multiple sites is onlt $47. Check it out at socialmetricspro.com