Marketing Is Everything (And Everything is Marketing)

Many musicians incorrectly believe that marketing is synonymous with advertising. Therefore, when trying to increase sales of a (hopefully outstanding) product or service, they focus disproportionate attention on this promotional method. Consider the following scenarios:

1. An ensemble wants to attract bigger crowds to their shows.  They place ads in local newspapers.
2. A college professor wants to recruit violin students.  She asks her school to place ads in magazines geared towards string players.
3. A guitarist wants to increase sales of a new CD.  He asks his label to place ads in trade journals and catalogues.
4. A recording studio wants to drum up more business.  They place an ad in the Yellow Pages.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of advertisements.  They’re expensive and, with a world drowning in a sea of competing ads, certainly don’t guarantee sales.  In fact, countless marketing gurus have declared death to conventional advertising. Whether or not that’s 100% true, they rarely work in isolation.  To have any impact whatsoever, they must be supplemented with additional compelling messages.

For my book The Savvy Musician: Building a Career, Earning a Living, & Making a Difference, we made a conscious decision not to place a single ad anywhere (and so far have made good on that commitment).  Yes sales have been, according to our distributor, “exceptional.”  And there’s a reason why.  We market like crazy beasts. 

So what exactly is marketing?  Here’s my definition: EVERYTHING!  And everything is marketing:

• The projects you pursue—what they are and why others should care
• The products your produce—including quality and if they solve real problems
• The music you play—and whether its newsworthy
• The brand you build—your name, what makes you different, and how others perceive your work
• The relationships you cultivate—how much trust exists, and if you wish them happy birthday  
• The web presence you maintain—quality and quantity count, as does a strong call to action
• The visibility you demonstrate—showing up and participating actively
• The promotional materials you craft—both content and presentation
• The e-mails you send—message, accuracy, and speed with which you respond
• The persistence you show—whether consistently following through or giving up after 3 attempts
• The customer service you demonstrate—especially when there’s a problem
• The way you engage fans—both online and during the concert (including intermission)
• The loyalty you cultivate—because active engagement generates buzz and referrals
• The testimonials you generate—since words are more credible when coming from others
• The look you wear—including the expression on your face
• The attitude you project—even on your worst days

A bio or resume doesn’t just state what you’ve done.  It’s marketing.  Volunteering for a great cause isn’t just charitable.  It’s marketing.  Showing up late isn’t just unprofessional.  It’s (negative) marketing.  Your concerts, recordings, compositions, lessons, and workshops are not just artistic products.  They’re marketing! 

So how much marketing are you doing?  And which messages do you convey?

4 Responses to “Marketing Is Everything (And Everything is Marketing)”

1. Andrew Ward says:

   November 24, 2009 at 12:22 pm

   I recently wrote about my efforts to promote a local concert, and found it a real struggle.

   We found it a real struggle. We sent emails, created Facebook invitations, left flyers in a bunch of likely places, and in the end we had around 60 people attend the concert… which isn’t bad, but it’s hard to know what makes the difference between 60 and 100, or 100 and 200.

   There’s obviously more we could have done (for example, we could have tried to make a story of the fact that we had a premiere on the program), but this whole area still feels very much like a black art.

   Part of me says that it just takes time to build an audience, to develop a relationship with a group of people that means they’re interested in your music and want to hear it – but I’d definitely be interested to hear your thoughts on this, and whether there are any short cuts.
2. David Cutler says:

   November 24, 2009 at 5:47 pm

   My first suggestion would be to read “The Savvy Musician.” It has several chapters devoted to marketing, describing various approach and supporting them with case studies of actual working musicians. Marketing is one of the central themes of this book. Of course, everything is marketing…

   I’m very glad you commented, because this proves the point of my article. Advertising, at least alone, largely doesn’t work. In this case, you didn’t pay to take out an ad (so at least you used guerilla techniques!), but fliers and e-mail/Facebook invites were largely ineffective. Which means you need to expand your concept of marketing and how to engage an audience.

   Yes, it can take time to build a following. But many groups take years and still don’t build their fan base.

   It’s also possible to immediately generate a large interest. But to do this takes creative marketing efforts and a compelling, “purple” product.
3. Valentino L. Vazquez says:

   November 29, 2009 at 7:43 pm

   Engaging a focused, intense dramaturgy and paying acute attention to detail when formulating a marketing strategy more times than not pays good results. Details unique and specific to ones special attributes!
4. Deanne Swieca says:

   March 22, 2010 at 4:10 pm

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