We had Music PR superstar Ariel Hyatt as a guest here a few weeks ago, announcing Bandzoogle's sponsorship of her Music Success in 9 Weeks Blogging Challenge. The Challenge is in full swing, with many old and new Bandzooglers taking part... among others: Jennifer Grassman, Hudson K, J Ammo, Sean Wright, Core Zero, Jacknife Stiletto, Atlas Take Aim, Brett Barry, Ed-O, Gord Yelich, Jay Trainer, Jordan Martyn, From Chaos, Maura Jensen, Meghan Morrison, Nicholas Howard, Agenda Red, Saturn, The April Maze, (wheeew... and more... let us know in the comments if we forgot you). After setting some goals, Week 2 was all about creating a pitch about your band or solo act. We liked the advice so much that we asked Ariel if she would re-blog that chapter here and she gracefully accepted. Feel free to post your pitch in the comments here, or get a conversation started on our Facebook page or in the Community forums, if you'd like other members to comment and help out.
The Internet is full of messages only the ones with Laser Focus will stand out. Here’s how to focus yours:
A pitch has many names. You may have heard elevator pitch, some marketers call it a USP (unique selling point), my friend Laura Allen calls it, a 15-second pitch. Call it what you want, this thing, will change the way you market yourself and your music. It is critical that you have a concise and easy-to-understand pitch that will help you shape your brand. Your pitch does not have to be lengthy to be effective, it just has to explain your sound in a few words.
Here are some of my favorite pitches to jump-start your brain:
Leftover Salmon – Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass
John Taglieri – If Vertical Horizon and Third Eye Blind got hit by Train!
Devil Doll – Jessica Rabbit meets Joan Jett
Creating Your Pitch
Take out a clean piece of paper, or open a new doc on your computer and:
1. Write out the type of genres you play. Roots, rock, reggae, folk, punk, jazz, alt-country, chillout, etc. No more than two or three should actually be selected in the end.
2. Write down all the artists that other people say you sound like.
3. Write down a list of all artists (or authors or famous people) that have influenced you.
4. Write down all of the feelings and vibes that you want to create or convey with your music.
Use these elements as a guideline to help you come up with a few words or sentences that sum you up. Once you have a 15 (or so) second pitch that you like, read it out loud standing in front of the mirror. Does it feel comfortable to say it? If you don't, then don't use it. I once worked with a band that chose the term “Soul Rock” to describe their sound, and after it was published countless times they hated it, so make sure it's something that you can deal with in print over and over again.
Still not sure? Read it to a bunch of friends and fans and ask them to work on it with you! Don’t over think it. Keep it simple and as concise as you can.
Here’s What to do once you have it!
Online Branding:
A. On your website’s homepage (yes, on the HOMEPAGE – not buried in the site).
B. On your Facebook, Twitter & MySpace pages
C. On all social-networking sites that you use and anywhere else you have an online presence.
Offline Branding
1. On your postcards & show flyers.
2. On your Business cards
3. On your posters, and anything else you have in print.
So now when you hand someone a flyer announcing your show, or when someone new comes to your website he will know exactly what you do, and it will be a laser focused message and therefore highly effective marketing.
Ariel Hyatt is the founder of Ariel Publicity, a social media PR firm based in New York. Their Cyber PR ® Campaigns place musicians on blogs, podcasts, and Internet radio stations and coach them to create authentic relationships with fans. Since 1996, Ariel Publicity has represented over 1,500 independent musicians. Her book Music Success in Nine Weeks has helped over a thousand musicians get in control of their online strategies.
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