Hello, everyone. Happy Halloween! We don’t have candy or treats to hand out, but hopefully after today’s Advice column you’ll feel like you learned something (and maybe even had a bit of fun in the process). If you have a suggestions for a future installment of this column, or if you have a question you would like us to tackle, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts.
Here are two facts about the music industry you cannot avoid:
You’re going to have bad reviews
You are rarely, if ever, the only person trying to get someone’s attention
If these seem obvious to you, good! You’re already ahead of the curve. For everyone else, let’s continue…
Seeing as today is a holiday I thought it might be fun to keep the lengthy paragraphs at bay in lieu of something a bit more lighthearted. We often speak with journalists about the problems they encounter when being approached by independent artists, and for the most part those conversations have resulted in Advice columns that are, or will soon be live on this site. Today we’re going to try something different. Here are three examples of what not to do when contacting journalists, followed by reasons this behavior should be avoided at all costs. The music industry may seem large, but it’s a very tight knit community where people discuss the interactions they’ve had with artists they’ve encountered. You do not want to be the focus of those conversations.
If you have any questions, please feel free to comment at the end of this post.
1. No matter what, never letter bomb someone’s personal address (online or in real life).
I am hiding the identity of this person for professional reasons, but for the sake of this post know that they’re a PR representative for a very well-known record label. She’s perfectly happy to help any band she can and is willing to listen to new music, but by going around the submission system established by the label the band in this post has lost all chances of being signed to the label this person represents. She may not post the band’s name publicly (that would only give them more promotion), but if another professional were to ask her about her experiences with them it would not reflect well on the group, and slowly a ‘domino effect’ like sequence of closing doors will begin to occur.
2. Understand not everyone will enjoy your art, and do your absolute best to be okay with it.
There are battles worth fighting and then there are differences of opinion that won’t be swayed. Bad reviews fall under the latter of these two, and as such no battle is necessary. Some people will love what you do, some will hate it, and many will never experience it. This is a fact of life every artist must face, and it’s how they choose to handle criticism that says the most about their character to both fans and industry professionals. The job of critics are to critique, just like yours as an artist is to create art, and part of their job requires them to sometimes tell people they do not enjoy the art they chose to share. That doesn’t make them bullies (unless they get overly personal, which admittedly can happen), but if you call them out on social networks or otherwise go after them you will become a bully yourself. Fans respect you because you do something unique and are not afraid to hide that gift, but if you aren’t willing to let others express themselves freely their feelings toward you will begin to change.
3. Submit your music once and allow ample time for a follow-up. Anything more and you risk becoming a nuisance.
Social media has made everyone more connected than ever, which means we spend a lot more time communicating with one another than we did even a decade ago. That’s all well and good, but when it comes to running a music publication it also means there are a number of channels for bands to reach you through that are open 24/7 whether you like it or not. While some bands still send press kits and follow general submission guidelines, which is always the best way to do things, others have taken to Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram to try and grab the attention of publications. Too much contact can be a bad thing, and if you try and reach a journalist too many times they will block you or otherwise pay no mind to your communication. Recognize that they are busy and work at crafting a pitch so great no one will be able to move on to the next submission. Remember: It only takes one pitch being read by the right person to change your career.
Hello and welcome back to the Haulix Advice series. We have covered a lot of ground in recent weeks, and this afternoon we’re returning to the world of PR for a quick conversation on what should take place BEFORE bringing someone in to represent your art. If you have any questions, or if you have a suggestion for a future installment of this column, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts.
Last week we wrote to you about the roles various people can play in the life of your band. We covered lawyers, managers, publicists, and beyond, but one thing we forgot to include is how to know when the time is right to bring these people into your career. Today we aim to fix that, or at least do a better job of supplying you with the information you need by offering a series of questions bands need to ask themselves before bringing on a publicist.
We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating that every single artist’s career is different, and just because something is right for one group does not mean it will work for you. The questions we’ve put together today are relatively vague, but it’s of the utmost importance your answers be as detailed as possible. Discuss the questions below with your bandmates, debate the pros and cons of each response, and together formulate a plan for yourselves before bringing anyone else into the mix. This will save time, patience, and most likely a little bit of money as well.
Now without further ado, here are 5 questions you need to ask before hiring a publicist:
1. Is my career even at a point where I need a publicist?
The idea of having someone in your life who spends a part of their day doing whatever they can to get the word out about your efforts sounds like a smart decision, but unless you have something worthwhile to share with the world you’re going to end up wasting a lot of money. Focus on creating the best album/single/video you possibly can, which I can tell you will likely not be your first release, and then think about bringing in someone to help promote. While many professional publicists will tell a band if they think the band is not ready for such a business relationship, there are a number of those out there who will happily take your money and never look back. It’s not on them to have something worth sharing, it’s on you.
2. Can I financially afford a publicist right now?
This may seem like a rather obvious statement, but the truth is many artists do not fully understand the costs associated with having a publicist. Most PR firms require a minimum commitment of 3-months for any project, regardless of whether it’s an album, video, or single. This means for three months you will be expected to pay whatever price you negotiate at the time of signing, and failure to do so will likely result in monetary penalties being issued against your group. Avoid this unnecessary trouble (not to mention looking amateur to industry professionals) and double-check your personal finances before seeking representation. Set a budget and work to find someone who offers you the most ‘bang for your buck.’
3. What am I hoping to accomplish with this campaign, and do I actually need a publicist to pull it off?
It’s common sense that artists and bands hoping to promote their new releases turn to publicists to help get the word out, but depending on your situation you may be able to handle marketing perfectly fine on your own. There are a growing number of articles and sites dedicated to empowering independent artists, and if you’re willing to put in the work yourself it’s perfectly reasonable to assume you can gain at least a small amount of press on your own. Blogs and smaller publications usually post their contact information online, and by reading up on PR tactics anyone can craft a pitch letter, so as long as you’re okay with Rolling Stone and/or Pitchfork not giving you the time of day you may be able to do it on your own.
4. Do I have high quality promotional materials ready to go (masters, photos, etc.)?
Publicists spend their day trying to get the word out about their clients, but that does not mean they’re going to create promotional materials to help get the job done. As the client it is on you to provide your publicist with everything they need to promote your efforts, and it should go without saying that quality plays a big role in whether or not journalists give you some of their oh-so-rare free time. Before you even consider bringing someone else into your career, make sure you have quality materials you want shared with the world. If you turn in mediocre media the returns will likely be mediocre as well. Publicists work with what they’re given, so be sure you give yours the best material you possibly can.
5. What marketing ideas do I have for the release of my album/music video?
This is probably the most important part of this entire list because it’s the area artists most often overlook. Publicists can make amazing things happen for your career, but without guidance and direction from you they will have no idea what it is you’re trying to convey with your art. This is why when deciding to bring on a publicist it is absolutely imperative that you first come up with your own set of goals and ideas for the release. Publicists want to help you, not do the work for you, and starting the relationship with a wealth of ideas on deck will simplify the promotional efforts on their end. By knowing what you expect, publicists can work with you to craft a campaign that’s designed to accomplish your specific goals, and that will lead to better results down the line.
Hello, everyone. Welcome to the first Advice column of the new week! We have at least two of these features planned for you, and I swear I’m being honest when I say they’re some of the best we’ve had to date. If you have a suggestion for a future advice column, or if you have a question you’d like us to address, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts.
It feels almost ironic to admit, but I put off writing this blog post as long as I possibly could. The idea came to me in September, and shortly after weighing whether or not I felt I could write at length on the topic I added it to the shortlist of topics to cover in the weeks ahead. Days went by, the list grew shorter, and instead of tackling the task I knew I had to accomplish I went out of my way to find friends with suggestions for additional columns to buy time. It seems foolish in hindsight, but at the time running from my need to create seemed far easier than actually sitting down to make something appear out of nothing more than the thoughts in my mind even though I knew it was something that needed to be done. This was my latest encounter with writer’s block, and today we’re going to work on overcoming this bit of mental resistance when it appears in your life.
Everyone who creates encounters writer’s block in their own unique way. Musicians find they cannot craft original melodies, painters have no visions to depict on canvas, and writers have no thoughts they feel are worth putting to paper. We’ve all been there and we’ll all be there again many, many times in the years ahead. There is no cure or escape, but with focus and dedication the walls built in your mind to stall the creative process can be knocked down in time. The following tips will help you get started:
(For the sake of simplicity we’ll use writing as an example in each of these tips, but know that the same applies to music or anything else you’re trying to create.)
1. No matter what, write each and every day. No exceptions.
The only thing worse than feeling like you have nothing to say is being forced to create something in spite of your lack of inspiration, I know, but if you ever want to overcome creative blocks you need to face the challenge presented by a blank page every single day. It’s not about creating something brilliant on day one, but rather the simple act of committing to your art. Sitting down to write even though you do not feel compelled to do so trains your brain the way running daily helps strengthen your lungs. Your mind is a muscle, after all, and with a consistent exercise regime it can begin to perform better in time. You might not create anything worth saving the first day or even first week, but by making writing a part of your daily routine you will begin to chip away at the resistance that’s holding your creativity at bay.
2. Set a schedule for when you will write and stick with it.
Building off the point above, consistency is key when it comes to strengthening your mind against mental blocks. By setting a specific time to begin working on your craft your telling yourself and the world that what you’re doing matters. It’s not a hobby or interest that can wait for whenever a moment allows, but a passion you want to be a profession and as such it deserves time in your schedule where it is allowed to be at the very center of your attention. If your art is something you can put on hold there is no reason others won’t feel the same.
3. Avoid passive justification at any cost.
The biggest obstacle between where you are now and where you want to be creatively is everything else that interests you. I know that seems silly, but those attempting to follow tips one and two above will likely find this to be the hardest of all. Passive justification is that little voice in our head that tells us slacking off, be it for a moment or longer, is okay. It’s the same voice that used to tell you going out with friends was better than doing homework, only now it’s attempting to steer you away from personal goals without you even realizing what is going on. The things we choose to do through passive justification are rarely terrible, and as a result it can take a long time before people realize just what damage has been done. Drop the risk altogether and focus on consistency. Once you work, then you can play. It’s been that way since you were young and it (sometimes literally) pays to do the same today.
If you would like more information on overcoming mental blocks, pick up The War Of Art by Steven Pressfield.
Hello and welcome to a new week of music industry insight and advice here on the official blog of Haulix. We have a lot of great content planned in the days ahead, including the story which you’re about to read. If you know of a website or journalist you feel deserves to be highlighted, or if you have a recommendation for a future installment of our ‘Advice’ series, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts.
There was a time not too long ago where those hoping to find a career in the music industry only needed to know a few well-positioned individuals in order to make that dream a reality. Networking is still a major factor in finding success these days, but there is certainly something to be said for having a good education as well. A growing number of universities have begun offering music industry themed studies in recent years, and today we’re going to learn how a student currently enrolled in one of these programs views the future of the business.
Tyler Hanan is yet another highlighted talent who hails from a land most would not associated with being on the forefront of the music business. Writing to us from his current home on the campus of Ferris State University, Tyler spoke with us about growing up with a love for music and transitioning that interest from a hobby to a career. He’s still finding his footing on the national level, but for someone with over a year of school left to go Tyler is well along the way towards become a staple in alternative music circles, and I have no doubt he’ll soon be tackling other areas as well. You can learn about his life with music, as well as where see the industry headed in the years to come, below.
We highlight a lot of talent on this blog, but Tyler Hanan is without question a name you will need to know in the years to come. If you want to stay up-to-date with everything he has going on, please be sure to check out his Twitter account after you read the following interview. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.
H: State your name, job title(s), and publications you currently write for:
TH: I’m Tyler Hanan. I’m the Arts and Entertainment/Lifestyles section editor for the Ferris State Torch, head writer and editor for Nothing Sounds Better, and I’m a news and review writer for Under the Gun.
H: You’re currently studying Music Industry Management in college so I have to imagine music has played a major role in your life (no pun intended). To what or whom do you attribute your interest in music?
TH: I suppose my dad was probably my biggest influence there, though a subtle one. He loves to sing and an ability to casually appreciate different artists and styles without making a big deal of it. He could love both early Metallica and Evanescene without a second thought.
It was actually his copy of System of a Down’s Toxicity (which he spun when my mom wasn’t around) that was probably the first thing to ever blow my mind or drastically shift my music paradigm. My friends have him to thank for my frequent, unannounced bursting into song.
Also, movies. I love movies. I love music in movies. That union is consistently one of my favorite things.
H: Do you recall the first album you purchased with your own money? Do you still own that record?
TH: I can’t recall specifically. I can only tell you that its singles were probably played on country radio regularly and that I definitely don’t own it anymore. The first Josh Turner and Dierks Bentley albums come to mind.
H: Most people at least appreciate music, but you’ve chosen to more or less dedicate your life to it. What lead you to chase a career in this industry?
TH: My love of music has been a slow burn, growing steadily over the years. Betweern high school and college, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what I wanted to do “when I grew up.” It always made sense to pursue a field that I already loved. Psychology and journalism were possibilities for a while; I still think about how I wanted to go to the University of Michigan for psychology.
In the end, though, a friend of mine off-handedly mentioned a “music industry management program.” After overcoming my shock that that’s a thing that exists, I just dove in. Everything I’ve done since that first decision has only reinforced my desire to work in some aspect of the music industry.
H: You’re already a head of many of your academic peers thanks to your efforts outside the classroom, including a pretty major role with your campus paper. Can you tell us a bit about your position and how it came to be?
TH: I was walking past the Starbucks during my first (summer) semester, and there was a sign that mentioned jobs. One of those was for the school paper. I’d already been blogging at Nothing Sounds Better for a while at that point, and I had previously been interested in journalism. It seemed like a logical step; college newspapers, like college radio stations, had become romanticized in my mind by movies and television.
Getting used to journalistic writing took a while, and coming up with interesting content with local ties can be a challenge in this area, but I’ve been working on it. The editor position opened up for the Arts and Entertainment section after my first year and the other returning writer for the section wasn’t interested in it. Again, it seemed like the logical step. Managing the content has always been at least almost as interesting to me as writing it, and this was a prime opportunity to learn.
H: Was The Torch your first experience in writing? If not, here did your cut your teeth as a journalist?
TH: I wrote a few contributor reviews for AbsolutePunk first. They were pretty terrible, but it was my entrypoint into music journalism. I thought that if I studied and wrote about music more often, my knowledge and taste would improve – and they did! A few AP users formed this tumblr called Nothing Sounds Better, and I was brought on as the sixth guy, someone to help provide some content. Somehow, I’ve worked my way up to running it, though it’s not as active as it once was. That ongoing experience has already opened a lot of doors for me.
H: What inspires you as a writer?
TH: I love words. For some, a smooth stroke of a baseball bat is what makes them swoon, or the successfully benching a weight they’ve never lifted before. Clever turns of phrase have always done that for me. As I read and write more, I grow to love even more things about writing, and the people who do it well are the ones who really inspire me.
The ability to tell a story or convey an emotion, to execute a complicated concept or maintain a theme – those are things I find fantastic. The ability to adapt to the proper writing style for the subject or medium (or, in my case, the ability to sneak some wit in wherever possible) is such a fun thing. It’s not just music journalism, either; I loved novels as a child, and now, with an always full schedule, I’ve grown to appreciate truly great short stories. Anything involving words, written or spoken, is a thing I probably devour.
H: As someone in college for the purpose of studying the music business you’re in a unique position to offer perspective on the industry. Do you think music as a whole is ‘doomed’ as people in the media like to claim?
TH: No, not at all! I think that’s preposterous. Music adapts, it always does. Physical media didn’t kill it, digital media didn’t kill it, pirating didn’t kill it. With the dips in sales, concerts have become the bigger moneymakers. People love music too much to let it die and, much to the chagrin of many of my favorite artists, I’m not sure the industry will ever collapse the way they hope and expect. It’ll continue to evolve. Sometimes it’ll do so quickly, sometimes poorly, and often in ways that those same small artists will despise, but it will survive. We just have to be better, smarter, more clever.
H: I know you’re still building your name, but you’ve already got a wealth of experience under your belt in multiple areas of the business. What is your current career goal, and how (if at all) has that changed or evolved since you started school?
TH: I’m open to a lot of things, but I’d ultimately love to have a steady job at a media outlet that covers music and other forms of entertainment (as steady as those jobs can ever really be). I’m not nearly the writer I need to be yet, but it gives me something to shoot for. I’ve been poor my whole life and lived off Wal-Mart wages for a while, so the low pay isn’t something that scares me.
It hasn’t changed a lot since school started. My eyes have just been opened to the many other areas I could work in and be happy.
H: There are a number of people who think the age of social media empowering everyone to share their voice has made professional critics somewhat unneeded. Do you agree? Explain your answer.
TH: I mean, it’s certainly something I think about. Much of my time is spent pouring through tumblrs run by kids who make nothing off this. I don’t wholly agree, though. Some people are simply so good at what they do, so skilled at conceiving a narrative and finding connections and all that, that I feel they’ll have a place as long as media itself is a thing. There’s always a niche market.
Also, I feel having those professionals (or “professionals,” depending on who you talk to) is important for the structure of media. I like having the big and small options, the expert and the amateur, the mainstream and the underground. They all have value and serve certain needs. They complement each other.
H: As someone graduating into this industry, what are your biggest fears? (aside from finding work, of course)
TH: Finding work is the big thing, really, because I’m open for working so many different jobs. I’m aware of low pay and high turnover, and as someone not interested in settling down or staying put, that excites me. I
I suppose I do have one fear bigger than that: failure. I want to succeed and take pride in my work, to know that what I’m doing is appreciated by and worthwhile to at least a few people out there.
H: You, like many people writing about music online, make little-to-no money for your efforts. With that in mind, why do it?
TH: I just love doing it. I learn so much, I find new music, I meet new people. Everyone needs a hobby. I just approach my hobby in the hopes of turning it into a job. Without music, writing, and reading, if you’re not having fun and doing what you love, what’s the point?
H: If you could offer one piece of advice to unsigned artists hoping to garner more attention for their efforts, what would it be?
TH: Either be interesting, good, or professional and concise. Don’t all-caps your emails, or send physical demos, or overdo it. Show interest and knowledge of the people you’re sharing your work with. “Hey, I love [insert site name],” “I loved that post you did on Kanye,” things like that.
H: When it comes to receiving new music for review or preview purposes, which service(s) do you prefer?
TH: It takes everything I have to avoid the caps lock here, but please please please include a soundcloud or bandcamp stream, or embed a youtube video. Don’t make people download or “like” anything. Make it as easy as possible. Reduce the amount of clicks needed.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
TH: Man, this is hard. I’ve taught myself to work with everything. Negativity. I love being as cutting and snarky as the next sassy blogger, but I try to keep it good-natured. Negative stories are an important part of the narrative – as with the amateur/professional writers, it’s important to have both sides present or represented – but I hate when we beat the negative stuff over everyone’s head when there are so many good stories to be shared.
H: Before we let you go, do you have any final thoughts to share or articles on the horizon we should look out for?
TH: Stay positive, be creative, expand your perspective, never stop working. Those are the big things I tell myself. Other than that, I’ll be keeping on with the Torch, NSB, and UTG for the foreseeable future. I’ll probably continue to brainstorm podcast ideas that I never get around to recording and cover Julia Holter’s music far more than anyone else’s.
Hey there, everyone! If you’re reading this it means you survived another work week and the weekend is just a few short hours away. It also means it’s time to bring you up to speed on all things Haulix, so let’s stop with the pleasantries and get to it!
The last few days have been extremely busy around Haulix HQ. Our new passcode system went live, and from everything we’ve gathered the transition appears to have occurred without any bugs or problems arising. Of course, if you have any questions about the new security measures at any time you can email james@haulix.com.
We are continuing to roll out updates to our software, and as such we have two major news items to discuss…
First, we just pushed out a small update that will help clients with multiple users accessing a single account. Starting today, publicists who login to an existing Haulix customer’s account who have limited access to one or more groups of contacts will now get prompted to easily transfer a contact to one of their groups when they try adding a contact that’s already exists in the Master Account holder’s list. This saves them the time and hassle of having to contact the Master Account and request that they manually move the contact into their group.
Secondly, on Saturday, October 26 between 12:00PM CST and 4:00PM CST we will be performing server patch upgrades. There will be a small window of downtime during the work when all services will be unavailable. We’ll announce on Twitter when we’re back up an running.
…And that about covers it for news. We should have a busy week of coverage next week, including a list of questions artists need to ask themselves before hiring publicists. If you missed any of this week’s posts, you can find a list of links below:
Hello, everyone! Welcome to the final Advice column of the week. We’ve had a lot of fun exploring various aspect of life as an artist in recent days, and in today’s post we’re going to focus on sharing your life with fans. If you have any suggestions for a future installment of this series, or if you have a question you would like to see tackled in the weeks ahead, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
People like to talk about how technology has changed the way we do things in life, but it has also dramatically impacted the way we relate and connect to one another as people. When The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show people watching at home had to put in A LOT of effort to learn about the band who had just blown them away on television. They had to find news articles on the group in big papers, or hope someone on another television program would mention or feature them in the future. There was no internet, no text messaging program, nothing.
Back then, even bands far less popular than The Beatles had a gap in their relationship with fans that no longer exists in the modern age. Now when people see someone on Jimmy Kimmel (or Kimmel’s YouTube channel) they can immediately learn everything about them, or at least how they are perceived, with a few simple clicks. They can download their discography while visiting the band’s website, then look up reviews of recent releases, return to YouTube for music videos, follow/like social media pages to ensure they never miss another update, and buy tickets to the group’s next performance without leaving the chair they were in when they first discovered said group 5-10 minutes prior. The capabilities of the internet are no doubt amazing, but unless you take an active approach to engaging those interested in your music the perception of your work will be left to the anonymous and numerous bloggers/commenters/journalists/etc lurking online. The best way to do that for the time being is with video, and in today’s post we’re going to look at what makes the role of video so important in your future promotional efforts.
First and foremost, video is far more entertaining than pretty much any other piece of content you can put online aside from new music (and if you’re releasing music in 2013 it better have a YouTube stream included). It’s the next best thing to interacting with you in person, and it offers your fans a chance to learn about the individual personalities that combine to create the art they love. You’re a band and a business, yes, but you’re people first and your fans want to feel like they know the human beings who feel the emotions being conveyed in the music.
As you begin to plan your video content, keep in mind that quality far outweighs quantity, and the better your promotional materials look the better your chances will be of getting said material featured on news sites. Journalists, like fans, are not all that interested in grainy cell phone videos shot in areas with lots of external noise. Spend some time researching affordable and transportable video setups, then find time each week/month to focus on connecting with your fans. You can take the straightforward route of having members update supporters on the latest developments, which should at least happen seasonally, or you can take a more creative route and deliver original content on a recurring basis. For some this means running a cover song series that asks fans to submit answers via social media (great cross-marketing trick), while for others it means a monthly Q&A based on questions submitted through Tumblr (also good cross- marketing).
The possibilities for video content are relatively endless, but if you start something it is of the utmost importance that you see it through. The updates, whatever they may be, are forging new connections with listeners who will expect to be given attention on a regular basis. This means new content, and as long as you can stick with it you will see those supporters begin to grow. Like falling in love with a television show, people who anxiously await for your updates will want to share their excitement with others. Keep it coming and the word will continue to spread.
We put together a bulleted tipsheet to help get you on the right track with your own video efforts. Some of the following points were inspired by our friends at Wistia, who know more about video than anyone we know, while others were crafted specifically for this column. If you have any questions, feel free to comment at the end of this post.
Keep your script conversational and write it in your own words.
Don’t be afraid to show your personality.
Don’t be afraid to try new things
Focus on content, not on polish; don’t be afraid to show that you’re fallible!
View every video you make as an opportunity to strengthen your relationship with fans
Make video consistently.
Ask viewers for input, and take what they have to say to heart.
Hello again! We are in the midst of a completely unplanned ‘Advice Week,’ and so far the feedback from our readers has been overwhelming. We hope to continue helping guide you through the ins and outs of the music industry in the months ahead, but today we’re going to talk about the end of your career and how you can ease the pain of saying goodbye. If you have a suggestion for a future installment of this column, or if you have a question you’d like us to tackle in the weeks ahead, please email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. You can also find us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
It is a hard fact to face, but just like everything else in life your group’s career in music will most likely one day come to an end. You could perform solo until you die (if that interests you, familiarize yourself with the life of Levon Helm), but it’s relatively safe to say your band will be calling it quits long before your AARP card arrives in the mail. When that happens you need to be prepared to share that decision with fans and others who are emotionally (or financially) attached to your efforts, and today we’re going to highlight a few essential steps that need to be taken in order to smoothly transition from band back to individuals who share a common bond in music.
Before we dive in it’s important to remember that every break up is different. Just like romantic entanglements that eventually fizzle, the inner-workings of groups are complex, and when it comes time to for that entity dissolve there are guaranteed to be broken heats along the way. You cannot please everyone or possibly hope to make it okay with diehard followers, but by following the three steps below you can ease the pain enough to bow out with your integrity in tact.
1. Always make an official announcement.
The responsibility of sharing your decision to quit playing music with your fellow band mates is entirely on you (the band). The only thing worse than a band break up on fans is living in fear the band they love may have fallen apart without even thinking to give notice to those who supported them throughout their career. Sit down with everyone who is still on good terms and craft an original, heartfelt message to announce the end of your time together. People need closure, and in order to have that they first need information. Give it to them.
2. Be honest, and do whatever you can to explain your decision to part ways without playing the blame game.
We all know of a band or two who parted ways on less than admirable terms, but whenever stories like that make headlines it tarnishes all the successes the group shared while together. People will always remember the way you said goodbye, so it’s important to make your announcement as informative and positive as possible. Sharing your news with fans should not be a time for finger-pointing, but rather a reflection on everything you have experienced together and a reveal as to what you each plan to do in the future. Through your musical endeavors together you have forged countless relationships the world over with people who believe in the emotions expressed through your art to such a degree they almost consider you friends, and as such they feel invested in your lives. They want to know everyone is better off for the change, and it’s your responsibility to help them feel at peace with the news. You, or at least your art, has potentially become a staple in their daily routine. Leaving things on an argumentative or otherwise sour note will spoil that connection for many who once felt close to your music.
3. Say thank you. A lot.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve been together a month or a decade, go out gracefully. There are many bands in the world, but for the time you existed people chose to give you their time (and money), and it’s important that you let them know their dedication was appreciated. Your creativity may have given you a dream to chase, but it’s because of their support that you were able to accomplish anything in this business at all. Your dreams were realized because of them. It may be over now and sure, there may be some hurt feelings, but for a fraction of their lives and yours you were connected. Don’t take that for granted.
Hello, everyone. Another afternoon has arrived and we’re prepared to inform/distract with an all-new Advice column that aims to help give you the leg up when it comes to promoting your videos online. If you have an idea for a future installment of this column, or if you have a question you’d like us to tackle, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts.
There are endless possibilities as far as creative ways to promote new video content is concerned, but none of that matters in the slightest if you do not understand the basic ins and outs of YouTube. Yes, we’re all aware sites like Vimeo and DailyMotion are on the rise, but for the sake of today’s column we’re going to address those posting content to the crown jewel of Google’s user-generated media empire. Thousands of hours of content are uploaded daily, and in this article we’re going to provide some basic tips for maximizing your exposure.
My career in music largely involves writing and artist/event promotion, so when people began asking about help with video content I knew it would be wise to consult with someone far more active in that area of the business. I reached out to recently featured blogger Joshua Weilding, founder of Digital Tour Bus, and he was kind enough to assist me in putting together today’s list. If you have any questions, please comment at the end of this post.
Before we begin: If you have been skipping YouTube in your promotional efforts for any reason up to this point, stop reading immediately and create an account. YouTube is the most popular site for video online by a wide margin, and while that means fiercer competition it also means it has the biggest pool of potential new fans. Now, onto the list…
1. Use relevant tags (aka ‘you’re not a cute kitten – get over it’)
After you upload a new video, YouTube allows you to add as many tags as you would like. The goal of this tool is to help the site better service your video to people searching related criteria on their site, but all too often young artists use this section of the site to attempt at cashing in on popular tags (kitten, sex, Drake, etc.) in hopes of grabbing a few extra views. This promotional method rarely, if ever works, and for as long as you leave these irrelevant tags attached to your video they will be visible to those checking out your page. Do you want tricked clicks, or do you want the attention of people searching for new music? Choose wisely.
2. Reply to people who comment on your video
In an age where bands have fans contacting them from at least 3 social networking sites (Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook) at all hours of the day it can be hard to wrap your head around the notion of adding a fourth to the list, but YouTube comments should be a priority for every member of your group. Especially if you’re just starting out, damning or negative comments can have a severe impact on the way people engage with your content. By talking with people, both the supporters and haters, you begin to forge bonds with listeners that can have unknown returns in the days, weeks, and months that follows.
If none of the above appeals to you as a solid reason to engage this audience, consider the fact YouTube’s algorithm for ranking on search pages takes the interaction rates of videos into consideration. The more you communicate, the higher you rank. There are not many places in the social networking landscape where that is the case, so use YouTube as a way to gain a foothold with new listeners and over time it will extend to other areas of your online presence.
3. Sharing is caring, and that goes for press coverage as well.
No one was ever discovered without doing something to promote themselves first. If you want your video to succeed you’re going to have to promote it, and that includes doing whatever you can to gain the attention of blogs/journalists. The more backlinks a video has, the better it will rank.
Tumblr is especially useful as far as social sharing is concerned. Whenever a video is reblogged it counts as a separate backlink, and that number can grow significantly in a small amount of time of posted to the right account.
Hello and welcome to the beginning of an all-new week of music industry insight here on the official blog of Haulix. We’re turning the tables just a bit this afternoon and kicking things off with a brand new Advice column that aims to put one digital debate to rest for good. If you or someone you know has an idea for a future installment of this column, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your suggestion.
Like it or not, there is definitely something to be said for artists who have the ability to amass a large online following without the help of a record label or top 40 single. Labels and managers love this kind of artist because it paints the perception of a successful, or at least well-liked artist even though everyone knows Facebook likes and Twitter followers do not correlate in any way to sales or actual financial success. Still, in a business where image means a lot there are those who are willing to do anything to raise the numbers associated with their so-called digital ‘supporters,’ and all too often that means turning to companies that offer guaranteed likes/follows for a price. These businesses may seem legit, but today we’re going to look at 4 reasons why going this route almost always ends badly for the artist.
1. Engagement means more than your like or follower count ever will.
You know that saying about how you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot force it to drink? The same goes for gaming your social media stats. You can make it seem like 25,000 people love your one-man band from the middle of nowhere, but you cannot force their nonexistent bodies to show up at your next gig. Likewise, unless you go all-in and decide to buy followers as well as social engagement (plays on Youtube, streams on Facebook, etc. – it’s all possible for a price) it will not take long for the actual, living people who view your profile to notice a severe discrepancy between followers and people interacting with your account.
2. You increase the risk of spamming actual fans.
The idea of giving some unknown entity twenty dollars in exchange for 10,000 followers seems relatively catch-free, but anyone digging into the agreement users make when signing up for these companies will notice they more often than not require clients to allow the company to post on their behalf. That mean that at some point down the line, likely when you expect it the least, messaging will be blasted from your account to everyone connected with your group. If you’re on Twitter, this often means mass private messaging, which most people will report as spam. When that happens enough the fine folks at Twitter HQ will shutdown your account, and upon review of your activity it’s likely your recent ‘social boost’ will come to light. That will result in the loss of your account, and at that point you’ll be even worse off than when you began.
3. No one wants to work with someone who is trying to game the music industry.
No one holding a position in music that can help your career is stupid. That should go without saying, but click around the social media accounts of unsigned artists long enough and you’re bound to find dozens boasting followings that in no way reflect their actual status as performers. These people brag endlessly about their hype ‘on the streets,’ and for awhile this tactic may work, but there are a growing number of tools that industry professionals are using to unmask those hiding behind fake followers. People who are caught or discovered to be engaging in this practice of gaming social stranding are often blacklisted from many press outlets, and we’ve even heard from multiple PR reps who claim they have refused to work with artists in the past because they suspected them of boosting their stats.
4. You will get caught.
Music is hard for everyone, and that includes both professionals and artists. Those who make a career in this industry have worked extremely hard to get that far and they do not take kindly to people who try to cheat the system. Do the work. Post interesting content whenever you’re able, engage with the people who are already following your efforts, and over time you will begin to organically develop an online following. Anyone promising you a massive social media change over night is either lying to you or withholding key details that will eventually come back to haunt you.
Hello, everyone. I know we usually post our company updates on Friday, but we’re rolling out something special over the weekend that we felt deserved a post of its own. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and/or LinkedIn so you never miss another post.
Security is key at Haulix, and we have an important update on that topic to with you this afternoon. In the coming days we will be pushing out a new security feature that will prevent damage as a result of contacts sharing their invitation links. All other layers of Haulix security will remain unchanged. This is just another barrier to tighten up security and prevent leaking.
So, what is happening?
Good question. Currently, when a contact views a promo they can click on “Available Promos” in the upper right corner of the screen. This button allows them to view all the promos they have been sent from Haulix customers.
When this new feature goes live, contacts who click this button will be prompted to enter a 4-digit passcode. If they don’t have one or forget it, that’s okay. We’ve made it easy for contacts to create a new passcode (and it only takes a minute). This feature is for people in customer contact lists only. No action is required by Haulix customers.
Just to be clear – Promo pages from email invitation will not be passcode protected. Contacts are only prompted to enter their 4-digit code when attempting to view all of their promos through Haulix.
Our plan is to roll out this feature over the weekend. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts.
