The 5 Big QR Code Mistakes

QR codes seem to be all the rage these days, but that doesn't mean that just because you have one it will be effective. In case you don't know, QR codes are basically graphic analog weblinks that you can place on merch and packaging that will take anyone with a scanner app on their smart phone automatically to your website.

Mashable recently ran an article about the "5 Big Mistakes To Avoid On Your QR Coding" that I've adapted more for the music business.

Mistake 1: Not Testing The Code. Always test the proofs of your code with a variety of smartphones and scanning apps before you release it. A code that's too small (less than an inch) will often be too dense to scan if you’ve encoded a longer URL. Using bit.ly or goo.gl to automatically generate a short URL QR code is an easy fix.

Mistake 2: Getting Too Fancy With Text. QR codes can contain text as well as links, but if your goal is to get people to a mobile web experience, you should keep the  encode to a short URL. Don’t include any plain text, since many barcode scanners  may not read the link. Think of the QR code as a physical hyperlink that every barcode scanner should be able to immediately “click.” If your QR code requires the user to do much more than point and scan to arrive at the intended content, you’re probably doing it wrong.

Mistake 3: Serving Up Non-Mobile Pages. If your QR code scans successfully but you’ve pointed the user to a standard desktop website, that's a mistake. 99.9% of QR codes are scanned by a mobile device, so make sure your link is mobile ready.

Mistake 4: Putting QR Codes Where There's No Data Signal. I recently had this happen at a recent NAMM show. I went into a manufacturer's very well-laid out room that had QR codes on every product. The problem was that there was no data reception in the room so the QR codes wouldn't work. That was a lot of effort for nothing for the manufacturer, and a lot of frustration for the user.

Mistake 5: Not Offering Enough Value. The proper mindset is to reward the user for scanning your QR code. There's no point in taking someone to a page that's a standard home page URL or a digital copy of your flyer. You want to link to something much more than that. The most compelling campaigns tend to offer one or more of the following:

• Exclusive rich media, videos and photos
• Exclusive or time-sensitive access
• Free downloads or swag
• “Instant Win” contests
• Special offers, coupons or gifts
• “Secret” information
• Deep integration with social media to activate viral loops

QR codes are cool and may be seen as cutting edge, but like so many things in marketing, they don't do you much good unless you implement them well. Make sure you think of these 5 mistakes before you design your next QR code campaign.

----------------------------------

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.
Check out my Big Picture blog for daily discussion of music, recording, and production tips and tricks.

10 Steps To Branding Your Band

I spotted this list on Unified Packaging's website regarding some steps to branding your band. The company specializes in CD and merch packaging, but they also have some pretty good artist tips as well. I took their list and redid it a bit to come up with the following branding steps.

1. Have A Remarkable Logo. This is the first requirement if you’re planning to promote your band. You need this for your website, social sites, merchandise, for your stage during gigs…everything! You may start promoting yourself without it but it’s a big plus if you already have a logo. It separates you from the newbies and people will have an impression that you are a big fish.

2. Make Sure Your Website Reflects Your Music And Personality. Your website layout should reflect your music and your personality as a band. Try to be unique and remarkable with the fonts, copy, icons, and the overall look. Try to challenge the stereotypes of your genre without leaving it.

3. Make A Fashion Statement. KISS, Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson - These guys are aware that they should use their bodies to promote their music. You cannot just wear whatever you want if you want to be known for your fashion but you do not have to be over the top like Lady Gaga either. A simple accessory like a big hat can make a big difference.

4. Have Some Cool Band Photos. All bands that aspire to become big need conceptual band photos for posters, merch, website, social networks, press kits, and a lot more. This is as important as the logo- you need this in order to start any kind of promotion. Let’s try the most basic- Facebook. Have you ever seen a facebook page without any band photos?

5. Have Some Creative CD Packaging. If you’re planning to release an album soon, then you better start thinking about the CD packaging. Your CD will likely be displayed in record stores, in your website, in online stores so your packaging better be impressive.

6. Have A Vinyl Release. If you want to go one step higher and if you think you have fans who are willing to spend, then release a limited edition vinyl. This will make your band look more handsome.

7. Have Some Fun Giveaways. Give your fans cool stuff that don't cost a lot during your gigs. Some bands give their fans cards and giveaways during the holidays. Here are some unique band giveaways to inspire you.

8. Have A Blog. The best way to captivate your audience, aside from your music, is thru stories. Tell them stuff about your day and your opinions about the latest issues. Show your human side and not just the “music machine” side. It will make them like you more.

9. Your Music Videos Should Reflect Your Band's Personality. Your music video should have personality if you want to create a brand. Try to aim for viral success by getting extra creative. Do not just make music videos that are forgettable. There are millions of ways to make your video unique so explore.

10. Have Some Graphic Tees and Merch. If your logo is not yet that popular, go for really cool-looking graphic shirts then just put your name and a small logo somewhere. Make sure your designs match your personality and make sure they’re the kinds that your fans would love to have. Same goes with your merch and stickers.

I think I could have come up with another 10 steps that have to do with social media and marketing, since these steps are pretty much dedicated to what Unified Packaging does, but this is a pretty good starting point and we'll leave that for another blog.

----------------------------------

Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Check out my Big Picture blog for daily discussion of music, recording, and production tips and tricks.

The Fire That Killed The Music Business

One of the sad byproducts of the London riots of the past few days is the catastrophic fire that burned a huge three-story, 215,000 square-foot building in Enfield to the ground. The building was owned by Sony DADC and held CDs and DVDs distributed by the Pias Group. Pias, one of the largest international music distributors, stored the CDs of more than 150 indie labels at the facility. All told, it's estimated that more than 30 million CDs were destroyed. It's not known exactly how much of the loss is insured.

While Sony will survive since they have product stored at other locations, this could mean the death knell for many of the labels who depend upon the income from CDs. Of course, the last thing the music business needs is to lose any indie labels at the moment. Bands like Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys and Oasis are also directly affected, as product will mostly likely not be available to support their summer tours as a result of the fire.

So much is made of digital music these days as it's always forefront in the news, but the fact of the matter is that huge numbers of CDs still sell every year. Remember that over 326 million of the shiny plastic discs were sold just in the US in 2010 alone. While digital sales seem to be as large, that income to a label is a tenth (at best) of what a CD brings in. Take away that income from a label that's probably already teetering, and you've just put a knife in its heart. It's hard to find a silver lining in any of this at the moment.

----------------------------------

Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Check out my Big Picture blog for daily discussion of music, recording, and production tips and tricks.

Spotify Is A Hit So Far

Despite some different numbers from different sources, it looks like Spotify has found an audience, at least in the early going. While Billboardbiz.com estimates that the music service, which launched on July 14th, has amassed at least one million total users in just three weeks, AppData claims the total is closer to 2.1 million total users.

Either of these are impressive stats, but the most important figure is 70,000. That's the number of paying subscribers to Spotify after only the first week that it was available in the US.

Some see paid subscription like this as the savior of the music biz, while others see it as just another boulder pulling it down. On the one hand, if there are enough paid subscribers, the music business could be considered healthy again. A round number thrown about is 100 million at $10 per month, which comes out to $12 billion a year. While this might be great for the major labels, it's yet to be determined just how much of that the artists, publishers, and indies will see. If history holds true, it will be a pittance as always.

Spotify expects to have 50 million users in the US within an year. How many of those will be subscribers? If today's numbers stay on course that only amounts to 3.5 million users, well below projected 100 million. Then again, if Apple supplements its soon to be launched iCloud with some sort of streaming subscription service, those numbers just may be within reach.

Once again, this is still probably not great news for the artist, since the streaming royalty rate is so small ($.0012 - or about a tenth of a cent per stream) that an artist with a giant hit may only expect enough money to buy a nice dinner, if that. Another example of Music 3.0, and why an artist's supplemental income is so important.

----------------------------------

Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Check out my Big Picture blog for daily discussion of music, recording, and production tips and tricks.

Why The $.99 Price Point?

Did you ever wonder why Apple chose $0.99 as the base price for a song on iTunes? There's actually some sound retail psychology behind it.

Many studies (such as ones from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and MIT's Sloan School of Management) have shown that a price ending in $x.99 makes a product's price look more attractive than one that's rounding up to a full $x.00 amount, which is why you see so many prices at stores in the mall end in either $.99, $.98, or even $.95. If a piece of clothing is priced at $9.99, it has a much better chance of selling than at $10.00, according to the theory. You even see this with high ticket items like cars, with prices like $24,995 because it doesn't break the psychological barrier of $25k.

When it comes to buying a song, $0.99 cents just seems a lot less than a dollar, even though it's almost the same. The same holds true of Amazon song pricing at $0.69, which still seems less than $0.70. We've been trained by years of buying at retail to look for that "9" at the end of the price tag. It's just comfortable to us.

That said, in this age of credit card, Paypal and Square transactions where no physical currency changes hands, it would seem that perhaps this practice is heading for scrap heap. When you purchase something at a store with currency and get change back, even if it's a penny, you feel like you've somehow received a deal. Purchase the same item with a credit card in a currency-free transaction, that feeling no longer exists.

What do you think? Is the $x.99 price a relic of the past? Do you feel better purchasing at that price instead of a full even-dollar amount?

----------------------------------

Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Check out my Big Picture blog for daily discussion of music, recording, and production tips and tricks.

60% Of Warners Artists Have 360 Deals

On a recent earnings call Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman revealed an interesting statistic; 60% of all their artists now have 360 deals with the labels. For those of you who've not been paying attention, a 360 deal is when the record label shares in all of your revenue streams from touring, merchandise, publishing, films, etc., and not just from music sales.

This is sort of like having your uncle who owns a clothing store be your manager. He may be able to get you into some nice stage clothes and even supply you with some dough for recording or tour support, but what does he know enough about the rest of the music business to help you at all? Same goes for signing a 360 deal with a major. They're not even that good with selling music these days, why trust them with everything else?

Bronfman also went on to say that a full 50% of their revenue came from areas of the business that did not exist in 2004, with the previously mentioned 360 deals a part of that.

Despite all the bluster, WMG still lost $46 million dollars last quarter, which they're touting as some sort of victory since they lost $55 million last year at this time. About the only good thing that I could see was that their total digital revenue grew 13% to $203 million, but that doesn't matter much when your bottom line is in the red.

The interesting thing about all of this is that WMG is in the running to buy at least some of the assets of EMI, who's price seems to be actually increasing by the day (supposedly there are at least 10 bidders, which is a total surprise). Warner's still has over $2 billion in debt, and even though new owner Russian billionaire Len Blavatnik has some mighty deep pockets, this isn't the part of the industry that I'd be speculating on, especially with such a high debt ceiling.

Another thing that's interesting is that Bronfman mentioned how "early traction is encouraging" when speaking about streaming service Spotify. That's all well and good, but believe me, no one's going to get rich on streaming music, especially after the first big license fee that a label takes in. It sounds like a good story to the stock analysts though, as major labels keep on dangling that carrot, and people still appear to be trying to catch it.

Bottom line - WMG lost a ton of money last quarter despite a big rise in digital music revenue. That one fact says it all.

----------------------------------

Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Check out my Big Picture blog for daily discussion of music, recording, and production tips and tricks.

5 Tips For Fan Motivation

The other day I spotted a nice post on Hypebot regarding turning your fans into marketers. It came from Sanjay Dholakia, CEO of Crowd Factory, who posted about motivating your fans in such a way that they become guerrilla marketers for your brand. "How To Turn Your Superfans Into Guerrilla Marketers," written by Dholakia, is a quick intro to the concept of the "superfan" or "your tribe" and how they will market for you if they're rewarded appropriately.

In brief, these are his 5 tips for superfan motivation (my take in italics):

1. Offer exclusive content. This can be behind-the-scenes videos, song remixes or outtakes, special invites to shows or after-show parties, or any number of other possibilities. The fact of the matter is, a true fan loves even the smallest detail, and that can be used to your advantage.

2. Raise the rewards as sharing increases. The more the fan markets for you, the more he/she is rewarded, which increases the motivation yet again.

3. Provide a platform for expression and reward that activity. This is necessary for growing your tribe. Your fans need a forum both to talk to you and to each other.

4. Recognize loyalty with prizes and public status. A shout out from stage, on a blog, tweet, Facebook post or just about anywhere else goes a long way to maintaining that loyalty.

5. Help them do good. Help your fans give and volunteer for a good cause.

The first four items are points that I have espoused both on this blog and in my book, Music 3.0: A Survival Guide For Making Music In The Internet Age. They're the basis for the tribal concept of fans as set out by Seth Godin, and are necessary to maintaining and growing any fan base. The 5th point is new in that it also adds a charity element to the others. People enjoy giving to and volunteering for good causes, which can add extra luster to your brand that can go beyond the benefits of the other 4 points.

Follow these simple tips and you'll find that not only will you keep your fans, but they'll help recruit even more for you. 

----------------------------------

Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Check out my Big Picture blog for daily discussion of music, recording, and production tips and tricks.

The Big Money Artists Won't See

If you're signed to a major label you already know how hard it is to get paid, and how much harder it is to get what you're owed. It's in the DNA of labels to find every reason not to pay you, but I bet you thought you'd get a nice payday when you heard that Apple paid the majors a $150 million license fee for iCloud or then Spotify also made a large deal as well.

Here's the sad truth. Record labels only pay royalties on sales. A blanket license deal like Apple and Spotify just paid is not seen as a sale, so all of that money goes to the bottom line of the label, and none towards the artists.

How about the extra money generated by the yearly subscription fee to iCloud? Not a sale, so no royalties. How about from the Amazon and Google cloud services? They never signed a license agreement and paid any money in the first place, so no royalties.

Still want to sign with (or be signed to) a major label?

----------------------------------

Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Check out my Big Picture blog for daily discussion of music, recording, and production tips and tricks.

Google+ Circles For Artists

I spotted this great article from Scott Horton on Music Think Tank recently about Google+. Of the many tips, the ones I like the best were about Circles, on the the most powerful features of the new service. Take a look. You can read the rest of the article here.

"Circles is where the magic of Google+ takes place. You can create as many Circles as you want, and add people by simply dragging their info into a Circle. Once your Circles are created, you can share content to select Circles as well as view content streams from specific circles. Artists should start by importing their mailing list addresses into Google+, posting their info on their existing marketing channels (facebook, twitter), and inviting those not yet using the service to join. 

Now that you have your contacts, it is time to organize your Circles. It should be noted that your Circles are private, so others cannot view or be offended by your organizational decisions. Some possible Circles include:

1. Industry Representatives: You probably only want to share updates concerning your latest releases, videos, and press content with industry folk who may be following you as they are less concerned about the burrito you just consumed.
2. Fans: This is where you can share the content your fan base enjoys reading. Let them know about your whereabouts, experiences, touring or recording progress, post photos and music etc…
3. Breakdown the Fan Circle into smaller circles to have more defined targeting. For example, create Circles for different areas of the country and international fans to ensure you aren’t over promoting shows to fans thousands of miles away. If your fan base includes young teens, young adults, and older adults, consider categorizing these contacts as well. Each group prefers to be spoken to in different tone and filled in on different activities. Sometimes even male and female Circles make sense.
4. Other artists: Much like yourself, other artists are learning from experiences, trying out new marketing ideas, using new services etc…Follow what others are doing and share what you know with others in your position. 
5. Following: Much like Twitter, you can follow others without being Circled back. This is good for keeping up with informative figures who may not call for reciprocal sharing. 

Knowing which content your various Circles enjoy receiving will help ensure that only the most suitable posts make it to their stream."

You can read the entire article here.

----------------------------------

Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Check out my Big Picture blog for daily discussion of music, recording, and production tips and tricks.

The Concert Industry Is Feeling The Heat

The concert industry has always felt recession proof. The theory was that in bad times, people still purchase entertainment to take their minds off their troubles. This may be so, but last year the concert industry found that there's a limit to how much they can spend, regardless of the entertainment.

"2010... was the single largest year-over-year decline in the history of the live event business, straight up, in the 35 year history of Ticketmaster and I think anywhere else," said Ticketmaster CEO Nathan Hubbard in a recent  interview with Topspin CEO Ian Rogers.  "You have to take a step back and say, 'Why? What is the fan telling us that isn't right about the business?'"   

I guess Nathan hasn't purchased a ticket to an event lately. Not only are events of all types overpriced, but the extra "convenience" charges are a serious impediment to people purchasing. I know I personally won't buy any ticket that if I have pay a convenience charge on.

"We've got a fan experience problem, first and foremost. There are things about buying the ticket that suck.  There are things about going to the show that suck. Price is still an issue for fans."

OK, let's start by not charging for printing out your own ticket (this is such a ridiculous charge it defies logic). How about instituting paperless ticketing to keep the scalpers out of the business (none of the lame excuses of why it doesn't work hold water)? How about an all-in-one ticket that includes parking and beverages? How about a discount if you choose one of these?

It's great that Ticketmaster is aware of these problems, but let's see them finally do something about it. Don't hold your breath though, they don't care about you, only their shareholders. This is another example that proves that any company in the entertainment sector that goes public ends up being bad for the public. You can't dictate creativity in any part of the entertainment business from the boardroom.

----------------------------------

Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Check out my Big Picture blog for daily discussion of music, recording, and production tips and tricks.

The Press Section Of Your Website

I'm constantly amazed at the number of brands (which includes artists and bands as well as companies) that don't have a proper "Press" section on their website that contains all the information that a journalist or blogger might need when writing a story. I speak from personal experience as a writer in that I'm always surprised with I can't find on a typical site, instead of what I can.

Many brands think that just having a list of press releases is enough, but they're sadly mistaken (especially when the releases are not well organized to begin with, which is so sadly typical). You have to make available anything about your brand that you think might be needed, no matter how mundane, because sometimes the smallest item can make the biggest difference in how the article is written.

I've talked a lot about the website press section in my books Music 3.0: A Survival Guide For Making Music In The Internet Age and The Musician's Video Handbook, so here are some of the essential items that every website press section should have:

• High resolution color and black and white photos that can be used for print. Yes, print is dying, but it's still with us and can have a huge impact. You never know when you or your product will get a mention in a newspaper, magazine or book.

• Low resolution color photos and graphics for websites and blogs. A picture says a thousand words and you'd rather someone use one of yours on their blog or website than just supplying a link. Make it easy for them, but giving them a variety to choose from.

• Your logo. It's surprising how often this is overlooked, but it's just as important as your photos and other graphics.

• A biography. Maybe you have an "About Us" or "About Me" section on the website or blog, but a more complete bio, or even a link to it from the press section, makes finding background info about you, your band or company a lot easier for the writer. The easier it is, the more likely it will be used.

• Quotes from the media. Great quotes about you or your product are also big with writers, since it adds credibility. Limit the quotes to those that are unique though. 10 quotes that all say the same, "You're the greatest," have a lot less impact than one, but it's OK to use it if it says the same thing in a unique way.

• Links to any interviews. No need to have the entire interview on your site as a writer will probably not read it unless he needs some additional facts that he can't find anywhere else.

• Scans of just 3 or 4 of your best press clippings. Once again, less is more. 10 press clippings that say the same thing tends to actually diminish credibility. 3 or 4 seems about the right number to add to give the writer sufficient information.

• PDF of adverts, promo flyers and posters. This has a dual purpose in that its additional info for the writer but can also be used virally by fans. Many "superfans" will print these out and distribute in their area if asked (more on this in an upcoming post).

• Web ready graphics and banners in a variety of sizes. If you're doing any online campaigns (either advertising or fan-based viral), these can make it quite easy to be up and running in no time since everything is readily available.

• Press releases. These are only helpful for a writer if they contain enough background information on a subject so details are important. It's also easier for a writer if they're grouped by type (personnel, products, events, etc.) instead of by date.

It’s a fact that the easier you make it for a writer or an editor, the more likely you’ll get covered. Having these tools easily available will increase your chances of getting media coverage.

By the way, I don't believe in making this info only available to writers approved by management. Make it available to everyone as it can lead to unforeseen viral opportunities. Just keep it up to date (I know how difficult that is, but you've got to try), and your press section is good to go.

----------------------------------

Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Check out my Big Picture blog for daily discussion of music, recording, and production tips and tricks.

8 Tips To Start Marketing On Google+

Google+ has become the hot new girl in school and everybody wants to be her friend. It's getting traction because it's a Google product, but only to a very small degree. Google has had other products die before (Google Video, Google Buzz, Google Wave) despite their reach, but this one is different. Something just feels so right about it that people seem to be flocking to something they really didn't want or need - another social network.

That being said, it's still too early to put up anything but a personal page, since Google has informed everyone that current artist, band or brand profiles will deleted when they introduce their official brand profiles sometime in the near future (take that as a warning - don't do it yet).

That being said, there's no time like the present to begin planning your Google+ marketing. PRNewser offered these 8 marketing tips. Some are a bit lame, but worth a quick read anyway.

1. Be prepared. Have your brand’s profile ready and put up as soon as permitted.

2. Update your content on various media sites. Google+ has a smoother design to integrate feeds from multiple sources, so review your content on YouTube, Twitter, and other social sites. It should be up-to-date and relevant.

3. Keep an open mind. It may seem like just another task on a lengthy to-do list, but Google+ can prove valuable in new ways. Don’t begin by thinking in the Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn mindset.

4. Take advantage of improved editing control. Facebook’s limited status editing, which only offers deletion, is expanded on Google+, to allow changes to updates once posted.

5. Get your brand’s name out there now while everyone is in love with the site. Once glitches or aggravations come about, the public will be loud and vocal about Google’s failings.

6. Make your name as a Google+ pioneer. Just as Ford Motor Company has been heralded as the first company on Google+, use early adoption as proof of your social media credibility.

7. Add rapidly to your circles. People who are using Google+ are spending a lot of time on the network to get better acquainted. Search for those you know, and don’t know, to follow.

8. Finally, enjoy the process. This tool is in its infancy, so use other’s mistakes to learn the best practices, and have fun while you are at it.

----------------------------------

Help support this blog. Any purchases made through our Amazon links help support this website with no cost to you.

You should follow me on Twitter for daily news and updates on production and the music business.

Check out my Big Picture blog for daily discussion of music, recording, and production tips and tricks.