The Mysterious Truth About Music Promotion: How to Advance Your Music

The majority of people have been in the music industry will never tell you how to really promote your music. There's a lot of competition out there, and they'd rather not reveal all the secrets of music promotion. Many just want to sell you something, so they provide you with misleading information about promoting your music. In this article, I'm gonna share some of what I've learned in over 15 years as a rapper, artist, and performer. I'll share only the things that work and debunk a few myths that many have told you.

Getting Started with Promoting

You need to come to grasp with the fact that this is an industry that breeds success when you learn as much as you can about it. I have never believed that I know it all, so I continue to read, listen, and watch videos daily to improve my skills.

The hip-hop industry isn't just about talent; it's also about business and how you present yourself as a brand. You need to commit to learning about marketing, branding, and all of the regular stuff like being a great artist, performer, and musician.

Selling Records

Even if you don't become famous worldwide, you can still make a substantial amount of money by selling your music or collecting ad revenue for streams.

Take note that I said "selling music," and didn't mention "making music" or "making friends," but "sell records." The better I become at internet marketing, the more I sell, it's as simple as that.

The same applies to making beats; the more you instrumentals you push out and list online, the more you can focus on perfecting the sound. Honestly, most musicians got the talent part covered, but most don't take the time to enhance their skills in other areas, like business and marketing. I have met producers with over 1000 beats on their computers, or recording artists with 100s of songs, yet none of them are being heard anywhere.

Additional Ventures and Diversifying Your Income

It pays off 10 fold to venture into other areas a musician wouldn't normally think of because it gives you longevity in the industry if the industry experiences a down turn. Album flops, new artists taking market share, and a ton of other events that could bring down those album sales and you're gonna be glad when you have a back up.

I may have started as a rapper, but I also wrote books and dabbled in independent films. Just 2 examples of how you can expand your brand (you). Every person is different. It's best to find your additional natural talents and things you like doing and monetize those.

Consider yourself a brand when it comes to promoting your music. When you engage in music promotion, I strongly advise you to follow the lead of major companies rather than your friends selling their music on the street corner. You are who you surround yourself with. Remeber that.

Planning Your Career

The most important thing you can do to promote your music is to plan. Let me reiterate: plan, plan, plan.

There are numerous paths to explore during the music process, making it easy to get distracted by othere ideas and ventures. If you're making money in a different area, it's always wise to switch ventures for life purposes.

I don't fall for promotions that are not part of my plan. When promoting your music, ask yourself questions like: Who will I reach? How can I reach them? When should I reach out?

Create a mission statement that says what you stand for and what actions you want your audience to take. Another crucial step is to document everything you can about your audience. Which stores do they frequent? Which clubs do they attend? What are their preferences? This knowledge will help you reach them better.

Here are a few secrets I've discovered: you can actually advertise on TV through cable commercials. You can also create your own DVD show, just like I did, or your own magazine. You need to do something that will make you stand out. Imagine seeing a green pig on a farm—wouldn't that be worth sharing? Be the green pig when promoting your music, but always remain true to yourself. You are unique, so never forget it.