Mailbox blogging 2: artist promotion standard response

OH SO YOU WANT ONLINE INTERNET ARTIST MUSICIAN BAND PROMOTION MARKETING MANAGEMENT DO YOU? 
 
(it’s keyword time haha!)

Okay coming up is my new standard reply form letter. It helps people learn about EXACTLY what I offer so they dont ask me too many dumb questions. (which is inevitable, but I rather they pay for it first)
AND as I’ve said, you gotta keep updating your blog so I’m posting outta my gmail.

So yeah, too many artists, not enough Matt! It’s a problem right now!
This is the thing if I meet demand by raising my fees again or lowering the quality of my service, is that good for my business?

I’m getting tough on artists and fronting up. What I do, takes a long time to actually work and requires your involvement. I can’t really do that much for you in 3 months.

I’m sorry,  I can’t!  Providing value online is not about cashing in on overnight success. It’s about growing something that provides true and lasting value slowly and winning peoples trust and respect enough to profit from that.
This post is also about another point. My website is never finished (in fact it’s actually down right now but lets not get too worried) My standard response letter is never finished.

I am constantly revising, updating, tweaking, both my website and the standard letters and all elements of the marketing process for optimum communication efficiency and results. As in – results in my bank account.

First you gotta build a website.

THEN you gotta get people to come to it.

THEN you gotta get those people to engage with the content and respond with their minds and wallets.

Not so simple!!!! Thats going to take longer than 3 months. It is. 

That is why you are constantly revaluating, revising all elements of the marketing process for optimisation, for results. A pretty website doesn’t make people want to spend.

Connecting them with the message they want to hear and the feeling they want to have does.

 
Hi  there person who has emailed me wanting to spend money, thanks for your email!

Yes, this is a standard response email from me, Matt @ Kurb for artists who have made their first enquiry about our online promotion and digital services for artists.

Currently there is high demand for the unique specialised services we offer to a limited group of artists so it’s important to me that potential clients understand the nature of what we provide to ensure the best service.

The digital promotion and revenue management service we provide is not a quick fix, it’s not a shot in the arm, it is not about creating hype. It is long term, it is accumulative, it is sustainable, it is highly specialised to the individual client. It is about building a presence and exposure online, engaging fans, and creating revenue in innovative new ways.

 

The service we offer is currently based on a strictly limited number of artists who pay a monthly fee of between $US100-300 p/month, 1 month in advance.  

Commonly, we ask an act to commit to an initial campaign of 3 months at $US500, but because of recent demand and our reluctance to turn clients away in view of the need for long term sustained promotion, we have introduced a new low intensity entry level package of US$100 p/month so we can begin groundwork on long term strategies, and familiarising ourselves with what the artist and their target audience is “about”.
Our digital services are based on the following concepts:
Automation: We are experienced using a wide variety of exclusive software, services and techniques so we can maximise your exposure through many common internet channels, Myspace, Youtube, Google Searches and much more. Our focus is on targeted, useful, fan friendly interaction and functional, efficient content distribution, not thoughtless spam.

Implementation and Support: Often artists have specialised needs, that’s what unique about Kurb. Our experience using all the latest digital and online trends means we work with you to establish all the elements of your online platforms for distribution and sale of mp3’s and other digital products, your website, blogging, advertisng platforms – everything you need to develop online as a serious artist now and in the future. There are also practical areas of photoshop, web coding, copywriting, profile design and other areas of consulting which we can support you with depending on the specific needs of the artists.

Coaching Strategy: Building a strategy starts to happen at least a month or two into promotions. Initially I answer artists questions and offer tips specific to the artist in developing habits that will produce a momentum – for example blogging advice is a biggie.

But once platforms are established and automated promotion tools are ticking over its time to really focus and examine the use of these platforms and tools into strategies based around certain goals, where we want fans to go, what we want them to do, and building hooks and propositions around those outcomes.

Research: Being ahead of the pack isn’t enough for us – our unique and forward looking service is continually developing. New promotion tools, strategies, techniques and offers are becoming available as the digital revolution rolls on and I truly believe one of the best reasons clients should get involved with kurb is not just what we’re doing now, but because we are the  promotions company preparing artists for the future

 
Needless to say please reply with any further questions, but I must remind you I can’t just quickly explain many elements of how online promotion works, it is multi layered and complex, I get a lot of enquiries and the reason I have introduced the new US$100 p/month entry level package is to introduce you to the concept without a big commitment.
 
You can pay by paypal to kurbpromo@gmail.com to ensure your place.

Often it will be a week after we receive first payment before promotion starts due to our schedule. Much of the first month or two can be necessary set up, groundwork, assessing what needs to be done.

I hope this isn’t too much information but we really strive to be working with the right artists for the best results.

Regards, Matt @ Kurb

Mailbox blogging 1: a job in music promotion

I often like to put a wee bit of effort into making my success a little bit inconspicuous.

But I have to announce in July I’m taking up a lucrative full time month long contract so business will be pretty much closed up except for all my current clients who will receive a free months promotion!

As guilty as I am of blogging away as artists beat a path to my door, research is as important as ever, and I must keep it up. Even if I lose clients. There’ll be more.

When I realised recently that because my proposition was so unique it would inevitably be under great demand, I also realised I must continue to research, test and develop to keep moving forward in innovative new techniques.

Did I tell you I had to stop all marketing because I couldn’t handle the amount of business coming through? Life is hard.

This is the result of groundwork laid and begun over a year ago.

Now you’re providing music and not a business service like I am so you’re going to have to be even more patient then me before you start getting offered 15k for a months work!

So all of my clients who are signed up for june will receive a free month of digital services in July, although I will be obviously fairly busy over that month!

As I said except when I’m using my blog to tell people why I know what I do works, or questioning government music industry funding, I like to play down my success. Otherwise I get people emailing me, and I don’t mean just obnoxious hip hop MC’s who think they’re all that, but people who want jobs, or yknow they want to “work with me” or “work together”.

Sometimes it’s good. Mostly it’s a waste of time.

But it really is an exciting time for digital innovation. I think in the next few years we’re going to see the amount of freelancers, self employed, innovators, consultants etc. explode.

I been to busy to write a blog so you can read what I write people in my mail.

Well It’s an exciting time for people working in digital industries
because the disruption caused by broadband and new technology is
creating so many new opportunities for people who are not stuck doing
things the old way.

Things have only just begun to change and already
the benefits are emerging clearly and yet internet marketing and
branding is yet to be embraced or even grasped by the mainstream.

I can’t really offer you a job as I have learnt to manage the growth
of my business very closely.

A lot of the work I do is not that
glamourous or sophisticated so I’m usually on the look out for kids to
take care of that.

But I can assure you there is a lot of opportunity right now.

Myself I could be off to set up in melbourne or I could focus on business
clients instead and double my fee. I am also looking seriously at Children’s entertainment.

You’ve got to remember the music industry is being severely disrupted
right now and there are massive challenges there, including the
misconceptions of artists and many inside the industry who’s concept
of the business is still stuck in the 90’s.

As a marketer I need to connect people with the unique inherent value
of a product, service or brand, and I want to be on the winning team
that gets a result.

Most musicians dont really understand how long and hard the game theyre playing is and they havent created unique value around a product, service or brand.

The things I do are pretty unique, and have made my business fairly
profitable but I dont have a magic wand or a recipe that makes people
famous, if I did Id be out spending my millions, not still working to
get there!

Regards, Matt @ Kurb

PS In school, school leaver? Keen on minimum wage but doing something half decent at least?

Like guillotines? Like glue? Like Photoshop? Like blogging? Like Myspace and Youtube?

Drop me a line. I’m a mellow boss, and the work isn’t too much of a drag.

The pay IS crap though.