This is one of three Creative Growth Project guides focussing on the music industry. It explains the activities and agencies involved in securing gigs, and promoting gigs to sell tickets, music and merchandise. It explores; Promoters How do I make contact? Major ones operating in Scotland Promoting to fans Social networks, focus on Facebook, band website, press Selling merchandise and product What and to whom, sales potential, other income
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What am I trying to achieve?
Gie’s a gig
Come to our gig
Buy stuff
2/22
Email promoters Research who promotes
Promoters
Gie’s a gig
DF PCL Unique Regular Highlands Individuals Meet promoters promoters Network events
At gigs 3/22
Born to be Wide Go North New Found Sound
Promoters How do I make contact with promoters? To find the right individual or major promoter for your band •
attend industry events Born to be Wide goNorth
•
talk to promoters (and bands) at gigs
•
contact promoters by email or phone 4/22
Major promoters currently operating in Scotland Payment terms for new band
Venues
Notables
Beyond Promotions www.beyondit.net
The Highlands
Rockness goNorth Loopallu Belladrum
A fee relative to the gig and the band’s profile
DF Concerts www.dfconcerts.info
All over Scotland
T in the Park The Edge Festival Connect Festival King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
Ticket deal e.g. % per ticket goes to venue
PCL www.pclpresents.com
Central Scotland
Edinburgh Corn Exchange The Liquid Room ABC Glasgow Barrowland
Fee + minimal rider
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay High profile gigs across Scotland
A fee relative to the gig and the band’s profile
All over Scotland Regular Music www.regularmusic.com
5/22
Promoters summary •
Make up an email list of promoter contacts
•
Research promoters •
What venues do they work with?
•
What genres?
•
What areas?
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Make sure you are asking the right people
•
Meet promoters: at gigs, networking events
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Speak to venues directly
•
Stay in touch with bands / musicians
6/22
Radio and podcasts
Email promoters Research who promotes
Promoters
BBC Introducing 6 Music Best of Myspace Leith FM Fresh Air FM Radio Magnetic Sub City Radio
Promote to fans
Press
At gigs
Email addresses Mailchimp
Band website
Dot com Dot co dot uk Sonicbids Bandcamp Paypal
Meet promoters promoters Network events
Social networks Facebook Myspace Twitter Youtube Bloggers
Come to our gig
Gie’s a gig
DF PCL Unique Regular Highlands Individuals
Data gathering
Sell tickets 7/22
Born to be Wide Go North New Found Sound
Promoting to fans There are various ways to speak to your fan base to get them along to your gigs and to buy your music and merchandise. •
Social Networks
•
Radio and podcasts
•
Press
•
Band website
8/22
Social networks •
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Myspace
•
•
YouTube
•
Bandcamp
•
Soundcloud
•
Ping
•
Spotify 9/22
Focus on Facebook •
More than 500 million active users
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50% of the active users log on to Facebook in any given day
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The average user has 130 friends
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People spend over 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook
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Facebook Page Insights are very useful source of information
10/22
Press For information on press coverage, read the publicity section of DIY Record Label and Cultural Enterprise Office’s guide How to Contact the Press & Media.
11/22
Band website •
Register a dot com and dot co dot uk domain
•
A central place where all content is controlled by artist
•
Link to all social networks & social networks point here
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Blog
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Paypal and / or an online store
12/22
Self promotion summary •
Make your online presence as wide as possible
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Regularly update social network status and content
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Make use of online statistical analysis
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Have your own website that everything else points towards
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Engage with fans to encourage fan-based promotion
13/22
Radio and podcasts
Email promoters Research who promotes
Promoters
BBC Introducing 6 Music Best of Myspace Leith FM Fresh Air FM Radio Magnetic Sub City Radio
Promote to fans
Press
At gigs
Email addresses Mailchimp
Buy stuff Band website
Dot com Dot co dot uk Sonicbids Bandcamp Paypal
Meet promoters Network events
Social networks Facebook Myspace Twitter Youtube Bloggers
Come to our gig
Gie’s a gig
DF PCL Unique Regular Highlands Individuals
Data gathering
CDs T-Shirts Badges Merchandise Stickers Band Franchise Scott Cohen The Orchard
Sell tickets 14/22
Born to be Wide Go North New Found Sound
Selling merchandise and product What am I selling and who am I selling to? •
Consider your target audience
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An older audience tend to have more disposable income
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Have low-cost items for younger audiences
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Have a range of available products
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Sales potential
“3% of the audience will buy anything you have up to £200” Scott Cohen, The Orchard, April 2010
16/22
Based on Scott Cohen’s figures and 1000 fans: 30 fans (3%) prepared to spend £200 each = £6,000 70 fans (7-8%) prepared to spend £50 each = £3,500 500 fans (50%) prepared to spend £5 each = £2,500 Potential total fan spend = £12,000
17/22
If you have enough different merchandise products available, you can substantially increase your earnings beyond your annual gig fees, (50 gigs at £50 = £2,500). However, if you only have £16 worth of merchandise available: 30 fans (3%) spend £16 each = £480 70 fans (7-8%) spend £16 each = £1,120 500 fans (50%) spend £5 each = £2,500 Total fan spend = £3,600
18/22
Other income If you write, compose, perform or publish music you can get additional income, either in the form of; performing rights royalty fees, whenever your music is played or
performed in any public space or place or mechanical rights royalty fees, whenever your music is reproduced as a physical product or for broadcast or online. You need to register with the copyright protection and collection agencies, PRS for Music and PPL, to assert your rights to this income.
19/22
Further information on performing and mechanical rights can be found in this related guide Making Money: Managing Rights
20/22
Merchandising & product summary •
Have merchandise!
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You can only sell as much as you have
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Diversify your products
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Make it readily available to the public
21/22
Next steps Please refer to the other two music guides from the Interreg ICV Creative Growth Project: DIY Record Labels Making Music: Managing Rights and to the following relevant Cultural Enterprise Office resource: How to Contact the Press & Media
22/22
Cultural Enterprise Office would like to thank Dave Hook, Edinburgh Napier University and the Interreg ICV Creative Growth Project for use of this content.
Disclaimer: Cultural Enterprise Office is not responsible for any advice or information provided by any external organisation referenced in this document.