While it may be the cheapest strategy, it’s not always the most effective. But, there are lots of ways you can get your music self promotion back on track. Here are just some of the reasons why your self promotion might not be getting the results you want, along with some tips for making it more successful

Casting your net too wide

There are so many services, sites, blogs, forums and social media platforms to publicise your act on, it can be tempting to try them all. But, by casting your net too wide, you’ll be targeting sites with fans who don’t tend to like your genre of music or you won’t be leaving yourself enough time to devote to each of them. Draw up a list of the important sites to concentrate your efforts on, and stick to them. That way, you’ll draw new fans in, who will know they will get regular updates from you about your latest material, gig dates or opinions.

You simply don’t have time

If you want to concentrate on doing what you do best, making and playing music, then you may wish to draft in a little extra help when it comes to promotional work. That’s why here at Quite Great we offer to do as little or as much as you want, so you can continue to do the parts of your self promotion that you have time for and which you like, outsourcing the rest to experts who can get you as much exposure as possible. Trusted professional music promoters have years of experience and, most importantly, long-established links with the media and music industry which you may not have. Working with music promoters can be a very effective way to get your music out there, but choose carefully who you work with and don’t expect a quick fix- building your name will take time.

Be a little self-obsessed

There’s no room for shrinking violets in the music industry. There’s no need to be modest. If someone else is shouting about your music, then let everyone know. If someone you respect tweets about your act, you might feel a bit embarrassed about retweeting, but there’s no need to. It’s the only way to get your followers to see that tweet.

Content isn’t always king

While what you say is no doubt important, the way you say it and how you present it can be equally so. If you are promoting across a number of platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, be sure to keep the same look across all of them, so your fans, and all your potential fans, can instantly recognise your pages. Use the same logo, feel and colour scheme for each site.
Send out a newsletter
Encourage your fans to sign up for updates when you engage them on your social media pages or your website and you have a ready-made audience desperate for your updates. Don’t disappoint them. Make a newsletter part of your self promotion strategy, telling your fans all about your latest news, your upcoming gigs and your merchandise, giving them exclusive offers or a first glimpse at your new artwork, for example.

It’s not all about you

While the whole point of self promotion is to, well, self promote your music, your gigs and your merchandise, with the ultimate aim to win fans who buy your tracks, your tickets and your t-shirts, self promotion can be subtle. It’s all about creating a community on your pages, fostering discussion and giving your likers, your followers and your fans an insight into your life, your own likes and your opinions. Share photos of a pre-gig ritual, share a piece of news you think might be of interest and ask what your fans think. That way, with each piece of feedback, you’ll be able to better tailor your content to what works best.

With just a few changes, your self promotion can become a powerful way to win and interact with fans!