How Do You Do It?

[MK1]

Our manager is wanting to get sponsors for my band (Brother Abraham), but we need to build our numbers a before this happens. We've done the typical myspace and facebook pages, but beyond that I'm just not sure how to promote the band.

What kinds of things have worked for you guys? And what has definitely not worked for you?

I would really appreciate any tips you have for me.

You can hear our music here and feel free to friend us.
http://www.facebook.com/broabe
Link Removed

Thank you for your help.

 

[Stumbo]

Here are a couple of links you may want to check out:
Advertising your band
Business cards

Seems to me the manager should know how to promote a band already.

I'm just sayin'....

 

[Toronto Bassist]

Stumbo's right...your job is to be the band, the manager's job is to be the manager. This is like hiring a cleaner, but they won't start until you clear a certain amount of dust and mildew from the house.

 

[MK1]

Don't get me wrong our manager is doing a ton for us... Our numbers have jumped significantly since we've hired him, we have't booked a single show since then and play 4-8 times a month. And he also got one of our songs in an Indy Film that will be coming out soon, and what not. But I'm someone who likes to be proactive. The more people working on this the more success we'll have.

 

[Jehos]

I'd personally say don't push it too much. It's possible to over-hype a band. It sounds to me like your manager is doing a heck of a job, maybe you should be asking him what you can do to help him do his job, instead of asking us.

 

[pbd]

I think your manager should have a whole bag of tricks. You can do your part by being active on Myspace and Facebook but your manager should be able to promote you guys though.

Todd

 

[M0ses]

I think that the best thing you can do is play some great music. Sounds like you have a good manager, so that's all you need.

 

[MK1]

Cool, thanks guys. Maybe I will just sit back a little and focus on just playing.

 

[JohnMCA72]

Cool, thanks guys. Maybe I will just sit back a little and focus on just playing.

That's the whole point of having a manager. He lets you do your job. Let him do his.

 

[Stumbo]

....Don't get me wrong our manager is doing a ton for us... Our numbers have jumped significantly since we've hired him, we haven't booked a single show since then and play 4-8 times a month.

Could you expand on this a bit?

 

[MK1]

I'm just saying our MySpace and Facebook fans have gone up quite a bit and more and more people are showing up to our shows. When I say we haven't booked a show I'm saying our manager does all of the booking (not us personally) and we are very busy. In the town I'm in, good managers are hard to come by. I know some people who have a manager and have to do at least half of their booking themselves (pretty typical where I live).

 

[Thor]

Small world time.

I am very friendly with one of your bandmate's fathers. I have
known him for about 15 years (I am in the fish business, like
him.) He told me about your site last year, so the word is
getting out. Even out in RI.

There are a bunch of threads about this if you poke around in the BM forum. Stumbo has a good start for you.

I'll see if I can find a few more threads as well.

 

[Thor]

Here are some links. I put the word 'promote' in the search function
and searched the titles of threads in the BM forum only.

Promoting your Metal Band

Does anyone promote using
Craigslist?

Promote


Here is an interesting post, thread was a bit wacky...
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3897387&postcount=26

To summarize the above post:

Color flyers are better than B&W
Polished Ads are better than crappy ones
Your band ads + logo should have a genre appropriate look
Play charity events and projects
Get a Web site
Get a Myspace Page
Don't post bad music on yr pages
Use Myspace and other online networking to blanket young women with show anouncements (but be polite about it)
Get young women to your shows and men will follow
Get young women to sell / wear your merchandizing
People like stickers
Schmooz radio / press people (free pizza + show tickets was suggested)

 

[MK1]

Small world time.

I am very friendly with one of your bandmate's fathers. I have
known him for about 15 years (I am in the fish business, like
him.) He told me about your site last year, so the word is
getting out. Even out in RI.

Thats crazy. I'm glad to hear word is making it out to the east coast. Maybe we can make it out there on tour sometime.

Thanks for the links, I'll check those out.

 

[ksandvik]

I agree that there's nothing worse than an over-marketed band.

There's nothing better than a band that has good shows and word of mouth builds up that way.

 

[Thor]

Thats crazy. I'm glad to hear word is making it out to the east coast. Maybe we can make it out there on tour sometime.

Thanks for the links, I'll check those out.

Well, at least you got one ticket sold!

I hear you are doing the "Boom Boom Room" in Chicago, let us
know how that goes!

 

[Phalex]

You guys are playing some pretty good clubs! I'll have to get out to see you! (I really should do it tonight since I don't have a gig, but the recliner and a small lap dog are very enticing.....)

 

[MK1]

You guys are playing some pretty good clubs! I'll have to get out to see you! (I really should do it tonight since I don't have a gig, but the recliner and a small lap dog are very enticing.....)

I hear you on the lap dog and recliner... if I didn't have a gig I'd probably be doing the same. What band are you in maybe we could play a show together.

 

[Phalex]

I'm with In The Red. We do covers, so doing a show together probably won't fly. My nephew is Pistol Brides. He was with the Mighty Narwhale until their demise last year.

Anytime you want to come out and jam with ITR, you're more than welcome. I'm not sure where we are next weekend, but you can find out (Like I do) at Link Removed

I fell asleep in my recliner at 11:00 last night. It was awesome!