Are you an Influencer? Saturday morning thoughts

I was reading Kermal MerMutlu's Tumblr Blog this morning and he had placed a great video about who the Influencers are? This video looks at some of the great Influencers in nusic, fashion and art, how they do it and what are the results. I liked the idea that you don't always have to speak, some people use actions which are often stronger than words. Music and Art can cause cultural revolutions, change ideas, change cultures and economic temperatures. The places where people gather because of passion for music or life style is where new ideas, new thought, new music and art are created. I think Glastonbury is definitely one of those places as is Bonnaroo in the states.


INFLUENCERS FULL VERSION from R+I creative on Vimeo.

I like the idea of a Tipping point. One definition of a Tipping point from a sociological point of view is: The event in which a previously rare phenomenon becomes dramatically more common.


The tipping point is the biography of an idea and the idea is very simple. Ideas and products and messages spread just like viruses do.


It is hard to identify how that tipping point happens, it might start in a club, in a city or with a bit of art or a new piece of music but I guess we can all create tipping points to change and influence. Let's celebrate the influencers, the creators of new music and art and give them what they need to develop new thought, great music and new trends. Here at Love Live Music we love influencers, musicians creating new product, images, art and lifestyles. Our job is to help facilitate that process and bring success to the musician. We would love to hear what you think and how we can help you in that process.


Sally
info@lovelivemusic.co.uk
@LoveLiveMusicUK


Thank you @kemalmermutlu for the video - inspiring stuff.

New in Music Think Tank - Open:Endorsements, Internet Radio, Relationships, Money and Virtual Tours

A Great New Blog from Think Tank - written by Intern Natalie Cheng - Many congratulations

New in MTT Open: Endorsements, Internet Radio, Relationships, Money, and Virtual Tours

BY: NATALIE CHENG | PRINT ARTICLE | POST A COMMENT |

How to Get Endorsements or Sponsors for your band, tour, record, etc.

Simon Tam explains the approach that artists should take to get endorsements and sponsors. Artists need to create opportunities by initiating contact in a unique way. Artists need to focus on how they can provide value to the company instead of the other way around. To start, artists can contact companies with less competition such as local businesses that may be more likely to become a sponsor. 

“It’s about creating a lasting relationship where you can build an audiencetogether with that company.” (Read On)

Internet Radio Is the Future…Duh

Charles Hill writes about his rant on recent articles that he finds obvious. 

“I run across articles with titles like “Internet Radio is the Future”. This cracks me up. Its like writing a book on the fact that the sky is blue.” (Read On)

Relationships Are The New Distribution

Greg Bates discusses one aspect of the 4 P’s of Marketing: Place. Most artists think that their distribution is taken care of by putting their music on iTunes or Bandcamp, but distribution is made up of the quality of your relationships. Artists need to build relationships with fans and reach out to other bands, businesses, etc. to collaborate on projects.

“Every fan, blogger, DJ, promoter, or any other variety of human that you come into contact with is a potential distribution point for your music. The more they like you and your music, the likelier they are to talk about and spread it on a regular basis.”(Read On)

There is no money in the music industry: Are we all in it for the money though!?

Shea Warnes writes about the lack of money in the music industry. His opinion is that the industry lacks entrepreneurial intelligence. He thinks that this is an exciting time in music and the possibilities are endless.

“I am excited for music. This is a new era with more possibilities and opportunities than ever!” (Read On)

The Virtual Tour, Parts II and III

Apryl Peredo gives advice on how to promote your music by going on a virtual tour. A virtual tour is a collection of different types of blogs and web posts on different websites and blogs that promote your music. By using this method, artists can expand their reach to potential fans that are not aware of the artists’ music. When choosing a website or blog to host a tour, artists should find a strong online community and readership interested in their music. The websites do not have to be music-related and can be focused on other topics such as gaming blogs. This method may be a good way to promote your music without spending much (if any) money.

“A new and potentially effective method of increasing the recognition of your music, influencing new listeners and spreading the awareness of you, as a band or musician, is to set up a virtual tour.” (Read On)

—

Natalie Cheng is the intern at Music Think Tank.

Week 5: New York Air makes the Heart beat faster

Well I find myself back in the wonderful heart of London, I love my city and as the plane wheels hit the tarmac at Heathrow, my heart fluttered. However I have a confession..... I think I fell in love last week with another. That significant other was NYC, yes New York, New York! I did indeed wake up in a city that never sleeps, well I didn't sleep  that much, but instead had the most wonderful caffeine fuelled enlightened days. I saw this quote by Simone de Beauvoir on a wall near the Ellis Ferry terminal...Indeed the air in NYC does make sleep useless!

Staying at the Brooklyn Marriott I had the total pleasure of working with Ariel Hyatt and the super talented @CyberPR team. I helped edit a new book that @CarlaLynneHall has written with Ariel, did a voice over for a promotional video for the new Digital PR platform that Ariel has created and watched, listened and learnt from what I think is one of the best Musical PR companies in the world. Here is the link to the new Cyber PR digital platform - CYBER PR
A cyber PR campaign is a digital publicity campaign that gets you prominently featured on blogs, podcasts & internet radio world wide. It also supercharges your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media profiles.

Cyber PR is based in Brooklyn and one early morning I put my walking boots on and walked the length of the bridge from Brooklyn to Manhattan, such a highlight, thank you to Peter from @suffolkandcool who came up with the idea.



Each day I went into @CyperPR HQ to learn about what they do and how they do it. I regularly talk to many musicians from around the world wondering how to get their music in front of people who can generate enough buzz to attract a huge audience of loyal fans, increase their bottom line with the desire to do what they love most… making music.


Cyber PR really does get your music heard and reviewed by today’s new media trendsetters.
It gets your music consistently played and promoted on internet radio stations and podcasts as well as written about on influential blogs. Cyber PR helps build supportive relationships with new media trendsetters and gets your music exposed to thousands of passionate music fans.
They also help amp up your music sales by applying the secrets held by multi-millionaire Internet marketers to all your online promotions and sales. 

I also met the wonderful Rick Goetz whose company Musician Coaching helps coaches musicians to really make it big in the music industry. Rick has seen it, done it - check out his CV. He now runs his own company consulting, creating marketing plans and coaching musicians. A top Bloke and he loves sushi too! Have a look at his website - truly a knowledgeable man who can guide, inspire and give you a marketing plan to realise your dreams.


If this sparks your interest, let me direct you to Cyber PR Music Campaigns by Ariel Publicity.
Maybe it’s time to stop guessing at what it’s going to take to succeed in this mad music business and start a Campaign that can do just that. Cyber PR has three different Campaign packages to choose from, so have a look at them and get your music career in gear.


Genuinely I think this is the best that is out there, I even went the whole way across the pond to check them out and I was pleasantly surprised. Ariel and the team really know what they are talking about - click on the link below to look at what Cyber PR do. The lovely people in the office will talk to you for free, Chris, Phil and Jason will help you out with all your questions.
Just mention that you read my blog and that a mad English Lady recommended having a chat  to see if Cyber PR really is for you. 


Cyber PR - HQ

Central Park - November 2010


Thank you team @CyberPR for a wonderful week chatting, laughing and thinking big thoughts in Brooklyn. Good luck with all - I truly think you are the best.
Feel free to finish up the English tea bags I left in the office and when they run out, come and visit me in London town - London will make your heart beat faster too.


Sally

Address:

Ariel Publicity
389 12th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
USA

Phone:

(212) 239-8384

Social Networks:

• Follow Ariel on Twitter: @CyberPR
• Fan Ariel Publicity on Facebook

Pictures from NYC trip 2010 http://bit.ly/c2S7Mo

Conducting Your Social Media Symphony - involving everyone in making social media music!

Article by Elaine Gantz Wright 

A client  told me last week that he hired us to “do” social media so that he would not have to be involved.  What!? Really? Would he ever consider having a storefront without a sales staff? This is the essential conundrum we have been wrestling with in recent weeks.  Businesses, particularly small businesses and nonprofits, are running lean and over-tasked—especially in this rocky economy. Therefore, it’s difficult for many of them to even conceive of adding a litany of new online tasks to their already maxed-out agendas.

And yet, a thriving, organic social media presence is critical to practically every business’ success in our new-media marketing universe.  From texting to tweeting, we recognize the value of involving customers and empowering word of mouth online, but the question is — What is the best way to get it done? How do we manage it all?

It seems to me it comes down to two options — coaching or doing. Should you hire a coach or consultant to train you and/or your employee(s) to blog and work the key social media platforms? Ideally, strategy and daily activity must work in concert to achieve best results.  A post here and there does not a social media campaign make.  The other option is to hire someone outside of your organization to “handle it” –posting, responding, blogging, monitoring, driving, and analyzing.  What is most productive?  How will you optimize ROI? How will this outside person or team integrate with yours and the unique needs of your operation?

Here’s the rub — we are trying to force social media into a traditional public relations and advertising paradigm.   Hire an agency; produce some ads; run the ads; hope for good response, and move on to the next campaign. However, social media defies the typical one-way, sequential marketing communications models. It requires ongoing attention, 360 degree tending, focused involvement, authenticity, transparency, systematic monitoring, creative energy, and a real persona. Thus, we need an entirely different delivery system and process. But what will that be? How does that look — parsing together so many pieces:

1. Blogging
2. Promoting your blog
3. Driving and participating in conversation on your blog
4. Commenting on other related blogs
5. Monitoring and responding to Tweets
6. Tweeting and responding with value opportunities
7. Driving Twitter crowdsourcing campaigns
8. Facebook product launches
9. Facebook “like” campaigns
10. Facebook applications and lead capture
11. Driving Facebook conversation
12. Integrating social media in email and website
13. Promoting social media connection in your store.
14. Rewarding Foursquare or Facebook checkins
(Just to name a few.)

Of course, the program will vary in size and scope –whether you are Best Buy or Frank’s Nail Salon, but the realities of execution  may not be that different. For many retailers, it’s all about customer service – an inside team that monitors and responds to customer comments and complaints. For others, it’s about launching new products via Facebook, for example, or running limited-time discounts and deals. Regardless of the content or appeal, the relationship-building objective probably surpasses the importance of the final tallies of coupons redeemed or contests entered. It’s not realistic to think you can have a “social media department.” It should be woven in to the fabric of your operations.

So, maybe we need to think of “doing” social media more like conducting an orchestra in real time, as opposed to, say,  downloading a series of iTunes.  An orchestra needs a conductor to keep time in real time, indicate when to come in and when to stop – or know when to staccato  or to legato. Like an orchestra performance, a social media campaign can be led by a “conductor.” But for maximum effectiveness, the organization’s actual players (the musicians) should be directly involved in making the music. They listen to each other, sense the audience’s reaction, drive the melody, layer the harmonies–and know the score.

What do you think? How are you managing you social media efforts? What has worked and what has not? What are your biggest challenges? Share your stories.

Elaine Gantz Wright is a speaker, writer, and social media strategist withBubbleLife Media.  Thank you Elaine for a great article.

If you would like help kick starting your Social media strategy and putting a campaign in place to monetise your music, please contact the Love Live Music Office today where we can discuss your needs and create a bespoke strategy for you:

Telephone: +44 (0) 1923 284468

Live Music - What makes a great Live Artist?

I go and see live music most weeks, from small bars to huge stadiums. I truly believe it's an art to stand up, play or sing and create something special in the moment for that day, that evening and create a special connection, an emotional bond that often inspires and makes you glad that you are alive.

Last week I went and saw the Fabulous Katherine Ellis - "The First Lady of House" sing live at Dover Street Wine Bar, Mayfair London. Katherine performs most weekends all around the world. This Christmas she is touring in Australia, New Zealand and the far East and is just about to release her next house hit: Love You More by the Oxford Hustlers - see link below.

Here is Katherine singing her huge club track recorded originally with the Freemasons live:

After Katherine finished her performance, we sat down and talked about what makes a great live artist? Katherine has spent a long time developing her stage craft and has some top tips for new artists. Here  are some wonderful words of wisdom from Katherine:

Many thanks to Katherine for giving her time to share this essential information for any performer and to her wonderful husband Max for filming the interview:

Katherine's website's and social media can be found here:
www.katherineellis.co.uk
www.myspace.com/songsiren
www.youtube.com/songsiren21



Katherine has a new tune out TODAY - "Love U More" by the Oxford Hustlers and Katherine Ellis that can be purchased from Amazon or itunes:

Buy from ITunes

Week 4: Social Media for Musicians - TWITTER

So here I am at week 4 of the Music Success in 9 Weeks blogging challenge. This week we are looking at Twitter and some of the other social media channels. 

I have to say Twitter is indeed my favorite social media site - I love Twitter! I have attached my twitter feed to the right of this column.

Why do I love it? Because it takes less than 3 minutes a day to effectively use without your computer and it can be synced in to my Facebook, Myspace, Youtube Linked In, Blog and many other social network channels. I love it because it works, it has generated work leads, great client relationships, fun friendships and PR for the artists that I work with.

On a personal level, I even saw a job advertised here for my son which he managed to secure. He now works on the London 2012 Olympics, one of 15 teenagers selected from the whole of the UK. Here he is with our Mayor, Boris Johnson on his first week of work - the power of Twitter!

Ariel Hyatt has written a more in depth Blog article about this that includes a list of some of the best people in the music industry to follow. This list is USA focused but have a look through my twitter followers to see some of the best movers and shakers in the UK in twitter world.

I very tentatively set up my twitter account 18 months ago but have so enjoyed the effectiveness it has brought to my work and clients that I want to encourage you to use it. I set up my @LoveLiveMusicUK Twitter account and added my pitch in the bio section which is now part of my company pitch:
Love Live Music helps musicians make money from Social Media. We create memorable music moments for corporate & private events & cast stunning musicians for Video,TV & Film
I have ensured that the colour schemes across my twitter, facebook, blog, youtube channel are the same and the same logo is uploaded to all the relevant sites. 

This gives continuity and helps build your brand across the web.

Initially you have to start following other people, this can feel a bit strange and sometimes feel sycophantic but it just takes a while to establish relationship with fellow tweeters.

I was explaining to a friend yesterday how to connect with twitter, choose a name and get yourself rolling. Here is a short simple video to get you started: Twitter in Plain English - he found it very useful. Like all things, it's simple when you know how but I am encouraging you to give it a go.

BASIC TWITTER TIPS - the how to's?

How to Respond to Several People at Once: All you have to do is put several people’s name at the beginning of the Tweet with the “@” before each of their names.

Replies Tab: Your replies tab is on your home page. It is the right hand side and will be “@________”. In my case it would say @LoveLiveMusicUK
You can click here to find out who has replied to you or mentioned you in one of their tweets. It's always great to get a response from individuals

Direct Message: If you want to send a more private message, send it through the Direct Message feature on the right hand column of your account page, A direct message is only visible to the recipient of the message (it is not posted publicly like a normal tweet/@reply).

Ariel has a more extensive blog article on the in's and outs of Twitter here. Very useful and comprehensive - she says it all here really!

I have my twitter linked to my mobile phone through an iphone app called "Tweetdec" so if I am on one of travels, I can still keep in contact and update. My twitter account is also connected to Twitpic. This is the photographic blog that connects into my twitter account and therefore all my other accounts.

I love Twitpic and as they say a picture says a thousand words. Words don't feel a very comfortable forum for me, despite these huge ramblings, I love pictures/video and the power that images have. Here you can see some of the Live Music events and gigs Love Live Music has been involved in delivering and being a part of:

I have just attached a widget too for Twitpic so you can see a summary of my latest pictures:

These pictures load automatically to all the social media channels.

I am just getting my head around Flikr too: 

I have just started to use Flikr for music video casting - you get instant images - great for casting directors and very easy to use: Flikr Photostream

Both these picture sites are hugely powerful as it is very easy for other users to tweet to their social media streams. In the UK we are stating to use Blipfoto as a blogging photo journal. 

Max Ellis's award winning BlipFoto Journal is the best in the business ! Max has great skill capturing that special moment at live music events, check out his blog, totally amazing! If you would like to set up a session with Max, please call us at the office or Skye us.

Love Live Music Office: +44(1923)284468 or Skype: LoveLiveMusicUK 

All of my twitter feeds go into my Facebook and Facebook page - come and check me out here:

FACEBOOK

So to Summarise: I love Twitter as lots of social barriers are removed and it feels like that everyone is open to communicating whatever their status. I am always so encouraged when individuals reply and I try and do the same back to create dialogue and relationship.
Tweeting can be a bit of a marathon... sometimes I get frustrated and feel like I am running along a path by myself and wonder if it's effective? but I think there is something to be said for just keeping on keeping on..... marathon's get finished eventually and it's great to be running with a great team of people. That's my experience.

I am amazed by the number of people that read my tweets and a later date will say "I liked that new band you showed me" or "thanks for helping me find a good band for my event" or "wow that gig was great!"

Sometimes it is just about taking your flag, sticking it the mound and saying I am here...
I ain't gonna move and I'd love you to come along with me and hear your story too.

I would love to hear your music, your story and I hope you enjoy mine,

Sally J Freeman

@LoveLiveMusicUK

PS I found this book inspirational while thinking about connecting through all social media Web 2.0: Putting the Public back in Public Relations:

"Along the way, you'll learn how to stop being a "publicist" or mere "communicator" and become what your clients or company really need: a genuine enthusiast for whom and what you represent." Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge