How in God's Name do you Market Yourself?

dothetrikey · 08-22-2009, 09:04 AM

So, this is the story. I'm in a synth-disco-pop-trash band. We have been together for two years (just the two of us. we're a duo). We have had all sorts of little successes, many many shows, toured europe twice, a bit of attention here and there. We don't have a label or anything. We are pretty DIY... but it's good. We live off our music and it's nice. I'm happy and pretty productive.

We have been using all sorts of online vehicles to market: Youtube, Facebook, Myspace etc etc etc... and of course, our own site. It's been really great and I feel like we've done well... but still... how in Gosh's name do you market yourself? Is it just being consistent? Putting consistently good stuff online? Blogging a lot?

Online marketing fascinates me but I also don't want to spend every waking moment online. Sometimes I want to go outside and walk around ... y'know? Fresh air... real, live people...

Because for certain things: like Youtube... I see some people who have massive amounts of hits, and I'm just like "how?" "what?" ... I mean... some real crap gets many many hits, and it leaves me astounded. Like (I know it's not music-related) "Charlie Bit My Finger"... how does that happen? Some mother films her kids being silly, sticks it online and all of a sudden thousands of people are watching it? It astounds me. Maybe it's all luck. I mean, Charlie made me laugh... but... millions of hits? What the...?

At the same time, it makes me happy when people I don't know post nice things on my videos... it actually makes me blush slightly.

Anyway, besides all that, I'm happy I found this forum. People see really cool and I'm excited to join a fresh, new music community.

I would love to hear any success stories you've had with online marketing OR/AND any tips on how to get people to pay attention...

Love
Stephen

ON A SIDE NOTE:
My fave bands: Neil Young, Stereolab, The Beatles, the Cars, Gary Numan, Beethoven, Nick Drake, Elliot Smith, Patti Smith, Doe Maar, XTC, Supertramp, Fleetwood Mac, Peaches, Ladytron, the Knife, Hidden Cameras, Final Fantasy, Depeche Mode, the Cure, Lush, the Smiths, Morissey, the Bangles, Pointer Sisters, Scissor Sisters, Twisted Sister, Spleen United, Kings of Convenience, Public Enemy, NWA, Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Beck, Ween, They Might Be Giants, Hole, Nirvana, Aphex Twin, Pet Shop Boys, Pink Floyd, pixies, MC Solaar, Prince, Ron Sexsmith, Sigur Ros, the Strokes, Talking Heads, Siouxi Sioux and the Banshees, Blur, the Guerillas, Frank Zappa, Chuck Berry, Rolling Stones, the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Kinks, Super Girls and Romantic Boys, Chopin, Michael Jackson, the Communards, Bronski Beat, MiA, Wax Mannequin, Pink Floyd, Roger Hodgson, New Order, Joy Division, the Buzz****s, David Byrne, MGMT, Mogwai, Mercury Rev, Clancy Brothers, The Latah Movement, Hank and Lily, Kevin Burke, Manu Chao, Tupac, Rage Against the Machine, Outkast, Bonobo, Kid Koala, Sergento Garcia, Buddy Holly, The Sugarcubes, Jean Duval, La Bottine Souriante, Mugar, Cyndi Lauper, Speak the Hungarian Rapper, Alexander Marcus, Pooprider, Jarvis ****er, Pulp, Suede, Human League, Flaming Lips, Electrolane, Devo, Dead Kennedys, Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah, Organ, New Pornographers, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Idol, Animal Collective, Arcade Fire, Milli Vanilli, Technotronic, Brian Eno, OMD, Tears for Fears, REM, B52s, Phil Collins, Genesis, Early Elton John, Elvis Costello, Elvis Presley, the Doors, Magnetic Fields, Kraftwerk, the Zombies, Low, the Danielson Family, Pinback, Galaxy 500, Simon and Garfunkel, Velvet Underground, King Missile, the Police, Sting, Lenny Kravitz, ELO, Tom Petty, Tracy Chapman, Slim Whitman, Johnny Cash, Aqua, Sisters of Mercy, Jesus and Mary Chain, Swervedriver, spinvis, MC 900 ft. Jesus and DJ Zero, Tricky, Enya, Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Enya, Eminem, CCR, Chemical Brothers, Moby, David Bowie, Michael Nyman, Midnight Oil, Crowded House, Leonard Cohen, Philip Glass, Rik Ocasek, George Brassens, Disposable Heroes of Hypocrisy, Moxy Fruvous, Spandau Ballet, Blondie, Harmonium, Public Image Limited, Sex Pistols, Peter Gabriel, Belinda Carlisle, Eurythmics, Violent Femmes, Soft Cell, Air, Men Without Hats, Cyndi Lauper, The The, Orbital, a Flock of Seagulls, Joe Jackson, INXS, Lou Reed, Ned Rifle, Polyphonic Spree, Adult, Laurie Anderson, Beach Boys, Ride, Stone Roses, AC/DC, Tina Turner, Coil, Front 242, Postal Service and Erasure

08-22-2009, 09:04 AM	#1 (permalink)
dothetrikey Groupie Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Denmark Posts: 11	How in God's Name do you Market Yourself? So, this is the story. I'm in a synth-disco-pop-trash band. We have been together for two years (just the two of us. we're a duo). We have had all sorts of little successes, many many shows, toured europe twice, a bit of attention here and there. We don't have a label or anything. We are pretty DIY... but it's good. We live off our music and it's nice. I'm happy and pretty productive. We have been using all sorts of online vehicles to market: Youtube, Facebook, Myspace etc etc etc... and of course, our own site. It's been really great and I feel like we've done well... but still... how in Gosh's name do you market yourself? Is it just being consistent? Putting consistently good stuff online? Blogging a lot? Online marketing fascinates me but I also don't want to spend every waking moment online. Sometimes I want to go outside and walk around ... y'know? Fresh air... real, live people... Because for certain things: like Youtube... I see some people who have massive amounts of hits, and I'm just like "how?" "what?" ... I mean... some real crap gets many many hits, and it leaves me astounded. Like (I know it's not music-related) "Charlie Bit My Finger"... how does that happen? Some mother films her kids being silly, sticks it online and all of a sudden thousands of people are watching it? It astounds me. Maybe it's all luck. I mean, Charlie made me laugh... but... millions of hits? What the...? At the same time, it makes me happy when people I don't know post nice things on my videos... it actually makes me blush slightly. Anyway, besides all that, I'm happy I found this forum. People see really cool and I'm excited to join a fresh, new music community. I would love to hear any success stories you've had with online marketing OR/AND any tips on how to get people to pay attention... Love Stephen ON A SIDE NOTE: My fave bands: Neil Young, Stereolab, The Beatles, the Cars, Gary Numan, Beethoven, Nick Drake, Elliot Smith, Patti Smith, Doe Maar, XTC, Supertramp, Fleetwood Mac, Peaches, Ladytron, the Knife, Hidden Cameras, Final Fantasy, Depeche Mode, the Cure, Lush, the Smiths, Morissey, the Bangles, Pointer Sisters, Scissor Sisters, Twisted Sister, Spleen United, Kings of Convenience, Public Enemy, NWA, Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Beck, Ween, They Might Be Giants, Hole, Nirvana, Aphex Twin, Pet Shop Boys, Pink Floyd, pixies, MC Solaar, Prince, Ron Sexsmith, Sigur Ros, the Strokes, Talking Heads, Siouxi Sioux and the Banshees, Blur, the Guerillas, Frank Zappa, Chuck Berry, Rolling Stones, the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Kinks, Super Girls and Romantic Boys, Chopin, Michael Jackson, the Communards, Bronski Beat, MiA, Wax Mannequin, Pink Floyd, Roger Hodgson, New Order, Joy Division, the Buzz**s, David Byrne, MGMT, Mogwai, Mercury Rev, Clancy Brothers, The Latah Movement, Hank and Lily, Kevin Burke, Manu Chao, Tupac, Rage Against the Machine, Outkast, Bonobo, Kid Koala, Sergento Garcia, Buddy Holly, The Sugarcubes, Jean Duval, La Bottine Souriante, Mugar, Cyndi Lauper, Speak the Hungarian Rapper, Alexander Marcus, Pooprider, Jarvis **er, Pulp, Suede, Human League, Flaming Lips, Electrolane, Devo, Dead Kennedys, Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah, Organ, New Pornographers, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Idol, Animal Collective, Arcade Fire, Milli Vanilli, Technotronic, Brian Eno, OMD, Tears for Fears, REM, B52s, Phil Collins, Genesis, Early Elton John, Elvis Costello, Elvis Presley, the Doors, Magnetic Fields, Kraftwerk, the Zombies, Low, the Danielson Family, Pinback, Galaxy 500, Simon and Garfunkel, Velvet Underground, King Missile, the Police, Sting, Lenny Kravitz, ELO, Tom Petty, Tracy Chapman, Slim Whitman, Johnny Cash, Aqua, Sisters of Mercy, Jesus and Mary Chain, Swervedriver, spinvis, MC 900 ft. Jesus and DJ Zero, Tricky, Enya, Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Enya, Eminem, CCR, Chemical Brothers, Moby, David Bowie, Michael Nyman, Midnight Oil, Crowded House, Leonard Cohen, Philip Glass, Rik Ocasek, George Brassens, Disposable Heroes of Hypocrisy, Moxy Fruvous, Spandau Ballet, Blondie, Harmonium, Public Image Limited, Sex Pistols, Peter Gabriel, Belinda Carlisle, Eurythmics, Violent Femmes, Soft Cell, Air, Men Without Hats, Cyndi Lauper, The The, Orbital, a Flock of Seagulls, Joe Jackson, INXS, Lou Reed, Ned Rifle, Polyphonic Spree, Adult, Laurie Anderson, Beach Boys, Ride, Stone Roses, AC/DC, Tina Turner, Coil, Front 242, Postal Service and Erasure __________________ do the trikey