As I sit here typing, I’m also filtering through the many artist submissions/recommendations/CDs that are begging for my attention. Not necessarily because they are good, but because they have been sitting here for some time… And it’s been a while since I’ve thoroughly gone through them, so the pile is rather hefty.

It’s not that being in this situation is foreign territory for me, as I usually have at least fifty or so discs on my desk and countless artists waiting for me to evaluate digitally. I can’t even recall a time in the past seven years that this hasn’t been the case. So I simply start attacking the pile, giving the ones that grab my attention the first dibs on my listening time (though if it is a major release that I need to review, then obviously release date will be the deciding factor).

I must admit though, it can be frustrating how some of these artists really don’t look like they WANT to be discovered or listened to. Instead of commanding my attention and striving for professionalism, it feels like these artists are either apathetic or think they are the hottest new thing and is giving me the privilege to let me listen to their music. Easy there hot shot, I get it.

So let’s assume you are an aspiring musician and you want to get noticed. The entertainment industry is a cut throat field that truly revolves more around who you know than what you know. But even if you had a contact or two to abuse, unless you get off your backside and not rely on others, you too could very well end up chasing the paparazzi with umbrellas shortly after shaving your head. How’s that for a mental image? That being said, labels are now looking heavily for artists who can show they know how to hustle and make a name for themselves on their own first, so it is less work for their company once you are signed.

Now keep in mind that if the aforementioned industry insiders are good enough, they will be able to detect potential talent and whether you are worth their time within seconds of pressing the play button. So how do you get the attention of the talent scouts and media? Well, I’m going to try to give you a few pointers that should hopefully help in the process. If everyone would follow these simple rules, I would already have a lot of the music I have to go through daily filtered out. Keep in mind these aren’t all of the rules though, just a few of many…

1. Make it professional, both inside and out. You’d think this would be common sense, but unfortunately it isn’t. When you are making your CD, spend the extra bucks and get professional production qualities that can be compared to those found on record labels. Don’t make it sound like your roommate made it on his crappy computer that was lying around and/or with free recording software. In this day and age, studio setups are much, much cheaper than they used to be and you should be able to find a producer that can pull off some magical things for a relatively inexpensive price. Also, make sure the actual packaging of your product is professional and doesn’t look like it was done by Grandma on her Apple II.

2. Have a press kit? Make it different. Everyone sends it in a folder that will hold the standard 8″X11″ sheets inside with a bio, fact sheet, and so on. Needless to say, when you have a stack of them sitting there on the “to do” pile, they all look the same. Spend the extra couple bucks to make it unique so it jumps out at us from the stack. Change it to an unconventional size, make the colors bright (but tasteful), throw in some extra swag… Do whatever it takes to just make it jump.

3. Communication: you have spell check, so you better use it. When making communication to a member of the press or a scout, please refer back to grade school grammar rules. If you are trying to sell yourself or if you have finally found someone who will listen to your music, use common sense. Don’t use any sort of abbreviations (thx, u, y, tho, etc.) and use proper grammar/punctuation/capitalization. If you look sloppy and lazy in your communication, it leaves a bad first impression. If I get initial e-mails like this, I’m already turned off. Every e-mail client and word processor has a spell checker, so there is NO excuse to not have it look like business correspondence. No lingo or gang signs either, please.

4. Communication: you get what you pay for. If you are going to be professional, get your own e-mail (and preferably not a free one such as hotmail or gmail; that just looks bad). In both my scouting and journalist positions, I’ve had managers send me an e-mail initially to which I would reply. But then suddenly when they reply back to me, the sender has a different name in the “From” field (sometimes even someone of the opposite sex) and still sign it with their name at the bottom of the e-mail. This is confusing and lacks any sort of professionalism. It’s too bad when the artist they are representing happens to be a promising talent, because it still taints their image. Don’t use e-mail forwarding (especially to a shared e-mail account), just get a real address. It’s cheap.

5. I know sliced bread has nothing on you, but calm down. Sure, you need to be somewhat convincing and forceful in your presentation, but stay humble about it. If you don’t shove it down our throats that you could rock those four British guys from the sixties’ world, we’ll appreciate you more. Don’t go over the top in selling yourself, just list your accomplishments/bio and let the listener decide. If you try too hard, it’ll show painfully. And trust me, way too many artists go overboard in selling themselves that it usually isn’t even close to being accurate anymore. Have someone else look over your promotional content just to make sure.

6. If you’re finding yourself comfortable, you aren’t working hard enough. Remember, scouts are looking for artists who can establish a following and accolades on their own. So work, work and work some more. Play tons of shows, stay late to hang out with the fans to win their adoration, build a great looking website, promote yourselves online by signing up on the popular social websites, and don’t give up. Again, just don’t go excessively overboard in the online promoting or it’ll feel more like spam to users. You’re trying to earn their respect as well as their ears.

7. If you network, they will come. Even with all of these other points, you still need to make that initial contact with key individuals to get noticed. As I stated earlier, this is a business where it’s more about who you know than what you know. Networking is one of your most valuable tools in any business. So get out to industry events, make your name known, become best friends with those lower in the food chain at labels and rub shoulders with absolutely everyone. Don’t just assume those who make the big decisions are in suits, as they could be the guy in the back with the ripped jeans. Just make sure you complete the other steps about being professional and having a professional product first so the networking goes smoother. The last thing the insiders want is a disc and package in their hands that looks like it was made in your basement. Otherwise, if you’ve got the goods, be fearless. The worst you can get is a “no.” Business cards are very handy (and inexpensive) too.

8. Follow up with your contacts. To say scouts and journalists get a ton of e-mail is an understatement. I get tons of e-mails and phone calls from all levels of seniority in the industry with various pitches or offering potential talent. So if you don’t get a reply right away, try again. It may not be that they are blowing you off; it’s just that you may have been accidentally and genuinely lost in the shuffle. At the same time, don’t hound them too much either, or you’ll be too forceful and that will be a turn off. Find the right balance in your follow ups.

So there you have it… Just some simple tips to get you started. Again, there are lots of dos and don’ts, so think things through before you act. But these are some pointers to help you get started and will definitely make the other person’s job much easier and less stressful. If you follow these rules, you will already start on the right foot.

Any other suggestions, questions or comments? Comment below or shoot me an e-mail: josh[at]joshmcconnell.net

So you and your band have just finished creating a professional independent CD and you think it’s destined to be the next big thing. The problem is you don’t have enough momentum to garner the attention of record labels and you need some love from the press to get the ball rolling. But that’s just it, you don’t know how. It’s okay, many are in the same boat. Here are a few tips to hopefully help you climb that first mountain:

1. Keep your ego in check. If you’re early on in your career, don’t go knocking on the doors of Billboard or Rolling Stone, that will come later if its meant to be. Start with smaller and more obtainable publications first, whether it be online or local. Local press outlets such as newspapers, news stations, etc. can be huge for you, even if they seem minor. All you need right now is to start getting some quotes and attention, then you can start mingling with the bigger players later. Think of it as a step ladder proccess.

2. Play it smart. When you are searching for a publication for submission, choose the appropriate one for your sound. If you have the latest and greatest metal rock album for example, don’t send it in to Worship Leader or Polka Magazine. Use common sense in your selection.

3. Do your homework. Once you have chosen a publication that you want to seek out, try to find as much information about it as you can. Who makes it? Who reads it? How long have they been around for? And if you will be contacting a specific person (not just a generic email address), do your homework on the person too. All of this information can be used in the initial contact, making you look good because you took the time to find out more about them.

4. Remember English class? When it’s time to make that first contact, don’t be sloppy. Be professional, well spoken, and to the point. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten an indie artist/band contact me about reviewing their CD, only to find that a twelve year old could have probably written a better e-mail. I’ll be honest, it doesn’t impress me and turns me off. So make sure you capitalize properly, use proper punctuation, and basically prove you care by taking the time to be professional.

5. Keep it to the point. In a fast paced industry with thousands upon thousands of new acts fighting for attention, first impressions are vital to your survival. So be professional, have your e-mail well written (especially if it is your first point of contact), and make sure you provide links to more information. Don’t give your life story inside one e-mail — if they want it, they’ll get it. Feel free to throw in a comment or two about the publication and journalist to prove you did your homework. Give them a reason why you are a good fit for them. Just don’t  go to the other extreme and sound like a suck up.

6. Never give up, never surrender (to quote Galaxy Quest). Because this is such a fast paced industry, everyone is always on the run — especially journalists. So if they don’t reply to your initial e-mail, wait for a week or two and try again. Don’t sound frustrated, don’t be rude, just remain professional and follow up. I’ll admit that there have been times where I have forgotten about an e-mail in the midst of the craziness and it took the person a second or third try before I finally replied back. Or sometimes it just takes me a few days to reply to the first e-mail for the same reasons, even though I read it quickly on the same day it was sent. It’s not because I didn’t want to, it’s because I’m always on the move and more urgent matters drop on my plate. Just remember to not take it personally and give them some time.

7. Criticism is a good thing. So you finally get that review and it’s available for public consumption, but it’s not the thunder you were hoping for. It’s okay, don’t fret or give up your dreams. Bad reviews and criticism is a good thing, trust me. You can’t grow without going through trials or some element of toughness in the things that you do and this is no different. So take the negative and turn it into a positive. These guys, in theory, should know what they are talking about, so listen to what they didn’t like and try to improve it. This should especially be done if you see the same points of criticism continually surface in reviews and word of mouth. Plus if you act on the criticism and improve on the next CD, they’ll notice and you’ll score brownie points next time around.

Anyway, so there you have it… A few points to ponder. Perhaps those of you who are in bands or pursuing a solo career might take something away from this entry. It’s not much, but hopefully it’ll put you on the right path.

Rock on.