So, you’ve got some killer tracks laid down in the studio and produced by a top quality engineer. You’ve been gigging regularly and have built up a respectable fanbase on your social media pages too. You’re looking to take the next step and get a manager, label deal and maybe a publisher too. Essentially, you’re ready to take the next step and pitch your music to influencers.
Pitch your Music to Influencers in Person
Where do you start? In the music industry, relationships are key. As a musician it’s very important that you’re out there meeting people and making the right contacts for your music. Go to industry events and work the room! Don’t accost every person there with your CD’s, USB’s etc. straight away, but if they ask for music be prepared to be able to provide it. Have some CD’s handy in case this is their preferred method, or get contact details and follow up with links to your music. That last point is especially important – contact details!
Make sure you have business cards of everyone you’ve spoken to. If they don’t have any ask them to write it in your phone or in a notebook for you. It’s good to also have a business card or leaflet for yourself to give to any contacts you meet; it serves as a little reminder. In these situations, remember to be polite and also concise. Have an elevator pitch about your music ready in order to summarise what you do and who you sound like.
Pitch your Music to Influencers Online
Check the websites of the types of company you’re looking to get a deal with. Take a look over their roster and see whether they tend to sign similar sounding artists to you. Does it say that they are accepting submissions? Great! Now, are there specific guidelines to submit music? If yes, even better but make sure you follow them! If you don’t, the harsh truth is that your submission will end up in the trash or at the bottom of their to-do list.
Some things to look out for:
- Do they accept physical CD’s in the mail or digital only submissions?
- Do they want a bio?
- Do they ask about your social media stats or links to these pages?
- Who is the right person to send your submission to? Check for an email address or office address in the case of sending a CD – if it’s not clear then give them a call.
If there aren’t any specific guidelines, it can be a little more tricky. But if you remember to be professional and succinct (without being too vague!) you’ll stand in good stead. There are no hard and fast rules as all companies like to receive music in different ways. Tools like SoundCloud and file sharing sites, like Dropbox and Box are a great way to send music. This way influencers can stream tracks before downloading them.
General Tips When Sending Emails
- Make sure you open and sign off your email politely and professionally. Don’t just email a link to your music without at least saying hi and signing off with your name and contact details.
- Absolutely do not email every company in one mass email. Ever. No excuses.
- The follow up. This is key, but please give people time to respond. Don’t call them the minute their office opens when you emailed them at 9pm the night before. And don’t be too persistent. They will get back to you, you don’t need to contact them every day to see whether they’ve listened to your tracks. If after a few weeks you haven’t heard a response, this is a good time to check in again.
Best of luck!
