PR, marketing, newsletter & social media
Self-promotion for musicians


Especially at the beginning of their artistic career, many up-and-coming artists in the digital age are faced with the question of how best to market themselves.
 

What does PR/marketing actually mean?

PR is an abbreviation of the English term public relations and is simply translated into German as Öffentlichkeitsarbeit. It is not only about working WITH the public, but above all about the relationship between the public (audience/media) and the company (the artistic project).

In order to optimize this relationship, you have to deal with the basic questions of marketing:

  • How do I position my artistic project on the market?

  • Which market segments (music genres/scenes) are relevant for my project?

  • Where is my target group and which media or distribution channels can I use to reach them?

There are a number of good online services that allow you to reach your audience yourself. If you have a sufficient budget, PR agencies can also be commissioned for specific projects, for example just for an album release or a tour.
 

Which media lead to the goal?

Ideally, you should use as many media channels as possible. Digital media have the advantage that they are easily accessible for both producers and consumers. For postings on the Internet, a picture is worth a thousand words. Texts should be short and snappy, images eye-catching and meaningful. Nevertheless, many campaigns get lost in the tidal wave of postings - this is where the traditional media (press, radio and TV) can help.

In any case, a well-prepared press information kit is important:

  • Press photos in print quality (incl. photo credits)

  • Audio and video samples (preferably streaming links instead of oversized files)

  • (well-formulated and concise) press releases

The following applies to both the artwork and the enclosed info texts: Not only facts are relevant, but also their visual presentation is important!

The press kit should also be available for journalists and organizers to download as a pdf on your own homepage. For mailings to press representatives, labels or agencies, a fact sheet with the most important information (short biography, references, photo) and web links to the homepage and audio samples is sufficient.
 

Newsletter - is it worth the effort?

A professional newsletter is read - no other medium can achieve this rate. Subscribers are best obtained directly at concerts or via your own homepage.

Please note: Sending mass emails (emails to more than 50 recipients) for direct marketing purposes is only permitted by law with the express consent of the recipients. Furthermore, it must be possible to unsubscribe from such emails in an uncomplicated manner.


Well-known providers of newsletter services are

Mailchimp
The world's most popular newsletter service (costs: freemium - depending on the desired volume, up to 2000 contacts free of charge)

Sendpulse
Alternative, somewhat cheaper, newsletter service (costs: freemium - up to 500 contacts free)

Some website builder providers also offer newsletter services, depending on the subscription. 


Practical knowledge for self-marketing
You can find further information on this at mica - Music austria in the practical knowledge section under Promotion & Self-Marketing.