Why Buying Followers is a Bad Idea

Buying Facebook or Twitter Followers

There are several companies out there that offer services where you can buy “real” followers on Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr. Other services sell “real” views on YouTube videos or plays on SoundCloud. For nearly every social media site available, there are services that claim to boost your reach, increase your followers, and give you more credibility by increased views.

How They Work

Follower services are driven by bots. In other words, they are fake accounts generated by a system that is only programmed to follow, watch a video, or listen to a song. Often times, the followers will be from other countries, only speak in a foreign language, and the names/photos will be obviously fake. While these sites claim that what they are offering is completely legitimate, nearly every social media site strictly prohibits buying followers and it can result in the suspension of an account.

Why It Is a Bad Idea

There are a number of reasons why you don’t want to buy followers:

• On Facebook, your real fans won’t see your updates. If you haven’t noticed, Facebook is trying to get fan and business pages to pay for posts to be seen by all of their followers. When you create a status update or make a post, on the bottom right hand corner, there’s now an option that says “promote.” Clicking on it reveals the price you have to pay so that all of your followers will see that particular post (as opposed to the much smaller audience that actually sees it). Because Facebook will only show your post to a small percentage of your followers, a false increase in your audience dramatically lowers the chances that the people who actually care about what you have to say will be able to see it. Do you really want to pay $10, $20, $50 per Facebook update to make sure your fans see important announcements?
• It’s all about engagement. It’s easy to tell which pages have bot-generated followers as opposed to having real fans: there is hardly any interaction on their pages. Real fans will like, comment, and share content. Fake accounts just sit there and eventually get deleted by social media services since they are inactive or only generate spam. All social media rating systems (such as Klout.com) base their measurements on your engagement to determine your actual reach over the number of followers. If you want increased credibility, you need actual people, not spam accounts.
• You lose the relevance of  all demographic information. One of the most valuable features of social media is the level of demographic information available: you can see who your audience, where they from, and how you can better appeal to them. The moment you throw in bought followers who aren’t real fans into the mix, you lose the relevance of this data. This will hurt your sponsorship proposals as well as most of your marketing efforts.
• Bought followers will never be fans. These are fake accounts, they will never lead to a sale or genuine support. They will never share your content with others. Just because a website advertises these as “real” followers doesn’t mean that they are actually real people who care about what you do.
• Buying followers will jeopardize your account. Is it worth losing your social media account simply to have a higher number of fans showing on your page? If you lose your page, you would have to start all over again from the very beginning and you will have lose all of your content/page history.

There are no shortcuts in building a strong audience. You have to create organic, contagious content that people would like to interact with. Although you have to build your audience one fan at a time, at least the interactions will develop long term, sustainable relationships. Those are the types of followers that are truly worth investing in.

Tags: audience, demographics, engagement, facebook, fake accounts, fans, followers, marketing, music, music marketing, promote, promotion, social media, social media marketing, soundcloud, spam, twitter, updates, youtube

How to Get Sponsored

If you wanted to know how to get sponsors for your band, music festival, or tour, then you might be interested in How to Get Sponsorships and Endorsements.

This week, How to Get Sponsorships and Endorsements, is on sale for only $2.99 at Amazon.com.

If you prefer a print copy, it is available for $9.99 through Create Space.

Building a relationship with a corporate sponsor is one of the most important things an organization needs to do in order to achieve its mission. Sponsors can not only provide a source of income, but also increased brand awareness, volunteers, and other valuable resources. However, marketing guru Simon Tam argues that the relationship can be so much more.

How to Get Sponsorships and Endorsements provides step-by-step, practical advice on how to build sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships that can help your organization succeed. Whether you are representing a non-profit organization, a musician in a band, or an athlete looking for product and cash support, this book will become a resource that you can turn to over and over again.

Get specific advice on how to:

* Find the right sponsor for your organization
* Get information for the right contact at a company
* Approach potential sponsors
* Create an effective sponsorship proposal
* Follow up the right way

Templates for solicitation emails, silent auction propositions, sponsorship packets, reports for sponsors are also included!

Tags: bands, crowd sourcing, endorsements, fan funding, kickstarter, music marketing, nonprofit, sponsorship, tour

Answers to Common Questions about Booking and the Music Industry

I thought I’d take a moment to answer some of the most frequently asked questions sent to me. If you’d like to submit a question or topic for a future article, feel free to tweet to @SimonTheTam

Can a band have more than one booking agent?

Yes and no. It depends on the type of agreement that you have with your agent. If you have an exclusive contract, then no one is able to set up shows outside of your agent. If you don’t, then you can. Some other rules might apply, it just depends on what terms you agree to. For example, I offer non-exclusive booking. 

How to book a tour/How to go on tour?

For information speaking to that specifically, I recommend subscribing to this blog or even looking at this group of articles I’ve written specifically about touring.

How to find a sponsor for an artist/How do I get a sponsor for my band?

Sponsorship is probably the number one thing that I get asked about these days. That’s why I decided to write a book about it, keep it cheap (it’s less than $4), and offer that up to artists. You can get the book here. I also wrote a bunch of free articles on sponsorship which you can read here.

How important is band image?

It just depends on your target audience. Do they think it is important? Then yes. The band image, just like all of your artwork, logos, merchandise, logos, etc. is part of your band’s brand. It’s important to keep some kind of cohesive vibe in all of your materials, the way your band presents itself, and how you market yourself. Your brand is the persona that you present to the word. It could even be care-free and “anti-image” which is kind of an image itself (just look at the 90′s Seattle grunge scene).

How do you get record labels, booking agencies, or managers to notice you?

People in the music industry depend on staying in touch with trends. The greatest way to make a positive impression on these people is to create a buzz about your act: touring smart and touring often, getting great press, licensing, etc. Pretty much, it’s doing everything that you hope to have them doing for you and doing it well. Sometimes, it feels like a Catch 22: if you can put our records, market, book shows, and get great opportunities, then why do you need them?

Think about your music as a small business. If you want to get a strategic partner or an investor (the record label, manager, etc.), then you’ll have to prove that you can manage with what you have. Like most successful bands, Apple began in the garage before it took over the tech industry. It was years of hard work, great buzz, and an enthusiastic fan base that launched their brand.

It’s OK to contact people but have a clear objective in mind, make a clear elevator pitch, and be respectful.

Also, many people in the industry are active in musician type forums and websites (we like to see who is working hard, who is active, etc. and some of us write articles to help artists too). We see who has great ideas and who simply complains. Guess who makes a more positive impression? Word gets around quick, both good and bad.

How to Get Gigs on Sonicbids

A while ago, I wrote this article about How to Get Better Results From Your Sonicbids Submissions. Since then, there have been a few changes to the site (both for promoters as well as performers). All of the advice from the first article still applies so if you haven’t read it, take a look at it first.

Here’s some practical advice for those of you who would like to use Sonicbids to get gigs and what my thoughts are on it (both as an artist as well as a promoter):

1. Make Your EPK Stand Out: There’s nothing worse than submitting an incomplete EPK. This includes tour dates. Contrary to what you might think, the EPK is the first thing that the promoter sees, not the submission questions that you’re sometimes required to complete. If you plan on using Sonicbids often (let’s face it, it’s one of the few ways to submit to SXSW, CMJ, or some other opportunities), then splurge a little and pay for the premium account, at least for the months that you’re using it often. Get your elevator pitch down. Grab their attention immediately. Listing the band members in your bio (unless you have a celebrity in the lineup) is a waste of time, same with spending an entire paragraph talking about what you sound like. Instead, focus on what sets you apart from every other artist, how you will make them money, and a deep understanding of your target audience.  Use bullet points when possible: if it easier to read and you make every sentence count, promoters are more likely to read it thoroughly. If you are not as active, simply downgrade your account later.
2. When Submitting to Gigs, Use the Sort Function: If you want more time and attention spent on your EPK, then get in line first. When you log into your profile, click on “Find Gigs” and then sort the listings by “Date Added.” Check this often. Artists that get in the door first show initiative and have a better chance of getting in (as opposed to those who submit last, after most of the decisions have already been made). Make it a weekly habit to check your status/messages from promoters and follow up. If you want to try being the last one in, you can always sort for submissions based on their deadline.
3. Link Your Account to All Other Social Media Sites: As soon as a promoter opens your EPK in a submission window, your social media stats are featured. In fact, they are shown more prominently than your bio or anything else. Right of the bat, a promoter will see how many fans you have on Myspace, what your Jango score is, and how many fans you have. Leave no stone unturned: even as irreverent  Myspace is, a higher number of fans on your profile still looks more impressive than an empty space. To add sites, click on “Edit My EPK” and enter the field in “Other Sites.” Drag the most prominent and active sites to the top. While you’re there. customized your URL. It looks much better to be sonicbids.com/BANDNAME than a collection of numbers/letters.
4. See What Others Are Doing: Check out the EPK’s of artists getting the most gigs each week (Track Buzz) so you can see what they’re doing right. Getting gigs helps you get more gigs (believe it or not, the little icons you get for “Booking your first 25, 50, or 100 gigs does stand out and is highlighted to the promoter).
5. Keep Up With Your Stats: If you have a premium account, you get access to your profile stats (Manage EPK>My Stats) so you can see how many views/plays you’re receiving, what parts of your profile are being looked at, etc. However, one of the greatest features is the oft-ignored “Plugins” section on the right hand side. The social media stats/buzz that you see here are the ones that are shared with promoters. If the Twitter Buzz results are pulling up results that are not relevant, make adjustments to the search query so that your music is being talked about (and not something else with a similar name).
6. Keep the Gig Calendar Full: I know, it’s a pain. Shows to enter on your own site, Reverb Nation, Myspace, Facebook Events, etc. It can get overwhelming with the amount of data entry. However, Murphy’s Law suggests that wherever you forget to include your tour dates, that will probably be the area that the promoter looks at. Promoters don’t have the time to following up with each of your sites to see how busy your band is. You might have an extensive tour booked all over the world on your website, but if someone looks at your EPK’s empty gig list, you’re going to look pretty pathetic. If it’s easier, delegate calendar updates in the band to different members – just make sure that the same basic information (show time, entry fee, etc.) is the same across the board.

Whether you like it or not, Sonicbids is a tool that is being used by many, many promoters, especially larger music festivals. If you are going to use the site, then do it properly so that you can maximize the results. If not, then focus on your own sites that you do well (most of the basic principles remain the same).

 

Tags: booking, booking a tour, cmj, festival, how to book SXSW, how to play, sonicbids, sxsw

How to Book a Tour: Unconventional Advice

There’s plenty of advice out there for booking a tour. In fact, I’ve written on it a few times (including this step-by-step guide). People generally talk about the same kind of stuff: how to approach a venue, where to book, promoting, etc. However, I want to cover some of the territory that people don’t talk about, the pitfalls that you’ll come across along the way.

When the Promoter Wants You to Fill the Bill
Some promoters/venues prefer that you pitch them an entire show (with locals) before confirming the show. It makes their life easier (they don’t have to find bands for the show) and local acts make booking a touring/unknown act a safer bet. So if you don’t have any contacts in an town far away, who do you find band?

Three easy solutions:

1. See who is already playing the venue on a weekend
2. Look up bands in the city’s alt-weekly paper
3. Post an ad on Craigslist.

When you can’t fill in a date or run out of venues to ask
Sometimes it seems that everyone in town is booked or no one is interested. You don’t have many options because you’re on a tight tour route or have dates/before and after that are already confirmed. These things happen. When they do, this is what I usually do:

1. Use Google, Google Maps, Yelp, City Search, or Four Square to look up “live music” and the city name. Sometimes, there are places that host bands that don’t pop up in the usual venue databases. You might also try contacting a store or organizations that would suit your ideal, target audience. Examples include: skateboard shops, youth groups, non-profit fundraiser, goth clothing store, music store, independent record store, etc.
2. Contact: breweries, wineries, colleges, and fans in the area.
3. Use Craigslist and search in the “Gigs” section. Often times, new bars/venues will post there looking for live music, as well as people throwing house parties, fundraisers, or events looking for a band.
4. See what shows are booked and ask the bands on those bills if they’d be willing to add you to the bill. Be sure to pitch how you will get them new fans, make more money, or bring people to the show.
5. Consider doing an acoustic version and do some busking. I know some acts who busk in Santa Monica, CA and make $200-$400 per day in donations and CD sales. You can also contact the local Occupy Movement encampment about working with their cause by performing (if there’s one there).

When You Don’t Know Anything about the Venue that You’re Booking

It’s always a good idea to know what kind of situation you’re booking into: Will they have an adequate stage? Will they have a sound system and engineer? What kind of audience is there? If you’re booking a venue that you haven’t worked with before, do a quick search online about them. Check out their website, see what kind of acts perform there normally. Look up reviews on Yelp. Ask bands that are on their calendar.

 

These are just some of the areas that few people talk about when giving advice about booking a tour. What have you run into that you’d like advice about? What areas can you speak to for other bands?

Tags: #tipsforbands, booking, booking a tour, booking agents, music industry, promotion, tour, tour tips, venues

Quick tips for Touring Bands: #tipsforbands

I’ll be dishing out some quick tips for musicians using #tipsforbands on Twitter. Feel free to chime in. You can also follow my twitter @SimontheTam

Have a great weekend!

Tags: #tipsforbands, bands, how to tour, tips for bands, touring

How to Get a Sponsor: The Sponsorship Packet/Proposal Outline

Here’s a general outline/template that you can adapt to be more effective in your sponsorship packet. You should design your packet specifically for print as well as a digital file. The most important thing to keep in mind is the perspective of the sponsor: How does the proposal benefit them/their customers/their employees? What can you offer that is different than the other sponsorship proposals being sent to them? Is it easy to take action?

The Format:

 

1. Cover - Make it distinctive. You might consider adding something like “2012 Sponsorship Proposal Prepared Especially For [the company]” with their logo on it. Give them plenty of opportunities to visualize working with you.
2. The Call Out (optional): The second page can be for a large dramatic image/photo or some of the major “bragging rights” stats. Artists can typically use this page as the “one sheet” – a one page descriptor of who you are, major stats or accomplishments, or press excerpts/testimonials from other sponsors.
3. The Partnership: This is where you want to focus on the main benefits for working with your organization. What are the main ways you and the sponsor are a good fit?
4. The Fact Sheet: The nitty-gritty details of your event, tour, or organization that they are sponsoring. Cover all of the major who/what/when/where/why questions, such as as “What is the event?,” “Where does the event take place?,” “Who is involved?,” “Why should I be sponsoring this event,” etc.
5. Key Marketing Information: This is where your research into your industry pays off. You’ll want to talk about your niche market, the demographics of your audience (and who you are targeting), how you will be messaging your brand/event along with their company, and talk about successes with past sponsorship campaigns.
6. Co-Branded Marketing Opportunities: You’ll want to send 3-6 custom, creative pitches to the company that allows for them to visualize working with you. This should play directly off of your niche market/their target audience. The more custom the idea, the higher the asking price that you can fetch. It also helps you stand out from other sponsorship opportunities that only offer logo placement. Marketing folks love creative ways to showcase their brand, especially to an interested audience who they might never be able to reach in any other way. If there is also a “viral” component to one of the ideas, that’s even better.
7. The Benefit List: List all of the benefits that the company gets from sponsoring you. Put your emphasis on the more custom, creative options and less on the generic commodities that typical sponsorship packages offer (such as logo placement). This is your formal offer so make it as clear as possible on what they can be expecting in return from their sponsorship dollars or in-kind gifts. If you’ll accept a payment schedule, include that as well.
8. The Sponsorship Agreement: The sponsorship agreement should be easy to complete and return. Details such as a self-addressed and stamped envelope are good. Add an extra bit of professionalism by having this portion printed on NCR (carbonless copy) paper where they can tear off a copy for themselves and send one to you. You can also do things such as adding a QR code or link to a digital version of the agreement.

From my book, How to Get Sponsorships and Endorsements, on sale for less than $4 on Amazon.com right now!

Tags: branding, brands, endorsements, fan funding, fanfunding, indie music, kickstarter, marketing, music marketing, sponsor, sponsorship, tour