Independent Urban and R&B

Independent music Blogs: Platform One Entertainment

2010-04-05T13:17:00.001-07:00

Hey, this is Chrysti from Platform One Entertainment in Chicago. Not too long ago, I sent you some of P1's new hip hop/R&B material for some honest feedback, a review, or airplay. I sent you track links to two of our new artists Wordsmith, who had an album release last week called Vintage Experience and Riz who has two new tracks ("Rock the bed" produced by Akon) and "She Loves Me." Riz also just signed with Ultra records (Pibull, David Guetta, etc) and his album is set to drop this summer! In case you have not received the track links to these artists, Below are the links to Wordsmith's first singles included in his Vintage Experience album, "The Next Level Experience and Hook Up Hotline" and Riz's new tracks "Rock the Bed" and "She Loves Me."

http://www.platform-1.com/downloads/wordsmith.zip

www.myspace.com/classicwordsmithmusic

http://www.platform-1.com/downloads/riz.zip

http://www.myspace.com/iamriz

Please let me know if you can hit me back with comments, if you would like bios/pics/etc on Riz or Wordsmith, or if you would like to give any coverage. We would love and appreciate anything you can offer.

Thanks again.

Much peace and love

Chrysti

Pre-Cleared & Podsafe: Featured Artists, A Blog, A Podcast, & A Station

2007-07-20T09:22:00.001-07:00

Newsletter #2 (July 20, 2007, Issue 2.0)

Howdy folks! Summer is just a-whizzin’ by. But don’t worry your pretty little heads, we are here to keep you updated with all the great things that are happening here at Ariel Publicity. The Internet is ever-changing and sweet enough to grace us with folks like yourselves who love to feature music. Y’all are sweeter than granmama’s tea!

Don’t you go forgettin’ now—if you wanna have a band make a little diddy for your radio station or podcast, just give us a holler. And if you’re fixin’ to do a contest, we can have an artist supply some cool duds or a signed CD to give away as prizes.

As always, we are chock full of great music and, lucky for you, we like to share! Here are some of our favorite artists this week...

THIS WEEKS FEATURED ARTISTS

Rachel Barton Pine
http://www.rachelbartonpine.com
Folk, Celtic, Classical
In 2004, renowned classical violin soloist Rachel Barton Pine recorded “Scottish Fantasies” with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. The album just hit number 12 on the Billboard Classical Charts! Featuring 19th century repertoire for violin and orchestra based on 18th century fiddle tunes, the crowning touch on the 2-CD set (which also includes a video documentary on the project), was a collaboration with famed Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser on a twin fiddle medley, “Medley of Scots Tunes.” The tunes include “The Lament of Flora MacDonald,” “The Waukin of the Fauld,” “Miss Lyall or Mrs. Grant of Laggan,” and “Timour the Tartar.” The sound of the violin and fiddle jamming together on these beautiful traditional melodies, accompanied by one of the greatest chamber orchestras in the world, is a true tribute to Scotland’s glorious music. Read more about Rachel’s Billboard success here.

The Soul of John Black
http://www.thesoulofjohnblack.com
Rock, Soul, Blues, Urban
Album: The Good Girl Blues
John “JB” Bigham, frontman for The Soul of John Black, jump started his success by writing songs for Miles Davis and playing the drums in his group before he redefined soul music in his debut solo album. After garnishing rave reviews in the Wall Street Journal, Interview, Blender, Billboard and New Yorker magazine for the debut album, he returned to his blues roots in his second album "The Good Girl Blues," which features his Hendrixian guitar licks and soulful Al Green tuned voice with solid blues-based songs. Check out our featured review on Deltachord's Blog, and catch The Soul of John Black on his summer tour supporting “The Good Girl Blues.”

Guards of Metropolis
http://www.guardsofmetropolis.com
Pop, Rock
Album: Whatever It Is
Two girls from Scandinavia’s Arctic Circle. Two guys from sunny California...Influences from the laid-back northern reaches of Norway and the frantic West Coast of America collide in a shimmering example of the best that both countries have to offer. A fistful of angst-driven rock and roll riffs tempered by the layered harmonies that Scandinavian groups are famous for lay the groundwork for this rock-pop manifesto. Think ABBA meets AC/DC...and then think again. Check them out in regular rotation on Fergus MacCool’s Celtic Pub Radio on Live365.com!

Artie Traum
http://www.artietraum.com
Singer-Songwriter, Americana, Jazz, Folk
Album: Thief of Time
Starting out in the folk scene of the 1960’s, Artie Traum has toured the world during a 40-year career as a guitarist, recording artist, producer and songwriter, and has been featured on 30 albums. He has been called "one of the world's most gifted musicians" (Jeff Wignal/WPKN) and a performer who "defines the vitality of American acoustic music" (Acoustic Guitar Magazine). He has produced and recorded with Livingston Taylor, Michael Franks, The Band, Bela Fleck, David Grisman, Pete Seeger, James Taylor and dozens more. Robert Hicks featured an interview: "Happy and Artie Traum More than the Sum of Two Parts" that appeared in The Daily Record on Friday, June 15, 2007. You can check out the article here.

divineMAGgees
http://www.divinemaggees.com
Pop, Americana, Gay, Folk
Album: Love Me Like The Roses
Since the fateful night seven years ago when Cregan and Danielle met in a Boston bar, the duo has lived up and down the east coast and performed throughout the country at festivals like Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, SXSW in Austin, NXNE in Toronto and International Folk Alliance in Memphis. Maine was the birthplace and home of divineMAGgees (pronounced “Maggies”) until 2004, when the duo sought to expand their touring base by moving south. After a year in Athens, GA, they settled in Asheville, NC, in the heart of the southern Appalachians. Tracks from these fine ladies were ever so appropriately featured in Part 3 of Goddess Radio’s April 14, 2007 episode.

Telling On Trixie
http://www.tellingontrixie.com
Pop, Rock
Album: Telling On Trixie
Telling On Trixie is an up and coming New York City rock band created from a partnership of opposites - the introverted guitarist and the extroverted lead singer who bring out the best in one another to create something bigger than themselves. On their self-titled, debut album, you can hear the seamless result of two very different people joining together to create music with skill and passion – and it’s music that is already substantially impacting listeners. The debut album is in rotation on hundreds of stations nationwide, ranking as high as #2 on several stations’ College Music Journal Top 30 charts. Several nationwide festivals, club, and college dates are scheduled to support their debut release. Telling on Trixie had their track “Dumb Boy” featured on Episode 96 of the Radio Orphans Podcast.

We’re like the communists of music; it’s all about sharing at Ariel Publicity. Sharing the music (for free, pre-cleared and podsafe), and more importantly sharing the love – so each week, we offer links to some of our favorite CyberPR resources that have featured our artists. If your site is listed in this newsletter, thank you; if you’d like to see your site listed in this newsletter simply shoot us a link of an artist you covered and we’d be happy to show our appreciation. So, Check out what’s new this week:

THIS WEEK'S FEATURED INTERNET RADIO STATION

Flux4
If you didn’t know, we go International! Flux 4, one of Europe’s hottest Internet radio stations and music sites, is always on the cutting edge of what’s fresh, check out their playlist which will include CyberPR artist Marco Mahler and tracks from his debut record Design in Quick Rotation. They may also be doing a review of the record so keep eyes out for that as well. Check it all out at Flux 4.
http://www.flux4.eu

THIS WEEK'S FEATURED PODCAST

Next Big Hit
What’s in a name? If it may be foreshadowing things to come, then our artists are well on their way. Next Big Hit, a podcast hosted by the eccentric DJ Copperhead, has featured live performances from several CyberPR artists over the past few weeks on Dressed Up and Stripped Down. In this creative take on the age-old battle of live vs. recorded music, artists have tracks on their album pitted against their live tracks from the Next Big Hit studio in Manhattan. Check out Edible Red, Marco Mahler, Kyle Lardner, and many more upcoming on Dressed Up and Stripped Down.
http://www.nextbighit.com

THIS WEEK'S FEATURED BLOG

DeltaChord
"Insightful, from the heart, inspiring" – these are just a few words that come to mind from reading Deltachord's weekly music blog. Tackling musicians from classic to up-and-coming, from blues and jazz to folk and singer-songwriter, Deltachord blogs about music as if she were sitting on a patio on a warm summer day just speaking her mind. As mentioned earlier in the featured artists section, Deltachord did a great review for The Soul of John Black.
http://www.deltachord.tennerblog.com

CONTACT & INFO

http://www.arielpublicity.com

http://www.bandletter.com

PERMISSION & PRIVACY

You have received this email because you "opted-in" and requested to receive Ariel Publicity's Band Letter or as a courtesy because you are a musician or a member of the music media. If you feel that you have received this email in error, you may unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the link below.

Pre-Cleared & Podsafe: Featured Artists, A Blog, A Podcast, & A Station

2007-07-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

July 12, 2007

Happy summer from Ariel Publicity! The heat wave is in full swing and we are all trying to keep from melting. Thank you, global warming! ‘Tis the season for barbecues and parties, including the birthday celebrations of two of our interns, Matt and Tim. They happen to share the same birthday…how cute! We’ll be celebrating the best way we know how—stuffing our faces in Chinatown NYC…. Ahhh the scent of NYC garbage wafting through the city heat!

The Ariel Publicity team would like to offer you the opportunity to customize your blog, podcast, website, radio station, magazine, or newspaper with content from our clients. If you would like any of our artists to record a station drop for your internet radio station or podcast, set up an interview, answer a Q&A, or put together a prize pack for a contest, let us know. We’d be happy to set something up for you. It’s our way of saying thank you for featuring our clients! And it’s their way of saying thanks for featuring us in your content. We are all very thankful people.

We’ve got a lot of great things happening here, so we feel the need to share some of the opportunities we’ve created for our clients. For each artist, we have included a link to one of the featured placements. We’ve got a lot more going on here at Ariel Publicity, so keep logging in. And if you need any login information, feel free to shoot an email!

THIS WEEKS FEATURED ARTISTS

Sheva
Singer-Songwriter, Pop, Rock
Album: Sheva
One of the rarest qualities a singer can have is the power to touch an audience's deepest emotions. On her new self-titled record, Sheva (UE3/Sony Red), and in her stunning live shows listeners experience a visceral reaction to her music. Sheva's new record is produced by critically-acclaimed Vancouver-based producer Dale Penner (Holly McNarland, Nickelback, Matthew Good Band). Sheva's collection of original songs with their fluid stream of confessional lyrics and lilting melodies allow her rich vocals to flow through poignant musical peaks and valleys. Her remarkable live performances have earned her rave reviews and a growing legion of new fans. She has done hundreds of shows including tours of Quebec and Ontario, which featured stellar appearances in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto at Starbucks coffee shops, Chapters, and Indigo Bookstores, as well as appearing at the Canada Day Festival. Sheva’s “The Closest Thing” was featured as the closing music for The Diva Cast on June 14, 2007.

Charlotte Kendrick
Singer-Songwriter, Pop, Americana, AAA, Folk, Country, Acoustic
Album: North of New York
Charlotte Kendrick’s music is tenderly performed Americana folk rock in the vein of Kaplansky, Williams or McLachlan. Her understated voice is in the tradition of folk singers to whom the song matters most, while her lyrics are haunting, triumphant and sobering at the same time. Charlotte’s new album, North of New York, is an album of songs about love, hope and home. From the light and propulsive bluegrass feel of “Off The Tracks,” telling of a heartbroken reckless spree, to “Let Go,” a loving, restful plea to her loved one to drop the demands of the world outside, North of New York tells an honest, simple story, evoking the same emotive immediacy of early Mary Chapin Carpenter material. The arrangements, courtesy of producer/collaborator Dan Rowe, are as disarmingly pure as the storytelling. The Westport Minuteman did a feature story on Charlotte, which can be found here.

The States
Rock, Alternative, Indie
Album: The Path of Least Resistance
The States, who recently appeared at this year’s South by Southwest festival, haven’t played New York in months, the consequence of spending a long winter putting together their sophomore effort. Creative tension has long been the fuel for good bands; The States are no exception. Snyder’s precise aesthetic sensibilities collide with the rougher strike pad of Stroll’s obvious punk influences; small fires burn everywhere in the band’s catalog. On The Path of Least Resistance, these competing elements produce surprising, satisfying arrangements. As Stroll says, “We spend a lot of time jamming on one idea and being unsatisfied or frustrated that no one’s on the same page, but then something small changes, and it becomes a great idea—it’s a pretty magical moment when that happens.” Radio Crystal Blue's archived June 27th show features the States and their new album, The Path of Least Resistance, on their weekly internet radio station so be sure to tune into this fantastic show.

Last November
Pop, Rock, Alternative, Indie Rock
Album: All the Gory Details
An honest feel pours out every time Last November takes stage. Their fans are absolutely amazing, and their word of mouth has pushed the band to true heights. Playing small towns, college and major metro venue shows, Last November has taken all the beauties and beast the road can offer. Their intention of spreading their sound by just continuing in their efforts is truly paying off. Last November is a band that quickly exceeds expectations. Their debut release, entitled All the Gory Details is a compilation of honest, thought-provoking lyrics that echo passionately through the voice of lead singer Luke Pilgrim. The album featured on "The Real World" and other MTV shows, is undeniably artistic, filled with indie rock-influenced tunes that will leave you wondering where this band has been hiding. Last November has a feature update on GrindTV after their music video for “Sniper” was added to the channel. The video can be viewed here.

Shea Breaux Wells
Singer-Songwriter, Jazz
Album: Piece of the Light
Every beautiful note from the powerful vocals of Shea Breaux Wells offers a sense of heart-warming love attributed to a true passion for her craft. The complexity and diversity of jazz seems to find deep resonance with Shea's authentic performance style. Her talents reach a vast range with a history of singing rock, a capella and musical theater. Shea's obsession with jazz, coalesced with her various influences, give a signature sound to her voice, performance, and songwriting. Bob Gottlieb wrote a review of Shea’s Piece of the Light for the Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange, which can be found here.

Lez Zeppelin
Rock, Metal, Blues, Classic Rock
Album: Lez Zeppelin
Since forming in 2004, Lez Zeppelin -- the New York City-based, all-girl, all-Zeppelin quartet -- has gained unanimous critical acclaim as one of the most exciting live acts around, becoming the first female rock act to pay homage to Led Zeppelin and to garner rave reviews across the board. Lez Zeppelin stays true to the musically audacious spirit of the original, delivering the legendary rock band's blistering arrangements and monstrous sound note-for-note at sold-out shows across the country. The thing that sets them apart, however, is the seamless and unique way Lez Zeppelin inject their gender-bending performance into the original material. Recently profiled in SPIN, managing editor and author Chuck Klosterman proclaimed that Lez Zeppelin could be "the most powerful all-female band in rock history." Check out “The Ocean” track listing in the Jersey Toddshow podcast, Show Number 91 - Good Music, Bad Arguements, by the warped mind of lawyer/host Adam Curry, who previously ran his show on Sirius Satellite Radio.

THIS WEEK'S FEATURED PODCAST

The MothPod
We first found The MothPod Podcast through the Podsafe Music Network while browsing to see who had played our artists. This fine podcast had featured Sheva, so we introduced ourselves and gave Zack a virtual "high-five"! The Mothpod is Zack "The Mothman" Daggy's own mark in the podosphere. Here he plays his favorite podsafe music for all the world to hear. Zack "The Mothman" Daggy is a college student from the mid-west with stellar visions of creating a podcasting network for his university. The Mothpod is his outlet to share his favorite podsafe music, and experiment with this amazing medium. The MothPod Podcast will soon be celebrating its 50th show and the one year anniversary of Zack's podcasting career with a extravaganza featuring Rotten Cheri complete with prize packs to give away! Tune in. Happy Anniversay MothPod!

THIS WEEK'S FEATURED INTERNET RADIO STATION

Bumpskey
A mainstay in the Internet radio station for years now, Bumpskey Internet Radio has been critical in putting the BUMP in exposure for some of the most successful independent bands in recent memory. His thrice weekly radio show, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thrusday 7-9pm ET, is conducted live with the kind of raw energy that has caused listeners to experience hysterical laughter, tears of emotional pain, occasional acid reflux, and every now and then, epilectic seizures, but one thing is for sure, the BUMP never disappoints, and he often calls Ariel in the office and puts her on the spot – we love it!

THIS WEEK'S FEATURED BLOG

We Heart Music
WeHeartMusic.vox.com is a music blog composed of 30 music fans dealing with music reviews, artist bios, touring information, and streaming music for their readers. Vu Nguyen, a staff writer for We Heart Music, recently did a wonderful feature on CyberPR artist Amber Ojeda. You’ll find the story below in our weekly blog spotlight.
Amber Ojeda

CONTACT & INFO

http://www.arielpublicity.com

http://www.bandletter.com

PERMISSION & PRIVACY

5 Hot Tips for Building Your Fan Base

2007-07-03T09:42:00.001-07:00

Sound Advice eZine: 5 Hot Tips for Building Your Fan Base

July 2007

5 HOT TIPS For Building Your Fan Base &
Music Publicity Bootcamp Recap

Building Your Fan Base = Building Your E-mail List

For the past several years, I've allowed bands to wimp out on one of the most critical and important things that they need to do be doing to further their careers. I am not allowing you to wimp out anymore.

One rule people:
The Size Of Your E-mail List = The Size Of Your Income

So, how big is yours?

Myth: I don't have any shows to promote. Therefore, I'm not going to do a newsletter.

Reality: 50% or more of the artists that I work with don't have any shows to promote. Zero, zilch, noneand they still want to be artists in the world getting their music out and heard and liked and listened to (why in the heck would you hire me if you did not want your music out there?).

You must communicate something to your fans regularly and consistently to be in the game. If you do not communicate regularly and consistently, or if you disappear from the hearts and minds of your fans for several months, they will not know where you've been, and they will not know how to be your fan.

I don't care what the content of your newsletter is. Everyone has something to say, and even better - everyone has something to show. Photos of your vacation, your kids, you in the studio, you at your day job, what you thought of the last episode of the Sopranos, or what's in your iPod this week. Whatever it is send it regularly to your fans. These are interesting and pertinent pieces of information about who you are, and these are great ways to connect with other people.

When you only e-mail your fans when you have a show, or a new CD to sell them, it totally screams: "Hey fan, I want your money!"

You just show up out of nowhere and say: "I know you had no idea where I've been for the last six months, but here, buy something now!" and people hate being sold to. (Remember my last issue of Sound Advice - Networking 101?)

When I started regularly communicating with the fans through my fan list at Ariel Publicity, magic started happening. My articles started getting picked up and reported online. People started leaving me nice messages and saying thank you for my newsletter, and I even threw my first all-day workshop that came directly from people on my newsletter list and it SOLD OUT so fast I had to add a second session!!

Why? Because I sent an e-mail!

In other words, I made money by just communicating.

Studies prove that people buy from people that they like and trust, and there is no better way to earn people's trust than by communicating with them regularly something personal and fun or unique about yourself offstage that your fans may not know. So, go out there and build your e-mail list.

5 HOT TIPS For Building Your Fan Base

1. Give Away A Free MP3 To Everyone That Signs Up To Your List - The last thing you want to do is put a box in your page saying, "sign up for our e-mail list so we can send you more e-mail." That's basically what that says. Instead, try giving something away as an incentive to get people to sign up to your e-mail list. I highly suggest a free MP3. This says, "thank you fan, we appreciate you signing up for our mailing list."

BUT How do you get a free MP3 to send to your fans you may wonder?

Easy http://www.fizzkicks.com - Go sign up here and Aaron, who runs the site, will host FREE downloads for all of your friends for 2 months. After that it's a measly $9.99 per month for unlimited downloads and uploads and Aaron will sell you these AMAZING little credit card size customizable cards to hand free MP3s out to your fans (or load them up with your new tracks and sell them)! A hell of a lot cheaper than pressing a CD and way cooler. And Aaron will send you 120 cards for $19.99 (and tell Aaron I sent you).

2. Do A Live Giveaway/Raffle At EVERY SHOW - When you are playing a show, hold up a CD or a T-shirt on stage and announce you are doing a free giveaway and a raffle. Have a friend sweep through the venue with a hat and have all the people in attendance drop their business cards into the hat. When the hat reaches the stage, pull a random business card out and do a giveaway. Then, mention to the crowd that you're going to add everyone in the hat to your e-mail list. You've just collected a ton of new e-mail names and addresses that you definitely would not have captured (or giveaway a cool Fizz Kicks card!!).

3. Collect Text Addresses - Before you start playing a gig, when you are asking fans to switch off their cell phones, ask them first to text you their information. Then you build a cell phone text e-mail list and you can e-mail people directly to their cell phones the next time you're coming through town. This is a totally unique and original way of communicating on people's cellular phones and will get you noticed.

4. Mine Through Your Inbox - We all have them. Huge inboxes stuffed with e-mail from people who you're communicating with. Are they already on your e-mail list? If not, e-mail each of them and ask: "Is it okay for me to add you to our fan mail list?" (and offer a free MP3). And if they say yes, add them directly on to your e-mail list.

TIP: Never ever add someone without getting permission first, because that's considered SPAM.

5. List Trade With Another Band - Once you have a sizeable e-mail list, you can approach other bands that you play with or whose music is similar to yours or maybe they're from your hometown and you can ask them to write an endorsement e-mail saying: "Hey, if you like us, you'll like our friends!" Then they can send that endorsement out with a request for joining your e-mail list and you can in turn do the same for them. When you do a list trade with another band, always make sure that your music is very well described in a couple of sentences - what you sound like, who you get compared to, and if you can, take them directly to a page where they can get a free MP3 the moment they sign up that's streaming so they can check you out.

Music Publicity Bootcamp Recap

On June 2, 2007, Ariel Hyatt of Ariel Publicity and Bob Baker of TheBuzzFactor.com joined forces to give their first ever workshop. Artists went through four hours of personal PR training from veteran music publicist Ariel Hyatt and music marketing coach Bob Baker.

The event was such a success and sold out so quickly that Ariel and Bob added a second session that day to accommodate the high demand! In this fast-paced, intimate workshop setting, attendees learned how to get media exposure and make the most of the latest Internet publicity trends.

Matt Maher, an intern with Ariel Publicity, wrote this great piece recapping the second session taking place that day:

Publicity Bootcamp Session 2 = Priceless

Admission to PR Bootcamp: $60

Non-working, brand new 25,000 BTU A/C Unit (including installation): $698

Knowledge gained during a sweat-stained Saturday afternoon in a packed, un-air-conditioned downtown Manhattan office on the first weekend of a New York June with industry PR experts Bob Baker and Ariel Hyatt: Priceless

Hands on training and unabashed information sharing were definitely the two major hits of the second PR Publicity Bootcamp taking place in the successful afternoon session of Saturday's workshop. The satisfaction of the participants was evident on their faces when they got to openly share their experiences with the other artists, Bob, and Ariel and learn about what worked and didn't work from everybody's collective trials and errors. Likewise, receiving expert critique on previous press kits and performing simulated pitches about their music to the rest of the group proved critical in the learning process for everybody and offered the kind of insight that is impossible to acquire from self-taught PR training or by reading from a book.

While participation and interaction between participants were great positives in the session, things would have been chaotic were it not for the guidance of Bob and Ariel. With voices of authority and time-worn experience, Bob and Ariel zipped through a core explanation of what is "PR" in the first two hours. Presented with simplicity so that both novices and those with more experience could learn equally, they tracked the importance of PR for artists at its most basic definition all the way to the PR of the future on the web and in the digital form. Everybody was aware of the ever-changing entity that is the music industry today, but with two PR veterans who have lived through and now embrace these developments directing the way, it was obvious that participants left with renewed enthusiasm and box of tools that they can use to take on the challenges of the contemporary music landscape.

The session wasn't just "all work and no play," however, as group exercises such as creating headlines and sub-headings for press releases and the sharing of biographies on a typical "one-sheet" provided some lighter moments of the day. With the creative spirit flowing, the group came up with catchy phrases like "Mortician Musician Resurrects Dylan." Unfortunately, this also led to Bob venturing into his database of corny jokes (you'll have to come to the next one to get those juicy tidbits). We had to give him credit though, the attempts at the least worked to distract everybody from the afternoon heat. In fact, by the end of the session, the A/C incident seemed to be a distant memory having been transplanted to the back of the minds of everybody by the wealth of knowledge and information delivered in the Publicity Bootcamp. A/C or no A/C, the session sent participants off with inspiration, knowledge, and confidence to tackle their musical goals that indeed, could be called priceless.

CONTACT & INFO

http://www.arielpublicity.com

http://www.bandletter.com

PERMISSION & PRIVACY

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Networking 101: Larry Sharpe and Neo-Sage.com

2007-06-08T17:44:00.001-07:00

June 8, 2007

I feel terrible! When putting together Tuesday's Sound Advice eZine, I forgot to include the following...

Many of the Networking 101 ideas came from notes I took at a presentation by the fabulous and knowledgeable Larry Sharpe, who I did not link to in my last newsletter!

My apologies, Larry!

If you want more information on Larry's company, and his sales seminars, please visit:

http://www.neo-sage.com/

Best,
Ariel

Networking 101 and Digital Press Conference Wrap Up

Our first Digital Press Conference and the Musicians’ Publicity BootCamp that Bob Baker and I presented (twice) last Saturday were big successes and we all had a great time. There is a summary of what happened at the Digital Press Conference below with photos at the bottom of this email (a wrap up of the BootCamp will be included in next months eZine). These fabulous events got me thinking about a critical component in the life of every successful artist: networking.

Networking is hard for some people. I know many musicians who HATE networking, and they abhor the idea of selling themselves (this is why I have a job).

However, as a musician without networking, you will not get very far at all. I’ll give you some tips to help alleviate the pain and get to your goal, which is more fans and therefore more sales of: CDs, downloads, tickets, and merch which equals MONEY. The basic elements of face-to-face networking are outlined here.

So, Here We Go: NETWORKING 101

First of all, I am not saying that you should go and join a “networking group” (although Meetup.com is a great place to do that). I’m pointing out that simply leaving your house can be looked at as a networking opportunity.

There Are 3 Reasons Why We Network

To find a direct target or a customer. For example, a fan who will buy tickets, music, or merch and support you.
To gain a sphere of influence, and therefore a source for referrals (i.e. the people who like the people who know & support your band).
A resource for you and your customers (yep- I’m calling fans customers).

When You Go Into Any Networking Situation:

The biggest goal of networking is: Be memorable.

How do you do that?

Simple: The more that they talk, the more that you are remembered.

After that, follow these ABC’s when you go to a party, wedding, or any social situation.

Know what to ask for (I suggest an email address as something you can always ask for if you do not have a goal that day).

Be a walking advertisement for your music and what you are up to in the world as a musician.

Be a gatherer. This means when you are in any social situation, you should be gathering as much information as possible about each person: interesting tidbits about them, what they like, who they know, where they go, etc.

TIP: For this don’t think about yourself! Think: How can I be helpful to this person that I am talking to? So, let go of your story and your pitch and let them talk all about themselves.

The Follow Up - After you get home and it's time to follow up, never send your marketing pitch or talk about your business in the first initial e-mail. Get people to respond to your follow up.

Say something very simple without a pitch, like:

Dear Leslie,

It was nice to meet you. Weren’t those little pigs in blankets delicious?

If they respond, then you can pitch them. So, remember, the first follow-up is always friendly and positive and not business-oriented!

On First Contact

When you meet someone, first ask a question about them. "What brought you here today? How did you meet the bride?" Get them talking.

Never walk up to someone and say: “Hi, I'm David.” That makes it all about you. So, what you're basically saying there is, “Hi, it's all about me.” Let's proceed. Instead, you want to say something like: “So, Nancy, what do you do?” Or: “Are you having a good time?” Then, it's all about them.

Business Cards

1. If you don’t have one and you are above the age of 18, GET A BUSINESS CARD NOW! You have no excuse – they are free. Go here and order one:
http://www.VistaPrint.com

TIP: Put one sentence about your music (your PITCH) on your card and the instrument you play. A card with a “name and an address” is TOTALLY USELESS and unmemorable! Put a photo of yourself on the card or your band logo to add even more branding and recognition.

2. Don’t worry about giving out your card; focus on getting their cards.

Never give your card out unless someone asks for it. If you give a card, you are selling (people hate selling). If some asks for your card, they are buying (people LOVE buying).

Be A Shark In A Sea Of Tuna

When networking, don't think about your industry. If you are trying to grow your business, always go to the places that are exactly opposite of your industry.

So, as a musician, go and network with a bunch of other musicians if you are looking for more people to play with or to tap into a community of other musicians. However, this is probably not going to make you money.

If you go to, say, a bridal convention and you meet a whole bunch of people that are planning weddings and you introduce yourself as a musician, you might get some really good gigs.

Initial Follow-up On The Phone

Something like: “Hey, Larry. Laura asked me to give you a call. This is Ariel.” Use only your first name. Never say, “Hi, my name is Ariel,” because then people will think of you as a stranger (you would never call your mom and say: “Hi, my name is Ariel.” It's too formal).

So, just say: “I'm Ariel,” and then carry on with your conversation.

Words Never To Say:

Words that you should never, ever say are:

“I'm just...”

“I'm not looking to sell you anything...”

“I'm not looking for connections...”

Don’t use these to try to put them at ease because the person will immediately think the opposite. The brain doesn't register "I'm just..."

When It Is Finally Your Turn To Talk: How To Position Yourself

When they are finally engaged with you (after they have talked about themselves) and you are ready to make your pitch, talk about what other people say about you, instead of pitching yourself.

Why? Because people always believe what other people say about you more than they believe you saying it about yourself!

So, you could say something like: “People say my music sounds like Bob Dylan crossed with a touch of The Beatles.” OR “My voice gets compared to Annie Lennox.”

That registers very, very well.

In next month’s Sound Advice, I am going to discuss a critical element for success: How to Build Your Email List.

Stay Tuned…

-Ariel

Cyber PR Digital Press Conference Wrap-Up

Delicious food, good wine, and great friends: The overwhelming success of the first ever Ariel Publicity Digital Press Conference, served as both the culmination of a year’s hard work in launching CyberPR and a sign of a promising future for the innovative firm. After a flood of interest, the venue was changed in an effort to accommodate more guests. The new location, Ariel’s parent’s beautiful and spacious apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, made for an evening that was equal parts joyous social gathering and serious press function.

Rive Video, one of the most notable names in major label & independent music video promotion, served as event co-sponsor and took over Ariel’s childhood bedroom, creating an impromptu TV studio to host six hours worth of artist interviews for their assorted shows. Everyone’s favorite Internet radio personality, Jerry Bumpsky - with his Lennonesque son Patrick helping on the tech work - broadcasted the entire event live from a den that was transformed into a makeshift recording studio; going four and a half hours uninterrupted with fresh music, artist interviews, live impromptu performances, and the usual comedic banter that his fans love.

Attendees were kept on their toes with Catherine and Nick from Question of the Week roaming the apartment in search of great response to this week’s inquiry (tune in to find out what the question was!) Dan Herman of Radio Crystal Blue, bounced from artist to artist with a small digital recorder. While some, such as Ajay Chandriani from Mixed Bag Sound System , Mark Petracca of Culture Catch Podcast and Thea Beemer from Brooklyn Radio, chose to put down the recording devices and keep it casual, preferring cordial conversations with the artists. DJ Copperhead from Next Big Hit Podcast booked several upcoming studio Given the unique location, journalists had to get creative in finding quiet areas; Curtis Waller, from MTV and Waller Worldwide, set up for video interviews in the kitchen, being forced into momentary pauses as more hors d'oeuvres were taken from the oven to feed hungry guests. At one point, even the bathroom was used for interview purposes, hip-hop artist Ill Phil actually delivered rhymes from the bathtub but that flow was kept brief to avoid an angry line.

Several artists were in attendance including eight from Ariel’s Cyber PR: Darrin James, TRAEDONYA, edibleRed, Joe Deninzon of Stratospheerius, Leiana, Trystette, Kyle Lardner, and the lovely ladies of Lez Zepplin. Blood Red Sun and Emiko came along with several representatives of ISL Publicity who helped shuttle artists around to interviews. Additionally, the guys from Rive brought Telesma and hip-hop artist Ill Phil Carnage. For many, the six-hour digital press marathon was a first-time experience, and each artist took full advantage, bouncing around every press station for interviews, videos, photos, conversation, and so forth. With such a positive response from all participants, the event was a smashing success, prompting many more, as it may potentially become a quarterly occurrence. The next event, however, will likely be held in a larger venue as the firms network and client list continues to grow.

Event Photos

CONTACT & INFO

http://www.arielpublicity.com

http://www.bandletter.com

PERMISSION & PRIVACY

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2007-06-05T21:40:00.001-07:00

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Sound Advice eZine: Networking 101 and Digital Press Conference Wrap Up

2007-06-05T12:34:00.001-07:00

June 5, 2007

Networking is hard for some people. I know many musicians who HATE networking, and they abhor the idea of selling themselves (this is why I have a job).

So, Here We Go: NETWORKING 101

There Are 3 Reasons Why We Network

To find a direct target or a customer. For example, a fan who will buy tickets, music, or merch and support you.
To gain a sphere of influence, and therefore a source for referrals (i.e. the people who like the people who know & support your band).
A resource for you and your customers (yep- I’m calling fans customers).

When You Go Into Any Networking Situation:

The biggest goal of networking is: Be memorable.

How do you do that?

Simple: The more that they talk, the more that you are remembered.

After that, follow these ABC’s when you go to a party, wedding, or any social situation.

Know what to ask for (I suggest an email address as something you can always ask for if you do not have a goal that day).

Be a walking advertisement for your music and what you are up to in the world as a musician.

TIP: For this don’t think about yourself! Think: How can I be helpful to this person that I am talking to? So, let go of your story and your pitch and let them talk all about themselves.

The Follow Up - After you get home and it's time to follow up, never send your marketing pitch or talk about your business in the first initial e-mail. Get people to respond to your follow up.

Say something very simple without a pitch, like:

Dear Leslie,

It was nice to meet you. Weren’t those little pigs in blankets delicious?

If they respond, then you can pitch them. So, remember, the first follow-up is always friendly and positive and not business-oriented!

On First Contact

When you meet someone, first ask a question about them. "What brought you here today? How did you meet the bride?" Get them talking.

Business Cards

1. If you don’t have one and you are above the age of 18, GET A BUSINESS CARD NOW! You have no excuse – they are free. Go here and order one:
http://www.VistaPrint.com

2. Don’t worry about giving out your card; focus on getting their cards.

Never give your card out unless someone asks for it. If you give a card, you are selling (people hate selling). If some asks for your card, they are buying (people LOVE buying).

Be A Shark In A Sea Of Tuna

When networking, don't think about your industry. If you are trying to grow your business, always go to the places that are exactly opposite of your industry.

If you go to, say, a bridal convention and you meet a whole bunch of people that are planning weddings and you introduce yourself as a musician, you might get some really good gigs.

Initial Follow-up On The Phone

So, just say: “I'm Ariel,” and then carry on with your conversation.

Words Never To Say:

Words that you should never, ever say are:

“I'm just...”

“I'm not looking to sell you anything...”

“I'm not looking for connections...”

Don’t use these to try to put them at ease because the person will immediately think the opposite. The brain doesn't register "I'm just..."

When It Is Finally Your Turn To Talk: How To Position Yourself

When they are finally engaged with you (after they have talked about themselves) and you are ready to make your pitch, talk about what other people say about you, instead of pitching yourself.

Why? Because people always believe what other people say about you more than they believe you saying it about yourself!

So, you could say something like: “People say my music sounds like Bob Dylan crossed with a touch of The Beatles.” OR “My voice gets compared to Annie Lennox.”

That registers very, very well.

In next month’s Sound Advice, I am going to discuss a critical element for success: How to Build Your Email List.

Stay Tuned…

-Ariel

Cyber PR Digital Press Conference Wrap-Up

Event Photos

CONTACT & INFO

http://www.arielpublicity.com

http://www.bandletter.com

PERMISSION & PRIVACY

Ariel's Cyber PR presents: Stanley James

2007-06-05T07:01:00.001-07:00

Stanley James

If you see a crowd of women swooning, screaming, fainting and generally going ballistic, there's a good chance that Stanley James might be close by. With a voice like hot, liquid caramel, matched only by his deeply groovy R&B beats, this man has captured a jaw-dropping style with hints of Stevie Wonder, Brian McNight and even early Michael Jackson. Rich with jazzy harmonies and creamy soul attitude, this album is seductively disarming and how shall we put it?- mood enhancing. There's no doubt this album sizzles so hot, you could fry an egg on it. -Derek Sivers, Owner CD Baby

He's Truly a natural Star... He has natural talent and it comes from the heart and soul! -Sara, MySpace Fan

arielpublicity.net

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Username: onlinemusicp08
Password: wgh4quun

Artist:	Stanley James
Website:	http://www.stanleyjamesmusic.com
MySpace:	http://www.myspace.com/stanleyjames2
Hometown:	Chicago, IL
Genre:	Hip Hop / Rap, R&B, Urban
Sounds like:	Michael Jackson, Brian McKnight
Influenced by:	Prince, Stevie Wonder

Please visit Stanley James's page to download MP3s and videos.

For help on how to download this MP3, please email us at admin@arielpublicity.com.

Over the highways and through the hood, singer/songwriter Stanley James has weathered the toughest of times in order to follow the musical path his heart has set. His passion flows like a raging river not only through all of the music he creates, but in the methodical marketing avenues he's come up with to get that music heard – be it to the public or power brokers in the music business. Stanley does whatever it takes to make his music heard. He's sewn up a seamless blend of old school and contemporary soul sensibilities, creating a sound that all R&B lovers will take to heart.

Click here for a full biography

Click here to see the full artist profile for Stanley James

For further information or to set up interviews, please contact: Ariel Publicity (212) 239-8384

If you would like to be removed from the Cyber PR system, simply click here to opt out, or paste this URL into your web browser: http://www.arielpublicity.net/opt_out/a8630ed457d3a474d0652e17cfd30c98

Ariel's Digital Press Conference 5/22/07: VENUE CHANGE!

2007-05-21T15:10:00.000-07:00

May 21, 2007

Digital Press Conference
Tuesday May 22, 2007
Nine Cutting Edge Artists to Interview
Wine, Beer and Sweeping Views of Central Park

Calling our favorite bloggers, podcasters, video shows, vloggers freelance writers, and online music peeps to attend to our first digital music press conference!

Many of you have not yet RSVP'd Please do so TODAY - 212 239-8384 or Ariel@arielpublicity.com

Ariel’s Cyber PR, ISL Public Relations, and Rive Video Promotion cordially invite you to come hang at the home Ariel grew up in on the Upper West Side, enjoy some wine, beer & hors d’oeuvres, and interview eight of our hottest artists (more are being confirmed so stay tuned)

VENUE CHANGE – THE RSVP’S HAVE OUTGROWN THE OFFICE!
Event: Digital Press Conference
Date: Tuesday May 22, 2007
Time: 4-9 PM
Location: The Hyatt’s
7 West 81 Street – apt 6A
New York NY 10024
(Between Central Park West & Columbus)

Please RSVP if you have not done so already to: Ariel@ArielPublicity.com or call 212 239-8384

FEATURED ARTISTS

Blood Red Sun
New York, NY
"Finally, a band out of New York that are not bed-headed Strokes clones. These guys wail, blending old-school riffs with radio-friendly chops. Plus, they’ve got the best female drummer this side of Meg White. Wait a sec, Meg White sucks." -New York Press
http://www.blood-red-sun.com

Darrin James Band
Brooklyn, NY
Darrin's songwriting has a narrative quality that draws us into his world through detailed imagery and captivates us in his mood. Darrin's voice is expressive and unique, rough-around-the-edges and gravelly like a world-weary everyman that is somehow tragic but wise, heartbroken but funny. Musically, Darrin's love of American blues and roots music shines through proudly as he draws from a diverse palette of musical styles of the past to create original music that is interesting in its depth and diversity.
http://www.darrinjames.com

edibleRed
New York, NY
Led by firecracker front woman Collette McLafferty, edibleRed is an eclectic New York City-based five-piece collective of atypical musicians. The memorable songs the band creates can be heard on their debut CD, Welcome to My Bad Behavior, slated for release on the day of the press conference May 22 on veteran indie label Select Records.
http://www.ediblered.com

Emiko
New York, NY
Indulging a rare breed of rock n’roll of the biggest kind, Emiko is a sensitive and introspective songwriter. Notwithstanding, this girl lives up to the rock legends as a trailblazer who sings, plays keys, takes her own solos, and is unafraid to say what others only dare to think. Having played piano since she was two and half, Emiko has transformed from classical pianist prodigy to rock and roll starlet.
http://www.emikomusic.com

Ill Phil Carnage
Staten Island, NY
A native of Brooklyn (NYC) who now resides in Staten Island (NYC), after college Phil started the independent label Suga' Shack Ent. He is inspired by early nineties rap and heavy rock influences, but rhymes up to par with today's standards. Phil has "in-your-face" adrenaline driven anthems with chanting hooks, and punch lines. Amongst the boasting lyrics, however, are innovative songs with meaning that fans can relate to. Phil is always writing and thrives on competition with the "freestyle" and "battle" capabilities of the "backpacking" emcees, but he is a true-to-form studio artist. He is a true voice of Middle America, controversial lyrics with a character, look, and style perfect for commercial marketability.
http://www.illphilcarnage.com

Kyle Lardner
New York, NY
Although Kyle is just a teenager, she is an incredibly insightful composer/performer. She wrote every song you hear on her album on the piano. With the help of her producer Alan Plotkin he was able to craft her sound into many different genres. This pop, rock and folk. The album was mastered by Greg Calbi (John Lennon, Billy Joel etc.).
http://www.kylemusic.biz

Leiana
Philadelphia, PA
The female-fronted, Philadelphia-based band of seasoned musicians has a rapidly growing fan base in the hardcore and skatepunk worlds. Leiana's music is the result of the collaboration between the sultry underground vocalist Leiana and veteran musician Chuck Treece. Leiana - produced/co-written by Chuck Treece (Bad Brains, Urge Overkill, Billy Joel, The Roots) The music industry may be more dominated than ever by soulless mega-corporations, but the DIY spirit of bands like Leiana is still alive and definitely still kicking.
http://www.leiana.com

Lez Zeppelin
New York, NY
Lez Zeppelin, the New York City-based all-girl, all-Zeppelin quartet, is set to release its self-titled debut album on July 10, 2007, with a nationwide and European tour planned in support of the new record. Since forming in 2004, Lez Zeppelin has gained unanimous critical acclaim as one of the most exciting live acts around, becoming the first female rock act to pay homage to Led Zeppelin and to garner rave reviews across the board. The album was recorded with legendary producer/engineer Eddie Kramer, best known for his work with Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, and KISS; and was mastered by George Marino, who with Jimmy Page digitally remastered all of the original Led Zeppelin recording.
http://www.lezzeppelin.com

Stratospheerius
New York, NY
Stratospheerius is the bastard child of Frank Zappa, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Blues Traveler. Lead by electric violinist/vocalist/mandolinist Joe Deninzon, the band has showcased their "psychojazz trip funk" at colleges, festivals, and clubs throughout the US. Their live performances are filled with funky dance grooves, rip-roaring guitar/violin jams, and hooks that mix jazz, funk, and world beat. The group was a winner in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, won the Online People’s Choice Awards in the Cornucopia Festival, and was named “Best Jam Band” in Musician’s Atlas Independent Music Awards.
http://www.stratospheerius.com

Telesma
Baltimore, MD
Blending ancient and modern instrumentation and spirit, Baltimore-based Telesma bridges the gap between primal and futuristic, setting itself apart from other bands in the music scene with their intoxicating sound and extra-ordinary live performances. Telesma's unique sound, that has been labeled "electro-acoustic psychedelic world dance music", is driven by the primal voices of the didgeridoo (one of the oldest instruments in the world, 40,000 years), the kubing (bamboo mouth harp), tribal drums and percussion, and the human voice. These elements are fused with modern instruments including keyboards, guitar, bass, theremin, samplers, modern drums, and the unique homemade "manDrum" to create a trance-like pulse not unlike that heard in modern electronic dance music.
http://www.telesma.net

Traedonya
Bronx, NY
The bride of new funk hip opera was born in Rocky Mount, NC , and was raised in the Bronx. In essence she is a country-city girl....a slice of both. Being raised by the funk and hip-hop, she has those influences in her music today. While in college, she was trained in the genre of jazz by some greats at the New School of Social Research in NYC. This cross section of cultures and music has allowed her to be comfortable across musical genres and cultures.
http://www.traedonya.com

CONTACT & INFO

http://www.arielpublicity.com

http://www.bandletter.com

PERMISSION & PRIVACY

Ariel's Cyber PR presents: Bus Stop Stallions

2007-05-21T07:06:00.001-07:00

Bus Stop Stallions

Bus Stop Stallions really stepped up to the plate... The stage presence from the lead vocalist was unmatched so far tonight, and the horns sailed over the band like a big brass eagle. The keys were exceptional, and the band was outstanding. Great set of funky, happy, soulful music. Soul is back in a big way with these guys leading the charge! -Bob Lablah- Emergenza Music festival

arielpublicity.net

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Username: onlinemusicp08
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Artist:	Bus Stop Stallions
Website:	http://www.busstopstallions.com
MySpace:	http://www.myspace.com/busstopstallions
Hometown:	Austin, Texas
Genre:	Rock, Soul, R&B, Blues, Funk
Sounds like:	Spin Doctors, Galactic, Rebirth Brass Band, Van Morrison
Influenced by:	The Meters, Dr. John, Galactic, Al Green, Stevie Wonder

Please visit Bus Stop Stallions's page to download MP3s and videos.

For help on how to download this MP3, please email us at admin@arielpublicity.com.

Bus Stop Stallions seeks to alter the face of dance music with their funktastic rhythms. This group has rhythms and music to enlighten the mind, shake the body, and stimulate the soul. Tight arrangements, unified climaxes, hot solos, and original songs so fat that you know that this aint no diet funk!

Click here for a full biography

Show Date	Venue	City / State
May 22, 2007	Biscuits and Blues	San Francisco, Ca

Click here to see the full artist profile for Bus Stop Stallions

For further information or to set up interviews, please contact: Ariel Publicity (212) 239-8384

If you would like to be removed from the Cyber PR system, simply click here to opt out, or paste this URL into your web browser: http://www.arielpublicity.net/opt_out/a8630ed457d3a474d0652e17cfd30c98

Lee Rugless's Sonicbids EPK

2007-05-11T10:30:00.001-07:00

Enjoy the new release from Lee Rugless. It's receiving love internationally.

Online purchase at;

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/leerugless

or downloads at;

http://www.digstation.com/leerugless

Peace.

Want to save this EPK?

Lee Rugless

Genre: Gospel

Secondary Genre: Urban / R&B

Contact

The music is an inspiring blend of Urban Gospel, Neo-Soul, Jazz, Classical, and R & B. The vocals and production enhance the powerful lyrics. The universal message of love is woven through all of the arrangements.

Artist Information

Instrumentation

Lee Rugless - songwriter, vocals, keyboards, producer; Leon Mc Crary, vocals, keyboards, songwriter; Vernon Williams, bass,
Eric Meeks, drums, Mark Singleton, guitar

Biography

Lee Rugless' smooth vocals and sound are mesmerizing. It's almost like Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke meet J Moss and Kirk Franklin. The songs are positive, danceable tracks. Lee has performed for audiences from Longhi's and Moose McGillicuddy's in Maui, HI to BB King's in Los Angeles. The new CD release "Time" captures crucial moments in Lee's life that he wants to share and give hope and joy to the listener.

Discography

1987 "This is Love" written by Lee Rugless and recorded by Anthony Whigham - Heaven Album
Played on VH1 and National Radio

1990 "HumanNatureZone" written by Lee Rugless and recorded by Lee George & the LT's - Played on all Maui, HI radio stations

1994 Co-Wrote & Co-Produced and Performed "Shades of Gospel"
by Anthony Whigham and Friends played on national radio.

2002 Co-Wrote, Co-Produced & Performed CD "Introducing 1 A Cchord"
by 1 A Cchord

2005 Wrote , Produced & Performed CD " Heaven's Callin" by Ledoria played on
national radio.

2007 Wrote, Produced & Performed the CD "Time"

Send and receive press kits online!
Create your own EPK™ today at http://www.sonicbids.com.

Want to receive all your press kits online? Click here

Full Lee Rugless EPK™: http://www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.asp?epk_id=106865

Invitation to the First Cyber PR Digital Press Conference

2007-05-09T10:57:00.001-07:00

May 9, 2007

Hi! It's your favorite publicist--I am back from New Orleans, where I attended my 14th (!) JAZZFEST in a row stuffing crawfish bread and white chocolate bread pudding in my face and seeing live music!

LIFE = GRAND

INVITATION: The First Cyber PR Digital Press Conference

Calling our favorite bloggers, podcasters, video show producers, vloggers, freelance writers, and online music peeps to attend to our First Digital Music Press Conference!

Ariel's Cyber PR, ISL PR, and Rive Video Promotion cordially invite you to come hang at the Ariel Publicity offices, enjoy some wine, beer & hors d’oeuvres, and interview some of our hottest artists. There will be 8-10 artists in all participating. Please RSVP to Ariel@arielpublicity.com.

Event: Cyber PR's Digital Press Conference
Date: Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Time: 4-9 PM
Location: Ariel Publicity - 325 West 38th Street, Suite 505 New York, NY 10018
Info: (212) 239-8384

I talk to musicians all day who call looking to hire a publicist, and I've noticed that many artists don't really understand what publicity is (And why should you? We are NOT born with this knowledge--and Lord knows I have NO idea how to play an instrument.). So, this prompted me to write this month's article. Happy reading, and now please go out and play.

Nine Critical Things You Should Know About Publicity Before You Make Your First Move

1. The Definition of Publicity - First, we are going to start out with the very basics--some definitions of what publicity is exactly. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:

Publicity - "An act or device designed to attract public interest; specifically: information with news value issued as a means of gaining public attention or support. Also: The dissemination of information or promotional material."

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Publicity is EXACTLY these things.

A music publicist is hired as a member of your team to represent you to the media. Media is defined traditionally as editors and writers at newspapers, magazines, dailies, weeklies, monthlies, college newspapers, and television. Some publicists may also cover radio for interviews on tour stops, but if you want to get on the radio charts (like CMJ), you will need a radio promoter. Some publicists also cover Internet PR, like my company, but not all traditional publicists do! A publicist's job is to liaise with the press. They are not hired to get you a booking agent or gig, a label deal, a distribution deal, or any other type of marketing deal. That is what a manager is for. They will not get you played on radio, either. This is what a radio promoter is for. A well-connected publicist, however, may be able to hook you up with all of the abovementioned things, but it is not in her job description.

2. You Are in the Driver’s Seat – Remember artist - you are the buyer here and you are shopping for PR. You are in the driver's seat. It's your money and your music that keep publicists in business. And hiring one is like hiring another guitar player for your band. Choose one that you like who fits your vision and your goals. All too many times I've heard that a publicist was hired in spite of the artist's personal opinions. You should like your publicist, and she should be the right one for you.

3. With Publicity, You Pay for Effort - Never for Results - I have had disgruntled artists call me and say, "I hired a publicist and I only got six articles. That cost me $1,000 per article!" Okay. This is not how you quantify a PR campaign. How you quantify a PR campaign is by how many albums were sent out, what the responses were, and even if they were inconclusive or negative, it's how much effort the publicist made on your behalf. Of course, you should get some and many results. Getting nothing is totally unacceptable. But you never know where your publicist's efforts will show up months, and sometimes years, after your campaign is complete.

4. A PR Campaign Needs to be Planned Well in Advance - For long-lead press (that means magazines with national distribution like Spin, Rolling Stone and Paste), the editors put their publications to bed three full months before they hit the newsstands. So if your CD is coming out in October, you must have it pressed with full artwork and ready with materials to mail in July. Of course not all PR campaigns focus on national press (more on that later), but no publicist will take you on with zero lead time so you definitely need to prepare lead time in every case.

Good Publicity Campaign Lead Times:
National Campaign: 3-4 months before the release
Tour Press Campaign: 4-6 weeks before the show
Local Campaign: 4-6 weeks before placement
Online Campaign: 2-3 weeks before placement

5. The Four Components of a Press Kit – A good press kit consists of four parts: the bio; the photo; the articles, quotes, and CD reviews; and the CD.

The Bio - Create a one-page bio that is succinct and interesting to read. I strongly advise hiring a bio writer (if you can afford one, this should cost between $200 - $400). If you are not ready to pony up the cash, enlist an outside source to help you out. I find people who are great story tellers make great bio writers.
The Photo - It can seem cheesy to arrange a photo shoot, but if you take this part seriously you will deeply benefit. Create a photo that is clear, light, and attention grabbing. Showing movement is a plus (sitting on a couch or up against a brick wall is not interesting). If you have a friend who knows how to use PhotoShop, enroll him to help you do some funky & fun editing.
The Articles, Quotes & CD Reviews - Getting that first article written about you can feel daunting. Two great places to start are your local hometown papers (barring you don't live in NYC or Los Angeles), and any music website that you like.
The CD - The CD artwork, like the press kit, must be well thought out. Do not bother sending out advance burns of your CD unless the writer requests them. Full artwork is always preferred. Put your phone number and contact info in the CD so if it gets separated from the press kit, the writer knows how to contact you.

6. Publicity is a Marathon, Not a Sprint - PR is very different in nature from a radio campaign that has a specific ad date and a chart that you are paying to get placed on. Sadly for me, there is no Top 30 publicity chart. With the sheer number of albums coming out into the marketplace, it could take months longer than your publicity campaign runs to see results.

7. Online Publicity is Not as Important as Offline Publicity - I always say that today's newspaper is tomorrow's recycling, so don't discount online publicity so quickly. For one, it's up and around for months and sometimes for years. The new research and statistics prove that people are reading newspapers less and less with every passing day. People are getting their news from the Internet, so Internet placements are absolutely a wonderful bonus.

8. Publicity Does Not Sell Records - If you are hiring a publicist to see a spike in your CD sales, I have news for you. There is absolutely no correlation between getting great PR and selling records. If that were true, I'd be a lot richer. PR is designed to raise awareness of you in the press, to help build a story, and also build up critical acclaim. And of course, a great article can lead to sales and being on NPR could really help you see a spike in sales. But overall, if selling albums is your goal, PR is not the thing you will need to reach it.

9. All Publicity is Good Publicity - I know we have all heard this, but it’s a great thing to really understand. If your goal in PR is simply to get your name out there (and this should be a goal), the truth is the average person remembers very little of what they read. Only a tiny percentage gets retained, so if you really think that readers are going to remember a tepid or a mediocre review of your CD, the answer my dear friend is they won't. And never ever take your own PR seriously. As my favorite artist Andy Warhol once said, “Don’t read your press, weigh it.”

Ariel

CONTACT & INFO

http://www.arielpublicity.com

http://www.bandletter.com

PERMISSION & PRIVACY

Gospel Lunch and CD Release

2007-04-11T04:50:00.001-07:00

GOSPEL LUNCH & CD RELEASE PARTY

Lee Rugless new release "TIME"

April 15, 2007 2pm - 5pm

BB King's Restaurant

1000 Universal Center Drive

Universal City, CA 91608

All that you can eat & drink and music for your soul!!!

Just mention at the door that you were invited to Lee Rugless' Gospel Lunch.

$30.00 Adults 18-54

$18.95 Seniors 55+

$20.00 Youth 6-17

$ 0.00 Children 5 & under

"You owe it to us all to get on with what you're good at" Wystan Hugh Auden

Lee's Website, CD Purchase Site & Electronic Press Kit:

http://www.geocities.com/legeoproductions/

http://www.digstation.com/leerugless

http://www.sonicbids.com/leerugless

http://www.myspace.com/gohardmuzik

2007-04-03T23:24:00.001-07:00

Go Hard Ryderz "Tha Hustlaz Anthem" Available Now

Bay Area Muzik "Hyphy Movement"

Available at:

http://www.myspace.com/gohardmuzik

http://www.myspace.com/gohardceo

http://www.myspace.com/digibay

http://www.cdbaby.com/twompdojah

Jai Wil - "Impatiently Waiting..." - Now Available on iTunes!!!!

2007-04-03T16:30:00.001-07:00

The debut album, "Impatiently Waiting" is here and it's hot!!! Releasing the album on his own imprint/label, 1221 Entertainment, Jai Wil is here to make a statement to the industry that R&B Artists can do it independently too. With smash singles like "Your Last Man", "Girlfriend", and "Whoa", Jai Wil is making a strong buzz in the Windy City...and beyond.

R&B is back with a new look, so come buy the album and support a star in the making...

Click the pic to buy the CD on iTunes!!!

http://www.myspace.com/jaiwilmusic
--
Jai Wil
1221 Entertainment
For digital copies, go here: www.digstation.com/jaiwil
For physical copies, go here: www.cdbaby.com/cd/jaiwil
www.myspace.com/jaiwilmusic
www.jaiwilmusic.com

Ariel's Cyber PR presents: Stanley James

2007-03-22T14:54:00.003-07:00

Stanley James

He's Truly a natural Star... He has natural talent and it comes from the heart and soul! -Sara, MySpace Fan

If you see a crowd of women swooning, screaming, fainting and generally going ballistic, there's a good chance that Stanley James might be close by. With a voice like hot, liquid caramel, matched only by his deeply groovy R&B beats, this man has captured a jaw-dropping style with hints of Stevie Wonder, Brian McNight and even early Michael Jackson. Rich with jazzy harmonies and creamy soul attitude, this album is seductively disarming and how shall we put it?- mood enhancing. There's no doubt this album sizzles so hot, you could fry an egg on it. -Derek Sivers, Owner CD Baby

arielpublicity.net

Artist:	Stanley James
Website:	http://www.stanleyjamesmusic.com
MySpace:	http://www.myspace.com/stanleyjames2
Hometown:	Chicago, IL
Genre:	R&B
Sounds like:	Michael Jackson, Brian McKnight
Influenced by:	Prince, Stevie Wonder

Please visit Stanley James's page to download MP3s and videos.

For help on how to download this MP3, please email us at admin@arielpublicity.com.

Click here for a full biography

Click here to see the full artist profile for Stanley James

For further information or to set up interviews, please contact: Ariel Publicity (212) 239-8384

Welcome to Cyber PR

2007-03-22T14:54:00.001-07:00

Ariel from Ariel Publicity here—I came across your site and I would love to work with you.

Ariel's Cyber PR is an online PR campaign custom designed for each artist based on musical genre, hometown and touring markets. Maybe I can help filter the masses of music out there, and send you some that are up your alley?

I've got a free tool that I have spent the last 2 years developing. It's called Cyber PR and I designed it to help match great artists to your tastes and save you time.

It's a quick easy (free) way for you to just tell us once what kind of music you would like (by genres and specific locations), and we'll send you the best-of-the-best already filtered to your tastes.

Then every time we've got something we think you'll like, we just send you a short email description, photo, and link to an MP3 of that artist. (To view an example, click here.

If you like it, just say so, and request a full CD be sent to you. You can also request an interview with the artist, arrange to come to a show in your area or leave feedback that the artist can log in and see.

Please understand I'm NOT trying to sell you anything. This is all free. I'm just trying to help emerging artists connect with great opportunities on the Internet.

Anyway, I think you're going to love it, so I just set up an account for you. Please just take 1 minute to click the link and finish it up/edit anything that you want, and to let me know what kind of music you'd like to receive.

NOTE: There are a few bands already loaded into your profile—I put them there just to show you an example of what it will look like (I understand they may not match your requested genres).

http://arielpublicity.net/login

Your temporary login and password are here:

Login: onlinemusicp08
Password: iedul7ae

Feel free to log in and change it! You may need to TYPE OUT the password—cutting and pasting don't work in some browsers!

Thanks!

Ariel Hyatt, (212) 239-8384 – ariel@arielpublicity.com
http://www.arielpublicity.com (more about us here)
Cyber PR Video demo here: http://arielpublicity.com/cyber_pr/demo.html

Music news from Repeat Offenders

2007-03-13T21:23:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce that our latest full length album, "BY EXAMPLE" was named one of the Top 25 Independent CDs of 2006 by Indie-Music.com. You can check out the full article here: http://www.indie-music.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5463

By Example can be purchased for the small cost of 5 dollars :) right here : http://www.cdbaby.com/roffenders

Thanks to Indie Music.com for the wonderful support of our music.

Peace,

Repeat Offenders
repeat_offenders@hotmail.com

check us out at:
http://www.soundclick.com/repeatoffenders
http://www.myspace.com/offenders

Explore the seven wonders of the world Learn more!

Good Music

2007-02-27T21:45:00.001-08:00

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/hopehughescarr

____________________________________________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta.
http://new.mail.yahoo.com

New single "Don't live Fear" is number 28 on the CMJ charts and radio mix shows.

2007-02-27T13:19:00.001-08:00

http://www.cdbaby.com/kmatedor3 take a listen.

AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.

Jai Wil- Album Debut

2007-02-22T03:14:00.001-08:00

Hello,

I'm here to present to you Jai Wil (Jay-Will) a new R&B Artist from Chicago, IL. Jai Wil is an amazing R&B Singer/Songwriter with potential songwriting credits including, Mya, Chris Brown, Montana Tucker, and Jess J. His debut CD entitled, "Impatiently Waiting..." is available for sale online and in some stores today. His smash singles, "Crazy" and "Girlfriend" are heating up the airwaves on radio and internet radio worldwide. Check out his MySpace and Website below and order his album today!!!

http://www.myspace.com/jaiwilmusic

http://www.jaiwilmusic.com

--
Jai Wil
"Impatiently Waiting..."
1221 Entertainment

Welcome!

2007-02-05T08:17:00.001-08:00

No Announcements from Artists Posted Yet. If you like this genre of
music please bookmark this page now, and stay tuned for announcements
soon!

Independent Artists: To submit your music announcements for free
please read the instructions carefully at
http://www.onlinemusicpromotion.blogspot.com