Southern Maryland Music Online®
Articles For Musicians & Audiences
Thanks, and enjoy some pondering thoughts!
[This was written in 1992 and published in the now-defunct Blues And Roots Montreal bulletin. Still true today I'd say.]
Let's say you're a music fan. One of your favourite groups is coming to town. It's an old group. Do you go? Hmmm. Lots of hesitations and questions: the price, the venue, the day of the week, the lateness of the hour, who to go with, and can they still play well? will they play my favourites? Say, who's in the band?
This article came about after seeing the Byrds at Cafe Campus in 1992. The original drummer, Michael Clarke, led a band of hired hands through a powerful set of Byrds music and won over a small, skeptical audience. One die-hard Byrds fan told me he didn't even consider going. It was as if, some said, Ringo put a band together and called it the Beatles. Well, I knew who I was seeing and who I wasn't seeing and enjoyed the show immensely anyway. It got me thinking though...
Once a band has achieved art and acceptance, so rare a combination of feats, they become heroes to their fans. If, however, what the fans have embraced is tampered with, they feel betrayed. This happens when an artist changes direction--Joni Mitchell's journey from solo folkie to jazz bandleader comes to mind--or when, especially when, a band changes personnel. After Brian Jones died, Mick Taylor stepped into the Rolling Stones as the new guy, but since 1975, Ron Wood replaced him as the new guy. He's still the new guy and everybody knows it. When Ringo replaced Pete Best in the Beatles, their Liverpool fans were outraged.
In the story of a great band...The rest is quite interesting, click here to read it!
Disc jockey Alan Freed is credited with naming rock and roll, and further shaped the early days of the new, popular music.
Freed was born Albert James Freed on December 21, 1921 in Winder, Pennsylvania to Charles Freed and Maude (Palmer) Freed. In 1933 the family moved to Salem, Ohio. While still in high school, he played trombone in a band called the Sultans of Swing. But neither performing music, nor this kind of music, would make him famous.
Freed went into broadcasting, getting his first job at WKST in New Castle, PA. He followed that as a sportscaster at WKST in Youngstown, Ohio, and as a disc jockey at WAKR in Akron, Ohio in 1945. In 1949 he moved to Cleveland for WXEL-TV. He was shortly back on radio, however, as he played rhythm and blues records on WJW radio, calling himself "Moondog". His show was called the Moondog Rock 'n' Roll Party, and programmed black rhythm and blues music for a predominently white teenage audience. The term Rock 'n' Roll would continue to be used by Freed for what was then rhythm and blues, and the term would eventually catch on. He called it that because he said "It seemed to suggest rolling, surging beat of the music." Credited as the first "rock concert" was the 1952 Moondog Coronation Ball, though it was closed when the Cleveland Arena was overrun by about twice its 10,000 person capacity.
Freed refused to play "covers', which were remakes of black music by a white person or group, intended to make the music "acceptable" to a white audience...
Click here to read the entire article!
One of the things I love about The Buzz Factor is that it serves as a clearinghouse of good ideas from subscribers. My job is to act as a human funnel and collect the most useful info and pass it on to everyone through this newsletter.
Here's a cool marketing idea from Corey Palmer of the band Monday Conspiracy. Like most club-playing musicians, his band gets booked at venues that stamp the hand of every patron who enters. Most bands don't give this common ritual a second thought. But not Monday Conspiracy.
"We had a stamp made that spells out our web site address, www.mondayconspiracy.com," Corey says. "Before every show, we ask the manager if he or she would mind using our stamp at the door. Most managers say yes, which results in the entire crowd being temporarily branded with our web address."
And the results?
"We've seen our web traffic jump quite a bit since we started doing this. People are less likely to forget our address with it stamped on their hands."
As you surely know, one of the primary ways to present your band or record label to the industry is through a solid press kit. I've spent a great deal of time over the years preaching about the art of crafting effective bios, cover letters, press releases and more. Of course, those tools provide an excellent way for media people to READ about your music, but they still have to HEAR it to be truly sold.
With that idea in mind, here are four tips to help you get your promo kit noticed and your music heard by the media:
1) Send CDs More Than Cassettes
After having received many thousands of packages over the years, I can tell you that CDs are by far the format of choice. And for all the obvious reasons: sound quality, convenience and the ease of cuing up individual tracks. Some time, just for fun, pop in a cassette you're not familiar with and try finding the beginning of the second song ... then the third song. It's frustrating and time consuming. So you can imagine how thrilled overworked media people are when they have to awkwardly skip through a tape to get a feel for a new release.
Note: If you think everyone receiving your press kit is going to play your recording all the way through, guess again. Most of them will breeze through it to determine if your album is worth a more in-depth listen. CDs make this process infinitely easier. And that's your job: to make it as easy as possible for people to give you press, radio airplay, paid gigs and more.
2) Prioritize Who Gets What
If you want to reach a lot of media sources and simply can't afford to send everyone CDs, do this: Send your CDs to the high-priority contacts and places most likely to respond. Send cassettes to the rest. You can also have a third category of lower-priority contacts to which you simply send, for instance, your bio and a photo. In the cover letter that goes with them, ask the recipient to contact you if they want a free review copy. That way, you're only sending your CDs to the people who really want them.
3) Take Off the Shrink Wrap
It may seem like a minor thing, but it does take some effort to pry off that impenetrable plastic that surrounds new CDs and cassettes. Imagine being pressed for time and having to wrestle with a dozen (or more) of these babies at one sitting. Again, make it easier for people to enjoy your music and you will be rewarded!
4) Include Complete Contact Info on Everything
I'll admit it, I'm a contact information freak. If you're going to be a lean, mean, independent music-marketing machine, you must do everything you can to get people (both industry folks and fans) to connect with you. Sending out your press kit and then expecting people to go to work figuring out how to get in touch with you is pure idiocy.
Cover letters get separated from bios. Photos get removed from press releases. J-cards drift away from the cassettes they identify. Put your contact info on everything! Think of your music marketing tools as frisky puppies that love to break from the leash and run away. They need identification tags so the people who find them know who they belong to.
Let me ask you ... What has to happen for a person to be converted into being a fan of your music? There are a number of possible answers, but at the most basic level, one thing has to happen: The person must hear your music.
And there are only so many ways someone can hear your music: on the radio or on television, on the Internet, in a dance club or a retail store, from a friend on a home or car stereo or ... during a live performance.
Let's focus on that last one, because even with all of the advancements in technology, live performance continues to be one of the best ways to connect with fans, sell CDs and prosper as an artist.
Hopefully, your marketing plans include a heaping helping of live shows. But what type of live shows do you plan? The problem is, many musicians get stuck in live performance ruts and fail to think outside the box. For instance, most rock bands flock like lemmings to nightclubs. Most acoustic singer-songwriters obsess over coffee shops and folk venues. That's fine, but they end the thought process there -- and then complain that there aren't enough gig slots for all of the acts who want to play.
The solution: Redefine your live performance goals. And ask yourself the right questions. If you only ask, "How can I book more shows at clubs?" you'll rarely look outside that possibility. But if you ask, "How can I reach more of my ideal fans through live performances?" then your list of potential venues is suddenly wide open.
Where can you play in front of more potential fans? If nightclubs is one answer, great -- continue to pursue that. But what about community festivals, neighborhood block parties, grand openings, rallies, auto shows, craft fairs, the finishing line of a city marathon, a public beach on a sunny day ... anywhere that large groups of people gather is fair game.
Sure, not every option will have the logistics for a sound system, a stage, etc. But any glimmer of an idea along these lines is worth looking into. And I guarantee you, the number of other acts competing for a spot at one of these offbeat events will be much less than the number you find at the traditional live music venues.
So ... expand your definition of a live performance, ask yourself empowering questions, and open your mind to the many new ways you have to reach fans through live performances.
Here's an excerpt from a great article by Angela Booth. She offers some great lessons for creative people of all kinds.
All selling starts with self-promotion. Before anyone will give you money, they have to know something about you. They need to feel comfortable with you and to trust you. This means that they have to get used to seeing your name and your story.
You must tell people who you are and what you do. If you don't do it, it won't get done. And that would be a tragedy, because you'll miss out on dozens of opportunities which would have flowed into your life as a natural outcome of your promotional efforts.
Creative self-promotion is an art, and it all starts with your attitude.
Enthusiasm: Decide to Have FUN with Self-Promotion
Your attitude must be based on enthusiasm. Nothing sells like enthusiasm. Are you enthusiastic? If not, tell yourself that you are. Keep telling yourself this at least 15 times a day for the next month -- yes, this is an affirmation, and affirmations work. Put a little note on the corner of your computer monitor or on the dashboard of your car: "ENTHUSIASM -- I am enthusiastic!"
Your second affirmation for the next month is: "Self-promotion is fun!"
You may feel silly at first, repeating your affirmations, but if you find marketing difficult, it's because you're letting your attitude get in your way. And because your attitude is in your mind, you can and must change your mind.
So for the next month, put the proper foundation under your future marketing endeavors by working on your attitude. At the end of the month, you'll see a real shift, I promise.
Act "As If"
Are you a success? Of course you are. You're as successful right now as you will ever be, because success begins in your mind, in your vision of yourself. From today, start acting as if you were already a successful self-promoter.
I'm not recommending that you indulge in any outlandish behavior or that you pretend. Let's see how acting "as if" works.
Here's a scenario. Your vision of yourself is that of a successful feature writer for newspapers and magazines. In order to become that success, you act as if you already were successful -- you promote yourself and your work.
What does a successful feature writer do? That person networks, chases ideas, and writes and sells feature articles. You see yourself as a success, so you research and write article proposals and network. Not too many weeks down the track, you sell your first article, and then another.
You keep on acting "as if," because you know that one swallow doesn't make a summer. At this stage, acting the way a success acts is becoming more natural to you. You feel comfortable networking and interacting with others -- and guess what? -- you're handling self-promotion just fine.
Commit to Your Marketing
Being committed to marketing means exactly that. It means that like Nike, you just do it.
I read a profile of Mary Kay Ash, the cosmetics queen. When she was starting her business, and for many years thereafter, she was always the last person to leave the office. Long after others had left, she'd been busy making just one more marketing phone call.
This is the spirit you need to aim for in your marketing efforts. Make just one more phone call. Send just one more e-mail message. Every day.
Whatever your business, whether it's writing or something else, you won't succeed unless you make it a habit to do some marketing every day. Start small, set tiny achievable marketing goals like those I've suggested. If you do that, your business will be a success.
To read more articles by Angela Booth, visit the Digital-e Web site -- Information for writers and creatives. Turn your talent into a business at Digital-e.biz
Have you ever been asked to donate your bands time for a benefit dance, or other non-profit, fundraising project?
Here's a little story that might make you cheer, and cry when offering your support for the victims of unfortunate circumstances and make some new fans while helping others in need.
Want to really create a loyal following? A band that I played with many years ago did this, with no pre-meditations as to the possible outcome, but, this is what we did, and the outcome of what happened was awesome. We decided to sell some cassette demo's we had recorded and let everyone know that the band was going to donate 50% of the generated sales to the benefit that night!
The outcome of the dance that night:
The venue owner paid us that night our contracted price and then gave us a second check of two hundred dollars and asked us to forward that to the lady that hosted the benefit dance we had done. We did just that and gave the venue owners name and phone number so she could thank him for his contribution.
The point of this little story I told you is for your bands benefit, make sure you explore all options and possibilities when looking for new audiences, you never know just what "GOOD" may come for everyones "benefit"!
Thanks,
Here is a fine example of what I am trying to state in regards to the story I submitted above. SMMO received this letter via email as a general statement regarding the writters appreciation of "the bands" efforts at a fundraising event. The bands name has been excluded for the purpose of promoting the moral of the story and not the band specifically.
In May of last year, MOUSETRAP BAR & GRILL held a benefit for disabled children. I am not sure as to the specific organization, but the proceeds went to pay for a trip to Camden Yards and sporting equipment for children with severe physical and mental disabilities.
[the band] was hired to provide entertainment that night,and did a fabulous job, not just musically, but really drove the donations, and raffles. Each
band member generously bought raffle tickets for each and every raffle, then, if they won, would donate the prize back for further auctioning. This spurned many in attendance to do the same. By the end of the night,
MOUSETRAP had collected well over $1000.00 dollars, including the bands generous donation of its entire salary for the night. This was not part of the deal, simply something they did out of kindness and generosity.
The place rocked hard, and everyone left with a good feeling that they had helped kids who really needed it. I do not doubt that [the band] was the primary driving force behind the generosity of the patrons, and they definitely kept MOUSETRAP partying all night.
If you need to come up with cash for studio time, and duplication expenses, and artwork, and printing, and shrink wrapping, and... I think your getting the idea here. Then you say to yourself, "Man, I sure wish someone else was paying for all this".
Well, there just may be way to defray the expenses of recording an entire album all by yourself. I've done this in the past and this is a charming little idea that nobody ever thinks of. The whole point of recording your music is to get people to hear what you have to offer, right?
Of course we know that your not the only band, or musician, in the world with financial problems, that's a given. The idea is that you should consider making this recording project a group effort between your band and a few other bands, Yep, it's called a compilation CD!
If you think this is good way to promote your band and your music, there has to be other bands out there who are in need of the sme thing your in need of...MONEY! Contact a few bands in your area and see if they have any interest in the project, I'm pretty sure that there 10 bands down the street that wish they had of thought about this sooner.
Think about it, if there are 4 bands, and each band has 5 members, and you all put in, let's say $50 each, then that's a lot better that putting $500-$600 per member in just your band alone. The idea is to promote your music and get it heard. I would be willing to bet, from experience, that the sales of this CD would go through the roof in your local market simply because everyone would be willing to purchase a CD that included a couple bands together, instead of just one single band.
It's just an idea, all I can do is throw it at'cha and let you run with it! Thanks for your time and consider this idea for the future, working together and supporting other bands and fellow musicians only helps everybody in the long run! Remember it's not band against band, it's band against audience, your trying to impress the audience, not the other band... You know, I think I'm right! :-)
Thanks,
Article Coming soon!
Dear Potential Acts:
I am on my tiresome horse again. Just remember that I am on your side and I want you to win.
Once again, I whined to one of my "together" acts that I was getting e-mails from potential acts at The Coffee Gallery Backstage and their e-mail address referred to their hobby or pet. It did not have their name in it. The e-mail address would be “hotsnailcolorkit@earthlink.net” or something like that. And, of course, the subject line would read something like "July." No real identification. No clues. Let's torture the people who give you money.
You say, "Oh, Bob, why do you care?" Good question. I care because I get 85 e-mails a day. Often, I cannot respond to them right away. I am swamped. Sometimes I "reply" an answer to the act that e-mailed me. Maybe a week later I want to contact that act, and I look in my "in" and "out" file for their e-mail address. If I do not find the name of the act either embedded in their e-mail address or in the subject line, then I go to "find." Maybe that feature turns up the act or it doesn't. If it doesn't, I have to plow through all of my old "ins" and "outs" until the message surfaces, which is time consuming. I don't want to spend that time.
Here is an advantage to having your name on the "subject" line: every time I plow up the e-mail addresses, I see your name. You stay in my mind. I hire those acts who do well, have a potential to do well, or I can remember. Oh, now the light goes on.
I am sure I have been on the trail of hiring an act and then I lost all communication (and the act). I can envision that act skulking about in his basement saying "that mean old Bob Stane forgot me or ignored me and I will get even with him for this someday... just wait until I am famous and then I won't answer his letters."
I answer all phone calls and e-mails. I always answer and respond and if you, or any one else, feels ignored, it is because the message got lost (or my memory went into overload). "Things" happen. You must back up your every communication with clarity, imagination and tenacity. The "together" act (I am protecting the innocent) said, "Yes, I have the same problem ... everyone seems to want to hide." But, of course, you don't want to hide. You want to be seen and hired.
Another tip: Don't write in sentence fragments. Give full information, like dates. Every time. Just because we discussed it in detail last week does not mean I am going to be able to respond to an e-mail you send me that says, “Yes, it's a go." Then I have to go to "sort" and go through all of your e-mails to me to find out what you said originally.
Printing is for communication. It is not an art form. It certainly is not for putting together a clever puzzle. Don't be afraid to duplicate and clarify. I have a big insight for you: Just because you are intimately aware of you and your schedule and what you want ... I am not. I am hanging on by my fingertips most of the time. I sit at this computer six hours a day, just messing with booking. I need clarity.
Note that my e-mail address has my name in it. So should yours. The next time you change e-mail addresses, please consider putting your "act" name in the address. Also, note that every time I write to you the name “Coffee Gallery Backstage” (at the least) is right there where you can see it, giving you an instant clue as to what this note is about. If you are clever with the computer, you can put your name in those to identify without messing up the address.
Anyone you do business with wants clarity. Trust me on this one. No sentence fragments. Repeat: No sentence fragments. If you’ve requested a booking at The Coffee Gallery Backstage, you may have gotten "The Form" from me. It is that piece I send out asking for your name, address, phone number, Web Site, e-mail and a "Fat Paragraph." This has saved me thousands of hours of problems. Why not modify it, take my name off of it and send it to every venue owner you would like to work for? If you send it in your publicity pack, take a 3 hole punch and punch holes in it for a three ring binder. The venue owner will weep with gratitude and, maybe, adapt it to his own club or venue. Share the knowledge.
Introduce yourself by name:
Go out into the audience with a tip jar:
Meet your audience at their level:
Make your appearance personal:
Recommend your favorite CD:
Smile:
Involve your audience in the music with a joke or game:
Chat with fans by name:
Touch your audience:
Use tip jars with the VISA/Mastercard Logo:
Give your audience something in return for their tip:
Draw a picture:
Make tipping a part of the show:
Thank your audience:
Bonus Tipping Suggestion:
Contacting Webmasters, Editors, and/or Content Managers from online-music Web Sites:
Posting on Message Boards & Forums:
Contest Promotion:
Attracting online editorial attention
Link swaps with participating Site:
Clubs and E-Group involvement:
By: Jodi Krangle@musesmuse.com - The Muses Muse
Getting the attention of music reviewers can be almost as difficult as breaking into a bank - and let's face it - sometimes far less profitable. But a good review is worth its weight in gold. So how does one go about getting reviewers to give your particular package the time of day? I receive quite a few of these packages myself so while I'm no expert, I do have a few suggestions:
BE POLITE WHEN MAKING A FIRST CONTACT:
This may sound like it's too obvious to mention, but trust me - if you contact a potential reviewer by demanding their submissions address because you are simply the best thing that has happened to music since the microphone and the reviewer would be out of their mind to pass you up, you're likely to be disappointed at the response you receive. Sure, every artist deserves a chance. But you're biasing a reviewer against you right from the start if you use that tactic. Reviewers despise being taken for granted. Never
assume you *deserve* a review - ASK for one...Read the whole article
By: Dick Hodgin
Question: My band just got a gig in a city we've never played in. What can we do to help?
Answer: That's a great question. Just because you've landed this gig doesn't mean your job is over except for the playing. In fact, when you book into a place or area where you're relatively unknown, it will take a lot of extra work to raise the awareness of your show with the
general public, as well as the local press. Here's some things a band can do to help the promoter, and most of all, themselves.
IMMEDIATELY:
1. Call every daily, weekly and monthly publication in that area to let them know of your gig. Ask who's in charge of the calendar and would they please include your date on the next publication.. Ask who does reviews and previews. See if any of them would like to do something in advance on your show, or at the very least, come out and see the show
for a possible review. Make sure you have all of the information regarding the show handy.( Venue, slot, times, ticket price etc.) It will save you a call-back later. Overnight your materials if possible and necessary.
2. Send a press kit, tape or cd, and photo to them the same day you call them! Make sure you have all of the information regarding the show included in the cover letter. Don't expect much, but if they like you, they may just do something even if you're un-known. Be nice and
humble. It doesn't pay to have an attitude with a writer or editor who doesn't know how well you might be doing in your home town.
3. Call or fax every radio station (college and commercial) and ask to have your date put on their "concert calendar" as soon as possible. Ask who is in charge of doing band interviews and try to contact them. Try to get an interview set up for sometime on the day of the show. Even if the gig is far away, it's worth the effort to get
there early and be on the radio. JInvite them out to see the show. Don't tell them you'll out them on the guest list unless you've cleared it with the club. If you have a CD, tape, record etc., make sure you get their address and send them a copy. If you can afford to throw a few copies away, send them some to give away over the air.
4.If you have a video, check to see if there's a local
cable-access station that can air your tape and hype the show.
5. Call or contact as many record stores in the area as you
can. Start with the cool indie stores and work your way up to the big mall chains. Ask them if they have a calendar board of shows that you could get included on, or if you could send them a flyer. Try to see if they'll carry your product, (whatever it is). Invite them to the show.
6. If you know anyone in that town, call them and ask them to spread the word. If you know anyone in a fraternity/sorority in your town that has a branch in that town, ask them to call the branch and hype the show.
7. Send the club whatever promotional items you have. Posters, tapes, cds whatever. Make a cool flyer for the show. If there is any way that you can have someone actually go to that town and spread flyers around, DO IT!! If not, send some flyers and one good black and white
copy to the person at the club responsible for publicity so that they can get have some more made if necessary and get them out.
FOLLOW UP!:
Anyone that was on a deadline or still deciding whether or not to do something in advance gets a call back in 3 days. (IF THEY REQUESTED OVERNIGHT, CALL THEM THE NEXT AFTERNOON!) Make sure they got the information. Be flexible regarding interviews, phone calls, etc. Invite them to the show again. If they were interested in doing a review, or
just coming to check you out, call them back about 3 or four days before the show to remind them. Make a check list of everyone that could possibly help you hype the show and make sure they're contacted. Now, you may say, "Gee!, that's a lot of trouble to go to just for this one
little opening act gig!" Well it is, but it will make a good impression on the club owner, and it will get you started on the publicity road in that city.
Contact the promotion/publicity person at the club. Go over
everything you've done with them and help them double team some of these people. Ask the club person if they have any other ideas for you. Listen to them! They know their market. There are lots of ways to help promote a show. These are just a few. Ask other bands that have played
there if they have any ideas. Call the promotion person at the club about a week in advance of the show and ask if there is anything else you can do. Make sure you talk with the club about guest-lists and how many you get. Some clubs are very strict about this.
By: Dick Hodgin
Question: My band went to play a gig in another city and the club wouldn't pay us the money he said he would. Is there anything I can do about it?
There are lots of things you could do but I'm only going to talk about the legal ones.
The first thing I recommend is to try to negotiate with the
signer of the contract (or whoever you arranged the deal with). Why did they not pay? Was there a disagreement about the terms of the gig? Did your band hold up every part of your side of the deal? More than likely, if there was a mis-understanding, there is usually some middle ground in which to wrestle out a solution. If the club just suffered a
bad night, perhaps you could arrange to play on a better return gig and get compensated a bit better for that one. If your band had problems i.e.: didn't play the full set (s) didn't show up on time, played too loud, damaged something, blah, blah blah,,,, then maybe you could work
out a settlement for not quite ALL that they owe you. Be flexible and business like......Don't get personal!
If the club just plain screwed you, then you have to ask
yourself a question.
"Does my band ever want to play this club again?"
If the answer is "yes", then you've got a tough pill to swallow. About the only thing you can do is to try to reason with them. If that doesn't work, just make sure that the problems are addressed and remedied for the next engagement. There is no stone-cold-iron-clad way to keep yourself from getting ripped off! Setting the stipulation that you'll be paid in full before you take the stage can be tricky. You might face that showdown right before you go on-stage and have to make the decision of playing for your fans or sticking to your guns. If you go over all the
terms of the agreement again, including the ones that were the problems last time, then the club knows your on the case and that you'll be "looking" for any problems. If it looks like it's getting squirly, you can pull out before the gig.
If the answer is "NO, we don't ever want to play this place
again," then you have a few more options. You can sue them. You can hire an attorney to take care of it for you. Most attorneys will only do this for a flat fee, although you may get one to do it for a percentage of the amount you settle for.
If it's less than $3000.00 in North Carolina, you can sue them in small claims court. Contact the courthouse in the county where the club is located and get the paperwork to fill out for a small claims action. You'll have to pay a filing fee (usually less than $40.00) and a fee for the sheriff to serve the papers, (About $5.00). You can add these items in on the amount your claiming.
Make sure that you fill out the forms correctly. If you have a family lawyer or someone that knows about such stuff that will help you fill out the forms for free (or very little) then do it. That way you'll know that the details are taken care of. I once sued a club in Small Claims court only to have it thrown out because I didn't list the name of the corporation that owned the club correctly.
One of the most important things about contracts is to make sure that the person that is signing the contract has the authority to enter into the agreement. If they are only an agent of another person, you should make sure the agreement is between you and the person who is actually going to be responsible for paying you. You have to remember that you're contracting to play FOR someone. The place that you play is just the location.
Once you've filed the claim, you'll have an opportunity to go in and tell your side of the story. Small claim court judges and magistrates are usually very receptive to the non-legal side of these proceedings. This system was set up specifically for settling claims without the lawyers getting involved. It's very informal, although I was still pretty nervous the first time in. If the person you're suing doesn't show up, or you win your case, you get a judgment against them. That doesn't mean you get your money. It just means that you won the judgment. There are a few other steps that have to be taken to actually collect, (and you may actually NEVER collect) The best thing is that a judgment goes on the credit record of the person who it's
against, and it's a powerful weapon in the credit world. the judgment stays on the credit report for SEVEN years! If they didn't have sh*!ty credit before, they do now. One of the best rewards to this action is that the word will get around that you don't let this s*!t slide!
There are some other actions that you can put into place. I
picketed a car dealership one time for 5 days after they jerked me around on a deal, and then changed the numbers at the last second. It looked pretty stupid at first for me to be out there, but the dealership that started out laughing at me on Monday, had not sold a single car by Friday. Picketing a club won't make many people stay away, but it does raise awareness of your plight, and it warns other bands as to what happened to you. Make sure you call the police department and tell them before you just show up. There may be some ordinances that you have to obey.
The other thing you can do is to get real big in that town and play the competition. Or better yet, make the club that screwed you realllllly beg before you give them the date. About the only thing you'll get from this is some self satisfaction.
By: James Blakely
Band press packs are a necessity. It is basically your music resume. Press packs contains who you are and what your music is.
So what should go in a press pack? There are many different thoughts about this. Bands and artists usually have their own secret formula that works for them. No matter what they put in their packs, there are items that should always be included.
Demo CD - This should be the first thing included. You can include a tape, but a CD is a much better format. You allow the potential employer the ability to hear your product. I have seen bands get fancy and make the CD interactive, but this is really not necessary.
Band Photo - This gives the recipient an idea of who you are. In the music business you are not only selling your music, but also an image.
Business Card - You need to include a business card from your manager, booking agent, or the guy in the band that handles the contact. Business people are use to business cards for contact information. They are professional.
Clippings - You don't have to have them, but it shows that people like you. Clippings can be from newspapers, magazines, and even the web. Let others know when someone compliments you.
Note - You should always include a message to the person you are sending it out to. This is a personal touch that shows your respect to the person receiving the press pack. You will make a better impression than just a generic press pack.
Some bands include marketing things like stickers. I usually suggest not doing this because those will really never be used. If you are sending a press pack to a person who will use your sticker it is probably a waste of time.
Band press packs are very important. They should be made professionally. Put some thought into how your press pack looks and what impression you are giving about your band. A good press pack can make or break a potential gig.
By: James Blakely
Publicity is pretty hard to come by for bands just starting out. It takes money to get your name out there. There are ways to get free publicity.
Does your bands audience have a cause? Do you find that the majority of people who listen to your local music agree on a political plight or statement? Save the whales, stop breast cancer, free a prisoner, or other causes can get you free publicity. If your cause is topical enough you may find national publicity.
Find a couple of bands that agree with your cause or just want the publicity. The more bands you line up the better the publicity. Call the cause and tell them you have lined up a couple of bands and would like to have a fund raiser. Tell them you will give them a percentage at the door, and allow a spokesman some time to relate their message. You can set up the gig at a local venue that you play, or they may line you up on their own stage. Charities are always looking for interest.
Most likely it will be at a venue you set up. If you have the bands and the charity lined up, the venues usually jumps at the chance. They also know the publicity factor.
You will find that charities will promote your event. When they promote it is radio, tv, newspapers, and the like. The more topical the better the turn out, and the better the publicity.
You need to try and set the event at least a month in advance. You will need time for both you and the charity to promote it.
Get the media involve. Call the local radio stations that play local music, and tell them about it. Try to get them to put you on the air. Remember this is for a good cause. No one wants to be an obstacle to curing breast cancer.
The great thing about it is, you will actually be helping the charity. The publicity will help you, but the charity will make money. It is a win win situation.
By: James Blakely
Cold calling is a technique that a lot of businesses do to drum up customers. You have probably received long distance carrier's and free vacation cold calls. Out of every 20 or so calls you get a person that is interested. This has always been an excellent guerilla marketing technique. You may wonder how this could help your local music.
One summer my friends from college Jester and Leroy had a brainstorm. Jester was in band #1, while Leroy was in band #2. Leroy and Jester both worked for a telemarketing company. They decided to uses their expertise for their music.
The idea was they would get a school directory with names and numbers of students. They created a local music poll to ask each student. The questions were of course slanted towards both of their bands. Have you every scene band #1? How did you like them? Have you ever heard of band #2? How were they compared to band #1?
Once they completed the poll they asked the student if they would go see band #1 or #2 for free this Saturday. The plan paid off and they doubled their turn out the next gig. They had to lose some profits by putting the poll people on the guest list, but the people on the guest list brought friends.
They would call the people back the next week who went to the show, and asked them what they thought. If they liked it, they asked if they wanted to be put on the mailing list. Most people signed up for the mailing list because the cold calling created a buzz around the two bands. If people where polling about these bands they must be heading places.
Both bands ended that summer with a much larger following. The venues heard about the bands, and tried to line them up. They became in demand all because they cold called the student body of the local college.
Look at other businesses and see how they get customers. It may be the next big local music guerilla marketing tactic.
By: Bob Baker
I'm going to use up this entire article dealing with one subject, because I think it's vital to the success of your music promotion efforts. Every day I see the same mistakes being made in this area and feel I owe it to you to drive this crucial point home.
Suppose you walked into your local record store and one of the employees (a complete stranger to you) came up and handed you a box filled with CDs and said, "Here, these are extra promo copies. You can have any CD you want out of the box."
Now let's pretend that you were not familiar with any of these artists. As you picked up each CD to consider whether or not you wanted it, what would be the first question to pop into your head? In other words, what basic question would you need to answer first before you could make an intelligent (and quick) decision on which one you'd take?
Would it be "Who produced this CD?"
No.
Would it be "What record label put this out?"
No.
How about "What are the names of the musicians and what instruments do they play?"
No.
Would it be "I wonder how great these folks think their own music is?"
No.
Hopefully, you've come to the same conclusion that I have. The first question that anyone asks when encountering new music is: "What kind of music is this?"
I've used this box of free CDs example to make a point:
By: Bob Baker
It's sad to say, but most music marketers approach advertising in a shoot-from-the-hip, spontaneous manner. That quality is great for jamming, but it does little to make the best use of your ad dollars. Whether you're designing an ad for a print magazine or web site, here are six principles you should use to generate real results from your advertising efforts...
Bob Baker is the author of "Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook," "Unleash the Artist Within" and "Branding Yourself Online." He also publishes TheBuzzFactor.com, a web site and e-zine that have been delivering marketing tips and inspirational messages to music people of all kinds since 1995. Get your FREE subscription to Bob's e-zine by visiting http://TheBuzzFactor.com today.
THE BUZZ FACTOR is published by Bob Baker
By: Tim Ziegler
Getting written about in the press is important if your band is going to go anywere. It seems impossible to get any ink when you're starting out, but you can get it, you just have to understand a little bit about how the game is played.
You need a press kit before you do anything, so if you haven't made one do so now. (The press kit includes a band bio, copies of recordings, a photo, and a rubber chicken if you have one. See our How to make a press kit tutorial for more on that.) It also really helps to have a Web site that expresses the spirit of your band up and waiting there when someone from the press wants to do a little research on you.
Ready? Here's our best advice...Read the whole article
By: Sean Dewbwerry
I hear a lot of complaining from bands about people not showing up to see there shows. They complain that the promoter didn't do their job or the club didn't make an effort to let people know about the show, etc...
While these things may be true, lets start trying to figure out what YOU can do to bring more people to your shows. Ill give examples of what my band is doing and why, just because of sheer volume, it works.
We used to sit back and wonder why no one was coming to our shows until we sat down and thought about it. The only people that were coming were the regulars to the clubs. The people that would go out and see just about anyone. Most people aren't like that. Most people are like cattle. You have to force them into the club. They're not just gonna show up to see your band that no one has ever heard of. So...what can we do?... Click here to find out!
By: Lesa McCabe
What should I have in my band's promo package?
The first thing that they will see is the packaging you sent your promo in. If it has coffee stains or bacon grease on it you might as well go back to bed. It will end up in the garbage can.. What happens after you mail it is no reflection on you, but if it's nasty when you send it, you have made a fatal error. I buy large padded mailing envelopes at Office Depot. You can purchase a dozen for about $10.00. These are large enough and have suficient padding as not to damage you CD or band photo. I have often thought it would be a good idea to use a more colorful envelope, and they are available, but they don't offer as much padding, and they are more costly. The choice is yours... Read the rest of this great article!
Here is another highly recommended article regarding promo/press kits for bands and musicians.
The Promo Package - By: Ted Vieira
By: Lesa McCabe
So, you have got yourself a great group put together. Everyone knows the songs inside and out. You have acquired all the equipment you need to gig. The van is tuned and ready for action. Your bass is polished and the new strings shine. You found some great looking stage clothes. 2 brand new rolls of ducktape are on standby.
What's wrong with this picture?
The "Life Blood" of a band, any band, is advertising! I'm sure you have heard the saying "Any press, even bad press is good". Why? If you can get people to hear about you, say your name, talk about you over coffee, without hurting anyone or committing a crime is "good".
The times, they are a - changing
Tougher D.W.I. laws, boomers getting older, gas prices way to high, whatever the reason, people are not going out to listen to bands like they did 10 years ago. Everybody you know, and their cousin, has a band. The number of clubs supporting live music are dwindling. Karioke and D.J.'s are hiring on at much lower prices and bumping us out on the streets... How can you compete?
By: Christopher Knab
"Getting a deal" has long been the goal of many would-be artists and bands. For mostly naive reasons, most new talent feel that by securing a recording contract with a significant major or independent label, success will be guaranteed. (talk about naivete). To get this 'belief system' up and running, many musicians figure all they have to do is send off their music to a label, and a recording contract will come their way shortly.
The following list of "10 Reasons Why Demo Recordings Are Rejected" was gathered together after years of listening to comments made by record label A&R reps at music industry conferences and workshops, as well as from personal interviews with reps, and from many interviews A&R reps have given to the press. In addition, I can verify these observations as true, from having personally listened to thousands of demos over the years.
The purpose of providing you with this information is to at least improve the odds that your music will get listened to when you submit your demos. This list will look at the most common mistakes musicians make when either shopping for a record deal, or trying to get the attention of A&R Reps with their demo recordings... Read the 10 reasons why
Christopher Knab is an independent music business consultant based in Seattle, Washington. He is available for private consultations on promoting and marketing independent music, and can be reached at 206-282-6116 or by email at: Chris@Knab.com
By: Maria La France with support from Brett Trout, Attorney. PowerGig.com
This article discusses performance contracts for single performances,
commonly called a "BOOKING AGREEMENT" or "ENGAGEMENT CONTRACT".
It never hurts to review and improve even a contract you've been using for years. Intellectual property attorney Brett Trout contributes some great wisdom and provides even-handed contracts that opt for clarity rather than bargaining strength on either the Buyer or Seller's side. "The goal is to lay out the deal so everyone is on the same page. The more fair a contract is, the more likely everyone will agree to sign it." Brett shares.
In some situations, a "handshake" or verbal agreement is quite acceptable--it's legal, but difficult to enforce. But people who think they don't need contracts must either have a well known reputation if you're the talent-buyer, or you really trust the people you've been working with. But times change and mis-communications happen, and a contract protects both parties. Of course, the more money is involved, the more the need for a contract. "If you handle performances like a hobby, then you don't need a contract, but if you want to treat them like a business, you need one," Brett advises. If you're haven't used contracts before, it can be intimidating to ask someone to sign it, but the other party will actually respect your professionalism by doing so, and the worst that can happen is they won't.
There is no perfect contract for any situation, and there are too many clauses to touch on in this article. A common practice is to make a brief standard contract, and attach a rider for specific situations. Here's some important considerations:
Here are a few free Sample Contracts, compliments of SMMO.net
By: Bart Day Entertainment Attorney
Legal Ease...
For artists who are releasing their own record for the first time, without the involvement or assistance of a label, the process can be a little intimidating. It can be easy to miss some key legal details in the process.
Here, therefore, is a very basic checklist of issues to be considered when releasing a record. Bear in mind, though, that your own particular circumstances may dictate that you take certain steps that are different from, or in addition to, the various steps mentioned below. Also, it has been necessary to greatly oversimplify some of the issues discussed below due to space limitations... View the checklist!
By: Editor - SMMO
Hello Friends, Musicians, & Bands Of Southern Maryland. I'd like to start off by saying, "welcome to the new age of online promotion of your music and your music group".
Today I'm going to help show you how to get more interest from booking agents, club owners, fans, music reviewers, music interviewers, and most of all, tell the audiences who you are as a musician, and how to do it all in one page.
So, what is an online, or an electronic press kit?
FYI: "Those days went bye-bye!"
We are now in the age of computers, MP3s, and websites. This is how everyone researches new, or unfamiliar bands and artists before they bother to waste thier time to travel for the live thing. Why? it's simple to do and well, they're on the computer anyway. An online press kit is the very best way to promote yourself these days, as far as the press kit idea is concerned. Why not take advantage of this new age idea and save alot of postage by making your new press kit readily available at the booking agents fingertips, they'll appreciate not having to fill up their trash can with your "paper waste", and you'll appreciate not having your money, time, and hard work thrown in the bucket, It's win-win situation for everyone.
What Do Online Press Kits Contain?
"DO NOT FORGET THE CONTACT INFORMATION!"
I hope I have given you some direction for your new up-to-date promo/press kit plans. I have found that I spend alot of time looking for the press kit page while looking for interesting features about local bands in the Southern Maryland area for use on the SMMO.net website and I started noticing the majority of bands in the area don't offer an OPK, that's just not good promotion. So, I decided to write this article for sake of better promotion. Be sure to check out a really great OPK by one of our local bands, all their information is copyrighted, so don't copy/paste their page, but it will give you the correct direction for tips and ideas on making your own Online Press Kit. See their formal OPK by clicking this link: Justyn Sayne: Online Press Kit
please use the subject line: SMMO Articles
(Newest articles are added at top of page)
By: Craig Morrison
Added: January 28, 2005
Alan Freed coined the phrase...
Added: January 26, 2005
Written By: Bob Baker - www.thebuzzfactor.com
Added: September 17, 2004
Written By: Bob Baker - www.thebuzzfactor.com
August 20, 2004
Written By: Bob Baker - www.thebuzzfactor.com
August 20, 2004
Written By: Angela Booth - digital-e.biz
September 02, 2004
Writers and other creatives find self-promotion difficult. If this is you, that's fine. You can become a superb self-promoter without changing who you are. You find it difficult because you've been told stuff like "Good work speaks for itself" and "Do a good job and recognition will come" and "Don't blow your own horn." Those aphorisms may have worked 150 years ago. They don't work today.
A short story with a point
Written By: SMMO's Editor 8/14/02
We sold over 100 of our demo's at $6.00 each !!!!!
And it didn't stop there! The very next weekend, we played a venue not far from the site of the benefit dance we
had done the previous weekend before. Almost every one in the audience let us know that they were at the benefit and came out to see us because they wanted to hear more of us than the one hour they heard before at the benefit. The venue owner said it was one of the largest crowds he had ever had in a long time, guess what happened then?
Dwight
Editor: "SMMO"
Submitted By: Anonymous 01/14/03
The Powers Of Compilation!
Written By: SMMO's Editor
Dwight
Editor: "SMMO"
Good Deeds Are Powerful Promotors
Written By: SMMO's Editor
A Few Example Tips On Booking Via Email
Written By: Bob Stane
Written By: Bard Marc Gunn
Too often musicians forget to introduce themselves on stage. Make sure you tell the audience your band name, but to really boost your tips, you should also introduce yourselves individually. Let people know who you are as an individual and you'll see greater tips.
You really can't be passive when it comes to getting tips. You have to walk out into the audience with some visual reference that says "Tip Me!", and they will tip you.
Take the time to talk to your audience members at their level. Holding a discussion from a stage puts a wall between you and them. So instead, go out into the audience and talk to them face to face. Kneel if they're at a table, so you're at eye level. And if you have a tip jar with you, you will you will not only gain a fan, but you will also improve your tips.
We wear kilts to most of our gigs. A kilt adds a very personal touch It links us to a certain culture and makes people take notice. Course you don't have to go that route, instead find some piece of clothing that reflects your personality and you will boost your tips.
If you have multiple CDs, your audience will always ask for your favorite. Tell them what it is. If you only have one, you can do the same by recommending other artists that you like. That adds a two-fold advantage of helping your audience find music they like and helping your fellow musicians.
A bright, confident smile will bring fans back again and again with lots o'big tips.
Next time you're up on stage, see what happens when you joke around with the audience. Your personality will glow all the more and so will your tips.
Music fans love nothing more than to be recognized by the bands they love. So do your best to remember their names. They will feel that much more attached to your music and feel like your friend. And these friends will tip you better for the courtesy.
When you're out socializing with your audience, touch them (in a non-sexual way). Whether you shake their hand, pat them on the shoulder or back, or just brush against them, wait staff find that that even that will boost their tips 50%. And it will yours too.
According to studies done in restaurants, just seeing those logos is enough to encourage customers to tip more. I know it sounds crazy, but give it a try. You may be pleasantly surprised with the results.
People love feeling like they're getting their money's worth. And many people don't realize you should tip bands. So give something in return. It could be something as big as a sticker or magnet, or as simple as a business card that might include a $1 off your CDs. Or hey what about feeding their sweet tooth with a piece of candy. Whatever the case, that little gift will mean big tipping results.
On a similar note, if you give them a business card, draw or make a comment on it. That piece will be more valuable to them and will result in bigger tips.
Why wait until the end of the set to ask for tips. Sing a song about tipping, or get your audience involved in the tipping process by shouting something. Or offer a prize to the first tipper. But integrate it into your show and it won't seem like you're just begging for money, rather you're making it fun to tip.
No gig would be complete without an audience. So thank them for taking the time to watch you perform. They will feel the personal touch and respond when you ask for money.
If the change is five dollars, never return a five-dollar bill. Always give back five ones. This allows the customer to tip you with some of the dollar bills you returned. You will rarely get a $5 tip and returning a $5 bill will turn off tippers. In general, it's good to return all ones if the change is less than $8. You want the customer to have at least two ones so they can give it back as the tip.
Once you find sites that you like, and that are relevant to your style / genre of music,
search the sites for "Contact Info", and offer to send CD's, a Biography, JPEG or GIF
images, do interviews, submit a presskit, etc. You will find that you will have a far
greater chance of becoming more than just another band in a crowd of hundreds or
thousands.
Often, sites like these will have Message Boards or Forums on which you can get
exposure for your music. Alot of popular artists & sites have active message boards that
can be a great place to get people interested in yer stuff. Important - don't just randomly
send out spam-type messages on irrelevant Boards, as this just annoys the heck out of site
visitors and webmasters. Choose relevant artists & sites and let them know why they
would dig your music. Sometimes writing from the perspective of a FAN, and not a
BAND MEMBER can boost your credibility. Relevant Chat Rooms can also be a good
place to get some free promo & spark interest, if the messages aren'y flying by at the
speed of light (and if there's not some horny 13-year old hitting on every girl in the
room).
If you've got a bunch of CD's, stickers, T-Shirts, etc. sitting around - you might want to
offer interesting sites the chance to put on an online contest with your band. This is a
great way to promote, because Contests usually stay online for awhile, and as you know -
both Web Sites & Web Site Visitors love free stuff. I've put on very successful contests at
unofficial fan sites for big artists, featuring local bands who sound like them. Staying
creative definitely pays off, especially when it comes to low-budget (or no-budget) online
promotions. Donate some of your stuff like, t-shirts and cd's and Southern Maryland
Music Online will add your stuff to the list of contest prizes, you'll get free promotion
through your offer of donated materials.
There are hundreds of e-zines & music sites looking for music news out there. You can
either let them know about legit band news. If you're playing with a 'big band', releasing a
new album, putting on a big show, or doing a charity gig, it's good to let the right sites
know about it. Southern Maryland Music Online is always interested in knowing what
special events local bands in the Southern Maryland area are participating in.
If you've been playing a few shows with bands that you like, or stumble across similar
musicians online, it's always cool to exchange links wherever possible. If you haven't
already, you may want to create a page on your site for 'Links', and include links to these
bands' web sites on it. Ask if they'll do the same, or link you anywhere on their site. It's a
great way to initiate an online local band community as well. Before you know it, you
might have fans in Australia asking when you'll be gigging there.
Joining e-groups or clubs for popular musicians in your genre can also help you spread
the word about your local / indie band. I've started threads that can last for days with a
simple post like "Has anyone heard of (insert your band name here)? I've been listening to
them alot lately. They sound alot like _______. Y'all should give 'em a shot." Once again,
just make sure you don't come off like a spammer. You should like the band whose club
you're posting on (if they really do sound like you), or folks will know that yer a poser.
Be smart, don't overdo it, and it might all pay off. Then again, it might not - that's the
essence of online promotion - you never know what's gonna happen.
(c)2000, Jodi Krangle. All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission.
Email: m80@nando.net
Email: m80@nando.net
First. Did you have a signed contract specifying the terms and compensation very clearly? If not, there it's going to be tougher for you to document and prove the existence of the oral agreement. If you do have a contract it's easier to force the club to live up to it's end of the bargain.
www.golistenlive.net
www.golistenlive.net
(Use telemarketing to promote your band)
www.golistenlive.net
When Promoting Your Music:
Website: The Buzz Factor.com
This is exactly the same position that music editors, radio program directors, A&R people and music publishers are in when they receive your unsolicited recordings along with dozens of others. Even though it's great to think that everyone already knows who you are and what you do, the sad truth is that most of your contacts will be clueless. That's why giving them the first (and most important) clue up front is essential... Read the whole article
Website: The Buzz Factor.com
Learn the 6 steps by clicking here!
PO Box 43058, St. Louis, MO 63143
Phone: (314) 963-5296 - E-mail: info@thebuzzfactor.com
See your name in print
Website: LostRock.com
Website: GoListenLive.net
Website: TalkBass.com
Good question. Your promo package is what is going to "sell" you to a club. It is the "first impression" you will give. And, you will only have about a minute to make your point. Club owners and managers are very busy people, and they won't or can't spend a long time looking at your bands promo. So how do you make that lasting impression? Hmm...
Website: TalkBass.com
The phone is not ringing...... Why?
Fourfront Media & Music
Website: MusicBizAcademy.com
Website: MusicBizAcademy.com
A Legal Checklist
Website: MusicBizAcademy.com
New Age Twist On An Old Idea
Email: smmo@somd.net
Website: www.smmo.net
Well, remember the days when you used paper and pencils and bought a whole carton of manilla envelopes and stuffed them full of interesting articles, news clippings, reviews, past major gig event information, cassette tapes, stickers, business cards, and whatever else you could find to make it look thick and bulky? and then you had to use all your earnings from one whole weekend full of gigs to buy postage stamps to mail them out to 20-30 different people? Oh yeah, and don't forget about the ones that came back because the address wasn't correct, there goes $20, right?.
Everything you ever had in the old printed form of the press kit, except that now you have all your information on a single page of "website paper". You can add all the information you want about yourself or your band. You can add band/musician bio sections, and other sections to the page like newspaper article excerpts, guestbook quotes, write ups from past major gig events, interviews, reviews about your music, important facts about your band or music, mention radio-tv air play, and for the love of musical success, make use of the MP3 to replace the cassette tape, keep the audio files short, don't make an hour long download of it, you'll NEVER be heard, 300-500k is way more than enough to make your musical statement to someone, by the second bar of the first verse, they've already made up their mind if they like it or not. I have yet to gain the understanding of why bands offer full songs for public download anyway, nobody ever waits for the file to download becuse the file is so large, therefore, you never get your music heard anyway, and then there's the whole Napster thing, but, that's another issue for another day. Be sure to include your band member press photo and your band logo gif or jpg, keep those small aswell, like 200x200 pixels is great on the eyes and doesn't take up the whole page.
Just because it's an online resource doesn't mean you can leave things out, (except the cassette tapes of course, C:/ doesn't mean "cassette", LOL!). Be sure to add everything, email addresses, phone numbers, website addresses, and the "snail mail" address too! you have to keep in mind that alot of venue booking agents are still "old school" and rely on the telephone and the mailman. Which brings up another suggestion. Don't throw out the old press kit details, alot of venue booking agents don't use the computer, remember the "old school" statement? save the paper press kits for those booking agents who don't have access to the OPK resource. Which brings up one more inportant fact to mind, when you get your business cards printed, use the website address for the "Online Press Kit" page and not the main index page. Why? you ask. Use my #1 promotion tactic theory, "Stick'em And Hold'em". Start their day out with the bold, plain facts and save the fun, sugary stuff for later, they can find that stuff by the link back to the main page. And for the last peice of advice for your OPK page, be sure to make it as printer friendly as possible, stick to white backgrounds with black text and keep the pictures and logos to a maximum of 2, the logo and the group photo. You might take that one last awrd winning step and add a small Java script line for a button that states "print page". Alot of booking agents will probably print the information and review it later, atleast offer that option of convienience.
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