Prydogga's Guide to Less Painful Band Networking

[Kurkkuviipale]

Well then it has to depend on how much it costs and if its worth it. I don't see a moral problem in there.

 

[C2Aye]

I guess when you're staring out it can be tempting to try things like that, especially if you're not getting many likes initially. I was lucky that some of my friends at uni and from high school liked my facebook page to give a solid 30-40 likes to start off with (even if most of the high school 'friends' just like pages if someone they know is on it without caring about what's actually on the page!). Releasing Cassini got the ball rolling though

And totally lolling at that plug on Joel's soundcloud, that's hitting rock bottom there

 

[Prydogga]

No, what I mean is buying an initial round of fans to make the page look a little more legitimate so others will like it.

I know a few companies that do it, so why not a band?

Because companies aren't as well known for their solid integrity and morales? I'm unsure how I feel about it. It would be a scam if you were to approach a label/company boasting about 'x-likes' when 75% of them you bought, but then, it is tough so start out, but that's part of it, if you can break out, things get easier as far as your reach gets, and I think it's valuable to have the memory of 'from small things' etc in your mind. I don't know, I'm tired and probably not making sense.

 

[budda]

Nicely done! I have done the spam-friends-walls-with-a-link thing, next time I'm not going to bother.

I was talking about the whole facebook/band promotion thing with a buddy of mine (who happens to have killer basement shows and is a big help in the local Punk scene) and he said a great way to engage people is to talk about stuff that they'll respond to.

DA's tips on getting people talking:
- hold contests for a free shirt or CD copy or guest list
- Ask questions that will get a response (ie. "Who's got the best NYE story of 2011?)
- Don't your band's facebook posts about music all the time (see above suggestion)

I know I need to work on my promoting skills a bit. I love meeting new people and talking to them about the band, but I've probably overdone it lately on spamming our music video.

It's a tough thing to do, but good luck to everyone!

 

[Prydogga]

Now this is just... wow, happened to a friend on facebook:

'Nobody cares what some blog site said'

 

[Stealthdjentstic]

Jesus christ what a moron

 

[Pooluke41]

'Nobody cares what some blog site said'

tumblr.sevenstring.net. or Sevenstring.blogspot.com?

 

[BrainArt]

This is a wealth of excellent information, Pry.

Now this is just... wow, happened to a friend on facebook:

PICTURE

'Nobody cares what some blog site said'

Am I the only one that sees the humour in his band's name?

 

[Prydogga]

Hahahaha

 

[Harry]

This is a wealth of excellent information, Pry.




Am I the only one that sees the humour in his band's name?

Honestly, it didn't even occur to me until you pointed it out.
Wow, just......wow

 

[C2Aye]

That whole 'promotion' mess is good for a laugh, and the band's name just adds to it

Anyhow, I had a recent failure at staying chill and nice to potential listeners (my own advice no less). One of the guys who liked my facebook page added me as a friend and posted a youtube video to one of my songs, Double Helix. A friend of his then posts three comments in quick sucession and I post a reply because I felt it led up to it well.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/39302626/1.jpg

Yeah, probably fucked up a bit in winning over potential fans

 

[Prydogga]

That's another really bad internet thing, it's especially bad on facebook. Everybody just has so much 'hate', and it spills over into the worst places, like there. Far too critical. Your response was light-hearted though, so I don't think you've done any wrong.

 

[Kurkkuviipale]

Yea, no reason to really HATE anything. Just if you don't like it, consider it as neutral and if you like it, support it. You don't really lose anything if you DON'T hate.

 

[C2Aye]

That's another really bad internet thing, it's especially bad on facebook. Everybody just has so much 'hate', and it spills over into the worst places, like there. Far too critical. Your response was light-hearted though, so I don't think you've done any wrong.

Well, he said afterwards that I should be more kind to potential fans and that while it may not have been intended, I came off as rude. To be honest, the way I see it, it was quid pro quo.

I know what you mean about the hate situtation, the wall of anonymity the internet provides can lead to such things. Also, it probably leads to the promotion method mentioned earlier. I mean, that was the equivalent of a door to door salesman who just won't leave and is too stupid to take a hint.

 

[Prydogga]

Well, he said afterwards that I should be more kind to potential fans and that while it may not have been intended, I came off as rude.

The pot calling the kettle black?

 

[lisabasick]

Just popping in to say this is a great post and we've stuck it out on the Basick Records Facebook page and also on our pinterest. You are bang on the money with everything you've posted.

We come across so many bands asking us to listen/check them out only to get to about 60% of the pages and find you have to like to listen. On a busy day we can get hundreds of requests, that's hundreds of times we'd have to like or unlike a page etc and we simply don't have time. So from a labels point of view, don't do the like to listen thing guys - it really turns a lot of people off.

Top post, great work, happily shared.

L x

 

[JStraitiff]

On the topic of genre debates, promoting your band too hard in a particular genre or sub genre can be deterring. People who listen to your music probably don't have an in-depth knowledge of anything musical. They just know what they like or they think it's hardcore or whatever. As a general rule of thumb if you have clean vocals you can get away with promoting yourself as a "hard rock" band. That will appeal to a much wider audience than terms like "melodic death core", "progressive euro trance" or "post hardcore screamo" lmao.

My father who listens to snow patrol and the fray would come across a band page listed as "hard rock" and he would probably listen to it just to see what's up because lynyrd skynard was kinda like hard rock and he enjoys freebird or whatever the reason may be. He may or may not like it or listen himself but then he decides his coworker, who listens to something he deems similar to the style he heard in the clip, might be interested in hearing this new band.

If my dad instead went to a band page and saw it listed as "hardcore grunge" and their promo picture was a bloody pigs head on a stake he would navigate away as fast as he could.

Genres are for fans to decide.

 

[Prydogga]

Just popping in to say this is a great post and we've stuck it out on the Basick Records Facebook page and also on our pinterest. You are bang on the money with everything you've posted.

We come across so many bands asking us to listen/check them out only to get to about 60% of the pages and find you have to like to listen. On a busy day we can get hundreds of requests, that's hundreds of times we'd have to like or unlike a page etc and we simply don't have time. So from a labels point of view, don't do the like to listen thing guys - it really turns a lot of people off.

Top post, great work, happily shared.

L x

Wow, thanks Lisa.

It's good to know that I apparently got a lot of points correct on this just from my observation and better judgement. Thanks for the share.