What does a Public Relations specialist do? What is the role of a PR in the music industry?Why You Should Work With A PR To Promote Your Music Project?
To understand what a PR is or does, let's start with this simple similarity: just as a musician is a specialist in writing and composing music, a PR is a specialist in writing storytellers. Storytellers that are used to improve the communication processes between the artist/brand and the target audience. The PR is a communications strategist with a broad vision of the goals for their artist or brand.
The PR is the bridge that connects the artist/brand with its target audience, through the use of communication strategies which are carried out with the aim of presenting, linking and strengthening the relationships between the artist the media, and therefore be able to achieve reaching audiences.
Think of it this way, when a product is launched, be it a drink, a clothing brand or a restaurant, a communication plan is essential to manage the launch. Writing main and specific objectives to help you achieve them, setting deadlines and a time limit for your tasks, otherwise you will never complete them, specifying a budget and organizing your team are all part of the tools that a launch need.
The launch must include an advertising marketing plan, which will permit the public to know about this new product or service.
In the case of music, it is exactly the same, your new single, album, your brand, needs to be presented to the world, but not in a traditional way, it is not enough to just make a post. So, the cool thing about working with a PR, is that it will help you launch your new single in an authentic, creative and unique way, and as a result, you will start to make your own community of fans, the community that identifies with your message, your music, and you which, over time, will have a greater connection and loyalty to you i.e., the love of the fan for the artist.
This is what music is all about. Generating bonds between us through melodies and inspiring stories that lead us to remember something special, that invite us to dream, that take us to another state of mind and that make us move our bodies.
That is the result that music should generate, and it is for this powerful reason, that we want the artist to only have to be in charge of and focusing on composing good music,
and the PR to be in focus on and be in charge of knowing how to sell it.
During our experience in the music industry, we have seen cases where artists don’t know how to promote their music. For example, a few months ago, we were in a music studio in Sydney, taking some footage and participating in the recording process of one of our artists, at the end of the session, we talked about music promotion and one of the musicians spoke up and said: “Well guys, you just need to make a post on your social media, pay promotional ads and that's it, it's all about social media”.
That comment made us question: on the one hand, the lack of information and professionalism that still exists in the music industry, on the other hand, we questioned the use of the social networks.
Clearly, social networks are very important and an indispensable tool for the exhibition and promotion of music, but what else needs to be prepared behind it?
You cannot limit a music promotion strategy to a simple post.
What is the organise marketing plan for those publications, so that they have a good impact and reach the intended audience? Of course, good content on social media will drive the single’s release, but let's face it, how much content and how many artists are already releasing music on social media?
The answer is - millions around the world. So, how will you stand out? How will you achieve results that generate an impact in the short and long term? To do this you have to have a plan, it will be key to the development and success of the artist, since this in turn, will allow everyone involved in the project to be aligned and working to achieve the same objectives.
Therefore, it is here where a PR specialized in music marketing plays a fundamental role. Since a PR, apart from knowing traditional marketing, knows what communication channels to use and what strategies are necessary to achieve the objectives set out in said launch campaign to develop the artist's profile.
The PR will explore and recommend the correct distributions channels and recommend the best approach or approaches to communicate the release of your next single.
Below are a few tips that you should keep in mind when thinking about releasing your musical single, album or brand:
1. Love and believe in your project.
If you don’t believe in it how others can do it? Be completely aware and proud of your brand, your music and your message.
2. Brand Definition.
Your brand is the essence of who you are
It is your identity; it is how you will be identified by your fans
Your brand will allow you to identify the messages that you want to share through your music and your art
3. Set SMART goals.
Measurable
Realistic
Achievable
Short – long term goals
4. Understand your audience(s).
Once you know and identify the audience that you want to reach, you will know how you need to talk to them.
5. Marketing Plan.
Within your marketing plan you must include
Market Segmentation
Advertising Plan
Target Media and Desired outcome
Promotional Strategies and Materials
Timeline for Campaign
Evidence of Promotional Strategies
6. Launching Strategy.
How, when, where are you going to launch your project, artworks, advertising strategy, agenda - all of this will be part of a good launch season.
The most exciting day for you and your team!
These are just a few basic steps to consider when developing your launch campaign.
A good preparation will help you organize your ideas, look professional within the music industry, and achieve your goals, as well as knowing how to launch your content, creatively allowing you to captivate the attention of your audience, so that you can differentiate yourself from the rest.
For each launch there is always more and more content, music, and options, so you must think HOW you want and in WHAT way you want others to SEE YOU, setting a unique style, which is your personal brand.
If you want a complete guide on HOW TO PREPARE YOUR RELEASE we have an info-product available for just $1.99
Here you will find each of the previous steps fully developed, complementary information of how to develop your marketing plan, and tips that you can save on your computer and review every time you go to launch a project.
We would also love to hear from you and be part of your project, so please reach out to us on: info@zambranoagency.com