Branding yourself both online and offline will really set up this coming year to be a break through one for your musical career.

To do this you must start with the most fundamental aspect of you as an artist: Your Pitch!

Two things happened recently to inspire this article.

Scenario #1: I was out at the Mercury Lounge seeing music and between bands I was standing at the bar talking to some friends and someone handed me a show flyer. I was taken with him immediately, I always appreciate anyone who is self -promoting because its not easy to do and it’s especially not easy to do at a crowded bar on a Wednesday night in downtown Manhattan. So, I looked down at the flyer and my heart sank. It said the following:

Name of artist (name is not mentioned to protect the innocent)

Venue (which was the Mercury, where I was)

Date & showtime

There I was, a perfectly primed potential fan, a customer, standing at a bar, out at a live music show, and he lost me forever. Why?

Because not one sentence was included about what genre of music this artist played much less what his music sounded like, who he was compared to (sound alike). In other words what I could expect by coming out to his show. In short I had no idea what this artist sounded like.

That was an opportunity totally LOST. Unbeknown to him he also handed his flyer to one of the most successful entertainment attorneys I know who was in the middle of signing 6 artists to record deals, an A&R executive and one of the best booking agents in the business.

We all looked down at the flyers in our hands, shrugged and carried on with the conversation we were having. He had totally BLOWN it.

Scenario #2: The second thing that happened was an artist called my PR firm to talk about hiring us for a Cyber PR campaign, and two minutes into the conversation started, my blood was beginning to boil. It went something like this:

Me: What do you sound like?

Artist: I sound like absolutely nothing you’ve ever heard before.

Me: (annoyed and now understanding why he’s not where he wants to be as an artist) Really? So you have invented a new genre of music, and you don’t sound like anyone else in the history of music?

Artist: Yes

Me: Can you at least tell me what type of music you play?

Artist: It’s old school Hip-Hop

OK finally we were getting somewhere and, I totally understood his point, but here’s the problem with having an approach like his:

People are constantly looking for a context to put things into. And if you don’t provide them with one, they will move on to the next thing that their little pea brains actually can grasp.

The critical that was missing in both scenarios was: The Pitch

So, you need a pitch or as marketers call it a USP (unique selling point), or, as my friend Bob Baker calls it a BIS (brand identity statement) or as my fellow mastermind group member Laura Allen calls it, a 15-second pitch. Call it what you want, this thing, my friend, will change the way you market yourself and your music and give everyone a context. It is critical that you have a concise and easy to understand pitch that will help you shape your brand. The rest of this article will help you focus on creating the perfect pitch.

It does not have to be lengthy to be effective, it just has to explain your sound in a few words or sentences.

Here are some of my clients’ pitches to help jump start your brain:

Leftover Salmon – Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass

John Taglieri – If Vertical Horizon and Third Eye Blind got hit by Train!

FIGO – Influenced by groups like Primal Scream, NIN, The Misfits, The Chemical Brothers, and The Ramones, the band fuses intense raw live energy with pounding beats and samples.

Devil Doll – Jessica Rabbit meets Joan Jett.

Girls Don’t Cry – An all girl rock band featuring edgy guitars polished with five-part vocals, retro synth sounds and danceable grooves.

Creating Your Pitch

First, take a deep breath, clear your head, and tell yourself that what you are about to do is exactly like writing a song. You do not record the first thing that comes out (or at least I hope you don’t but that’s a different conversation) it takes some honing and some tweaking and possibly some collaboration.

Take out a clean piece of paper, and write down the following:

(I suggest writing this by hand with a pen and paper instead of using a computer because the ideas flow differently through a pen)

1 Write out the type of genres you play. Roots, rock, reggae, folk, punk, jazz, AltCountry, Chillout etc. No more than two or three should actually be selected in the end.

2 Write down all the artists that other people say you sound like.

3 Write down a list of all artists (or authors or famous people) that influenced you.

4 Write down all of the feelings and vibes that you want to create or convey with your music

Use these elements as a guideline to help come up with a few words or sentences that sum you up.

Now, go to this fabulous website: 15secondpitch.com

This will help you structure and hone your pitch and it will TIME you too! (This site is more of a personal pitch site but the structure that it provides is very helpful)

Now write out on a blank note card or a small piece of paper your mission statement. Read it out loud standing in front of the mirror. Do you love it? If you don’t, then don’t use it. I once worked with a band that chose the term “Soul Rock” to describe their sound and after it was published countless times, they were hating it, so make sure it’s something that you can deal with in print over and over again, and something that you won’t get sick of. Now stand in front of the mirror and practice saying it. Does it feel comfortable saying it, or do you feel like a dork? If you feel like you’re speaking your truth, you will absolutely know, and then it is the perfect pitch for you.

Still not sure?

Read it to a bunch of friends and fans and ask them to work on it with you!

Don’t overthink it. Keep it simple and as concise as you can.

Where You Must Place Your Pitch

Now that you have it, your going to place it in the following places.

What you are doing now branding yourself.

Online Branding:

1 On your website’s homepage (yes on the HOMEPAGE not buried in the site).

2 On your MySpace.

3 On your Facebook.

4 On all social networking sites that you use and anywhere else you have an online presence.

Offline Branding:

1 On your postcards.

2 On your show flyers.

3 On your posters, and anything else you have in print.

So now when you’re out somewhere and you hand someone a flyer announcing your show, you’re handing someone your brand. People will know exactly what you do, and it will be effectively marketing instead of just spinning your wheels.

Not sure if you hit the nail on the head? E-mail me your pitch and I’ll give you my honest feedback.

Good luck!

Ariel

Ariel Hyatt founded Ariel Publicity & Cyber PR 11 years ago and her firm has worked with over 1,000 musicians and bands of all genres. The Ariel Publicity mission states that all artists deserve to be heard and there is a place for artists of every level to receive exposure. Ariel Hyatt has managed to place tens of thousands of artists in countless outlets from national magazines and TV to the most grassroots online fanzines. Her company is now 100% digital and helps artists increase their online exposure. She also runs Bandletter.com a company that creates newsletters for musicians.

Ariel Publicity’s Sound Advice is a free monthly e-zine for musicians & entrepreneurs who want marketing, promotion and PR tips for navigating the new music business. Sign Up here: http://www.arielpublicity.com.

Loren Weisman is an accomplished music producer based in Seattle,
Washington. Having worked on over three hundred albums, Loren has also
worked on numerous television, film, video game and radio productions,
from New York to Los Angeles, Boston to Seattle. Loren is also the
founder of Brain Grenade Entertainment LLC, and the author of the
Freedom Solutions Recording Plan.

People tend to want plenty of time to explain themselves, their sound, their vision, their goals and anything else that has to do with them. People like to share as much information as possible. They feel they need to explain as much as possible when it comes to getting a fan, finding a label, a manager, an agent, etc.

However, the fast pitch, the one liner, the quick explanation or the elevator pitch is the most effective way to present yourself. It shows consideration for the person to whom you are pitching, and it proves your overall organization and professionalism.

It is understandable that you want to use as much time and as many words to describe yourself, your goals and your abilities, but when it comes down to it, you need to remember a lot of others are doing the same exact thing. The more professional your presentation, the better you will be heard and the better impression you will leave.

Your Fast Pitch

Ok, so get to the point where you have it practiced it and have it down in order to get the best results. Period.

What is your fast pitch? It’s a quick and descriptive summary. It’s an elevator pitch: the pitch that you make in the elevator when you only have a few seconds to present yourself or your idea.

The same pitch should be in your soliciting materials as well. Make sure the one liner of your bio or that first sentence of your bio is a grabber. Make sure it is strong, detailed and quick.

The same goes for your tagline. Think of it as a shorter version of the first sentence of your bio. How can you sum up your band and sound in a short, unique phrase? Stay away from the “we are indescribable”, “we don’t sound like anyone else”, “we are totally original”, “ you have never heard anything like us” or any of those stupid lines that will immediately cast you in an unoriginal light.

For both the written word and the spoken one, think highlights, think memorable, think precision. Remember that other people are doing pitches along the same lines, so the faster the more precise and the more detail provided over the least amount of time will allow you to stand out much stronger. Make sure to figure out what you want to convey, what you want to share and how to answer questions with simple, quick responses that cover the crux of the question, but compel the person asking to dig deeper.

Let them dig deeper. Make them ask for more. It is a much better situation than disclosing too much and either making them bored or turning them off from what you are trying to share. Prepare yourself to present just like you would prepare a song in performance. Practice the ideas and go over the basics:

Who are you?

What do you want?

What do you bring to the table?

And make sure that your answers are quick and to the point. Do not drag on and do not waste time. Get straight to the point. You have no idea how many will appreciate that. At the same time, when you are to the point, you will find an audience that will want to know more and ask you for it.

Sports Center

Imagine it like Sports Center. You have two reporters who are giving the highlights and details of a one hour game in 2 minutes. Do not go into the story behind how you were formed or, if it’s an interesting marketing point, then summarize it! Summarize the marketing points, the strengths and the exciting elements to draw peoples’ interest. Be quick, informative, brief and, if you can, add some humor. Many salesmen and women will tell you it is all in the fast sell or the fast ask. The longer you go, the more chance you will lose them, their attention and their interest.

Know the pitch and the different parts of it

Just as you need a strong tagline for your band and a strong one liner to describe your band, you need to know what parts to say next and what a particular person might want to hear.

The Who

For example, if you are presenting yourself to a label, a club manager, a booking agent or a talent buyer, they are going to want to know that fast summary of who you are. So what is the one liner? What is your tagline or fast description of your sound? Who do you sound like and who has influenced you?

Quick, punchy and informative. Cover it quickly, give them the liner notes and then they will come back and ask for more if they are interested.

The What

Now if you are looking for some kind of deal, an agent or manager, a distributor or some kind of opportunity, you are going to add on to the who you are and add the what you want.

NOTE: Do the best you can to avoid the “uh’s”, the “umm’s”. These are called filler words. They make people look ridiculously unprofessional and all the other noises or extra words people use when they are uncomfortable or insecure. Work to avoid them.

After you have presented who you are, go to what you want and what you are looking for. Be precise. Explain what you want. I cannot count how many emails I have received with plenty of “the who,” but none of “the what.” I couldn’t tell if they were looking for a producer, because all I got from them was a long winded explanation about the band and nothing else.

Above all, get right to the point, make them want to know more.

The Why and The How

The last part is “the why” and “the how,” which is best used at your discretion. Explain why they want to give you what you are asking for and how it would benefit them.

Always remember that whatever you are asking for in some ways is a donation or investment to your band, what you need and what you are looking to get. Why would someone want to invest or donate their time, skill set, product, people or efforts in you? What will you bring them in return? Answer that quickly and you will be light years beyond most.

At the same time, you might not even get to the why and the how. It might be for a later conversation. Be a good judge of character. Let go when you are losing someone; ride with it when you have someone’s attention.

Conclusion

Organize the elevator pitch when it comes to you, your sound, what you want, why should have it and how you should go after it. Of course things are going to be more detailed and elements will be long and complex, but on that first impression, get the information out in the fastest, strongest and most organized manner that you can. Then leave the extra details for the next conversation or the questions. Whether you are looking for money, a label, distribution, investors, donors, management or anything else, it is going to come down to that first pitch and first impression.

Lastly, have those same bullet points be the opening sentences and opening lines for your physical items as well. Think of the one liner information being the opening sentences that will draw people deeper into the paragraphs you have written.

Know who you are and how to explain it quickly to others.

Know what you want and how to explain it quickly to others.

Know how you can benefit others and explain that quickly too.

Prepare to answer questions with quick answers.

These tools will keep the interest of the person with whom you are and give you a better shot at getting exactly what you are going after.