May 10, 2017 Whether your band is planning a tour or releasing new music, chances are it’s not going to be cheap. Brand sponsorship allows artists to do what they do best without worrying about the capital it will take to do so. Here are 9 steps to take when approaching a brand for sponsorship.
February 25, 2016 You know the adage, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket“. Musicians just can’t afford to do that anymore. There are just so many baskets and each one has its benefits. Some baskets will be more important to you, and some will be more important during specific times in your career.
Think of the below list as a bunch of baskets related to making money from your live performance, and determine which ones you want to use. Some of these will be no-brainers, but they’re still on the list as a reminder.
Live Music tagged Live Shows, Merch, YouTube, festivals, llive gigs, sponsors December 3, 2012 Recently, I received an email with two commonly asked questions about sponsorship that I’d like to address:
1) How much can you ask from a sponsor?
2) My project costs X dollars, should I mention that in my pitch?
September 4, 2012 This morning, I read an article that talked about how hot dog manufacturers have been closing six to seven digit sponsorship deals left and right, especially with local football and baseball teams. I immediately thought: how could a partnership like that be beneficial for everyone if my band got involved?
When I first wrote How to Get Sponsorships and Endorsements, I wanted people to stop thinking of the sponsor relationship as a one way transaction. It isn’t, it is a partnership. Unless you think of an equitable way for everyone involved to benefit from the relationship, you will not create lasting partnerships and you will not attract sponsors. People are starting to understand this about social media (it’s about conversation, interaction, engagement not just promotion), but that concept still hasn’t hit home in other areas. So before you go chasing down a company asking for money, really focus on developing these points:
July 10, 2012 Here’s a general outline/template that you can adapt to be more effective in your sponsorship packet. You should design your packet specifically for print as well as a digital file. The most important thing to keep in mind is the perspective of the sponsor: How does the proposal benefit them/their customers/their employees? What can you offer that is different than the other sponsorship proposals being sent to them? Is it easy to take action?
May 7, 2012 When most people who want sponsorships think about their ultimate goal, it involves money. They’re looking for someone to fund their event, to pay for their tour, to raise money for their charity, and so on. When many business think about sponsoring someone, it ultimately involves money as well: even if it is an incredible cause, at the end of the day, they want to know how sponsoring will help them get more customers. Each party treats the sponsorship as a transaction. However, I believe it is important to shift the definition from “a cash and/or in-kind fee paid to a property (typically sports entertainment, non-profit event, or organization) in return for access to the exploitable, commercial potential associated with that property” (IEG, 2000) to something more equitable: a partnership.
December 13, 2011 I can’t stress this point enough. If you want to get the right sponsor, label, agent, etc., you have to treat the process like you would for a high-end job. You wouldn’t send a generic cover letter filled with typo’s and grammatical errors or an incomplete resume would you? It seems basic but nearly 70% of the submissions I receive lack some of the basics - at least 20% forgot to include the band’s name or a link to the website. If you want a someone to take you seriously, then you have to take yourself seriously enough to make sure the presentation is just right.
It’s often said “It isn’t what you know but who you know.” Just like job applicants who have a mutual contact or letter of recommendation have an advantage, artists that have spent their time networking and building their reputation will have much greater odds. Think of A&R reps as recruiters or the HR department. Put yourself in their mindset, ask someone else to look at your press kit before you hit send. Try not to send unsolicited demo’s (if it is a company you want to work with, introduce yourself and get to know them first).
November 24, 2010 Simon Tam explains the approach that artists should take to get endorsements and sponsors. Artists need to create opportunities by initiating contact in a unique way. Artists need to focus on how they can provide value to the company instead of the other way around. To start, artists can contact companies with less competition such as local businesses that may be more likely to become a sponsor.
“It’s about creating a lasting relationship where you can build an audience together with that company.” (Read On)
Internet Radio Is the Future…Duh
Charles Hill writes about his rant on recent articles that he finds obvious.
“I run across articles with titles like “Internet Radio is the Future”. This cracks me up. Its like writing a book on the fact that the sky is blue.” (Read On)
Relationships Are The New Distribution
Greg Bates discusses one aspect of the 4 P’s of Marketing: Place. Most artists think that their distribution is taken care of by putting their music on iTunes or Bandcamp, but distribution is made up of the quality of your relationships. Artists need to build relationships with fans and reach out to other bands, businesses, etc. to collaborate on projects.
Distribution, Fans, Internet radio, Marketing, money, music industry, sponsors