Preparation: What every quartet should know
By Todd Wilson, ACOUSTIX TENOR[Editor's note: Due to the length of this article, it is being presented in four parts, this is part two.]
Other Keys To PR And Marketing Success
Advertise
Place regular advertising in newspapers, regional and national trade publications, and newsletters.Legitimize Your Group Within The Community
Seek membership in the chamber of commerce to find out what conventions will be held in town in the coming years. Use proactive marketing to all convention contacts with PR kit and CD.Talent Agents
Use proactive marketing to all regional talent agencies with PR kit and CD.Your Last Impression Is As Important As Your First Impression
Follow up after every appearance with a thank you.Play Ball
Seek out national anthem opportunities at every major sporting event that coincides with an appearance in each market you perform.CD Reviews
There are many magazines, newspapers and Web sites that review CDs submitted by all kinds of groups, although it's a bit of a double-edged sword. A good review can be great PR for your group. A negative review is a different story.Seek Professional Marketing Help
Many groups pay for music coaching, so you might consider hiring a knowledgeable person to assist you with Marketing and PR coaching as well.The Grunt Work
Dealing With The Government
Get a Federal Tax ID number if you earn income and a sales tax permit if you sell merchandise.Travel Concerns
If you travel frequently, develop and maintain a relationship with a local travel agent to handle all group related travel.Of course, the Internet has many advantages these days over traditional travel agents.
Be Prepared
Send a pre-show checklist and other information to all booking contacts to assist them in preparing for their event and to seek the information you will need to be adequately prepared for every appearance.Do Your Homework
Build a database of all the media outlets in your market through proactive phone calls, scanning the Yellow Pages, surfing the Internet or acquiring directories of media contacts. Gather the name of the media outlet, contact person, phone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail addresses, Web site URL and publication deadlines.Recordings
Maximize The Effectiveness Of Your Mail Order Business
Every CD or tape order that goes out the door should include a thank you and a catalog with order form for ordering additional recordings.Increase The Size Of Each Order
Establish a merchant service agreement to accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express to make it easy to do business with you. When negotiating with your bank or merchant service company, play down your volume of phone and mail order sales and play up your "point of purchase" transactions at concerts and conventions. You'll stand a better chance of getting approved and will receive a lower rate for processing your transactions. I would invest in a credit card terminal and printer ($600-800) that plugs into a phone line. Wireless models ($1,200-2,000) are now available. Clients can even and pay your fee with their credit card.Concert Sales
The "supermarket theory" applies here. More shelf space equals more sales. Always have more than one sales location in the lobby. Determine in advance where the patrons will be walking on their way to the parking lot and how many exits will be open.Utilize Wholesale Channels
The "supermarket theory" applies here, too. The more ways a customer can find out about your group or purchase your recordings, the more merchandise you will sell. In conjunction with your own retail sales, earning wholesale margins from a variety of other distribution channels will bring your group greater profits than relying on your group to be the sole source for your recordings.
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