Getting your name out thier...

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blackdiscoball
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Getting your name out thier...

Post by blackdiscoball » Thu Jun 05, 2008 4:34 pm

So what are people out their doing to get their business name out their? I mean as far as advertising, promotion, other ideas? I've been researching ideas and I was curious what others were doing?

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Re: Getting your name out thier...

Post by kayagum » Thu Jun 05, 2008 4:52 pm

blackdiscoball wrote:Re: Getting your name out thier...
For starters, get a spellchecker :wink:

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Post by chris harris » Thu Jun 05, 2008 5:01 pm

1. Have a way for people to get in contact with you. Get a cell phone and an email address.

2. get a website or myspace page or something where you can link to bands that you've worked with.

3. make good recordings

4. be nice to the people you work with

5. go to a lot of shows in your local music scene and make friends

the rest should just sort of take care of itself if you do things right.

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Post by joel hamilton » Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:34 pm

subatomic pieces wrote:1. Have a way for people to get in contact with you. Get a cell phone and an email address.

2. get a website or myspace page or something where you can link to bands that you've worked with.

3. make good recordings

4. be nice to the people you work with

5. go to a lot of shows in your local music scene and make friends

the rest should just sort of take care of itself if you do things right.
Make great recordings. Be fun to work with.
That was worth repeating with hyperbole.

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Re: Getting your name out thier...

Post by cgarges » Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:09 pm

blackdiscoball wrote:out their
And a grammar-checker.

For me, it's been 11 years of trying my best to do a good job and not be a pain in the ass to work with. Some days I'm better than others (at either one), but I try. To me, the mark of success with that kind of thing is getting people to come back to you for their next project.

This kind of question comes up around here a lot and I think the consensus is that there's really no type of advertising that has a direct pay off. You can take out ads in local papers or on-line or you can go around to bands and hand out business cards and tell people they should record with you (I've always found that to be a little creepy, but I know people it works for), but it seems like the best advertisement always ends up being word of mouth from happy customers. And for the most part, guys who really enjoy being in bands will always try to be in bands. And when they quit one band or that band falls apart, they join another band and if they come to you to record, that's a whole new group of people who are getting hip to you as a result of this one guy. I can think of one particular project brought to me about 8 or 9 years ago that directly yielded six other projects for me over the years, one of which helped land me my second studio staff job.

Try your best to do a good job and make people happy.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

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JGriffin
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Re: Getting your name out thier...

Post by JGriffin » Thu Jun 05, 2008 10:46 pm

kayagum wrote:
blackdiscoball wrote:Re: Getting your name out thier...
For starters, get a spellchecker :wink:
that would have only half worked.
"Jeweller, you've failed. Jeweller."

"Lots of people are nostalgic for analog. I suspect they're people who never had to work with it." ? Brian Eno

All the DWLB music is at http://dwlb.bandcamp.com/

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Re: Getting your name out thier...

Post by JGriffin » Thu Jun 05, 2008 10:50 pm

cgarges wrote:I can think of one particular project brought to me about 8 or 9 years ago that directly yielded six other projects for me over the years, one of which helped land me my second studio staff job.

With maybe four exceptions, every theatre sound-design job I've gotten in the last 5 years (about 3 dozen jobs) can be traced back to one design for one dancer.
"Jeweller, you've failed. Jeweller."

"Lots of people are nostalgic for analog. I suspect they're people who never had to work with it." ? Brian Eno

All the DWLB music is at http://dwlb.bandcamp.com/

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blackdiscoball
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Post by blackdiscoball » Fri Jun 06, 2008 6:33 am

Spelling errors and grammar correction aside, thanks for the advise.
myspace.com/blackdiscoballstudio/

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Post by hughmanatee » Fri Jun 06, 2008 6:56 am

I started out recording people for free or very very cheap (still do sometimes) and that is what has brought me the clients I have. I also have some good friends i have made recording,and have had consistantly returning clients for over5-6 years. I would say at least 90% of the poeple i work with have heard form friends or other people in other bands that I make great sounding recordings for very cheap. I typically will charge 25 an hour, but if you got a tight budget I can work around it because I just love making records, said and done. recording is my passion and the fact that i can expand my business and buy new toys is just a great perk. I do keep my 24hr a week restaraunt job to pay rent/bills/health ins. Im sure you know some musicians/bands Just tell them you'd like to work with them, record them for free, if they like what you do someone they know at some point will be looking to make a record and your name will probably pop up. thats just my experience. good luck.

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JohnDavisNYC
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Post by JohnDavisNYC » Fri Jun 06, 2008 6:59 am

word of mouth....

do good work, be a nice person, be out on the scene, buy good gear.

works for us.

john
i like to make music with music and stuff and things.

http://www.thebunkerstudio.com/

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Dave Stanley
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Post by Dave Stanley » Fri Jun 06, 2008 7:59 am

I found that my webstie gets a few hits from google searches and from the free online phone book listings like Magicyellow.com.

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Post by JGriffin » Fri Jun 06, 2008 8:37 am

blackdiscoball wrote:Spelling errors and grammar correction aside, thanks for the advise.
You're welcome, but don't dismiss the notes about spelling and grammar. Especially if you're going to be communicating with clients via email, it's very important to communicate effectively and properly, and that means good grammar and spelling. It's a basic business tenet. If your emails/website/messageboard posts are riddled with errors, you either look uneducated or unintelligent, or you come across as someone who doesn't bother to pay attention to details (which is a pretty important aspect of this business). We're not just being spelling nazis here.
"Jeweller, you've failed. Jeweller."

"Lots of people are nostalgic for analog. I suspect they're people who never had to work with it." ? Brian Eno

All the DWLB music is at http://dwlb.bandcamp.com/

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Post by 8th_note » Fri Jun 06, 2008 10:42 am

My single best promotional vehicle is a Myspace page with songs from several projects that I've done. Virtually all my work comes from referrals and when a band hears a project I've done for thier friends (usually on Myspace) they can easily find me on Myspace and they can listen to several other songs from other bands. They have a good idea of my capabilities when they get in touch.

The other thing has been mentioned already but I want to emphasize it. A lot of my work has come from going to shows of the bands I've recorded. They are often playing with people they know and they introduce me to the other bands there as "the guy who recorded our CD." I have a few cards handy with my website and Myspace page on them and I just tell them that if at some point they are interested in recording to send me a message on Myspace.

Going to shows of the bands I've recorded means a lot to these guys. It has solidified my relationships with the members and in many cases we have become good friends. I'm always amazed at the enthusiastic response I receive when I get out to see them at a show. They sometimes dedicate a song to me (which can almost get embarrasing) but you just can't buy advertising like that.

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Post by rwc » Fri Jun 06, 2008 11:10 am

Don't drink.
Real friends stab you in the front.

Oscar Wilde

Failed audio engineer & pro studio tech turned Component level motherboard repair store in New York

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blackdiscoball
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Post by blackdiscoball » Fri Jun 06, 2008 8:17 pm

Don't drink.
Is there a story or more reason behind this? I don't but I'm curious?
myspace.com/blackdiscoballstudio/

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