Monday, December 30, 2013

Curse of the One Man Band: Challenges of a (Very) Small Business Start Up

The Curse of the One Man Band: 
Challenges of a (Very) Small Business Start up
by Marc Alan, Br4nd New Media

Starting anything new in this fast paced ADD world we live in is a challenge. It takes a certain ability to hyper focus not to give into a thousand distractions at any given moment: the phone, the dog, the girl, the doorbell, your email. 

On one hand, you're trying to remain focused on achieving your overall goal, making tangible strides forward, and on the other hand you can't ignore the mundane forever, and do have to answer your email. And your social media--haven't updated that in ages. You have to pace yourself. 

So while you keep your eyes on the big picture, and let's face it--you're an idea man. It's what you do-- remember that the smaller tasks are the ones that are going to make or break your company. This is where being a one man company is extremely difficult. This is the curse of the "One Man Band."

The answer of course is to delegate. Build a team. Find people who are willing to work hard because they want to be a part of something new. You can't  assign the work without giving people a piece of the pie, some ownership of the dream, unless you have the money to actually pay a few people. 

It's another case of one hand or the other. One one hand you don't have a lot of money to pay out, and on the other hand you're not sure if you want to give away any pieces of your big idea. Well from where I stand, even 51% of a viable company is worth a lot more than 100% of a stake in the dream of a one man band.

And if you do have some money coming in, maybe hire some folks to do your social media, handle your public relations; hire a CPA to handle the business account. 

And for Pete's sake--answer the doorbell-- it's cold outside.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

#Eurielle: Redefining the #Classical #Crossover genre with a Luscious, Beautiful #Sound

Brand New Media is happy to present: Eurielle

From her website Eurielle.com: "Eurielle is a fascinating new artist whose music redefines the classical crossover genre. Drawing influence from myth, legend, and fantasy, as well as our own human nature, she will transport you into another world."

We discovered Eurielle through twitter, and we are most smitten with her music; we know you will be too.

She really does redefine the classical crossover genre so well you really don't need those terms at all to appreciate her music. Because where she has crossed over to is a very special space of it's own. 

Her years of classical training have obviously produced a very powerful instrument, but within the very luscious setting of her beautiful songs, she is well past any need to demonstrate her technique; instead she prefers to let her music breathe, and the end result is a musical breath of fresh air. 

We are happy to present the link to the video she released this year for the song GOLD. The video was said to be controversially received, perhaps within the classical community from which she sprung, because of the deeply sensual imagery of the video. But this is a woman who makes no apologies, and we love her for that. 


We know Eurielle has an awesome future ahead, and we look forward to watching it unfold.



Monday, December 16, 2013

#Twitter Perfect #Content #Messaging from #SpotlightOnBroadway.com

In the NYC subway today appears an ad for SpotlightOnBroadway.com with the statement boldly stating: The Magic Does Not Just Happen

Then below: "It Takes Thousands of People. Go behind the curtain...."

I was attracted this messaging because it gives you just enough peak "behind the curtain" (on SpotlightOnBroadway.com) to see that there is a huge world at work to present what you are enjoying out front. It also gives credit to many whose work it is that you're able to witness. It relates the behind the scenes "story," which makes you the audience feel all the more special for knowing there are thousands of people at work to entertain you. 

It does all of this with a total character count of 93-- Twitter perfect messaging.

To those of us in the marketing world just getting savvy with the art of storytelling in 140 characters or less, this movement toward brevity is a new challenge. But to the folks in the print advertising world, this is their specialty, and we can learn quite a lot from studying their work. 

Let's face it, in the content marketing game, what we are competing for most is audience attention span. Telling a story in under 141 characters is not just a useful skill, it's absolutely paramount.


Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Everyone Loves a Good #Story: A Girl, a Bullwhip, Kenny Rogers, and a Bottle of Jagermeister

Like a lot of stories in the naked city, this one happened in a bar one night.

It was back around 1996, and I was out with my bandmates, enjoying the energy of the city, after one of our nightly rehearsals. We played seven nights a week in those days, and for a few minutes, we were the buzz band of the New York scene. We considered ourselves the "greatest arena rock band on the Lower East Side." And I believe we were.

We had just walked into a bar that in those days was called the 119, and it was run by the Polish National Home. You can't make up details like that. The crowd was thick, and the music was loud.

As soon as we walked in, we knew it was going to be a good night. And because a lot of it is now a blur, I can say I'm sure it was. I have vague recollections of a dart game involving a girl with a bull whip and a bottle of Jaegermeister.

Beyond that, I have only one clear memory of that night, which started with a girl falling into my arms, and ended with her telling me something in my ear that I have never forgotten. She said, "I hear you are in a band. Well I have a song that you have to record, that is going to be a big hit for you!"

This really got my attention, and she leaned in closer so no one else would hear: "The Gambler, by Kenny Rogers, she said matter of factly.

"Huh?"

She said, "I'm serious; Record that song, because everyone LOVES A GOOD STORY."

And with that, she basically tumbled away into the crowd from which she came, and was lost to me thereafter. But I've never forgotten what she told me, and now many years later, I know she was right about that. People love a good story.  It took me many years to really even understand that, even more to understand what makes a good story, why people connect to one, why they don't forget. Like Aesop's fables, stories retold for a hundred generations.

 It is more than the 5 W's they teach you in school: the "Who, What, Where, When, and Why." Perhaps you get closest to it with the "Why"

At the center of a good story, is the the moral, the theme, the underlying raison d'etre. You don't find it in the words, but between the lines, in the subtext. It's intangible, almost undefinable, but it somehow brings you into the emotional center, and you identify with the protagonist, and sometimes the writer too.

"You got to know when to hold em! Know when to fold em! Know when to walk away! know when to Run!

"You never count your money, when you're sitting at the table... they're'll be time enough for counting, when the dealings done."

You can just put yourself right in that story, and it plays like a movie in your mind. And meanwhile, it's teaching you abject lessons that you can apply to your life, while you're whistling the happy tune.

Now in the marketing world, there are certain brands that seems privy to this and it's really good to take a look at how they go about telling you about their brand inside a good story. Because they're the ones you can really learn from.

Take the Uncle Drew campaign from Pepsi. It's more than a cute character in a television commercial. It's an identifiable character that pulls you into a emotional connection about something he is clearly passionate about--the love of the game of basketball. And through that sharing that passion with you, you form not only an emotional bond with the character, but with the brand.


Another company that does this less directly, but no less effectively is Apple. Through their marketing, they start with the "Why" and without even knowing which product they are advertising, you know what they're about,  which is a clear passion for what they do. And people who follow Apple are so drawn to that passion connection, they form lines around the block to buy every product that comes out.

Sure they could wait a few weeks, and skip the lines, but they don't. Why?  Because there is a story at play and they are emotionally right there in it.  If Apple told them they believed that the best water in the world was made from Swiss Cheese, and put their little logo on a bottle of it, they could sell it as holy water, and people would buy it (Yes, that was a bad joke).

The bottom line is this. Whether you have a product, a service, or a song, it takes more than telling people what you do. It takes telling them why you do it. It takes telling them what you believe. If you can do this wrapped in a story that they can identify with then the better your chances of breaking through with a memorable message. Never forget in today's world what we compete for most is attention span. Get their attention with a good story, and you've got something.






Monday, December 9, 2013

It's Never Too Soon to Make Your First Music Video #TellYourStory

Never Too Soon To Make Your First #MusicVideo. #TellYourStory on #YouTube

So here is a fact supported by science you need to get: the human brain processes graphical information literally 60,000 times faster than the written word. The source of this information goes back to a study done by the 3M Corporation.

You will hear people say online and in social media that "content is king." If that's true, the "king of kings" is video, and now you know why. It's fast, it's easy, and you can communicate a mountain of information in seconds. Let's face it, in this fast moving "ADD world"  we are not competing for Likes, Downloads, and Comments--we are competing for attention span!

If you're just starting out, you may think you need a press kit long before you make your first video because someone told you that is how it's done.  In the old days, a press kit meant your "demo," a 8x10 glossy B&W photo, and a Bio with your contact information. Then came the #EPK, the electronic press kit."

Well, the days of a "tree killing bio" are obviously over guys. No one reads them anymore. And as far as spending a lot of money on an EPK, here's the thing, when you're starting out, you're NOT ready for press.

But this doesn't mean you're not ready to show people what you're about, give them a tour behind the scenes of your music, and your life. Just don't tell them, show them. It's never too soon to make your first music video.

For your first video, forget scripted stories, concepts, and plot lines. Forget shiny cars, dancers, and models. Forget the camera effects, MTV style editing, or thinking that you need a film studio budget and professional actors.

All you need to do is film yourself being yourself doing what you do. What makes you interesting? What makes you different? What drives you to do this? Where does your passion come from?  #TellYourStory  It's as easy as that.

Worried you're not interesting enough? That's something you can work on. But always be yourself no matter what, because people smell fake a mile away today. #BeYourself  and  #DontBeAPoser

Now you say, "but we're just really starting out;" "We haven't even done our first show;" "We're still just writing our first original;"  "Our band would be great but our drummer quit and Billy's Mom wont let us use their basement anymore!"

It's ok. #ShowItAll  Let people in on your story. Your honesty will win you fans.

Just keep doing what you do, whatever it is. Keep shooting. Keep posting. Keep playing. You will improve all on your own, and eventually it will all come together.

#EDM #Techno #Remix of #BANKS #WaitingGame perfect for any #Club #DJ Event

Fans of #dark #atmosphere #EDM and #Electro will love this wonderfully uptempo #Remix of the song #WaitingGame from the outstanding #singer #songwriter #Banks. We love her voice, so will you.  If you like this remix, please share it, leave comments, follow etc.

http://soundcloud.com/handsomemoneymusic/waiting-game-kenny-cash-remix







Friday, December 6, 2013

Making Sales and The Art of Listening

Making Sales and the Art of Listening
by Marc Alan c. 2014

Today as I sat in my office away from home, sipping a Venti Latte, typing away on my trusty Ipad, I became aware of a voice few feet away from a nearby table. It was the unmistakable sound of a salesman!

He was in the middle of a pitch to an athletic looking fellow about a line of vitamins that are supposed to be the be all-end all for sports nutrition, when I noticed that the man had not taken a break from talking in nearly 30 minutes. I couldn't tell if the man he was talking to was actually listening, but my eyes were glassing over just overhearing what this man was saying.

In fact, the man who was probably an athletic coach of some sort only ever said one thing that I heard: "Oh, look at the time, I have to go." And with that, sweet silence, at last.

This reminded me of something my father once taught me about sales which is that listening to a customer explain his needs, for which your product may be suited, is more important than you telling him about your product, or how much he needs it.

You can tell your potential client all day what you do, about all of your different products, how your product is better than everyone else's, ad nausea. But unless you take the time to listen to him, he will never feel that you're on his side. If you're on his, then there is trust. No trust=No sales.

It is very much the same when it comes to musicians start talking about their music. Believing in your band, having passion for your music is all well and good, but sometimes you have to put down the megaphone and just listen. Listen to your customers. Listen to your fans.

Otherwise, all you ever hear at the end of your broadcast: "Oh, look at the time, I have to go."

Thursday, December 5, 2013

A Look at the #Emerging #Chinese #Music #Market for #Western #Artists

A Look at the Emerging Chinese Music Market
Marc Alan c. 2014 

The digital marketing world we live in is a lot like the physical world that we know and love. But it's easy to assume that the digital world you experience in your own community, city, and country is the same around the world. Its just not the case. 

As the band #Edisun (@Edisunnyc) experienced on their recent tour of #China, sponsored by #A-PeerSynergy and #MusictoChina (www.MusicToChina.com), doing business in a market where practically no one speaks your own language, and you happen not to speak theres, is a formidable obstacle online and off. And yet the report from Edisun is that this was a successful tour, where they not only increased their already well established international fan base, but were able to forge deeply beneficial relationships with affiliated partnerships in the Chinese business community that are hugely interested in bringing western music to China.

Through their partnership with A-Peer Synergy Edisun became the first American rock band to have a live performance streamed from China to over 40,000,000 mobile devices. I myself watched excitedly from my local #Starbucks in Norwalk, Ct.

Yet while there is development in this emerging market in the physical world this is where the disparity between the digital world and the physical world becomes a real issue.  In terms of social media, it's really easy to assume the entire world is on Twitter and Facebook, but this is really not the case. The Chinese government severely limits the average citizen access to You Tube, Facebook, and You Tube. There are a number of social media channels from private companies in China that people do follow, but to engage with your fan base there requires some translation if you do not happen to read and write Chinese.

It has been reported by the Nielsen Corporation that a new multiplex movie theater opens in China literally every day of the week, and the movie industry is expected to explode there in the next five years. So it will happen with music, and there will certainly be new channels, new platforms, new ways of engagement, all making it easier for music to be marketed there. Of course, there will be a huge influx of bands into the market at that point, so by all means, you will want to get in there sooner than later. 

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Digital Marketing is an Engine with Many Moving Parts

Digital marketing at it's best is an engine with many moving parts all working together. The energy flows within the entire system, and there is a direct correlation between the fuel (input) and operation (output).

The fuel is your quality content and the time you put into marketing it.  Your marketing strategy determines the efficiency of your engine, and how well you perform on the road. 

How far will it take you today? Did you get where you need to go? There's your ROI.  

Now remember: Keep your engine clean, and use the good gas. Keep your mechanic's number handy, remember him at the holidays. Happy driving.

Brand New Media. Music is what we believe in. Digital Marketing is what we do.

Follow us on Twitter @BrandNew_Media

#KENNYCASH #Remix Tribute to Recording Artist #BANKS


https://soundcloud.com/handsomemoneymusic/waiting-game-kenny-cash-remix

If you are a fan of dark, #ethereal #music and the stirring sound of a gorgeous, yet emotionally #haunting vocal, then like producer #KennyCash, you will love the artist #Banks. When Kenny heard the track #WaitingGame he immediately set to work creating the dark, yet upbeat #remix we present here, his tribute to this rising young star of magnificent talent. 

Kenny Cash is a young producer with an astonishingly diverse range of talent in #Pop, #Rock, #EDM, #Hip #Hop and many other styles. He works out of his #FactoryUndergroundStudio in Norwalk, Ct. where he runs #HandsomeMoney Music.
www.HandsomeMoneyMusic.com 
FactoryUndergroundStudio.com