Preparing For Your Music Release [1 Hour Video] Musician’s Masterclass

One of the highlights of my career was being a guest of The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation where I gave a Masterclass on preparing for a music release.

Scott Aiges, Director of Programs, Marketing & Communications and I went through every possible aspect of what you need to know plus we stepped through my 12-week pre-release/release timeline.

The class was streamed on Facebook by WWOZ and it was so comprehensive and the musician’s in the audience added a tremendous amount by asking pertinent questions. We went really deep!

I’m delighted to share the whole class with questions was almost 2 hours!

Watch Preparing For Your Music Release Masterclass Now:

Here are some of the masterclass highlights:

• Debunking the bad information that there is a “magical” solution – like hiring a publicist or radio promoter to make major things happen around a release – and why this won’t help you get what you want. The thing that will make a difference is planning and that is what this whole class is about

• How to choose the perfect release date for your singles, EP or album and why the old message of “never release your music around Christmas or during the 4th quarter” may not be true for you

• Strategic single thinking – how to create an outlet for each single you release.  This means each single has a different primary reason and place for promotion

• How to shock the Spotify algorithm. You are expected to bring your fans to Spotify (just putting it up and hoping it will be found is NOT a strategy and won’t work to get you on playlists)

• Ideas for exciting and inspiring fans to celebrate your next release in person that does not involve a crappy club and a set where you are sandwiched between other acts that don’t fit your style (sound familiar?)

• Why you need to create a memorable story around your music that connects to your new release

• Why building your newsletter is how you will make money (even though you hate this part) and how to inspire your fans to interact with your email communications

Scott & I refer to my monster blog post throughout this talk that includes the 12-week plan

Here is a link so you can follow along: Planning Your Music Release Post

And here is the downloadable checksheet that highlights everything that we cover in this class

We look at this Musician’s Marketing Plan VENN Diagram and

I walked everyone through the most important parts to focus on around releasing music:

• creating a written timeline so that you can stay on point and you, your band, and your team can follow along

• How to capture the journey of recording and creating and posting the creation of the music way before you even think about the release date

• Your 12-week release plan – all of the steps you need to consider every step of the way leading up to the release date

• What to do if you have already announced a release date and your release is delayed

• Gathering your tribe – how to get your arms around your fans and make sure your core audience is in your control and also ready for your release and how to empower them to really help your new release succeed

• How to create and plan a social media content calendar and align it with not only your release but also with holidays, charities and things that fit with your brand and how to reinvigorate older content and re-share it on socials for extra mileage

• How to get blogger PR for less than $50 around your new release

We go to questions at 1:13 and I suggest you listen all the way through because some great Q’s came up from the audience.

I’d love your feedback on this masterclass please like the post or leave a comment or question for me on Facebook!

Watch The Masterclass Now: Cyber PR Music

Special Thanks to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation for generously hosting me and to WWOZ for streaming this entire Synch Up Workshop. I was humbled to meet so many amazing artists from my favorite city.

We talk about your Content Calendar during this class and how it is vital to plan all social posts around your release click here to get organized