In my experiences, most independent musicians do very little, if anything, in the interest of generating advance exposure for their upcoming new music releases. This is, most likely, due to not having a strong enough budget in most cases.

When I was writing my first music handbook fifteen years ago, I contacted a Phoenix radio music director for one of my book's interviews and asked how important advance promotion was for new music releases.

If you are like most independent recording artists, one thing that you can always use is more CD sales. Below, are ten alternative unique actions that you can take now to begin tripling your CD sales overnight.

A. CD Gig Sale Co-Op

I've mentioned this one in a previous issue, but it bears reiterating. Basically it works this way:

Arrange a cooperative agreement between your band and
similar bands, say 2-3, whereby you each agree to promote and sell each other's CDs at each other's respective gigs.

Most musicians, independent or major, understand that the college market is one of their prime markets, if not their leading market for radio airplay and media coverage.

In contrast, however, most musicians do not seem to take complete advantage of this market and "milk it for all it is worth," so to speak.

As an example, artists send their CDs to college radio stations and newspapers seeking radio airplay, feature interviews and/or music reviews.

If you have been to a shopping mall on, at least, one occasion, you know the tremendous crowds that most of them attract daily. Hundreds, and even thousands, of daily shoppers flock to the largest shopping malls.

And, while most malls have large crowds year round, two of their busiest shopping periods are during summer and Christmas seasons, which adds even more potential mall shoppers.

When it comes to promoting their new music releases, I have found that most musicians only consider radio as the vehicle for exposing their music to the public.

Rarely do they consider publicity, in the form of print media, i.e., music magazines, weekly arts and entertainment publications and newspapers, as support tools to help support their radio airplay (another subject I shall address shortly).

For the self-promoting independent artist, the idea of taking on a radio promotion campaign can, in itself, become overwhelming. But, this idea is usually based on such artists attempting to obtain worldwide airplay on a local budget.

And, in doing so, self-promoting independent artists quickly discover another factor not usually considered previously.

Here are several questions for you to ponder:

* How much would it be worth to you to learn how to promote your CD at gigs you never even play, but create a large number of sales from these gigs just the same?

* While these particular gigs are promoting your CD, at the same time, what if you could play a completely different gig and get paid for it while also selling CDs at it and, in fact, possibly *doubling* and *tripling* your CD sales profits *each* night?

* Even better, what if you could not only do this in your own local area, but also do it regionally, nationally, and even internationally?

What I'm speaking of, is major cross promotion and incredible joint venture partnering with other bands that you know that are equally as serious about and strongly committed to their careers.

Are you still playing your heart out to small audiences on gigs at unappreciative dives (excuse me, I meant to say nightclubs) that feel paying you a couple of hundred dollars for a 3-4 hour gig is also paying you about $150 too much?

Unless you are a masochist, why do you continue to take such beatings? Is it due to laziness, complacency, cynicism, your now being jaded, or a combination of any of the above?

Are you aware that you could dramatically improve your live performance income by making simple changes in the types of performances that you accept?

For instance, see the below list of gig types and the average earnings possible, compared to traditional nightclub work:

* Weddings ($1,000 *minimum* for 2-3 hours work)

Instead of working yourself to death, so to speak, by chasing wedding performance opportunities on an individual basis, consider approaching a number of area caterers and offering your services to them as an add-on to their own services as, obviously, they will have significantly more client opportunities.

So, let's say that you have successfully managed to get a few radio stations playing your music. What's your next step?

Are you simply waiting on the charts to come in each week in order to learn if your single is moving up (or down)?

If you would like to get a bit more yardage out of your airplay, here are two ways to, not only capitalize on your current airplay, but to also (possibly) move up radio charts even faster.

In the Music industry, whenever most independent musicians release a new recording today, a certain aspect of their promotion entails their distribution and giveaway of FREE samples of their music on a separate promotional compact disc. This serves as a
'teaser' in enticing prospects to then go to record stores to buy the full-length recording.