It does not matter what stage you’ve gotten to in your independent music career; music promotion will always be a daunting task. Think of those prominent indie artists, Nipsey Hustle, Curren$y, and others; as big as they are today, they still invest a lot of effort and resources into their music.
Succeeding in music goes beyond being able to make good music or having talent. Just know that there’s more to music than your music. Millions of music are in the public space competing against yours. You should know that an unbelievable amount of music gets uploaded to streaming platforms every day.
A lot goes into making your music. It could have taken you weeks, months, or even years to put the album together, yet getting your music heard is difficult. It’s not your fault; there’s always someone releasing a new EP, single, mixtape, or even album. You have to compete with these people for the same target audience.
Getting an audience for your music is getting harder by the day; some signs will reveal the need for you to seek professional help with music promotion;
1. You Have Tried and Failed
At this point, you must have given it a go. Until you have tried to run your music promotion, you should not hire anyone. Ensure that you did not give up on your first attempt at music marketing.
It’s not about failing alone but finding the time from your busy schedule to trying to make good music, attending shows, and going on tour. With a clear understanding of what it takes to run a music promotion, you’ll better understand every effort and resource being invested by professionals.
2. There Are Identified Goals
To succeed in music promotion, you need to identify your goals. Once you place your goals, you can go ahead to seek professional help. These goals will be the marching orders under which the music promoters will work with.
There is a need for promotional goals. You may find it challenging to identify these goals, not worry, sit down with music marketing professionals and decide what you want to achieve in terms of numbers and milestones.
3. You Have The Resources
You’ll finally get to a point where you feel comfortable handling such an amount of money to a music promotion expert. It’s not going to work if you have to pay them with a credit card. Imagine taking a loan to get your music promoted, and you eventually don’t get results; you’ll have yourself to blame.
If you hire a reputable music promoter, they will not promise you anything in terms of results. What they will only promise is working hard to get your music to where you desire. A music PR team isn’t a miracle worker; they can only guarantee long-term success and results.
4. You Feel You Have The Project That Can Break You Into Limelight
At a point in your indie music career, you’ll create something you believe is the one. When you have this feeling, you can go ahead and sign the dotted lines with a music promotion expert. That’s only if you have that feeling that your current project could indeed be the start of your music career.
Be critical of yourself and your music; if you think this release could be the one, don’t hesitate to invest in the right music promoters to help achieve your goals. Don’t force out a release that lacks that shine, and expect your music promotion team to work out magic. It does not work out like that.
5. There’s a Right Company For Your Music
It’s beyond you; attention should be about your music. Know that hundreds of music promotion agencies are out there with a fair amount of horror stories. Don’t put yourself in a bad situation, do your research correctly and ask the right questions.
Aside from asking for success stories with proof, ensure they give you feedback on your music. At least get an assurance that they believe in your music and talent. Ensure they want to work with you, not because of what you can offer them, but for what you can achieve together as partners.
6. Your Fan Base and Popularity is Growing Beyond Your Reach
There’s no bigger sign than this. If you’ve been doing it right as a one-person team, a point will come when you need to expand your team and bring on those who can handle your new-found fame.
They are better prepared to respond to your emails, call for interviews, endorsements, and other marketing-related chores. With music promotion experts by your side, they will help you milk your fame and maximize the opportunities.
