Marketing

[Sean Conolly]

I've decided that I need to get a little more serious about marketing myself
as a player, so I wanted see what others here are doing.



First, I think I should get some business cards. I've never had any, but
I've had several opportunities recently where people heard me and wanted to
get back in touch and I've had nothing to hand out. I've handed out my
number on napkins, band business cards, etc. but never hear back, so I'm
thinking real cards might be useful. What do you put on card to make it
stand out? The old graphic of a snare and sticks seems a little dated, you
know.



Second, I have a hard time getting my demo material to give people an idea
of what I really bring to the table. On the one hand, at least 90% of the
people I've played with say I'm the best drummer they've ever played with. I
get a lot of great comments, almost to the point of absurdity, from
musicians who hear me play live. I think I do have a genuine ability to
connect with the crowd and get them excited without playing a gazillion
notes. Over the last 20 years or so almost every band I've auditioned with
wanted to hire me on the spot.



(BTW - not trying to brag here at all: personally I think there's just a lot
of crappy drummers out there and people are overreacting when they actually
hear someone who is professional and competent.)



BUT, if I send links to my online demos - I almost never get a callback! All
other conditions being the same, if I send a link I never hear from them
again, but if I go audition - they love it. I don't think the demos are bad,
and I'm not really playing the parts any differently than on stage, but
clearly there's something that comes across in person that just doesn't
happen when you listen to the demos.



I need some ideas on how to 'work what I got', despite what I don't got.
Waiting for people to wander into some club I'm playing isn't much of a
plan...





Thanks for any and all comments,



Sean

[gpsman]

Post by Sean Conolly
What do you put on card to make it
stand out?

These days? Less.

Sean Conolly- Drummer for hire.

Maybe a head shot, as an inset, not covering the whole card; and not a
color card, white.

No gimmicks; no stupidly sized cards, no white text on black bg, no
funky fonts, etc.

Post by Sean Conolly
The old graphic of a snare and sticks seems a little dated, you
know.

Yes. No tacky graphics from MS Publisher ca. 1996.

Post by Sean Conolly
Over the last 20 years or so almost every band I've auditioned with
wanted to hire me on the spot.
clearly there's something that comes across in person that just doesn't
happen when you listen to the demos.

Yeah, "you".

A demo is like a "Glamor Shot": "I sound like this, after processing".

Looking at what I think is your Facebook page I get the impression I
couldn't drive a pin up your ass with a sledgehammer.

That's another thing; does your appearance fit the band? When I
subbed playing jazz with the old dudes, they insisted I do something
with all my hair.

Post by Sean Conolly
I need some ideas on how to 'work what I got', despite what I don't got.
Waiting for people to wander into some club I'm playing isn't much of a
plan...

I got all my 'extra' work by word of mouth via other musicians,
usually drummers.

I think the tendency today is for people to feel connected, even
though that connection is by and large or solely electronic.

Back in the day you could count on meeting other working musicians at
your gig, and if you weren't working you went to their gigs, usually
with another musician or two in tow.

In short, networking, with the right people, other musicians, would be
my suggestion, if you don't have a family.

Personally, I am not bullish on the immediate future of the live music
segment of the economy...
-----

- gpsman

[Sean Conolly]

Post by gpsman

Post by Sean Conolly
What do you put on card to make it
stand out?

These days? Less.
Sean Conolly- Drummer for hire.
Maybe a head shot, as an inset, not covering the whole card; and not a
color card, white.
No gimmicks; no stupidly sized cards, no white text on black bg, no
funky fonts, etc.

Post by Sean Conolly
The old graphic of a snare and sticks seems a little dated, you
know.

Yes. No tacky graphics from MS Publisher ca. 1996.

Not far from what I was thinking of, I was worried that I was being a little
too conservative.

Post by gpsman

Post by Sean Conolly
Over the last 20 years or so almost every band I've auditioned with
wanted to hire me on the spot.
clearly there's something that comes across in person that just doesn't
happen when you listen to the demos.

Yeah, "you".
A demo is like a "Glamor Shot": "I sound like this, after processing".
Looking at what I think is your Facebook page I get the impression I
couldn't drive a pin up your ass with a sledgehammer.

<LOL!>
I'm not very photogenic, and that's about the only photo I have where I
don't look like Forrest Gump. I don't offer up any pics, because I just look
old and that puts a lot of people off immediately. If I put something on my
card, I'd have to add a caption 'I don't play as old as I look' :-)

Post by gpsman
I think the tendency today is for people to feel connected, even
though that connection is by and large or solely electronic.

That's part of what I'm fighting, I guess. What I've found is that the less
info I put into email the more likely I am to get a callback. Once I talk to
someone live they want me to audition, and once I audition they really enjoy
playing with me, regardless of appearances. Even if they decide I don't fit
the band's image I'm likely to get pick-up work while they continue their
auditions.

Post by gpsman
Back in the day you could count on meeting other working musicians at
your gig, and if you weren't working you went to their gigs, usually
with another musician or two in tow.
In short, networking, with the right people, other musicians, would be
my suggestion, if you don't have a family.

That's what I do, but it's a big area and I think I need to find a way to
reach a wider market than just trolling the clubs. On the other hand, at
least in the clubs you meet guys who made it out of the garage. I've seen
way too many band 'projects' where the guys just have no clue about what you
need to stay working.

Post by gpsman
Personally, I am not bullish on the immediate future of the live music
segment of the economy...

Agreed, and I'm glad that this is my hobby, and that I get to play out as
much as I do, but I really am motivated to play just about every weeked
night if I can. For a while I was playing in three bands because no single
band wanted to gig as much as I do, without doing it full time.

Hey, thanks for the comments!

Sean