Selling music by solving a specific need
May 29th, 2008
(Someone asked me how they could sell more of their instrumental music. My answer:)
For instrumental music, it sells best if you tie it into a purpose.
Massage music sells very well.
Yoga music sells very well.
Instrumental Christmas music sells very well.
… all because they’re selling more than just harmony, melody, arrangements : they’re selling something that non-music people find useful. They solve a problem.
Different example:
Imagine two candlemakers.
One says, “My candles have only the finest wax with the best quality wick!”
The other says, “These are prayer candles. Light one whenever you pray.”
There are dozens of people who will buy the first.
But there are millions who will buy the second.
Right. Sell the benefits, not the features.
Feature = Wax
Benefit = Improved Quality of Prayer
Another great thing about something like “music for yoga” is that the people are easy to target. Yoga Journal, Hugger Mugger, mailing lists, etc. Not many lists, sites, or magazines for instrumental music…
One of the reasons, in my opinion, musicians (and other marketing people) don’t narrow their niches is because they don’t want to leave people out. But you can’t please everybody. It’s much better to have a few people who really love you (or hate you) than everybody who feels “ok” about you. “Ok” doesn’t sell.
A great example of this is the “demo derby” section on my radio show, where we review demos people send in. Check out http://www.musicbusinessradio.com to listen to it. The ones that are memorable are either good or bad. Those in the middle are a dime a dozen.
This concept is one you should bring to your marketing.
Good stuff, Derek!!
Thank Derek (and David) - good insights… now if I could just figure out how my music benefits my fans - I understand the benefit I get from it, but not so much what my fans get from it.
We give each of our instrumental cds a title that lets you know what to expect. The album “Zen Blues” is a minimalistic, quiet meeting of zen & blues,
“Feels So Good” is about abundance and well being.
From the comments of our fans I know that they listen to our music in everyday life - like someone wrote: “music to live by”
But I don’t know how to tie our music into a purpose like yoga music. Maybe it is like David said in his comment, being afraid to leave someone out by narrowing the niche.
Have to think about it. An album like Zen Blues has a meditative quality. But I didn’t want to call it meditation music because there is so much terrible stuff in that genre. I would like to hear how others would categorize / label our music or how other instrumental artists deal with that issue.
http://www.cdbaby.com/all/bluestar
Hey Derek and all,
I find that sometimes as artists we get so caught up in what we want to do that we don’t take the time to ask ourselves, “is there a market for this?” I recently tried an experiment and recorded an entire CD of songs for the 2008 children’s library summer reading theme which is about bugs. Before I spent a dime on manufacturing I sent emails to libraries in the 46 states that are doing the bug theme and pre-sold 1,000 CDs to people that never heard of me before in 60 days. My other CDs which are more general take a year or two to sell as well. The funny thing is that this CD is not much different than my other CDs. I made a web site just for this CD http://www.sixlegsongs.com (I haven’t even had time to add it to my main site yet. For this project I made the music not the artist the main focus. Perception is reality!
Mr. Billy
Hi all,
I agree with Derek and the comments here as well. I’ve made instrumental music for years, and started releasing my own work “officially” 10 years ago. I’d sell a CD every now and then, and maybe a couple downloads a month. But it wasn’t until the Christmas before last that I found out how much people just love Christmas music, when I released my first holiday disc. It doesn’t matter that someone may have 10 different versions of “Jingle Bells” already…if you put your heart into your work and make something you enjoy - and it fills a need as Derek notes - people will respond. Sure, I’m not exactly selling millions like Chip Davis and Mannheim Steamroller, but I’m happy to say that first holiday disc of mine made a profit pretty quickly (on a much smaller scale than Mannheim, but hey - a profit is a profit!).
Regards,
KevOz
http://www.KevOz.com
Hi Derek,
Just wanted to drop a note and thank you for the articles and advice here. I actually tried to just read one or two a day and still have another email that you sent me.
You’re great! It really helps me a focus a little more and gives me some good ideas. I appreciate all you’ve done and wish you continued success.
Many Blessings,
Robert Anton
This is most certainly true but the best wrapped gift will not be appreciated if it is under a rock. The biggest problem is the one of getting people to be aware that the product exists, and minus a strong budget for it, that will be the key lynch pin of the whole deal. The person who solves the problem of directing traffic their direction (ie: you have made a CD for meditating and now how do the people world wide that practice this know how that your product exists?) I have certain theories that I am trying but they have a 2 year or so window for their execution. I think problems like this are very challenging and fun. To over come such a thing would be very pleasing and the accomplishment might even be neater than the result. Kind of like a poor mans relativity theory.
Once we get so smart and have all of these marketing tricks figured out, we have to consider that maybe we are coming full-circle and embracing the same principles that have resulted in the manufacturing of the world’s overabundance of mindless, mass-distributed, audio wallpaper. The evil master-plan to sell boring music to the masses did not die with the Major Record Labels, it just changed hands. Now it is every one of us with our laptops.
So much Business… what happened to the Music?
-Dr. Zoltan!
Props to the good doctor for that breath of fresh air. Thank you, kind sir.
So true.
Word of mouth will set us free…unless our music = crap.
my next instrumental CD will be for those searching for the perfect pipe/scotch music and will settle for nothing else…
new marketing campaign in works…
dig it…
t
Not everyone has a strong secure income flow. Music production, living and eating require that. Marketing of music does not degrade the quality of music. The more artistic and cutting edge a music is, the less likely it will find large numbers of adherents. Thus the best music, frequently of the 20th century tendencies will need promotion even more so as to find the tiny batch of paying customers to help keep the music being made.
Boring wallpaper music is a little more prevalent then we would like, so lets market and make popular the good quality stuff.
[...] I came across an excellent reminder of how to avoid this trap, albeit with a grating example using candles. Imagine two [...]
i would love to do a christmas CD but don’t i have to pay for the copyright use of those songs (ex. Oh, Holy Night)? or can i do a christmas CD and sell it online and make money from it? Or maybe ask for donations?thanks amanda
My CD “El Silencio Del Agua” “The Silence of Water” is ideal for this type of marketing. It was designed to relax those who listen to it. It’s great for Yoga and Massages. That was the purpose with witch it was conceived.
Could you guys help me market my CD to these clients?
I did a Christmas CD and used songs in Public Domaign so I didn’t have to pay. Well, I did for one song. The H Fox agency can tell you who owns copyright
paul adams
oops. forot to mention you can also pay them and they’ll pay the Copyr.pwner. I think I paid 100.00 for the one tune (For a pressing of 1000cd’s)
We really appreciate the insight. This kind of information is very valuable and not otherwise available. Thanks very much for the ideas. It speaks volumes that even with a good product, there is still work to do to be sure the product “sells”.
Indeed, savvy marketing techniques are good things to consider, but it can never take the place of just making great music that comes from that place that no one can name.
Of course it’s not an either or proposition, but too often it seems the latter is given too short shrift…
Derek you ore the best thing that e
ever happing for the indy artists like Mr Cool
Derek:
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve been doing the most to maximize the exposure of my “jazzy, non-commercial new age” music to yoga practitioners and massage therapists and it’s definitely working!
Derrick,
Plzzzz!!! Show tell me what catagory stle my music is or, I should aim for I need boost okay!!
Aleee
Thanks for your specific and direct marketing insight. You get me thinking positive thoughts.
Dave
It seems like the instrumental music can only be liked by non-musically oriented people who want nothing more from it than just a backdrop for relaxation. Quite a shameful fact picturing the condition of the modern culture, don’t you agree?
Derek, you’re a success story and I am amazed at your business acumen. I feel frustrated most times because I seem not to be able to figure out this marketing thing. It would be nice to join in the success story. One main point I’ve really gathered now from you is to have a focus and not try to please everyone, which has been the main offence many of us have been commiting. I like the example of the two candle makers and the comments of the others who tried to narrow their focus. Handing over CD baby to Disc makers shows what smart business man you have become. Thanks for all the great things you’ve done for the indie artists and musicians.
I totally get what you’re saying. Like someone else said…if I could figure out what exactly my music is doing to help people…hmmmmmmmmm…I have an idea, let’s help eachother…please go to our myspace page and give me your feedback and I will do the same for you! DEAL?
xoxo
JVB
I love your style and business sense Derek.
xoxo
JVB
Derek,
Thanks for the insight- I’ll try this on the next Dan Becker and the Tourists CD. It will be great driving music!!
We will miss you at the helm, and you know your creation CD Baby has inspired many through its organic inception and growth as do you yourself as an example of ingenuity,integrity, insight and good intentions. Look forward to all your new projects too
Hey Derek,
After years of work to understand my experiences as both a musician and pastoral minister I woke up - just this morning - with a new plan which fuses my experiences into a model for music exploration workshops that provide opportunities for healing and expressing. I will elaborate at a future time - but suffice it to say that when I read this suggestion for marketing the music it connected the dots in an amazing manner. Thanks!!! The next product will be a winner. Jan