What We See Out There

In a few weeks to open the year, we will be doing our “State of the Christian Music Industry” blog and PDF eBook. This will be a report in a way of what we have heard from the major labels, mid-level labels, and others throughout the Christian music industry. Some of those interviews are still going on.

But before I do, I wanted to share some preliminary things we are seeing in the industry from our side, especially in the strange year of change called 2016.

The More Things Change

“Things do not change; we change.” – Henry David Thoreau

What I am starting to see is despite the move from CDs, to downloads, to now streaming, nothing has really changed. Well, except sales. It used to be people had to buy a record, tape, then CD to hear music (other than the radio, and that’s the next topic). The surprising stat is that people are consuming music as much or maybe even more than they ever have. It’s everywhere. It’s not worthless, but we may have to think of it another way.

Moreover, live music being performed for people has never been more popular. This is not a change, from like….ever. Music has always been consumed en masse in live settings.

Even though there has been a whole century of recorded music that has seen an industry rise, stumble, and now get back on somewhat even footing, there has always been live performance. Every artist still judges their success not by how much they sell, but how busy they are. They are informed by how much demand there is for them as an artist.

So things have never really changed, even in the 20th century from the phonograph all the way through streaming in the 21st century. It still comes down to how much people come to see you.

Radio Rules

Yes, I can’t believe it either. But traditional, terrestrial radio is still THE thing that labels seem to invest in the most for the promotion of their artists. When you think about it, it’s not that hard to understand. I have a 2016 vehicle that still defaults to the radio, even if my fancy Bluetooth or USB cable is interfacing with my phone. So many times, if the station I have as default is playing what I like, I’ll leave it on.

And I’m a music person, who cares every second what my ears are hearing. Moms taking kids to soccer, or folks going to work who don’t “live” music like the rest of us are just happy to have something on. They don’t care what it is. So, when the new Lauren Daigle song comes on, then sure they are happy to give it a listen.

Since the labels are so focused on the Top 30 radio stations and networks, fighting over it against themselves, there is no room for indies. We still lose out on that game in the major radio audience. But there may be a market and way to reach other smaller radio stations. It just costs money and is very hard to know what you’re getting for your money. And it may not matter without touring and…

Publicity and Marketing

These are also areas of the industry that have changed…but not changed. Sure, there is Twitter, and Facebook, and Instagram, and YouTube, and they have changed the way we get the word out there. But are they really any different than TV commercials, junk mail, or ads in newspapers? All the social media tools are just current delivery systems. One day even they will be replaced by holograms, virtual reality, or some other thing.

The thing that never changes is there still must be a story. There must be something unique to tell about the music.

Less is More

One change we are seeing is the trend that in this new culture of streaming and less sales, artists are choosing to do singles and smaller projects like 5 song EPs more. We have noticed this trend at Creative Soul and are trying to serve it.

Now, it may still make perfect sense for traveling or busy artists to do full projects with 10 songs. They simply sell better at your table than EPs or singles.

Well, that’s enough for this post. But we have more info coming. Stay tuned. Follow this blog to the right, or join our mailing list for more current info and opportunities.

Have a great week!

EC
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Eric Copeland is president and lead info hound at Creative Soul, a consulting, production and marketing company devoted to building and supporting Christian music ministries for over 25 years. Find out more about us at http://www.CreativeSoulOnline.com

Why a Web Site Matters

If you are a musician, artist, songwriter, or doing any kind of business in music and ministry, you probably know you need a web site. It’s one of the first questions I ask any artist/songwriter that comes to meet with us, mainly because it’s a good indication of how serious they have been with their music to this point.

Your web site is your home base. Even if you have a Facebook Fan Page, dedicated music Twitter account, or Instagram, your web site trumps all of them. It’s how the world finds you.

“On the Web we all become small-town visitors lost in the big city.” – Alison Gopnik

After we finish a project for any artists, one of the first things we do is get to work on the web site. We use the same graphics from the album, and we configure for some basic pages.

Home Page

This should be a one stop page for anything someone may need to know about your music and ministry. It doesn’t need a hundred options, and shouldn’t have that many. It will have your graphic identity that you’re presenting with your music (your CD art, or art for online distribution). It will also have quick links to social media accounts, a brief bit of text announcing who you are, and a menu for the following.

Bio Page

This is the story of your music and ministry. Many people just want to know who you are and where you came from. What was the impetus for you to start making music, and why should they listen to you? This is where your story takes center stage and why we work so hard from day one to help you craft that narrative.

Music Page

Well, duh. What good would a music web site be without music? We can put either a Soundcloud player or CDBaby store widget here so people can sample the goods.

Photo Gallery

You likely spent a good amount on your photoshoot, why not show off those great shots? You could even have two galleries, one showing your studio shoot, and one featuring shots of you live and with fans.

Blog

If you are so inclined, a blog that features regular posts is really nice and keeps people coming back to your site. You can also use this part on the home page so that your site looks fresh with consistently posted content.

Store

This is crucial just in case anyone wants to actually buy a CD or download. We also guide people to your music on Spotify or Apple Music if they are looking for streaming options.

Contact Page

This may be the most important part of a web site, a page where people can contact you and book you for gigs, or just tell you they appreciate your ministry.

There are other optional pages like video, testimonials, and perhaps a schedule page if you get busy enough. But the main point is to provide a central hub where people can google for and find you, your music, and your ministry.

You may be wondering if Facebook or Twitter is enough. I’d have to say they aren’t even close to what a good web site can mean for your music and ministry.

“Create a website that expresses something about who you are that won’t fit into the template available to you on a social networking site.” – Jaron Lanier

A web site is the way to get your music out to the world. It certifies you as a legitimate music ministry business, and in this day where most people look everything up online, it’s more than crucial.

Have a great week!

EC
—
Eric Copeland is the president of Creative Soul, a music consulting, production, and marketing company for Christian artists and songwriters. If you’d like more info, we happen to have just updated our web site and you can start here for how we get started with artists!

Why We Must Market Our Music

“There ought to be an artistic depot where the artist need only hand in his artwork in order to receive what he asks for. As things are, one must be half a business man, and how can one understand - good heavens! - that's what I really call troublesome.” - Ludwig van Beethoven

It’s very simple to make music.

Even if you spend a good budget on a professional music product, with amazing photos and graphics, the “making the music part” is kind of easy. And to be honest, it’s super fun!!

But the hard part comes after you make your dream recording. You’ve got this awesome representation of your music and ministry, but how in the world do you let the world know about it? How do you get the music out to the masses?

“And then….depression set in.” – Bill Murray, Stripes

This is the one place many artists fall down, and truly where artists who you see doing well are excelling. Sure, you’d think its easy for a major label artist to be seen and heard because they have a label behind them! But the real reason they succeed is that the label puts gobs of money and huge effort in the marketing of the music, not just in the making of a product.

Social Media Marketing Part 1 - The Facebook Page

The Facebook Page is a dedicated page on Facebook for your music that is NOT your personal Facebook account. You don’t get new “friends”, but people who “like” your page. This will not be a primer on how to set that up, but how to use it for marketing your music and ministry.

We find the Facebook Page to be the best social media device for artists, especially since most people use Facebook daily anyway. Also, it’s the best tool to reach family and friends as well as people who may not know you but find you through shares and ads.

Here are some tips we have seen work on your Facebook Page.

Why Content is King: The Power of the Blog

Okay folks, so we have wrestled for a long while with what to post and tweet as you may have read here on Music Ministry Biz. But where does that content come from?

I will tell you a little secret that shouldn't surprise you: blogging works. It's worked for me, and gives me gobs of tweetable and post-worthy material every day!

The beauty is that the more posts you have, the more you can reuse. It's the gift that keeps on giving!

Why Content is King: 10 Reasons for 10 Songs

“Even though the album is an endangered species, can we try and make a coherent and good one, even if it's like making a horse and cart at a Nascar conference?” - Chris Martin

I wrote a post a few months ago extolling the virtues of the three types of music releases you could do, a 10+ song CD, a 4-6 song EP, or a single. I made a case for each of them. After further review, I’ve decided while EPs and singles have their uses, I have chosen the winner.

An album with 10 or more songs is my clear favorite for artists looking to market themselves most effectively. Why?

Here are my 10 reasons for 10 songs (or more):

The State of the Music (Ministry) Business

Every single day, folks call, email, or get in touch with us through social media about how to get started in Christian Music Ministry and what that means. They want to know what they might be getting themselves into, can they still get signed, how, where, and even if they should record music, and mostly, how they can find success in the new, kind of confusing world of music.

The music business itself is in a state of turmoil, yet still thriving if that makes any sense. People may not be paying what they used to for music, but they are listening as much as ever. Apps like Pandora, Spotify, and Apple Music are the new radio, and people are listening in this new way. Music is everywhere we are, from restaurants, to movies & TV, all over our phones and mobile computing devices, and in our cars.

True Outreach or Shameless Promotion?

So where is the line?

How far are we willing to go to get the word out about our music or art? You know, the creative thing we feel God has given us to do?

I am absolutely a socialmedia-holic. To me it's one of the great inventions of our time, and allows us to reach millions from the comfy seat of our computer.