Bandhive

Getting your music onto blogs isn’t as simple as writing an email that says “here’s my song, please review it.”

Ultimately, that’s what your email will say… But that’s not what the words will be.

To stand out from the crowd of all the desperate artists, mixed with professional publicists, you need to write an email that doesn’t waste time but does catch the attention of anyone you send it to.

The press release is becoming a lost art among DIY musicians, but it’s a non-negotiable element of your marketing campaign for each single, video, or album you release.

Listen now to learn what goes into a good press release, and what to avoid so you don’t make a mistake that burns bridges before they’re even built!

What you’ll learn:

• How to structure a press release
• What goes into a good press release
• Who you should send press releases to
• How to set up your SubmitHub profile
• How to choose the right publicist or PR firm
• Why it’s important to reply to any press contacts immediately
• How you can catch attention for your press release
• Why a first impression is so important
• Why triple-checking everything is more important than you could ever imagine
• How a simple “thank you” can vastly improve your results

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/76

Going into the studio can be expensive and time consuming, but ultimately if you want the best release you can get it’s absolutely the best option. After all, you get what you pay for.

But, that doesn’t mean you can’t save tons of time and money by being properly prepared for your studio time.

How exactly can you do that, you ask? Simple: record good demos, so your songs are finished and all the parts to be recorded are known in advance – this will give you a massive time advantage when you get to the studio.

Listen now to hear from Vadim Kharaz of the DIY Recording Guys about recording your home demos so you are fully prepared to go into a studio!

What you’ll learn:

• How you can record good home demos
• Why gear isn’t always the solution for all your problems
• How demos can save you time and money in the studio
• How you can go from amateur to professional with one simple technique
• Why there’s no such thing as “wrong” art
• Why demos are useful for arrangement decisions
• How you can start recording home demos
• What decisions go into recording a demo
• Why each member needs to learn to keep their ego in check
• What three resources go into recording your music

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/75

Copywriting is incredibly important to every business – yet it’s one of the most overlooked aspects for many small businesses, including bands.

It’s possible that many people haven’t even heard the term “copy” before.

Copy is just marketing text! You probably read some every day. This episode description is copy.

Not all copy is created equal – good copy is engaging, and gives the readers something to relate to.

If you’re a musician, you need your artist bio to get people to relate to you. That’s what creates a dedicated fanbase!

Want to learn more about writing great copy for your band’s bio? Listen now to find out what you need to know!

What you’ll learn:

• How to tell your band’s story
• Why you need to know what your songs are about
• How to write a bio for your band
• Why your bio is important for your band
• The keys to writing a good bio
• How to relate to your band’s fans
• How to update your branding consistently
• Why words matter
• How you can massively improve your social media bio for under $20

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/74

Imagine you’re playing the biggest show of the year in your hometown – you feel great and the crowd is really into your set.

Then, all of a sudden, the guitar drops out entirely. You rush to find the problem, but everything you do seems to be pointless.

After a while, you realize that it was the simplest issue possible… But it’s too late, the vibe is gone and the audience is ready for your set to be over.

How could you have avoided this mistake? Listen now to learn what pitfalls to avoid so you can be prepared for every show you play.

What you’ll learn:

• Why a basic understanding of your gear is key to a flawless performance
• What parts of your gear you don’t need to understand
• How basic gear maintenance skills will help you
• Why you absolutely have to know the common issues your instrument will have
• Why you should only trust techs and engineers who know what they’re doing with your show
• Why backups are not optional for a live show
• How you can be prepared for anything that gets thrown at you

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/73

As a business owner, issuing refunds is never fun – it hurts the wallet, and can sting your ego as well.

But offering a generous refund policy and great customer service is not only a good idea, it’s necessary for a successful business.

Put yourself in your fans’ shoes: who would you rather buy from, a store with amazing customer service, or the store with non-existent customer service?

We bet the answer is the store with amazing customer service, and that’s definitely the answer your fans would give.

Listen now to learn how you can increase your merch sales by 25% with great customer service and a solid refund policy!

What you’ll learn:

• Why offering refunds is a smart business move
• How you can instill faith in your customers
• Why “all sales final” scares customers away
• How your merch table is a relationship builder
• Why going the extra mile for your fans inspires loyalty
• How repurposing “damaged” merch can earn
• Why offering free shipping is not optional
• How your choice of shipping providers affects your customers
• Why you shouldn’t worry about customers taking advantage of your refund policy

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/72

The music industry is full of people with varied backgrounds and experiences, and our guest this week is no exception. 

With 20 years of experience under his belt as an artist in a touring band, as the tour manager for an artist opening for KISS, and as a mixing engineer and educator, Mike Indovina has tons of knowledge to share.

If you want to learn how to sell more merch at shows or how to make solid connections within your network, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Listen now to learn more about Mike and how his two decades of experience can benefit your band!

What you’ll learn:

• How you can sell more merch at your shows with one simple change
• Why treating other artists’ tour crew well pays off
• How outside the box thinking will advance your career
• How to break through the barrier between “pro” bands and local bands
• Why buying on to a tour needs to be strategic if you ever do
• How to get your name out there to achieve great results
• Why music alone isn’t enough for a career in music
• How to improve your live shows
• How to get opening slots on tours
• Why there’s no room for ego in a healthy band

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/71

I was having a conversation with my friend Matt Bacon the other day, and it made me realize something: bands should not only be setting goals, but also telling their fans about some of those goals.

Why?

Because if fans are part of reaching your goal, they are part of your crew.

Essentially that is how Kickstarter, Indiegogo, Patreon, etc. all work – fans help you, and in return they become a member of the “insiders club”. Your insiders club's members are your biggest fans, and you should treat them like VIPs.

Listen now to discover how you can turn fans into die-hard supporters of your band.

What you’ll learn:

• How you can benefit from setting public goals
• Why public goals give your fans a reason to support you
• Why some goals aren’t appropriate to be shared with your audience
• How to frame goals for your audience
• How to make your fans feel like VIPs
• Why stretch goals are important to keep your goals growing
• How fans can “make” your band
• Why adding scarcity and urgency is important for your preorders and merch sales
• How you can sell exclusive memorabilia to increase your merch sales

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/70

Spotify is demonized by artists and fans alike for their low per-stream payouts… Rightfully so, some would argue.

We’ll be the first to admit that Spotify should pay more, but for that to happen there need to be a few strategic moves that the public has to accept before royalties can be increased.

Additionally, Spotify’s numbers aren’t as bad as many make them seem – especially when compared to certain other streaming platforms.

But, they’re far from the best…

Listen now to learn more about how Spotify royalties work, and why you shouldn’t be so quick to judge them!

What you’ll learn:

• Why Spotify and streaming could help you to earn more than you think
• How Spotify’s payouts are calculated (and why it’s impossible for them to double their royalty rates)
• How music streaming providers can do more to support songwriters and artists
• Why you shouldn’t be afraid to charge for your shows and merch
• How music streaming and movie/TV streaming differ
• Why Spotify is one of the most powerful marketing tools you have access to
• How music streaming lets you multiply yourself
• Why the most popular streaming service in the world is the absolute worst streaming service for rightsholders (and it’s not Spotify)

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/69

When you’re working on new music, you face a lot of choices that can vastly affect the popularity of your release.

It all starts with your production team – the producer, engineers, and musicians who you’ll work with. The importance of picking the right team for your music cannot be understated.

After all, if you’re playing hardcore punk, it probably wouldn’t make sense to work with a country producer… Even if he or she is a grammy award winning producer.

Listen now to find out what you should consider when building the best production team for your band!

What you’ll learn:

• Why specialists are often better than a jack of all trades
• How to get honest feedback on your music
• Why quality production is key to your success
• Why a team is important to your band
• How to build a team to create a quality product
• What types of teams you could work with
• Why most one stop shops are not the best choice for recording and production
• Why hiring other instrumentalists can be useful
• How choosing the right producer can be make or break for your release

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/68

If I asked you what you think the #1 mistake artists make when working on a new release, what would you say?

I have the feeling that you wouldn’t say what I’m thinking of – and you might have done this very thing at one point.

It can be truly make or break for a successful release, so listen now to find out how you can avoid this common mistake!

What you’ll learn:

• How much of your budget you set aside for marketing
• Why you need to create a budget before you start the recording process
• How to pay for your band’s next album
• How to get a quality end product
• Why you shouldn’t stretch your budget
• How to reach your ideal fans
• Why you should never cut corners on your recording budget
• How to harness a marketing budget so people actually hear your music

For full show notes visit https://bandhive.rocks/67