Will You Fit Their Profile? 1) Your music must be a fit with the genre of music that they are producing. 2) You must have music that is saleable and marketable, and that people will be willing to pay money to listen to. 3) You have to walk the walk, look the part, and dress for success. Unless you have the chops of one who could instantly reduce the hardened heart of spinster librarian to a mass of quivering jelly, you better be part of a better package.
4) You must be professional, reliable. If you want this record company to put their hard earned money on the line for you, then you have to make them feel confidant and secure that you will show up for gigs, be responsible when giving interviews, successfully promote your self wherever you go. Basically, that you will do whatever it takes to be a success. And wait until your reunion tour before you start tearing up hotel rooms.5) You must have a clear understanding that this is indeed a business, that the record company will not be signing you because you are the second coming of Elvis, but rather because you will make them money.A Record Deal Is a Contract.
As with all contracts, you need to understand you will have to get a lawyer involved at some time in the process. This will not be cheap, so start building your war chest as soon as you can. An entertainment lawyer is going to cost you, and you want to make sure you have the money to be well represented when the time comes. Don’t think that getting an attorney in the loop is being antagonistic; the record company will have one, and so should you. More on that later!
Your very first step:Is your work copy written?If your original music is not copy written, then do not do anything else until your work product is protected. The US Copy right office makes it relatively easy to protect your music from being misused or stolen. Legally and technically your music is protected the moment it is created and actually produced in some sort of tangible form, be it a written musical manuscript or a sound recording. However, protected as it may be, you still need to prove it. Below we will discuss a few copywriting tips and practices, but this is NOT an area where you want to be careless. To get a complete understanding of copyrights, visit www.CopyrightYourMusicInMinutes.com for a complete step by step course that will literally walk you through the entire copyright process.
This Information is Brought to You By “EZ Record Deal”, the ultimate guide to getting a record deal. Visit EZ Record Deal now by going to http://www.ezrecorddeal.com/
Critical Note
Let’s reiterate what Andy Cahan said about your contact info. On the CD, and on the CD jacket you should always put your name and contact info. It is quite easy for your demo cd and the press kit to become separated from each other, and you want your demo to be clearly marked with your name and the way to contact you. This way if someone sees a lone CD sitting on the desk, plays it and loves it, they do not have to go far to know who they need to contact.
Do you have a Press Kit or a Promotional Pack?
Do you have a Press Kit or a Promotional Pack? Just like an actor or a model, you need to assemble a marketing package specifically tailored for you and your music. This is like a product brochure where you are the widget to be sold. And make no mistake, this package must “SELL” you because in this arena of the music world, you are a product. Your Press Kit must present you in a most favorable light and must instill in the reader or viewer, enough interest to take the next step.
Press Clippings and Reviews
If you don’t have any of these, get some. Every local paper pretty much has an Arts and Entertainment section. Find out who the reporters are and call them. Find out exactly what they are looking for, and try and get them to come out to one of your performances. Being printed in the newspaper or in a magazine gives you another level of credibility and is just another thing that sets you apart from the other gazillions of garage bands out there try to get attention.
