How to Promote Your Album Before It’s Released

Video Transcript

Note: a machine made this, so it’s not perfect, but if you’re hearing impaired and have any questions about what we said, please feel free to ask us in the comments or send us an email with the form below. 

[00:00:00] Emily: Well, it comes to get offset. My name is Emily, and today I’m going to be talking about how to promote your album before it even comes out. In other words, how to create a promotion strategy leading up to the day of your album, EAP or single release. Uh, so full disclosure, I was paid to write about this topic for convert kit.

[00:00:27] I’m really proud of that article. They put together some lovely graphics, including, uh, this really cool timeline. So please check that out. I put the link to that article in the video description. Um, I was talking about disclosure convert kid did not pay me to do this video. I’m doing it because I thought you all might like the contents and some people prefer to.

[00:00:50] Absorb their, uh, educational content via video versus reading, which is a very legitimate way to learn things. So let’s get into it. Uh, when I was pitched this article, um, they wanted me to kind of talk about like two months, one month and one week before your album is released. And I just have to tell you, if you are only thinking about how to promote your.

[00:01:18] Two or one months or even one week before it comes out as you’re, you’re, you’re falling a little bit behind. I understand the inclination for one to just, you know, I just, I it’s here. It’s, it’s created, it’s an, you know, maybe it’s in my hands and like a USB drive or something. Probably not as. I want to get it out into the world.

[00:01:49] Totally understandable. But if you can’t rush these things, because there are processes in place that are bigger than you are I, and we have to respect those processes, um, because there’s, there’s just not a way to, um, cut that line. So we should start at least six months before our album release date. Um, I wrote this a while ago.

[00:02:17] And it used to be about a three to four lead month on vital. Um, COVID kind of bumped it to six and now it’s more like eight to 10. So if you intend on pressing vinyl, you really need to schedule that out ahead of time. It’s really unfortunate that a lot of indie artists, independent artists, um, are being.

[00:02:40] Kind of priced out or pushed out of some of these vinyl pressing planets, um, in favor of bigger clients who are doing, doing dumb things like rereleasing records that you can buy in a dollar bed, but because, you know, they want to make their money from. Like the labels, I should say, want to make new money and they are not getting paid.

[00:03:00] Uh, when someone buys, uh, it goes to Sonic boom records and pays a couple of bucks for a used record, or it goes to Kemper sound in port Townsend and buys a used record. Big shout out to our Washington vinyl stores. Um, so yes, that’s kind of one of the first things you need to do, um, because you got to figure out one, what are you printing of your record?

[00:03:23] Are you printing vinyl? Are you ma are you pressing CDs? Uh, are you having cassette tapes, man? So reach out to different vendors, get pricing, get the nail down on a timeline, leave at least a few weeks of lead time. Um, of course, cassette tapes are also a little backed up. I feel like CDs are pretty fast if you’re comfortable, um, releasing your album without physical vinyl in hand.

[00:03:49] Like if you think your fans will like understand that, like this vinyl’s a pre-sale and it’s expected after the album comes out. That’s when you may choose to do cool. Um, so that, that kinda factors in, I kinda got ahead of myself. The first thing you really need to do is you need to set your budget. If you’re an independent artists without label support, I think you have a pretty good understanding of the amount of money you have, um, and we’ll feel comfortable spending.

[00:04:20] At this point, you, you definitely need to save some money aside for, for touring. At least it gets you through the first, first couple of days of your tour before hopefully you, you collect money from, from shows and merge sales that will propel you, hopefully through the rest of your tour. If you have a label, um, work with them on the budget, they really should be helping you with this.

[00:04:39] Um, So, yeah, maybe try and negotiate some things don’t give up. Don’t give up your song, writing royalties or anything like that. Uh, en masse, um, you know, don’t, don’t change your splits or anything like that. Um, cause that will come back to bite you in the ass later, but work with that label. See what money they can like invest in you.

[00:05:04] Uh, and how that affects your recoupable bills, um, because of your record label loans, you money, uh, is indeed a loan. They are not giving it to you out of the kindness of their hearts. They expect you to make that money back for them. So finalizing your promotional budget, uh, lighting up physical and distribution.

[00:05:21] You can actually wait about, um, you know, you want to get your money up on, on distro kid. Save 70% of your district had membership with. But going to the URL district.com/vip/get offset Lincoln video description. Uh, really you have to do that more like a month before it doesn’t hurt to get that line up, really.

[00:05:44] Especially if you already have like a district kid account, um, something like that. But, you know, just at least know what you’re going to do and know when you’re going to upload it, because if you want to wait a little bit like a month out, um, that’s absolutely fine. If you don’t have a district hid membership currently, or something like that, that’s more of a subscription-based or an annual payment to keep your music live.

[00:06:08] Um, you will want to wait until you have to get these services. Otherwise you’re kind of paying for nothing for a number of months, and we don’t want you to do that for a second. Uh, you should get your website or your landing page in order. Um, I talk about this in the convert kit log. Uh, convert kit has landing pages.

[00:06:26] If you use their email software, uh, it basically collects email addresses, um, so that when the album is released or is on sale, you can collect those. At this point, I would find, I would think that collecting email addresses, um, it would be really, really benefited. She was an artist and your promotion, because then, you know, these, these are people who obviously already like you and they’re going to open your emails.

[00:06:52] It kind of, it seems like they’re probably going to give a shit. Right? So collect some email addresses if you want. I think that’s a very smart thing to do. Uh, funneling people to your social media sites is another good thing to collect those email addresses. You can do. I would just say at this point, um, Let them either like either give them a download of a song, perhaps a demo, perhaps something like that, or just tell them, there’ll be the first to know.

[00:07:21] Maybe give them, maybe offer them a 10, 10% discount or something or free shipping one when the album does come out. So just be creative. You’re really only limited by your own creativity when it comes to many of these promotional assets. All right. Uh, speaking of promotional assets, now’s the time to start brainstorming?

[00:07:39] Like what kind of things do you want to create? Do you want to do a video for each album on each song on your album? Like Sunday crush. Cool, you should do that. You know, it takes a while. Uh, you’ll also go, you’re also going to want to think about like photo shoots about album art, if you haven’t already, um, are you going to like create memes?

[00:08:02] Like how are you going to promote this record in terms of video and image and illustration assets? Now’s the time to think about that? Six months in advance. Um, next you start planning your two. Six months is a pretty long time out, but it’s a good idea at this point, uh, clubs, as they open are pretty full up booked in a lot of places.

[00:08:24] It seems so the earlier you can get, uh, on their radar or the earlier you can work with a friendly bands, other bands to line up perhaps a joint tour. Um, that’s, you know, the earlier is better on that. At least start putting up dealers at this point. And then you’re also going to want to get T P R started.

[00:08:47] Um, that’s, that’s your journey? That’s your public? So your publicist is going to reach out to journalists. Um, some, some of them reach out to DJ’s, uh, radio station promo, like what kind of promo do you want? Do you want radio station promo? That’s really hitting those markets you’re covering on your tour.

[00:09:03] Then you need to look for an agency that does that, or a person who does that. Um, if you’re more concerned with like really getting in front of these vinyl heads, then you want a publicist who specializes in that. So think about what you want from a publicist, think about what your budget is and start talking to some people because, um, it can take, like, I don’t think very many publicists will, will pick you up, uh, with less than three months lead time on promo because it takes that long for them to get their list together.

[00:09:32] Um, and just basically put together a game plan that they can act on when the album does indeed come that. Neat. So that gets us in that six months. Um, timeframe next, we’re looking at what we want to do three months in advance. So first formerly announced your release date after checking with a vinyl printing after maybe having a conversation with the publicist, uh, more on that later.

[00:09:59] Um, yeah, just announce it it’s time. It really, it really, really is. It’s it’s time. Yeah. So after that, like just make sure at three months out, you’re starting to finalize those creative assets of those videos, especially can take a long time to edit, uh, as someone who does videos like in a test, it takes a long time to edit a demo.

[00:10:22] It takes a long time to edit a video with different scenes that tells a story and stuff. Um, the other week I published, sorry, I’m scratching. I got allergies. Check out my other video about how to create an EPK, because this is the point that you’re going to want to do that if you don’t have your own publicist.

[00:10:41] So if you do hire a publicist, they should create an EPK for you. If you don’t have a publicist, you’re doing this on your own, uh, check on my video about what you need to include in that. Check out my article and convert kit about how to create an EPQ EPK for free with a convert kit. And now’s the time to start reaching out to press.

[00:11:03] So, how do you find the, those, those press assets? See, who’s covered similar bands to you see who covers music and the, in your genre. Don’t like, listen, I don’t email everybody under the sun. Uh, if you send an email, that’s just doesn’t make any sense. If you send your grind core band to someone who covers pop music, they’re not going to cover your band.

[00:11:31] It’s just, and it’s not a good luck and journalists talk, they talk to each other, surprise people, talk to each other. Um, and it’s just not a great look. So don’t do that. It’s it’s like going on a dating website and just messaging every woman on the app, the word, Hey, it doesn’t work. Stop doing it. It’s just annoying.

[00:11:50] These people get so many emails every day, but yeah, email, email that journalists. DJ’s whoever is on your press outreach lists. That could be its own video on how to make that, um, let them know that the album’s coming out, let them know if there are any like tour, like tour plans. You might not be able to announce it yet, but you might be able to say like, we’re going on tour with so-and-so in the fall, after the album release.

[00:12:19] Um, and they, yeah, they, they might, they might, uh, file that away. It might be a little bit early, but it, you know, you’ll be getting in front of them, um, a little bit sooner. Uh, so, you know, I think I already mentioned this, but just confirm that those, uh, records of CDs, those tapes are on, are on schedule.

[00:12:42] Cool. One to two months out, firstly, your album should be available for pre-sale by now. Honestly it should have been on available for presale. The moment you, uh, announced it. Um, but especially if you were still kind of unsure of vinyl schedules or something like that, um, you might push the pre-sale just a little bit.

[00:13:06] To make sure that, uh, you have a good timeline that you’re communicating with people as soon as they put in, in order. Because if you’re honest, if you say, Hey, you can buy this. Now the album’s out in a couple of months, uh, the vinyl’s expected three months after that. The communication is key. And if your vinyl is delayed that much, make sure people have access to a digital download code or something like that.

[00:13:31] Um, and maybe consider shipping like shirts or hats or whatever. Speaking of selling things, bundles work great. Uh, it’s a great way to get a little bit of extra revenue in Electra support from your fans. So bundle those albums. We’re sure. Hats socks, coffee stuff that makes sense and offer it to people because there are people who are going to want you to support you more than others.

[00:13:56] And if all they can do to support you is by the record, even if they want to do more, they’re probably not because you’re not giving them a way to, so give people ways to support you financially.

[00:14:09] So, uh, you’re going to want to release your first single, probably at this point. So again, reach out to those press targets. Say here’s a music video. Um, w try work. I recommend trying to work with at least one or two, um, at a time, see if somebody would be willing to premiere, uh, the, the single big takeovers.

[00:14:31] Uh, place for, for music premiers Sunday, crushes had a few KXP premiers in addition to a big takeover premiere and then a few other premiers on, on some other, um, more niche publications. So that’s a good way to just get in front of those new audiences. Um, in the old you’re giving the journalist or the publication, something kind of extra that can, that’s good for that.

[00:14:56] It’s good to have the premiere. It’s good to have the jump on other publications. So offer that, offer that to a couple, a few different sources. Um, you’re also gonna want to start your countdown on social probably at first, just like. A couple of reminders, maybe a two month outpost, a one month out post we’ll get to more of that later.

[00:15:18] Um, but start letting people know that indeed there there’s a countdown and you can, pre-order the album also send out an email to this email addresses you collected earlier and, uh, hopefully that’ll, that’ll hopefully that’ll convert, convert some folk. Um, This is a good time to follow up with any interested press contacts.

[00:15:38] As I mentioned before, uh, it’s also a good time to start to pitch Spotify playlists. If you go through something like distro kid. So how that works is this, your kid puts your music onto Spotify and you schedule it out. Um, you log into your Spotify artists portal. Uh, if you don’t have one, you can create one.

[00:15:58] Uh, you just need a little bit of help from distro kid, especially if you don’t have any music up on there yet. Um, the district had, has a step-by-step process of how to create and claim your artist’s page, even if you don’t have any music up. Um, but once you do, uh, you can pick one song from an upcoming release that you can pitch to Spotify, editorial playlist.

[00:16:24] Editorial playlist or a huge promotional opportunity for musicians. Um, I have another article about how to pitch to these playlists, how to get on them, but you have to do it at least three weeks before your album comes out. Otherwise they just know it’s not going to happen. So that’s one thing that you absolutely have to look to, um, a month or two before your album comes out.

[00:16:50] And, uh, last one, two months before really, really PR started promoting that to her, if you can. Um, and especially, hopefully you’re having an album release party. Now’s the time to really start pushing on that and try to sell out whatever venue you’ve booked for your album release party. It’s it’s it’s going to be fun.

[00:17:10] Um, we released an album during the pandemic. We didn’t get one was kind of sad about that. Uh, my friends rat boys basically had their album release party and then had to cancel their whole tour. So bummer, bummer about that one. But at least they had those release parties. Yeah. At least they had them. Uh, now we’re up to one week out.

[00:17:30] We’re almost there. We’re in the home stretch. Ship those pre-orders ship. The pre-orders just ship them, ship them soon. Uh, you know, maybe even two weeks in advance, like you, you don’t know, like the mail’s taken longer right now giving a little bit of extra time, uh, especially if you’re using USBs media mail for CDs and vinyl.

[00:17:52] Um, sometimes that shit shows up in three days and sometimes it shows up in three weeks. So, um, yeah. And you don’t get a tracking number with media mail you do with priority. Uh, one quick thing I will say about media mail is they will open these up sometimes. Okay. Okay. So you cannot have like media, when they say media, they mean media, they mean a record ACD or a bunch of books or a bunch of CDs, uh, CDs and books and tapes and DVDs.

[00:18:20] They told once you. To bundle your shirt in there. So if somebody bought a bundle, you can not ship that via media mail because a S will open that up. And, uh, I honestly forget what, what happens. I don’t know if they throw it away or whatever, but it won’t work and that’s just like, that’s not a risk worth taking.

[00:18:45] So yeah. I know maybe email is really cheap. I get the temptation to ship that bundle together in a medium mail package. Don’t. Don’t do it unless you live on the wild side and I respect it, but damn, I’d be pissed if I didn’t get my bundle because you’re trying to save an extra four bucks and also then it would cost you more to have to reship everything to me.

[00:19:12] So the hole in the cup is over here.

[00:19:20] I don’t usually use the lid with us. All right. So, um, one week out, you also want to keep up the momentum. Um, at this point, I think it’d be fine to post like every day, like a count down sort of thing. I’m a big fan of countdowns. I think it really cements some people’s brains when it’s happening. Albums are released on Fridays now, which is more fun than Tuesdays, but, um, that doesn’t mean anything that doesn’t have anything to do with.

[00:19:46] It was just a weird change that I had to get used to in my life. But yeah. So there I go, uh, promote your release party. Yeah. Have you noticed that these lists are getting shorter, the closer that you get to release and that’s kind of the point because, uh, for your launch, the one thing you really need to do is enjoy the moment.

[00:20:06] You know, hopefully you’ve sold out that release show, hopefully you’ve sold and shipped, um, a bunch of copies of your record. Like this is, uh, a momentous. Uh, occasion that not everybody gets to enjoy, not everybody gets who makes music, releases an album ever. Not everybody who plays music is part of a release show or a party or anything like that.

[00:20:27] So it’s like, um, if you, if you work in events, there’s a level of success that happens as long as the event takes place. Like a lot of stuff can go wrong. Like maybe vendors don’t show up, maybe bands don’t show up, maybe, you know, the fences. Fell over, but at least nobody got hurt, you know, especially in the first year of an event, if it happens, even if nobody shows up really it’s considered a success because you did the thing.

[00:20:55] And you know, maybe this record won’t go platinum. I’d say it probably. Won’t sorry to tell you, but if you are in music because you want your music to go platinum, um, I don’t know what to tell you that. I don’t think that should be the goal. I think that the ultimate goal as a musician is to make a living on your music.

[00:21:18] That’s like, that’s a dream. And that’s something that a lot, not a lot of people can do. But if, if you are an independent artist and this is like, so you do on the side and like, yeah, you would love to go and make a living doing this. I mean, you need to release the album first and then you also just need to have a little bit of pride in yourself for doing the thing.

[00:21:40] Because as I get older, I have less and less respect for people who talk the talk and don’t do the thing. Like it happens a lot on the show. I’ve just have very little patients these days with those people who don’t just do it, like it’s easier than ever to record your own music. Um, the internet is democratize a lot of elements of society.

[00:22:03] You don’t need a label to even distribute your music. You don’t need a label to put your music on Spotify and title and iTunes. You don’t need a label to get your record in indie stores. You didn’t have to go to the indie store and say, I have a record. Will you please sell it? I am local. And they will probably.

[00:22:20] All right. So that’s my spiel. Um, check out the article I mentioned, um, in the video description, uh, chicken on my video about EPKs, uh, I have another video about, uh, performance rights organizations, our PR owes. So make sure you’re on a pro. If you’re a songwriter, uh, it’s really important and it gets you more money that you might’ve missed, especially if you’re playing your own music live.

[00:22:46] Uh, you can give. Just from doing that. It’s pretty neat. Um, gosh, is there anything else probably, but this video’s long, so I’m just going to say thanks for watching. Thanks for understanding. Please like comment, subscribe below until next time. My name is Emily good-bye.