Thursday, July 31, 2008 

Now Taking Submissions for Annual GoGirlsMusicFest Compilation CD!!

Submit for your chance to be included on the 9th Annual GoGirlsMusicFest compilation CD.

Submit NOW at www.sonicbids.com/GGMF08CD. Don't wait because the deadline is August 15th. ALL songs will get listened to. Everyone will be considered. But please send us your best high quality music. If the recording quality is low it cannot be considered. This is a top-notch, professional compilation CD that is given away FREE at all our upcoming GoGirlsMusicFest shows around the country. We also distribute it at music conferences, send it to radio stations and places for review. If you are selected there is NO additional fee. Why? Because we rock! Yep, another great perk to being a member of the oldest & largest online community of indie women in music.

To be considered you MUST submit through Sonicbids and your GoGirls Elite membership must be current.

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Wednesday, July 30, 2008 

MUSIC GORILLA CELEBRATES ITS FOURTH ANNIVERSARY



Songwriters, artists and bands, listen up! There’s a dynamic 800-lb. gorilla in the room and he wants to hook you up with the folks in the industry that can take your career to the next level. Gearing up to celebrate its fourth anniversary, Music Gorilla, a powerful website devoted to “playing it for the labels,” is quickly revolutionizing the process by which up and comers connect with A&R Reps from Indie and Major record companies, Film And TV Music Supervisors, publishers and distributors.

Since its launch, the site has scored numerous exciting success stories, from publishing deals to big film placements. The Emmy Award winning NBC series “Friday Night Lights” has been a particular hotbed source for members; the show has featured 857’s song and video for “Mouth Music” and invited Donna Mea to do a live performance in one episode.

Since the Gorilla took over the once hard to negotiate jungle in 2004, hundreds of artists have enjoyed the incredible array of benefits of the site. First, Music Gorilla exposes their original material via personal website pages to reps from Fox, Disney, Hollywood, Epic, Type A Records, J Records, American, RCA, Velour, Geffen, Reunion/Essential, Capitol Music Group and others. All artists who join the site will be considered by its music editor and co-founder Lawrence Erlichman for placement in MTV’s catalog—which gives them the opportunity for placement on MTV’s original programming.

Music Gorilla members are also immediately eligible to play their music live in one of the site’s live label showcases. Earlier this year, 30 artists were showcased to reps from Capitol Music Group at an event during, but independent of, South By Southwest; members have also played for and received helpful critiques from A&R reps from Sony, Hollywood Records, Epic, Capitol Music Group and more. Artists can also submit tracks for film, TV and video games as well as to established artists currently seeking material.

Unlike similar sites that charge artists for the ability to simply play their songs for the public or to submit music for specific Industry listings, Music Gorilla members get their mp3's placed directly onto dedicated pages that are built for the music professionals. The site also has a real time newswire and regular “hot sheets” with listings of who’s looking for what and where. Users are encouraged to check out Gorilla Guru for articles on topics that affect the lives and careers of musicians, and Gorilla Goodies for special deals and discounts on CD duplication, The Indie Bible, studio time and more!

For artists and songwriters serious about their careers, the price of joining Music Gorilla is incredibly reasonable. They have the option of paying monthly ($24.95), quarterly ($64.95) or annually ($229.95). If you sign up between August 1-15th, 2008, you will get an automatic 10% discount by using promo code 4YRS.

http://www.musicgorilla.com

Tuesday, July 29, 2008 

Dfest Recap

by Madalyn Sklar


Imagine business meetings, panels and schmoozing by day and live music, more schmoozing and lots of Bud Light by night!

It was my 5th year to attend and participate in Dfest. It has become Oklahoma's largest music festival and conference, based in Tulsa. Not only do they spotlight some great national acts (The All-American Rejects, Paramore, The Roots and more) but they do an awesome job showcasing emerging artists as well. I was able to easily make my way among the crowd to the Blue Dome District where the venues are located at as well as two huge outdoor stages. Although it was hot, the music was way cool and I especially liked being a VIP so I could cool off in the Bud Light Lounge, drink some beer and enjoy the a/c.

The Effects take the main stage I really enjoyed a rockin' set from local boy band The Effects on Saturday night. I remember them being the big buzz my first year in '04. They were popular then and still a Tulsa favorite. They graduated from smaller venues to the big outdoor stage this year. I was happy for them. They are a killer rock band made up of super nice young men.

I also enjoyed Zappa Plays Zappa and The Roots that night. The crowd is amazing. People are out in droves to be a part of this large festival. The Dfest staff are spot on in this area.

I will admit I missed the big Friday night line-up with Paramore and The All-American Rejects. Some of my friends wanted to go to a casino and it sounded like too much fun so I tagged along. I put in $20 in a slot machine and lost it faster than you can say HOLY CRAP! On the other hand, Tracie my trusty assistant put in $20 and walked away with $240. Huh? I should have made her buy me breakfast the next morning.

The audience at the Blog panel I'm on right now! The daytime music conference was really enjoyable. GoGirls had a nice presence there with our booth. I talked to a ton of people about our great GoGirls community as well as the work we are doing at Social Networks for Musicians and at IndieMusicCoach. I moderated the Performing Rights Organization (PRO) panel on Friday which rocked. We had reps from ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. It was extremely informative. Then on Saturday I participated in the Blog Buzz panel talking about social networks. I gave out a ton of useful information and even took a picture from my iPhone from the stage and sent it right off to Twitter to show off the power of new technologies.

We got the VIP hook up including backstage passes. Uh huh!!Madalyn with Martin Atkins, author of Tour:Smart and Dfest keynote speakerChillin' with Allie and AliciaMe with John Cusimano aka Mr. Rachel Ray!!Vodka redbulls with John from Thayer's and Jim from ISCCongress of a Crow takes the stage

To recap, the 7th annual Dfest was rockin'. Every year I think, how can they top this? They always do. I'm looking forward to next year!

Copyright © 2008 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She founded IndieMusicCoach and has spent over 12 years working with a wide range of independent musicians all over the world. Her goal is to help indie artists achieve greater success in the music business by working smarter not harder. She is also the founder of GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest and largest online community of indie women musicians, with a vision of bringing together and empowering musicians from around the world.

Madalyn is available for one-on-one consulting and coaching at affordable prices. Check out http://www.indiemusiccoach.com/ for more info.

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Wednesday, July 23, 2008 

Off to Dfest Music Conference...

I'm off to my annual trek to Tulsa, OK for Dfest which has become one of my favorite music conferences. It's a jam packed event with a great tradeshow, panels & workshops and a hell of a nighttime festival. This year they are bringing in the All American Rejects, Paramore, moe and a ton of emerging indie bands. I'm looking forward to moderating the PROs panel and participating in the Blog Marketing panel.

You can follow my every move via Twitter.

Rock on,
Madalyn

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Tuesday, July 22, 2008 

Why You Definitely Don't Want A Record Deal!

By Chris Standring

Madalyn's Note: I'm passing along this great article from my friend Chris Standring. Enjoy!

There is no reason why labels can't discount merch to their artists and still keep the product royalty bearing.


I'm pretty much done with record labels. I finally learned my lesson last weekend. The playing field has finally been leveled.

Before I get into my rant, I should say that there still is a place for record companies, but they are not for most of us. If you win American Idol or even get into the top five finalists, then sure, sign a record deal. Use the machine to make you famous for 15 minutes. You're a puppet after all, not an artist. That machine is absolutely right for you. But if you are an artist or want any kind of longevity, a career perhaps, then think again.

Record companies are going out of business by the week. The question you need to now ask yourself is, "Do I want to be signed to a record company that will be out of business this time next year".

Retail stores are going out of business. We have lost The Wherehouse, Blockbuster, Tower. Who is left??? Virgin? They only have 20 stores across the USA! All other stores are small Mom & Pop stores and then there are the electronic stores and bookshops like Circuit City, Borders. Walmart etc. and most of these stores are very selective with the product they take in. So it looks like dedicated CD stores will be gone in no time. I walked into "Second Spin" in Sherman Oaks, California a few days ago, a pretty big store. The first thing I said to the girl at the counter was "Am I really the only person in this store?". She said "Yes, it's been like this for a while". Ouch!!!

But here's the real kicker that did it for me...

Last weekend I did a two day stint out of town with an ensemble I am presently on the road with called "Jazzmasters". We did a show in Sacramento, then Palm Springs the following day. Sacramento was a completely sold out show. About 1500 people who couldn't sit still. After the show CDs were selling like crazy. There were 3 artists on the bill and we all just about ran out of product. I personally sold 41 CDs. My record label were there. In fact they were taking care of selling the product.

I have to purchase my merchandise at $8.00 per CD. A ludicrous price, but believe it or not, major labels charge their artists even more than this. At that price, the labels make each unit 'royalty bearing', which basically means that all royalties will be paid to all folks who have a hand in the pie, be it a publisher or artist royalty. The way labels justify it is that they are selling the albums to their artists at wholesale price. The problem is that most artists have two other commissions to pay before money goes in their pocket. At every venue I play at, the house or promoter will usually take at least 15% and can up to 25% (occasionally 30%) of the sale. So before I have paid my manager commission on record sales (which now comes from my royalty checks, not from direct sales on the night, otherwise they get paid twice), I have been pretty much percentaged to death!

Here's how the numbers ran:

I purchased 50 CDs from the label at $8.00 per CD. That's $400. I sold 41 CDs and gave 15% to the house. $615.00 gross came in from all sales. House took $92.00. My label handed me $63.00 in cash! Actually it should have been $122 but we'll see if I see that.

So the point is, it's a joke. I said to my label rep, "You have to admit this is a total and utter embarrassment isn't it?" There is no reason why labels can't discount merch to their artists and still keep the product royalty bearing. An hour after the show signing CDs and for what!!??

But the real point is that it must stop now, and the good news is that it totally can.

I am recording a new album now and I am at a crossroads. I either sign a new deal with a label that is prepared to be respectful to the artist (good luck with that Chris) or do a 'pass-through' distribution deal with a label where they take a percentage of sale only. I become the label. I manufacture. I promote. I spend money on radio promotion and print ads but I make all the money. That's not to say that I won't be paying out a good whack of money to make it all happen but it just makes more sense to me now. If you want to play in the big leagues and compete then money is involved. You bat in the league you are comfortable with.

And with that, I suggest you ask yourself where you expect to make your money in the real scheme of things. If it is from touring, and let me tell you that at the independent level, this IS where you will make money, then make a smart decision about your future. You probably don't need a record label. Unless of course you are going for next year's American Idol contest. If so, good luck with that!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Standring is the CEO and founder of A&R Online (http://www.aandronline.com/). He is also a contemporary jazz guitarist presently signed to Mesa/Bluemoon Records. The music is marketed at NAC and Urban AC radio. For more info on Chris' recording career go to his personal website at http://www.chrisstandring.com/

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Monday, July 21, 2008 

Facebook Unveils Next Evolution of Site Design



I like Facebook. It's completely different from Myspace, in a cool way. I find it's a good compliment to your web site, Myspace and Twitter. If you keep up with Facebook then you probably heard about their new site design. I'm pretty excited about it! It may take a few days before you see it because they are rolling it out to all 80 million users. A big task no doubt! And hey, if you just don't get Facebook then sign up for my FREE Facebook Marketing Tips for Musicians e-course at http://www.socialnetworksformusicians.com. I help you make sense of it all.

Rock on!
Madalyn


PALO ALTO, Calif. — July 20, 2008 — Facebook® today released a new, cleaner and simpler design, along with the opportunity for users to preview and test the next-generation features and functionality. The company is inviting people to use the new design and try out the improved features by navigating back and forth between the new and current versions of the site. Access to the new design will be limited at first and gradually become available to all of Facebook’s more than 80 million users over the coming days.

“We’ve made the changes rolling out today in order to highlight the most recent and relevant information that users value, give users even more control and ownership over their profiles and simplify the user experience,” said Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. “Facebook’s new design makes it a lot easier for users to share information, and we encourage them to check it out.”

The company has been developing the new design since early this year. Over the past six months, more than 100,000 Facebook users offered constructive suggestions on the layout and features, many of which were included in the final version.

The Power of Feeds

Facebook uses feeds to deliver people news and information in a social context. The evolution of the site design focuses on integrating powerful feed technology and the Wall, a forum for users and their friends to post comments, photos, videos and more, including content from third-party applications. The Wall now surfaces more current and pertinent information, or “stories”, about a user and their friends’ on Facebook.

New Types of “Stories”

Users have complete control over the stories published on their profile. They also have the ability to adjust the size and prominence of stories and can choose between having one-line stories, short or full stories. One-line stories are one sentence long, while short stories include thumbnail photos or content, and full stories display large, noticeable images.

Publish More Content

Located on the Wall tab, the Publisher feature enables users to create more content than ever and in a centralized place. From the Publisher, a user can add photos, upload video, or write notes, rather than navigating to each individual application. Similarly, users can add content to their friends’ profiles through the Publisher on their profiles.

Easier Site Navigation with Tabs

The top menu is similar to the old design and allows users to access their Profile, Friends, and Inbox. The left hand applications menu has been moved to the ‘Applications’ link on the top of the menu screen. The Profile is now split out into tabs:

The Wall tab displays the most recent and relevant information both about the user and by the user;

The Info tab shows information about the user that doesn’t change frequently;

The Photos tab shows photos of the user as well as their albums;

The Boxes tab features all of a user’s existing application boxes.

Users are also able to add individual tabs for their favorite applications. This gives users greater control over their own profiles and makes navigation faster and easier.

Applications and the New Design

Third-party applications are more tightly integrated into Facebook in order to make using applications simpler and more seamless. Users will have the option to interact with an application before adding it, grant it access to their information, and decide where they want it placed, if at all, on their profiles.

Privacy Controls

On Facebook, users choose what information they put in their profile, including contact and personal information, pictures, interests and groups they join. And they control the users with whom they share that information through the privacy settings on the Privacy page of their profile. The new design does not change any of the privacy settings previously selected by the user. The new Facebook design will be made available to users at http://www.new.facebook.com/. In the coming weeks, all Facebook users will automatically default to the new site design when logging in at http://www.facebook.com/.

About Facebook

Founded in February 2004, Facebook’s mission is to make the world more open and transparent by giving people the power to share. Anyone can sign up for Facebook and interact with the people they know in a trusted environment. Facebook is a privately-held company and is headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif.

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Thursday, July 17, 2008 

Social Networking Stats: Facebook and LinkedIn Surging in US



I came across this interesting blog post today:

Social Networking Stats: Facebook and LinkedIn Surging in US

Facebook and LinkedIn are really growing. If you are not set up and utilizing these you are missing out on countless opportunities.

That is where I come in... I'm here to help. I've been working with indie artists and music businesses for years, advising them on how to wade through and understand social networks.




Trying to figure out Facebook? Why not sign up for my FREE e-course: Facebook Marketing Tips for Musicians at http://www.socialnetworksformusicians.com.

Rock on,
Madalyn Sklar
IndieMusicCoach.com
~providing one-on-one indie music consulting & coaching~
http://www.indiemusiccoach.com

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Wednesday, July 16, 2008 

Get my FREE Facebook Marketing Tips for Musicians e-course!

Hey everyone...

I excited to tell you about my FREE Facebook Marketing Tips for Musicians 7 day e-course that I launched today. It's for musicians, promoters or really anyone who wants to learn a few ins and outs when it comes to Facebook.

Amy from the band Burning Couch says...

"The information was formatted in a way that was quick and easy to follow and to absorb. There is just enough info in each step to move me along and give me a chance to absorb what I've learned and setup so far. The content is perfect for helping to get a good presence out there while weeding out some of the more confusing parts of Facebook."

Sign up at www.socialnetworksformusicians.com

Get this course in your hot little hands then tell me what you think. I welcome your feedback!

Rock on,
Madalyn Sklar
IndieMusicCoach.com
~providing one-on-one indie music consulting & coaching~
http://www.indiemusiccoach.com

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Tuesday, July 15, 2008 

Welcome The Rain

Life is what you choose to make it

I came across this really cool, motivational video today. Take a few minutes to watch. It's really good and will jump start your day.

Click here to watch the video.




Rock on,
Madalyn Sklar
IndieMusicCoach.com
~providing one-on-one indie music consulting & coaching~
http://www.indiemusiccoach.com

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Monday, July 14, 2008 

The New Face of DIY Indie Music

by Madalyn Sklar



It seems we have finally figured it out. The new face of DIY (do-it-yourself) indie music is social networking.

If you are not on board, you are missing out!

If you don't understand the concept of Social Networks, watch this cute video:



For musicians it started with Myspace years ago but look at social networks today. Now you can keep your friends and fans informed up-to-the minute in real-time with Twitter. You can use cool applications in Facebook so everyone knows everything you're up to via blogs, photos, events, etc. You can even post directly from your phone or mobile device.

Check out these links for your cell phone or mobile device:

Myspace: mobile.myspace.com
Facebook: m.facebook.com
Twitter: m.twitter.com
Flickr: m.flickr.com


With my iPhone I have it set up so I can email a photo that immediately shows up on Twitter, Facebook and Flickr pages all within minutes.

The best way to utilize these sites is to learn as much as you can about them then devote time each day to work it to your advantage. Don't miss out on countless opportunities and connections.

As I mentioned in my recent blog post, Do I Need These Social Network Sites?:

The Internet has evolved tremendously in the last few years. As indie artists, social networks allow us to form a bond with people within a community. That community is a web site whether it's Myspace, Facebook or what have you. Interaction is done more often through your computer screen and even on your mobile device than in person it seems. With these networks you can form relationships with potential fans. Just by reaching out on your computer you can develop an army of not only fans and music buyers but true advocates. Who are advocates? Devoted fans who will turn on their friends to your music. Devoted fans who occupy their Myspace music player with your songs.

That's my two cents. Tell me what you think. Leave a comment.

Copyright © 2008 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She founded IndieMusicCoach and has spent over 12 years working with a wide range of independent musicians all over the world. Her goal is to help indie artists achieve greater success in the music business by working smarter not harder. She is also the founder of GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest and largest online community of indie women musicians, with a vision of bringing together and empowering musicians from around the world.

Madalyn is available for one-on-one consulting and coaching at affordable prices. Check out http://www.indiemusiccoach.com for more info.

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Friday, July 11, 2008 

FREE Teleseminar - Indie Music Success

GoGirlsMusic.com & IndieMusicCoach presents...

"Indie Music Success"
career development for musicians





Madalyn Sklar

Tish Meeks

Ryan Michael Galloway


Join us July 23rd for this free 60-minute "teleseminar" and listen to Madalyn Sklar, founder of GoGirlsMusic.com and IndieMusicCoach discuss her Indie Music Success strategies along with guests Tish Meeks and Ryan Michael Galloway.

Wednesday, July 23 at 8pm EST/5pm PST

Sign up at http://www.indiemusicseminars.com/

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Thursday, July 10, 2008 

"No" is not an option

This article is so good that I'm reposting it again! It originally ran on 8-17-07. Enjoy!

Last night I was watching The Big Idea on CNBC. They had a segment on not letting people tell you what you can/can't do. It was fascinating listening to stories of triumph because "no" was not an option.

It reminded me of one of my consulting clients, 3 Kisses out of Texas. They received a great opportunity to appear on ABC's Wife Swap last year. But they ran into a few hurdles. Now most people would have given up. What was so awesome is that they did not let "no" become an option. They stayed in touch with the producers. When something cool happened with their band such as a new endorsement deal, they would email it to the show's producer.

They did what I call "being persistent without being a pest." And let me tell you what, it paid off! Last November they got the call and before long a film crew was at their house taping. The show aired in February of this year and the episode had one of the highest ratings.

I love telling their story because it shows that when you change your mindset to "no is not an option" you will see things happen in your favor.

What are you doing to rise above the "no's" you hear? I would love to hear your comments.

Copyright © 2007 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach, consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She founded IndieMusicCoach and has spent over 12 years working with a wide range of independent musicians all over the world. Her goal is to help indie artists achieve greater success in the music business by working smarter not harder. She is also the founder of GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest and largest online community of indie women musicians, with a vision of bringing together and empowering musicians from around the world.

Madalyn is available for one-on-one consulting and coaching at affordable prices. Check out www.indiemusiccoach.com for more info.

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Wednesday, July 09, 2008 

ReverbNation Registers 200,000th Band in First Twenty Months

I'm a big fan of ReverbNation. You just can't beat their free promotion tools for bands, venues, managers and labels. I'm thrilled to report they hit 200,000 artists. What an accomplishment! They truly exhibit the power of the Internet and social networking and taking it to new levels. If you are not using ReverbNation, what are you waiting for?? -- Madalyn



(New York, NY – July 8, 2008) ReverbNation, the leading Marketing and Promotion Platform technology for Musicians, Labels, Managers, and Venues, signed up its 200,000th Artist last week, adding 100,000 in the last six months alone. In addition, over 6,000 Labels and Managers have created profiles to promote themselves and their rosters, and more than 2,500 Venues and Clubs are using the ‘venue tools’ to help pack their shows, grow their fan bases, and integrate promotional efforts with musicians. To date, Artists and Labels have posted nearly 700,000 full-length songs to the site.

The success can be primarily attributed to the free suite of Fan Relationship Management (FRM) technologies the company provides for Artists, Labels, Managers, and Venues . The suite includes a content repository, promotional widgets and applications for viral distribution across social networks and blogs, integrated Street Team tools for motivating, tracking, and rewarding rabid fans, a communication platform to keep Artists connected with fans, and a comprehensive stats package to provide the insight they need to make marketing and promotion decisions.

"Its like Salesforce.com for Bands and Labels,” said Josh Baron, Editor-in-Chief of Relix Magazine, ‘The Magazine for Music’.

Since inception, the company has focused on helping “Independent” Artists and Labels by providing marketing tools, for free, that are usually reserved for major labels with large budgets.

“In all my years as a musician’s coach and mentor, I have never seen the likes of ReverbNation for Indie musicians. They get it,” says Madalyn Sklar, owner of GoGirls Music and operator of the ‘Indiemusiccoach.com’ website. “They absolutely understand the needs of the independent musician and build software that makes a difference for them everyday.”

“Are you an Artist that needs to generate a newsletter and send it out to 10,000 fans?” asks indie Artist Jeff Nelson of the Syracuse, N.Y. Rock band ‘Merit’. “Need a music player for your homepage or your Facebook page? Want to build a Street Team and have their actions tracked automatically? Want to know how long people listen to your songs before they turn them off, or if they passed them on to friends? Do you need help finding venues for your tour? I need all of that. ReverbNation delivers this and more. These guys offer the sickest platform of tools I’ve ever seen, and I can actually afford it, because it’s free.”

Use of the ReverbNation technology has recently spilled over from the indie ranks to some of the more recognized names in music as well, like 50 Cent, Kenny Chesney, Madonna, O.A.R., Natasha Bedingfield, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Sara Bareilles, and Sean Kingston, to name a few. Over 60 of the Billboard Top 100 now have a presence at ReverbNation.com.

Said Chris “Broadway” Romero, Creative Director, G-Unit Records (50 Cent), “ReverbNation's TuneWidget and tracking tools have been great for us here at G-Unit Records and Thisis50.com. Their tools and applications let our fans easily become involved in the marketing and promotion of our music across the web. There are a lot of ‘all in one’ solutions out there, but the ReverbNation platform is the only one that allows us to develop a marketing strategy first, then use the technology to execute it.”

“We build technology that can help virtually any musician, label, manager, or venue,” says Lou Plaia, Co-Founder and V.P. of Artist Relations at ReverbNation.com. “We help Artists take the music to the people, wherever those fans are spending their time online, and then empower Artists with tools for leveraging their content to drive real business objectives at those touch points. Artist objectives might include selling music, merch, or tickets, extracting valuable fan relationships from the social networks, or keeping content up to date across all of their sites. We give them real insight into what’s happening with their content and how their marketing efforts are affecting their overall Band EquityTM. At the end of the day, the most important asset an Artist has is their portfolio of fan relationships, and it’s our mission to help them grow that asset.”

Over the coming months, ReverbNation will expand the offerings to Artists even further, giving them more tools to succeed at the ‘business’ part of the music business, including: Low-cost digital distribution to iTunes and other retailers, a dynamic ‘Reverb Press Kit’ for media outreach and gig submissions, a ringtone generator and sales tool, and several enhancements to the FanReach communication tool. In addition, the company plans to introduce an “Artist Sponsorship Platform’ where Brands can link up with thousands of interested Artists at a time, creating a new revenue stream for Artists in these challenging times of declining music sales.

About the company
ReverbNation provides the innovative marketing solutions that musicians need to compete, cooperate, and differentiate in an increasingly noisy online environment. Unlike typical “closed” communities, artists use ReverbNation as their home base for approaching marketing and promotion across the Internet as a whole - be it via social networks, blogs, email, IM, or the artist’s homepage. Tools like TunePaks, FanReach, TuneWidget, and Street Team Manager give the artist the power to spread their music and information virtually anywhere. Real-time stats then provide a 360-degree view of how the music is spreading, who is listening, and which fans are actually passing it on to their friends and posting it on their pages. ReverbNation empowers Artists to take the music to the people, no matter where they spend their time online. For more information, please visit www.ReverbNation.com.

Band EquityTM is a proprietary method for measuring the ability of a musician or band to engage and influence fans. Delivering a more holistic view of an exposure and promotional success, Band EquityTM synthesizes four factors that contribute to the value of an Artist's portfolio of fan relationships: reach, access, influence and recency. This proprietary metric is designed to prepare Artists, and those that support them, for new revenue models that rely less directly on music sales and more on their ability to develop meaningful and lasting relationships with their fans. For more information on Band Equity, visit http://www.reverbnation.com/main/features_tabs.

Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc. iTunes® is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.

Media Contact:
Jed Carlson
919.682.9593
jcarlson@reverbnation.com

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Tuesday, July 08, 2008 

Madalyn Sklar Interview on Breakthru Radio - Listen Now!

Hey everyone, I did a great interview last week with Matt & Emily at Breakthru Radio. It was a lot of fun and I dished out all kinds of cool stuff. Take a listen plus you get to hear tracks from Sarah Bettens new CD, Shine.

A little bit about the station:
BreakThru Radio (BTR) is devoted to giving a voice to talented, upcoming artists and empowering DJs to pick and play their own music. We sift through hundreds of unsigned and indie artists each week to bring you the cream of the crop. Unlike traditional radio, we have no restrictions on style - we're happy to play rock, punk, hip hop, electronica, alt-country, reggae, metal, soul, et al. Our only requirement is quality.

At BreakThru Radio our motto is "Music for music lovers."

Take a listen at www.breakthruradio.com/index.php?show=4260

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Monday, July 07, 2008 

Listen to "Social Networks for Musicians" Teleseminar

First I have to say WHAT A GREAT CALL LAST WEEK! Thank you to those of you who were there with us. We covered a lot of ground. If you missed the call, no worries! I have a recording available to you free of charge.

The Social Networks Team:






Madalyn Sklar

Tracie Maloy

Tish Meeks

Carol Plunk

Here's a little bit of what we covered:

Do I really need to sign up for another social network?
I feel it's best to cast a wide net and reel people in. Once in you get to know them through one-on-one messaging. The goal is to turn your new, targeted friends into fans who then become buyers and possibly even advocates. Advocates are the fans who will post your songs on their personal myspace page, repost your bulletins and blogs and make the ideal street team member.

How can I use Myspace more effectively?
Spending an hour a day can make a huge difference! Consistently adding targeted friends, posting comments, post blogs and bulletins, etc. Spend time getting to know your friends. Take an interest.

I don't get Facebook!
Seems people either love, hate or just don't get Facebook. It's a great social network platform for one-on-one communication with lots of great applications especially Reverbnation. I spend the least amount of time on Facebook yet I have a great presence on there because I have set up several applications that automatically import my blog posts, twitter posts, flickr photos and youtube videos. I can even send up a photo from my camera phone in real-time to my Facebook page.

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Don't have time to figure it out? Why not hire Madalyn to walk you through this over the phone. In one 45 minute session she'll have you up and running! She can walk you through the process of setting up your Facebook profile to automatically import your blog, twitter posts, flickr photos and youtube videos. Or walk you through Twitter, Flickr or Blogger. Details at www.socialnetworksformusicians.com
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More on Facebook...
You can set up a band or business profile at www.facebook.com/pages/create.php

We cover WAY more on the call. Just head over to www.socialnetworksformusicians.com and take a listen.

On thing to remember...the bottom line when it comes to social networks is:
IT DOESN'T WORK UNLESS YOU WORK IT!

That's it for now! I hope you find all this information helpful to you. If you need additional help, please get in touch with me.

Rock on,
Madalyn Sklar

Check me out at:
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Blogger

Copyright © 2008 Madalyn Sklar, IndieMusicCoach

Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach, consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She founded IndieMusicCoach and has spent over 12 years working with a wide range of independent musicians all over the world. Her goal is to help indie artists achieve greater success in the music business by working smarter not harder. She is also the founder of GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest and largest online community of indie women musicians, with a vision of bringing together and empowering musicians from around the world.

Madalyn is available for one-on-one consulting and coaching at affordable prices. Check out www.indiemusiccoach.com for more info.

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Friday, July 04, 2008 

Happy 4th!!

Have a happy & safe holiday weekend!

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 

Learn what you need to know about the PRO's!

How To Choose The Right P.R.O. (Performing Rights Organization) For You

by Madalyn Sklar

How do you go about choosing the right PRO for you? Well it takes some research and maybe a phone call or two. Word of mouth doesn't hurt. This e-Book is simply a guide to help you decipher the information before making a decision on which to join.

Click here to order your copy!

What's covered in this e-Book:

  • What is a "Performing Rights Organization?"
  • Concise and detailed info on ASCAP, BMI and SESAC
  • Info on how to join each
  • Tons of testimonials from indie artists!

    This e-Book is ideal for people who are looking to join a PRO or get additional information on the one they are with.


  • Testimonials:

    "I just got a copy of your 'How to choose a PRO' and I just wanted to thank you for putting it out there. I think it’s great! And it showed all of us in a positive light!"
    Linda Lorence Critelli, VP Writer/Publisher Relations at SESAC

    "Releasing a series of e-books, Madalyn Sklar has found a great way to provide valuable information to artists at an affordable price. I just read her latest e-book on PROs and although we have been with BMI for years, I learned a lot of things I wasn't aware of. It is so helpful to have pertinent information laid out for you in an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand format."
    Tish Meeks, 3 Kisses

    "It’s very informative and shows all sides, I think it’s a great source, especially for those new to PROs."
    Michele Jaffe, Loki the Grump

    Click here to order your copy!

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    Tuesday, July 01, 2008 

    GoGirls Elite Interview with Cailyn Lloyd

    Nothing sounds sa-weeter than a woman on some strings. Add one that that really knows how to play - well, Cailyn puts the best to the test with her skills. We hope you enjoy this Q & A with one of the best female blues guitarists in the independent music world, that has as many influences as one would expect. - Editor, Annette Warner

    GoGirls: I absolutely adore women with some good blues chops. What has been the most challenging for you in music, as one of, comparatively to males, few women in this business who truly exceed at lead guitar skills?

    Thank you! Being taken seriously. I found many of my emails for auditions went unanswered compared to male players I knew. I have a lovely blue PRS guitar and I am still frequently asked, "Is that yours?". Who would ask a guy that? When I show up for a gig, I am sometimes dismissed by the owner until he/she realizes I'm in the band and not somebody's girlfriend. Then, more often than not, they assume I'm a singer. More men than I care to count have said, "When it comes to female guitar players, I start with very low expectations". I have no problem taking them to task and directing them to Jennifer Batten or Katrina Johansson as a place to start looking at female players differently. To be fair, many of the guys I've played and jammed with have been very supportive and haven’t condescending. The sheer volume of great female players is slowly changing the view that serious lead guitar is only something guys can do.

    GoGirls: Tell us about your latest project "New World in Blue" - how has it risen from your experiences?

    The title piece is an adaptation of a classical piece by Antonin Dvorak that I have loved since childhood. I have long wanted to re-interpret classical music with modern instrumentation but lacked the skills to do so. In the past two years, my guitar skills, the technology to make great recordings at home, and the ability to self-produce all converged, allowing me to fulfill a long-time dream. I never really foresaw producing a CD (or EP in this case) for general release and review. This was something I was going to hand out to friends and family. Given that, it has been gratifying to get some air play and favorable reviews on the CD. More than anything, this was huge learning experience in every facet of CD production and distribution. I have two more full length CDs in the works. One will be a blues-rock album with vocals and the other a progressive rock album that will be fully instrumental and based on classical music by Vaughan Williams, Dvorak, and Mussorgsky.

    GoGirls: Tell us about your band, and how it came together.

    Interestingly enough, I auditioned as a bass player because I was unable to find a guitar position--I enjoy playing both equally as it happens. However, when they heard me play lead, it was quickly decided that I should play some guitar, which I do on about a third of the material, including the Cliffs of Dover by Eric Johnson, a highly technical piece that I did not think I was capable of playing, even a year ago. Essentially, we are a cover band but we put our own spin on a lot of the material. They are all fun to work with and there are no egos involved which often ruins a good band situation. We're working on establishing fans and a dedicated audience. As time permits, we will incorporate more original material into our show.

    GoGirls: What do you enjoy doing most in music? And what would you consider to be your ideal place in relation to your goals?

    I enjoy composing/recording and performing equally. My goal is to maintain a balance between the two, keeping a lively gig schedule and to continue working on a long list of ideas I have for songs and concept CDs. Curiously enough, the two are entirely separate and the recording I will continue largely as a solo endeavor. I am however, looking for a female vocalist to collaborate with on the next blues-rock CD that I do, which is just underway.

    GoGirls: What were you thinking about at the age of 10?

    I was very serious, a childhood geek, so I was into astronomy and meteorology and the like. I was also obsessed with music, teaching myself piano and taking violin lessons. The guitar came later. In some ways, not much has changed. I’m still obsessed with music, but I take time off in the spring to chase storms on the Plains.

    GoGirls: What kind of places are you playing this summer?

    We have a busy summer, schedule the highlight of which will be our three days at Rockfest in Cadott, Wisconsin. Otherwise we are playing the usual assortment of clubs and festivals. While I am trying to promote New World in Blue while I'm out there, we're only performing one song, Little Wing, from the CD.

    GoGirls: What can your fans expect to see that differentiates you from other musicians?

    That is a tough question and hard to answer modestly. I play with a lot of intensity and feeling. I'm not the greatest technical player but hope I make up for that with the sheer energy that I put into my performance. People tell my style is very polished, a product of my time in London and long hours of practice. I still try to practice 1-2 hours a day in addition to performing and recording and I'm always trying to expand the scope of my playing both in style and scale. I think I bring something unique to our gigs in that there are still very few female guitarists in this area. I surprise people and delight a lot of women who are happy to see a woman on stage who can play. Most of all, I have a lot of fun when I perform. I hope that comes through above all.

    GoGirls: What do you do to take care of yourself and stay healthy on tour?

    I don't live the stereotypical musician lifestyle. I don't drink or smoke, and I don't eat fast food. I eat a well, mostly fruits and vegetables, and exercise--all the usual suspects.

    GoGirls: What would you like to see happen for independent artists and their music across the board?

    It's already happening. The day when artists can connect with fans and new audiences directly without agents or record companies is here now. Thanks to MySpace, and the multiplying forms of digital release, the ease of recording and self-producing, the revolution is taking place now. When I was younger, the record companies had all the power. If you didn't know someone or have luck on your side, getting noticed was near impossible. That has changed and I won't be terribly sad if record companies become irrelevant.

    GoGirls: On GoGirls music....

    An inspiration and a great resource. Madalyn does a fabulous promoting both GoGirls and female musicians in general. In the end, perhaps GoGirls will evolve to something that is genderless. As female musicians reach equality and are respected, I wonder if we will have the need for organizations that promote female music preferentially or exclusively.

    More on Cailyn Lloyd at http://www.myspace.com/cailynrox

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    WHO IS MADALYN SKLAR?


      Madalyn Sklar is a music business coach & consultant, blogger, social networks expert and author. She has spent over 15 years helping independent musicians and music business professionals achieve greater success. Her motto is: working smarter not harder. She also founded GoGirlsMusic.com, the oldest + largest online community of indie women musicians.

      Madalyn's Sites:
      * GoGirlsMusic.com
      * Social Networks for Musicians
      contact: madalynsklar(at)gmail.com

           

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