The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #58135   Message #918456
Posted By: Paul G.
25-Mar-03 - 09:08 PM
Thread Name: do's and don'ts in releasing a cd
Subject: RE: do's and don'ts in releasing a cd
DW:

We're about to relase our second "Ashley Gang" CD, which is my third including an early solo album. We've been fairly successful at marketing our independent releases, managing to recoup our investments and then some...a few thoughts:

Do plan a CD release event (an interesting thread topic in itself).
Do maintain a personal web site, and let folks know about it -- make the CD available through your site.
Do set up sales accounts with a few of the on-line retailers of indie music (CD Baby, CD Street, Folk Web)
Do make a few tunes available for internet play via MP3-dot-com or IUMA.
Do join the folk DJ-L email list...find out by lurking who is playing what kind of music -- let them know you have a product if they'd like a promo copy (we've nailed quite a number of international sales by getting air play in Australia, Italy, the U.K., Canada as well as the US)...
Do let your friends (including your Mudcat friends) know when it's ready to ship and something about the content. If you have a mailing list or email list, let them know -- always remember to let everyone know how to own a copy.
Last, book as many gigs as you can stand -- that's where the VAST majority of your sales will occur...

So good luck -- let us know when and how...looking forward to hearing it!

Best Regards,

Paul