Post-show CD Sales Surge?

Subject: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: MAG
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 08:36 PM

Hey, Dick, did the WFDU broadcast bring in a lot of requests for the CD(s)? Can we assume the 2nd printing is out? Will the second run be bigger than the first, just in case?

-- MA, who is glad she got it when she did

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 09:11 PM

So far, none. The second printing should arrive on Wednesday or so.

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Tweed
Date: 20 Jan 03 - 09:25 PM

Hmmmm....We need a promotional tour then to boost orders....Mebbe Amos could finance me and Bobert and Kingkhandu on a nationwide string of one nighters. We'd need several suitcases of boxed sets of course and a couple of good credit cards...ah...peeled grapes and Popeye's Fried Chicken in the dressing rooms....Okay, that's a bad idea...anybody got any good promotional thoughts on increasing CD sales?

Tweed

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Amos
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 09:26 AM

Dang, I thought all of Teaneck would be knocking at yer door, Dick!! I wrote NPR's "All Songs Considered" to see if they wanted to pick up on it, but they have not answered.

Dick, thanks again for managing all tht productions and ditribution! I am glad not to have that on my plate! :>)

A

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: harvey andrews
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 02:33 PM

I sent for mine over a month ago, haven't had them yet. Any news?

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Deni-C
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 03:13 PM

Would it be feasible to advertise the album on individual artists websites? After all, we only need to keep on and on and provide a link to the site where people can order....

Cheers
Deni

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Amos
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 03:22 PM

Harvey:

I am very sorry to hear it!! Especially since you contributed so much to the effort!!

Fastest path is to PM Dick Greehaus and he'll probably be able to tell you when they were shipped.

A

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 03:28 PM

Hi-
We're sold out of the original run; expecting the second run tomorrow.
If you're waiting for delivery, please have a little more patience.

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Ed.
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 03:32 PM

Dick,

Just out of curiosity, how big was the first run? Interested to know how many have been sold.

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: mg
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 04:12 PM

I think my salesmanship has sold 2 more CDs for Mudcat. But I am constantly frustrated trying to find out the ordering information. I bet you would sell more if it was flashing in golden letters at the top of the Mudcat page or at least on quicklinks.

mg

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Sorcha
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 04:26 PM

Mary, click here.

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: MMario
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 04:28 PM

and bookmark!

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: katlaughing
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 05:06 PM

For newcomers to the site or those we refer, there needs to be a very visible ad for them on the top of the Forum and Home pages, IMO. As it is, one has to dig to find them. Any listeners who might have come looking would not understand the way the site is set up and might just give up if they are not readily visible.

My 2 cents...

kat

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Amos
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 05:15 PM

Aye, kat!

A

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Ed.
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 05:18 PM

I'd agree Kat. Some real audio / mp3 samples wouldn't hurt either

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Tweed
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 06:41 PM

Here's a "banner" I made for my message board and it's used as a clickable link to the orderinfo page. If any of the clones or Pene want to use it you are welcome to the thing. It's the only ad banner you'll ever see on my site and a worthwhile one.
**Mudcat CD Banner**

Yerz,
Tweed

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Amos
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 06:55 PM

You is a studmuffin, Tweeder! :>)


A

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Tweed
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 07:01 PM

Tell that to the Royal Dancing Tarts of the Kingdom of Mizzippi! I can get nowhere with those beauties Amos. It's very frustrating....

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: khandu
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 09:32 PM

The Tweedster, who should be formally referred to as Sir Tweedster, should have no further prob with the Dancing Tarts. He has been Knighted for his unselfish Promotion of the Mudcat CD. I do appreciate his banner!

I agree with Kat. I also believe that a Tweed's banner or something should be on the "front" page of Mudcat, as well as on the Forum page. Ed also has, IMO, a good idea regarding MP3 samples.

How many have been sold?

khandu

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Amos
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 09:52 PM

Well, I think its a fine idea too. But the banner is not my call, but Jeff or Max', I reckon.

As for samples on line, I have no objections if someone wants to undertake the labor -- I don't have the time right at the moment to figger on it. :>)

Thanks for getting that Knighthood thing straightenend out. I am glad to see Sir Tweedster, Stud Muffin Honoraire, getting his just dues! :>)

(Or maybe those are his doobie-doobie-doos?).

A

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Genie
Date: 21 Jan 03 - 10:36 PM

I just notice that there IS nothing on the main Mudcat page or the forum page that announces "Mudcat CDs Now For Sale" or anything like that -- you know, like the old "Order your Nearly Nude Mucat Calendar Now notice. Whether the CD threads are front and center in the forum is a matter of chance (depending on when the last post was).

I think it'd boost sales a lot.

Genie

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Tweed
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 06:48 AM

Here's another thought from my cashew-sized brain. Set aside six or seven sets of Sampler Seed Packs and plant them in the fertile ground of other radio stations with programming similar to Ron's WFDU. I believe they would get some more airplay that way and generate more outside interest and possible sales. Mr.Greenhouse could deduct his production costs for these "seeds" from the first batches profit and there would be a crop in the ground for the coming spring. Load up the manure spreader and fertilize liberally and VIOLA, MudCat flowers will be blooming all over the place.

Yerz,
Tweed (who grew up in the land of corn and soybeans and spent much time observin' the peculiar habits of Farmers dwelling in that region)

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Amos
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 09:18 AM

Well if anyone has a wire in to NPR, tell 'em to answer their freakin' mail, eh?

Maybe Ron knows like-minded souls in the trade?


A

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: khandu
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 11:13 PM

Wow! I noticed the Mudcat CD notice on the Forum and the Main pages!

Thanks! (To Pene, I'll bet!)

I just e-mailed "Thistle and Shamrock". Hopefully, they will respond positively.

k

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Amos
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 11:18 PM

Way to GO!!!

Who else knows a radio DJ or reviewer?


A

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Jan 03 - 11:28 PM

I think it'd be better if someone was to call NPR and try to get through to a live body. Just speculating, but I'll bet they get tons of emails and mail, so it takes some extra to get their attention.

I know when I was working on getting my brother's concert tape played on a classical program on NPR I didn't get anywhere until I called and talked to a live person. I also had to be persistent before I was able to get that far.

Personal contact with dj's or programming directors is good, too. I am personna non grata with the npr guy in Wyoming, but they are heard as far away as Boulder, CO, as well as online, so maybe Sorcha could email him and let him know her group is on the CD. Local interest will garner more of a response, too, imo.

I'll ask our old radio friend who is working in the industry and knows a ton of people what he'd recommend or if he can get us some contacts.

Of course, if a ton of emails showed up at NPR, all with the "Mudcat CD" in the subject line, we'd probably get their attention. Maybe we could get a page set up with one of those form letters where one can just click and send the email: Dear So and So, etc.:-)

THE BANNER LOOKS GREAT ON THE HOME AND FORUM PAGES, THANKS, Jeff and Max!! And, Tweed!!

kat

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: khandu
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 10:29 AM

Anyone else want to encourage "Thistle and Shamrock", their e-mail is:

[e-mail]

Sir Tweed suggest that, in e-mailing, we should include This info link, as well as possibly including Amos' Liner Notes.

Of course, explaining the purposes of the Mudcat Cafe and including the Cafe's URL are quite important.

kat is correct. Personal conversation is most effective. I nominate anyone with a good voice, and personal magnetism to make the call!

We have gone far enough to contribute our music; therefore, let's go farther and promote these things.

All the work that has been put into the recordings, the compilation, the art work, etc., is marvelous. Now, let us make all this past effort "availeth much", by putting some good promo effort behind it.

Remember, this is not just for the Cafe, but for each one of us.

Anyone with promo ideas, please chime in. Don't be held back by thinking it is a silly idea. Hell, yours might be the idea that WORKS!

Folks, we are sitting on a ton of great music here. It is worth the effort. Do it for those poor souls who are wasting away wanting to hear some music worth listening to! Do it for the Cafe. Do it for yourselves, and do it for poor old tired Amos! ;-D

khandu

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Tweed
Date: 23 Jan 03 - 02:02 PM

**Refresh**

Yerz,
Tweed

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 09:05 AM

Another thought: post a press release or two, generic ones which can be sent off to media in general, but also so that folks here can copy and paste, putting in their own contact information for local media.

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Genie
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 02:43 PM

I mentioned this in another thread, but it may bear repeating.

How about selling some of these CDs at folk festivals throughout the year -- especially those where Mudcatters are performing.

Last year, for example, Reggie Miles, who is on the Plum CD, performed at Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle, so it would have been legitimate to have some of the Plum CDs available for sale there on that basis alone (along with information about the other CDs). In that venue, Mudcat would probably have to give the store that sells CDs for the Festival a substantial cut, but it seems it would still be a way of reaching a lot of folks who would not otherwise know about them.

Similarly, I think we could sell some at RainyCamp and Singtime Frolics, since some participants at those gatherings are on some of the CDs. Maybe there could even be a portable CD player with headphones for folks to hear one of the CDs (Plum, maybe?) as bait.

Since there is no extra charge for shipping and handling, I would think the best way of handling those smaller gatherings would be to have no more than 3 of each CD available for purchase at the gathering, but to have Dick's toll-free number and the other info right there and encourage would-be buyers to call from the camp to order them.

Genie

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Tweed
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 09:02 PM

Kat, how bout copying and pasting Amos' liner notes in the emails to diverse radio stations with a short introductory message? He's got some very well constructed words and hard to top them.
**Amos' LinerNotes**

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: Genie
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 09:38 PM

Good idea, Tweed.

Subject: RE: Post-show CD Sales Surge?
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Jan 03 - 11:15 PM

Too wordy for a press release, Tweed, plus they (the liner notes) are written pretty much to an audience that knows what the Mudcat is. For this, we've got to think virgins, virgins to Mudcat that is.:-) If a PR media person can't get the gist in the first few seconds you've lost almost any chance of getting press. They want the who, what, where, why, when and above all WHY it is something they should do anything about.

Sorry, I don't mean to be so blunt, but I used to do this for a living; it's hot-wired in my brain.*bseg*

kat