Now all you have to do is let your potential artists discover that for themselves. And how do people learn? They’re taught, that’s how. Part of your task as a professional A&R is to act as an instructor and a lot of this instructing takes place in the presentation phase of marketing.
The presentation phase for music services addresses four
basic, yet critical subjects. These are:
- Who we are
- What we’ve done
- What we’ll do for you
- The amount of investment required to accomplish your music distribution goals
If you are to master the art of selling music services, you
must teach these core “lessons” within your presentation and you must teach
them thoroughly. Until your prospective artists fully understand the
information in these areas, they will give you verbal and visual cues you need
to pay attention to in order to proceed with the sales process. Just as any
teacher in any classroom, you must educate so that your students can formulate
questions which then allow you to provide even more education – specifically
how your offering perfectly matches their specific distribution needs.
People Need Three Things from a Presentation
As any good teacher knows, not everything someone needs or
thinks he or she needs is necessarily good for them. When it comes to
presentations, all legitimate prospective clients have three basic needs and
since these are logical and also help you build toward the close, it’s
important that you cover these essential bases.
People need to feel that they are being
educated. As a professional this is one of your major goals. It is also
important to make sure that these artists know that they are being educated.
Information and education are effective tools and like any tool they can be
abused. A manipulator will withhold or use information to gain an advantage
over a prospective client. A champion A&R uses the same tools to discover
and meet real needs and more directly involve the potential client in the
process.
People need to be motivated. Even if
you’re offering the most exciting and perfect music distribution solution, if
you don’t transmit your own excitement to them, they won’t be motivated to own.
If you think back, I’m sure you’ll agree that your best teachers were the ones
who were able to get you excited about the subject at hand. That can be a real
challenge for you because the artist you are serving are probably on an
emotional roller-coaster ride. One minute they’re totally happy and excited and
the next they’re scared and depressed. As their A&R (teacher) it is your
job to keep their spirits up and motivate them to (1) continue with the distribution
process and (2) see the wisdom of getting involved with our offering.
People need to have fun. Again, which
teachers made the biggest impact on your education? Those who made learning an
exciting and fun adventure top my personal list. I realize that marketing musical
distribution services is a serious matter and it should be given all due
respect. But your artists and potential artists need to enjoy the process. It’s
perfectly okay to joke around during a presentation, provided it’s appropriate
and you keep things under control. Anything you can do to reduce the tension
helps you make your points and serve their needs.
PMG offers innovative marketing strategies to successful Artists,
Managers, and independent labels who count on us to provide responsive,
personal service and strategic brand management. Ultimately, our goal is to
establish long-lasting relationships built on integrity and mutual trust as we
help guide our clients along the path toward commercial well-being.
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