Physical Music Promotion: Everything You Need To Know

In the digital world, where everyone is extensively using streaming platforms, does it make sense to promote your music using traditional means? 

You wouldn’t be the first person to question physical music promotion for today’s time. But because a method is conventional, it doesn’t have to mean that it is outdated as well. In this article, we will answer these questions of yours:

1. What is physical music promotion?
2. What marketing strategies fall under it?
3. Are physical music promotion strategies outdated? Why? Why/not?
4. What is our final answer?

Let’s get our basics right 

So what is physical music promotion? Music promotion today is usually done using many virtual and digital means, such as social media marketing, campaigning using Spotify and other streaming apps, and so on. These are all online. As the term may have suggested, physical music promotion is more tangible. Think about the early 2000s or even the 90s, when the internet wasn’t a fully established tool for marketing. People then used tangible, i.e., physical tools and mediums to communicate their messages, advertise, and promote their products, that could be in time and space, seen, heard, and touched, like flyers, announcement vehicles, and newspapers. That is physical promotion. 

Promoting music through traditional means such as print media, posters, and so on is called physical music promotion - something that hasn’t been given much importance in the 21st century. 

Pssst…come here: The fact that physical music promotion even exists indicates that there are different populations, probably divided by age and facilities, that still consume content promotion through traditional means. Think of those in their 40s and 50s who prefer listening to the radio, and collecting vinyl records, those who were not born to techie parents, and those who are underprivileged and only have access to newspapers the most. Of course, the majority of us are digitally engaged, but it is not wise to overlook the minority. 

Physical Means of Music Promotion

Let’s jot down the tools and means of physical music promotion that have worked pretty amazingly back in the day, and may probably work for you too. 

Hard copy newspapers/magazines: 

Yeah, these aren’t your regular e-newsletters or online magazines that you’d be used to reading. These are tangible newspapers printed every day. Promoting your music on traditional print media such as newspapers can help you gain a lot of credibility for your Music PR. 

Think about this. You read some news online, probably a post on your feed. You mentioned that to your mother. The chances of her buying it directly are probably 50% at best. If she had read about the same news story in a newspaper that morning, she’d believed it right away and engaged in a meaningful conversation with you. There is a reason why newspapers have been so reliable for the public to form their opinions and that simply doesn’t allude to the longstanding functionality. It’s also the reputation and brand of the different newspapers built over time. Back when the internet wasn’t a thing, newspapers were all that people had, to be updated on anything. 

Consider the impact you’d make on those who religiously consume newspapers. Getting your ad space in newspapers today is WAY tougher than making a sleek social media campaign and that is for all the right reasons. The newspaper organizations have come to recognize the brand value they’d be attributing if they give ad space for your music, be it to sell your show tickets, or launch events of your new merch, and so on. So if you make it through, be it through your press releases, or advertisement for your gig, it’d mean a LOT. 

Pssst…come here: Your Music PR will automatically reflect weightage once your music is advertised in any prominent newspaper for whatever goal you want - booking tickets to your show, merchandise, or even crowdfunding. It will imply that your music is IMPORTANT and will give all the more reason for readers to listen to your music or feel the urge to book tickets for your show. 

These days, these major newspaper organizations upload a softcopy of their prints to their websites as well, which are accessible to those who subscribe separately online. So if you get a chance to promote your music in a newspaper that operates both in print and digital, then your promotion would be achieving two goals simultaneously. chance to promote your music in a newspaper that has both print and online editions, then your music promotion would be achieving two goals simultaneously.

Flyers and Posters:

We'll give you 3 very simple reasons why you should definitely consider promoting your music through flyers and posters:

Grabs attention easily:

We don't mean this casually. Note that posters are a limited rectangular space in which your creativity would be put to the test. Posters are designed in such a way that it calls to the reader/viewer. The main goal and function of a flier or poster is to be eye-catching.

Affordable:

You can make top-class posters using free design websites such as Canva. Today, there are many AI websites that help design your poster as per your instructions and prompts. If you are a musician who has a relatively smaller budget, then this is probably the best option. You could get a bunch of prints from one poster and circulate it through. For example, if you want to promote your gig happening this weekend, then your poster would contain your image, your music, your music brand tagline, the venue and time details, and the means to book your show or buy the ticket. You don't have to get a lot of prints for your show. If it's a local scene, then getting around 30-40 prints should be enough that would be circulated by the venue owner, at different public spots like bus and metro stations, popular hangout spots, and so on. 

Posters and fliers are dynamic in their purpose.

You could literally make a poster for anything and everything under the umbrella of music promotion. It could be about a launch event, it could be for your brand awareness, and it could also be just a method to grow closer to your local fanbase by adding personal notes at the end of your poster.

CDs and Vinyl Records: 

You may not be the first person to think that no one buys CDs or Vinyl Records when everyone is streaming music online on Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon Music. 

You are right, in the sense that most of us would much rather stream music online. But CDs and Vinyl Records are more in fashion now than ever. 

Wondering why? 

Well, these are now considered ‘antiques.’ It’s aesthetic to have a collection of vinyl records of your favorite songs or CDs or your favorite albums. Since they're old means of music distribution, getting your hands on a limited edition record is actually a big deal now. 

Pssst…come here: Taylor Swift sold the most vinyl EPs and LPs of Midnights this year than any other act. There are a million Swifties who stream her online, so what's the need to buy her vinyl records in the first place? Think about it. 

When you are just starting out, your royalties from vinyl and CD sales will be on the lower end (10 to 20%) and that's natural. However, it's a great idea to build from the beginning. You could sell limited edition records of your LPs to price them higher, as you grow more popular. 

You don't even have to manufacture them in bulk. Now, there's an established system where your followers and listeners could buy your vinyl records and CDs and if there are only 10 of them, then you could give an order of 10 only. There's no wastage of material and your returns are stable. 

The very fact that you'd sell vinyl records will automatically make your music stand out and help your Music PR because not everyone in the industry is selling their music on hardcopies like you. It'll make your music brand seem more ‘different,’ ‘old school,’ ‘aesthetic,’ and so on. 

Pssst….come here: Stats show that there's a surge of young listeners listening to music on vinyl to get a more 'honest listening experience.' Additionally, the USA has been reported to have the largest consumption of music through vinyl records. 

For Crowdfunding:

If you intend to raise money for your music through crowdfunding, then physical means of music promotion are the best for you because it helps you build your connection with your local listeners and fan followers much more effectively. Giveaways and rewards in the form of your merchandise like shirts, caps, personalized notes, and posters are a great way to make an authentic and genuine first impression - an incentive for them to give your music some financial help - catalyzing their connection with your music brand. 

Is physical music promotion irrelevant? 

Due to the insanely digitized world of music promotion and advertisement, even considering physical means of music promotion makes no sense. We get you.

Let's focus more on the ‘insanely digitized world’ part of the sentence. The pandemic gave rise to an increase in the usage of virtual interfaces for literally everything and rightly so. There wasn't much of an option. 

But now that the world is recovering from the pandemic, there has been an increase in demand for more nature-based recreational activities, something that doesn’t involve the usage of a screen anymore. Large MNCs have reported granting such recreational trips for their employees to break away from the sedentary lifestyle that revolves around screens. 

Subsequently, the demand for non-digitised means of music and content consumption has risen. Listeners today are more conscious of their time spent on smartphones and hence, the surge to opt for traditional means of music streaming.

So, instead of physical music promotion being completely irrelevant, it’s actually become more important now, than before. Of course, the guarantee of it working 100% in your favor can't be given, but with newer systems and alternatives in place, you have a greater chance to minimize your loss and control over your efforts and investments. 

Food for thought: If flared jeans from the 70’s could make a comeback in 2023, so could this.

Final say?

There is no harm in trying - slow and steady. You don’t have to be one of those artists who have boxes of cassettes and CDs stocked away in their attics. You could give it a try, invest in small amounts, and see how physical music promotion is working out for you. If it is benefitting you, you could gradually include that as one of your many components in music marketing. 

We at GreaseRelease, have a bunch of curators on our network who are looking for new & exciting music to push on their massive playlists. If you make music and want to reach a wider audience, check out our submission platform and get a chance to reach millions of listeners! Submit your tracks now! 

 

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