Music Marketing Secrets

By Bob Baker, TheBuzzFactor.com

© by Bob Baker. All Rights Reserved.

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About the author

Bob Baker is the author of the highly acclaimed Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook
and several other books, including Branding Yourself Online and Unleash the Artist
Within. He also developed the “Music Marketing 101” course at Berkleemusic, the
online continuing education division of Berklee College of Music.

Bob is a musician, visual artist, actor, and former music magazine editor who is
dedicated to showing musicians of all kinds how to get exposure, connect with fans,
sell more music, and increase their incomes through their artistic passions.

Since 1995 Bob has published “The Buzz Factor” ezine, one of the first music tips email
newsletters in existence. He was one of the early proponents of musicians taking their
careers into their own hands and not relying on major record labels or industry
gatekeepers to save them. Bob is on a mission to empower artists using his articles,
ezine, blog, podcast, and video clips.
Other books and resources by Bob Baker:

Guerrilla Music Marketing Online: 129 Free and Low-Cost Strategies to

Promote & Sell Your Music on the Internet

Guerrilla Music Marketing, Encore Edition: 201 MORE Self-Promotion

Ideas, Tips & Tactics for Do-It-Yourself Artists

Killer Music Press Kits: The 29 Most Important Elements in Creating

Sizzling Music Publicity Materials

The Music Publicity Insider's Guide: How to Use News Hooks & Story
Ideas to Get Media Exposure

For more of Bob’s music marketing tips and tools, visit

www.TheBuzzFactor.com

www.MusicPromotionBlog.com

www.Bob-Baker.com/podcast

You'll also find Bob on ...

www.Twitter.com/MrBuzzFactor

www.Facebook.com/BobBakerFanPage

www.YouTube.com/MrBuzzFactor

www.Linkedin.com/in/buzzfactor

www.Google.com/profiles/MrBuzzFactor
Outrageous Music Marketing Ideas
by Bob Baker

I’m not sure exactly what triggered it, but recently my mind started popping with
creative, off-the-wall ways to promote your music. So I jotted down some notes and
am sharing them with you in this article.

I’ll let you determine whether these are truly “outrageous” ideas. But one thing is for
sure: They certainly aren’t the traditional things that most musicians think about
when they do marketing.

Ready? Here we go ...

Outrageous Music Marketing Idea #1

Turn Yourself Into a Happy Meal

I definitely advocate that indie musicians *not* try to emulate the same tactics as
the major labels. However, there are times when you can take one of their ideas (or
an idea from a related entertainment industry) and give it a small-scale spin.

You know how the major film studios promote their new animated features by tying
into fast food chain kid meals, such as the McDonald’s Happy Meal. Most likely, you
won’t be able to land a nationwide Happy Meal deal. But you might be able to do
something cool with a local deli or restaurant.

I know a couple of radio disc jockeys in my town who have sandwiches or special
meals named after them at certain eateries. Why couldn’t you do that? Especially if
you perform regularly at a particular coffee shop, bar or restaurant.

For example, if your band is called Sweet Potato Sunrise, approach a manager with
the idea of offering a Sweet Potato Sunrise omelette, or a Sweet Potato Sunrise
latte, or a Sweet Potato Sunrise daiquiri?

You get the idea. The special name would get you exposure at the establishment
whenever it’s open (hopefully, you’re item will be listed on the menu). Plus, you can
use the unique promotional angle to get mentions in the local press.

Outrageous Music Marketing Idea #2

Become an Instant Cult Classic

The success of the quirky film Napoleon Dynamite has me thinking. The movie itself
is still growing on me, but I’m fascinated by the buzz it has among people who really

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connect with it. Most of my friends who rave about it have seen it numerous times
and claim that the more they see it, the more they appreciate and enjoy it.

What a nice position for a filmmaker to be in. Admittedly, a lot of people don’t like
the movie and its flat characters at all. But those who do appreciate the film like it a
lot – and preach about it to their friends, memorize lines, encourage theatres to have
midnight showings, etc.

How can you tap into that? It’s hard to manufacture cult status, but here’s an idea:
What if your music CD came with an accompanying trivia game? And what if the
game tied directly into the theme, style and lyrics of your music? The game
instructions could be included in the CD sleeve or delivered separately to everyone
who bought one. Or, to make a greater impact with the trivia game idea, you could
package the CD in a DVD case or even a small retail box.

To make this work, you’d have to come up with a cool, interactive game idea and
have a CD filled with interesting, funny or insightful lyrics and music. But if you can
get people examining the nuances of your material and sharing notes with other
people who are memorizing your stuff, you might have some powerful buzz going for
you.

Check out my blog at MusicPromotionBlog.com for more outrageous ideas. But

hopefully, these will get your wheels turning in the meantime.

Recommended resources:

• Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook

• Killer Press Kits – Deluxe Edition

• Guerrilla Music Marketing, Encore Edition

3
The Power of Personality
by Bob Baker

When you promote yourself via e-mail or with the words you use on your web site,
you have a choice. You can be straight-forward and matter-of-fact (also known as
bland and boring). Or you can communicate with pizzazz.

Case in point: My friend Gregg Hopkins plays in a band called The Melroys. He
could have sent a run-of-the-mill e-mail to promote a recent show, including the
rudimentary club name, address, phone number, etc. Instead, he sent this:

Git yerself down to the Broadway Oyster Bar tonight where The
MELROYS will present our little Rock and Roll fandango. The food is
delicious, the adult beverages are cool and refreshing, the music will
be swinging, and you’ll fit right in with the other beautiful people
there. Showtime is 9-1. See ya there!

Gregg Hopkins
TheMelroys.com

P.S. Any person peeved by perpetual pestering such as this posting

will be promptly purged from this list upon proper petition.

Ya gotta admit, this short message is a fun read – which leads one to assume that a
Melroys live show will be a fun event. And that’s smart marketing. (The only thing I
might add is an address and phone number of the venue for those fans who might
not know where it is.)

So don’t be afraid to show your personality. In fact, go out of your way to do

something fun or different or creative any time you communicate with the public
about your music. Got it? Good.

Use Hypnotic Descriptions

Here’s another example from a longtime musical pal, Michael Schaerer. In this recent
e-mail, he does a great job of painting word pictures of the venues he plays and
describing what it means to him:

We’ll be at Felix’s starting around 9:30 Saturday night ... if it’s

anything like last week was, it’ll be a full-fledged rock concert ... and
it’ll sound better than most of them too! It’s really like seeing your

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 favorite band in your living room. So intimate and powerful at the
same time.

Come early for a fine dinner, or eat late ... the kitchen is open ‘till
close, baby. You really need to come out to Felix’s and see why it’s so
popular! Call ‘em at 314-645-6565. Felix’s rules. Period.

On Sunday, Amy Miller and I close out my work week at the Tin Can
Tavern on the south side. We play 9:00 to 11:30 or so and we like
playing together so much that we usually have to be told to quit! Great
new songs, and Amy just sounds like an angel ... amazing. Please
attend. www.TinCanTavern.com or 314-865-3003.

Last week was a great week for me. So many people came and
enjoyed my music that I was overwhelmed. Thank you, really. It
means everything to me.

Michael
www.msgstl.com

This example is so powerful for many reasons. The way Michael describes the places
he plays, you can’t help but want to go and experience the vibe yourself. And you
know the venue owners have got to love the ringing endorsements, too.

Finally, as Michael illustrates in his last sentence, always remember to thank your
fans. They’re the reason you’re doing more than just playing music in an empty
room. Without people to listen, enjoy and support you, your creative process would
be a lot less satisfying. So be sure to regularly express your gratitude.

Your Comfy, Cozy Computer

The challenge when promoting yourself online is this: There’s only so much human
warmth you can get from a computer. Anything you can do to make your online
communication more warm and fuzzy will make you stand out and be more
appreciated.

No one does this better than Derek Sivers and CD Baby. If you’ve ever purchased
music from cdbaby.com, you’ve probably received this shipping confirmation e-mail
– one of the classic “power of personality” messages you’re likely to see:

Your CD has been gently taken from our CD Baby shelves with
sterilized contamination-free gloves and placed onto a satin pillow.

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 A team of 50 employees inspected your CD and polished it to make
sure it was in the best possible condition before mailing.

Our packing specialist from Japan lit a candle and a hush fell over the
crowd as he put your CD into the finest gold-lined box that money can
buy.

We all had a wonderful celebration afterwards and the whole party

marched down the street to the post office where the entire town of
Portland waved ‘Bon Voyage!’ to your package, on its way to you, in
our private CD Baby jet on this day (date inserted here).

I hope you had a wonderful time shopping at CD Baby. We sure did.

Your picture is on our wall as ‘Customer of the Year’. We’re all
exhausted but can’t wait for you to come back to CDBABY.COM!!

Thank you once again,

Derek Sivers, president, CD Baby

the little CD store with the best new independent music

Now that’s powerful .. and effective! Think twice before sending your fans another
e-mail message. And always remember the power of personality!

Recommended resources:

• Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook

• Killer Press Kits – Deluxe Edition

6
Marketing Lessons From
an 8-Year-Old Girl
by Bob Baker

One morning not long ago, when my daughter was 8, I was driving her to school
when she asked me to cue up a very familiar song on the CD player. If you have
kids, you know that children often love repeated exposure to stuff they like. They’ll
contently watch a favorite movie over and over again, driving the adults in the house
batty from the repetition.

Well, one of her favorite songs is “Accidentally in Love” by Counting Crows. I like to
think she enjoys it so much because I recently played it at a show she attended. But
the truth more likely has something to do with the Shrek 2 soundtrack.

Anyway, that morning we were on our second spin of “So she said, ‘What’s the
problem, baby’ ...” when I finally asked her, “Why do you like this song so much?”

Her answer: “I don’t know. It just puts me in a good mood.”

The Light Bulb Goes Off

Wow. That might sound like a simplistic answer, but when you think about it, isn’t
that at the core of enjoyng any type of music, at any stage of life? You enjoy your
favorite music because it makes you feel good.

The key words there are *feel* and *good*. Generally speaking, music makes the
person enjoying it feel good – or better about themselves than they might have
before hearing it.

There are exceptions: Sometimes people listen to particular types of music when
they are sad or angry or not feeling “good.” In these instances, people use music to
match their mood – to cradle and support them in whatever state they happen to be
in. But, regardless of the mood, people always use music to “feel,” whether it’s good
or otherwise.

But I contend that most of the time people turn to music to feel better about
themselves – to, as my daughter says, put themselves in a good mood.

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Feeling Great About Feeling Good

Music fans might say they love an act because of the vocalist’s skills or the guitar
player’s chops or the groove laid down by the bass player. But those things are just
the means that lead to the ultimate fan payoff: feeling good.

So ... How does your music make your fans feel? In what way do you elevate their
mood to “good” – or, better yet, great? The answers to those questions can be
different for every artist. But asking them and pondering the answers will help you
understand the true relationship you have with your fans.

Bottom line: Putting more people in a “good mood” will help your music career more
than just about any marketing tactic you could ever conceive.

Recommended resources:

• Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook

• Killer Press Kits – Deluxe Edition

• Unleash the Artist Within

• Guerrilla Music Marketing, Encore Edition

8
Formulating Your Best Music
Promotion Plan
by Bob Baker

A lot of people who subscribe to my Buzz Factor e-zine, read my books, and attend
my workshops tell me that once they shift into a brainstorming mode, the self-
promotion ideas come faster than Billy Joel behind the wheel of a Mazarotti. My first
piece of advice regarding this fantastic state of mind is:

Buy a notebook or journal and capture these thoughts by writing them down. Don’t
expect to remember everything later. That rarely works. Grab ideas while they’re
hot.

If you’re driving when inspiration strikes, carefully pull over and scribble down your
thoughts on a gas receipt, fast food bag, or whatever is handy. If you’re in a bar or
restaurant, use a napkin. If you’re in the shower ... well, be creative and find a way
to record those great ideas.

So Many Ideas, So Little Time

Once you have a master list of earth-shattering, career-boosting concepts, things

don’t get any easier. Now you probably feel as if you have so many options, you
don’t know where to start. Most music people get so flustered at this point, they do
nothing. Or they do a little bit of everything all at once and spread themselves too
thin, with nothing to show for all their hard work.

Well, I believe in keeping things simple. Don’t overwhelm yourself. For starters,
before you jump into any new grand schemes, there are two basic things you should
do every week, if not every day, no matter what else you may be working on:

1) Write, record and perform great music. This is no secret. The most
creative promotion ideas in the world will do nothing to help mediocre
music. So work on your music-making craft constantly. All it takes is
one killer song to light a fire that will sustain an entire career.

2) The second thing you should do almost every day is to take steps
to connect with and attract more fans. Don’t get sidetracked with
technicalities and industry connections and stuff that doesn’t matter.
Keep a constant focus on fans.

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Creating Your Music Plan

Now, what about those specific big ideas you have for getting exposure, selling CDs,
etc.? Get out a calendar that covers the next 12 months, and start writing down your
best ideas and the times of the year they would work best.

Think this through and move things around on the calendar until you’ve got one or
two great ideas listed for each month. Doing this will give you a promotional
roadmap so you know the best ways to spend your time and energy every month.
Your efforts will be more focused this way and more likely to generate results.

Don’t just wing it and leave things to chance. This is your career and livelihood at
stake here. Set priorities. Create an action plan. You can always tweak and alter the
plan as you go. But having one in the first place gives you a starting point and a
direction ... and a reason to get busy and start promoting your music now.

So formulate a plan – your ideal plan – then ... get out there and promote yourself!

Recommended resources:

• Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook

• Killer Press Kits – Deluxe Edition

• Unleash the Artist Within

• Guerrilla Music Marketing, Encore Edition

• Branding Yourself Online

10
Who Do You Sound Like?
(And Why It’s Important)
by Bob Baker

Admit it. Most musicians hate to compare themselves to other artists. Does this
describe you? If you feel you are a unique, one-of-a-kind creative being, I
wholeheartedly agree with you. But if you think you shouldn’t tarnish your musical
identity with comparisons to other artists, I ask you to reconsider.

Why? It has everything to do with this crazy little hunk of matter called the human
brain. According to the Berkeley Lab, “Humans retrieve information best when it can
be linked to other related information.” In other words, without a familiar reference
point, people have a tough time filing away and remembering new sights, sounds,
smells, etc.

Tapping Into ‘The System’

In an article by Allen Barker, he writes, “Memory is a dynamic process. It arises from

reminders and cues.” The process that helps the brain sort out new stimulus is called
“associative memory.” Barker continues, “An associative memory is a memory
system that takes an input ‘key’ and produces the ‘closest’ stored memory that
matches that key. If the memory had stored a picture of a chair, for example, and
were presented with a ‘key’ of half a chair, it would fill in the remaining half of the
chair.”

If you think this is all impractical mumbo jumbo, check out the work being done by
Pandora. It’s Music Genome Project is a system that analyzes music using “a set of
attributes that capture not only the musical identity of a song, but also many
significant qualities that are relevant to understanding the musical preferences of
consumers who browse the material. Each song is analyzed along 400 distinct
musical attributes to create a complete musical analysis.”

Sounds deep, but in essence, the Pandora research works much like Amazon’s
“customers who bought X also purchased Y” recommendations.

Making the Mental Music Connection

Convinced yet? Music fans need clues. People who enjoy your music also enjoy other
artists. And many of those artists are more familiar to the masses than you are right
now. So tap into the mental links that already exist in the minds of fans who support
other similar-sounding artists.
Recommended resources:

• Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook

• Online Music PR Hot List

• Killer Press Kits – Deluxe Edition

• Unleash the Artist Within

• Guerrilla Music Marketing, Encore Edition

12
Expand Your Definition
of a Live Performance
by Bob Baker

Let me ask you ... What has to happen for a person to be converted into being a fan
of your music? There are a number of possible answers, but at the most basic level,
one thing has to happen: The person must hear your music.

And there are only so many ways someone can hear your music: on the radio or on
television, on the Internet, in a dance club or a retail store, from a friend on a home
or car stereo or ... during a live performance.

Let’s focus on that last one, because even with all of the advancements in
technology, live performance continues to be one of the best ways to connect with
fans, sell CDs and prosper as an artist.

Hopefully, your marketing plans include a heaping helping of live shows. But what
type of live shows do you plan? The problem is, many musicians get stuck in live
performance ruts and fail to think outside the box. For instance, most rock bands
flock like lemmings to nightclubs. Most acoustic singer-songwriters obsess over
coffee shops and folk venues. That’s fine, but they end the thought process there –
and then complain that there aren’t enough gig slots for all of the acts who want to
play.

The solution: Redefine your live performance goals. And ask yourself the right
questions. If you only ask, “How can I book more shows at clubs?” you’ll rarely look
outside that possibility. But if you ask, “How can I reach more of my ideal fans
through live performances?” then your list of potential venues is suddenly wide open.

Where can you play in front of more potential fans? If nightclubs is one answer,
great – continue to pursue that. But what about community festivals, neighborhood
block parties, grand openings, rallies, auto shows, craft fairs, the finishing line of a
city marathon, a public beach on a sunny day ... anywhere that large groups of
people gather is fair game.

Sure, not every option will have the logistics for a sound system, a stage, etc. But
any glimmer of an idea along these lines is worth looking into. And I guarantee you,

13
the number of other acts competing for a spot at one of these offbeat events will be
much less than the number you find at the traditional live music venues.

So ... expand your definition of a live performance, ask yourself empowering

questions, and open your mind to the many new ways you have to reach fans
through live performances.

Recommended resources:

• Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook

• Killer Press Kits – Deluxe Edition

Unleash the Artist Within

• Guerrilla Music Marketing, Encore Edition

• Branding Yourself Online

14
 The #1 Question You Must Answer
When Promoting Your Music

This article is excerpted from Bob Baker’s Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook.

I’m going to use this entire chapter to deal with only one subject because it’s so vital
to the success of your music promotion efforts. Every day I see the same mistake
being made in this area and feel I owe it to you to drive home this crucial point.

Imagine you walked into a retail store that sells music, and one of the employees (a
complete stranger to you) came up and handed you a box filled with CDs. Then he
said, “Here, these are promo copies we’re giving away. You can have any CD you want
out of the box. But you can take only one.”

Now let’s pretend that you were not familiar with any of these artists. As you looked at
each CD to consider whether or not you wanted it, what would be the first question to
pop into your head? In other words, what basic question would you need to answer
first before you could make an intelligent (and quick) decision on which one you’d
take?

Would it be “Who produced this album?”

No.

Would it be “What record label put this out?”

Probably not.

How about “Where is this act from?” or “How many awards has this band won?”

No. And no.

Would it be “How highly do these musicians think of their own music?”

No.

Hopefully, you’ve come to the same conclusion that I have. The first question that
anyone asks when encountering new music is …

What kind of music is this?

I use this box of free CDs example to make a point: This is exactly the same position
that music editors, bloggers, podcasters, booking agents, program directors, A&R
people, and music publishers are in when they receive your unsolicited recordings
along with dozens of others. This is also what potential fans experience when they
encounter you for the first time.
Even though it’s great to think that everyone already knows who you are and what you
do, the sad truth is that most people you contact will be clueless. That’s why giving
them the first and most important clue up front is essential.

Key point: Human beings need some way to process information and file it away in
the proper place in their heads before moving on to any follow-up questions, such as
“Where is this band from?” or “What unique spin do they put on this genre?”

Without creating a mental category or comparison to something that each person is

already familiar with, it’s nearly impossible to get to these important follow-up
questions. And if you can’t move this sorting-out process along in a swift manner, your
music marketing efforts end up dead in the water.

Why, then, do so many people who promote music either ignore answering this
fundamental question – “What kind of music is this?” – or bury the answer so deep in
their promotion materials that the reader gives up out of frustration before ever
uncovering it?

Unless you are (or are working with) a well-known artist, the people receiving your
promo kits and marketing messages will be in the dark regarding who you are and
what you play. Your job, therefore, is to answer that first all-important question right
off the bat: “What kind of music is this?” It should be one of the first things people see
when viewing your press kit, website, or any other marketing tool you create.

Straight from the slush pile

Here’s an example I pulled out of an overflowing box of review CDs years ago when I
was a music editor. After opening the package, the first thing I see is a cover letter.
Here’s how it reads (I’ve changed the name of the person, record label and band to
protect the misguided):

“My name is John Jones, vice president of Widget Records, here in New York. I’m
writing to announce that one of our bands, the Losers, will be playing in St. Louis on
July 24.”

It’s important to Jones that he announces who he is and what he does right off the
bat. I’m sure this makes him feel good about himself. But how does this introduction
move him closer to his goal of getting media coverage for the poor Losers? At least I
know about the St. Louis date, something that should matter to me. But since I don’t
know what kind of music this is, I’m not impressed.

On to the next paragraph ...

“The Losers’ music is already on national college and commercial radio.”

Excellent. His mother must be very proud. But is this jazz radio? Alternative radio?
Polka radio? Ten stations? Eight hundred stations? What? I’m still being kept in the
dark.
“The Losers are a new band founded in New York City. These shows are part of a year-
long tour to promote their debut album.”

More senseless background details before I even know what kind of music this band
plays. But one thing I do know is that Jones sure likes talking about his band and its
accomplishments. Now I’m starting to doze off.

A musical diamond in the rough

So I keep reading anyway, and finally, I come across this gem:

“The Losers’ music combines Celtic violin with punk-influenced distorted guitars and
melodic rock vocals ...”

What? A description of the music? Say it isn’t so! And I only had to wait till the fourth
paragraph to get it. And it ends up being a pretty cool description: Celtic violin with
punk guitars. Now that’s different. That’s something I’d like to take a quick listen to.
What a great media hook for the band!

Unfortunately, the label’s vice president has done the group a disservice by burying
this vital piece of information in a dreary cover letter. Most media people would have
given up on it long before they got to the intriguing description.

But this never occurred to Jones. It was much more important for him to pound his
chest and proclaim his name, title, city, and the fact that his as-yet-undefined band
was getting radio airplay. What a missed opportunity! Don’t make this same error.

There’s a better way

How much more effective would Jones have been if his letter went something like this?

Dear Bob,

When we first told people we had signed a band that combined Celtic violins with
distorted punk guitars and melodic rock vocals, they told us we were crazy. But we
proved them all wrong with the Losers, a band that is now on a major roll. Last month
alone, more than 325 college stations around the country were playing cuts off the
band’s new self-titled CD.

And now you can experience the Losers yourself when they come to St. Louis on July
24. I think your readers would get a kick out of hearing about this unusual
Celtic/violin/punk-rock mix.

Admit it. This version pulls you in and lets you know what you’re dealing with quickly
and interestingly – as opposed to the dry meanderings of the original cover letter.
Are you guilty of a PR felony?

Take a look at the promotional tools you’re using now. What’s the first thing you see?
Your address? The band members’ names? The record label name? Some vague
reference to how impressive your music is without a specific definition of it?

Stop beating around the bush and start getting to the heart of the matter. Media and
industry people are overworked and distracted. Fans are bombarded with information
overload. Don’t shroud your message in mystery, hoping it will tease people and make
them read further.

Remember this: No one will ever be as interested in reading your marketing

materials as you are.

So give them what they need up front, fast and simple. And answer the most
important question first:

“What kind of music is this?”

Recommended resources:

• Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook

• Online Music PR Hot List

• Killer Press Kits – Deluxe Edition

• Guerrilla Music Marketing, Encore Edition

18
The Ultimate Music Business
Conspiracy Theory
by Bob Baker

Whether it’s the second gunman on the grassy knoll, the alien mystery at Roswell or
what really is hidden within the high-security confines of Area 51... conspiracy
theories abound. Many of us are amused by the speculation, while hardcore buffs
examine every nuance looking for clues to support their version of the story.

If you’ll notice, all of these conspiracy theories involve some type of dastardly deed
or cover-up. Someone is out to brainwash us or hide the facts from the public. After
all, “the truth is out there,” according to X-Files scripture. I never seem to hear
people suspecting, for instance, a conspiracy by furniture salesman to stuff money
into the nooks and crannies of the couches they sell. Yet I always find change under
the cushions when I clean. Hmm... maybe they’re secretly... Oh, never mind.

There’s another kind of conspiracy conjurer. You know the type. The artist, musician
or writer who believes the deck has been stacked against him or that nobody will
ever give her a break. “This town is just not artist-friendly,” he/she proclaims. “This
sucks. Why bother?”

To listen to these people, you’d think the radio stations, theatre groups, art galleries
(or whatever venue applies) were all part of a sick joke, trying to obliterate creative
growth. And just like the bigger conspiracy nuts, they find clues and plenty of ammo
to support their claims.

“See, that guy never returned my call,” they announce. “I can’t buy a job in this
town.” Anything even remotely inconvenient that happens to them lends credence to
the devious master plot.

Here’s a fun little game that I challenge you to play. It’s called the Inverse
Conspiracy Game. For one entire day, I encourage you to go through the day
believing wholeheartedly that there is a conspiracy involving you. Only with this
Inverse Conspiracy, the whole world and everyone in it are involved in a conspiracy
to help you succeed.

If you’re familiar with the recent Jim Carey movie “The Truman Show,” you know
what I mean. In the film, everything that happens to the main character is a
preplanned scene – only he has no idea it’s fabricated.

19
So for one day, imagine that everyone is pitching in on a secret mission to help you.
There’s a positive reason behind everything that happens to you. Even seemingly
negative events are put into action in order to propel you toward a reward that’s just
around the corner. And it’s your job to break the code and figure out exactly how the
world intends for you to use what happens to your advantage.

True, this isn’t your father’s conspiracy theory. It will take some brain work to
reorient your mental perspective – especially to keep it up for an entire day. But just
think how this shift in attitude might alter your progress. You’ll be forced to view
everything in a far more constructive light. And when bad things do happen, it will be
your mission to find the hidden opportunity (instead of more reasons to stop trying
to reach your creative goals).

Give this inverse conspiracy theory a try. You can always go back to looking for evil
schemes and cover-ups. In the meantime, you just might discover an alien on a
grassy knoll waiting to help you succeed.

Recommended resources:

• Killer Press Kits – Deluxe Edition

• Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook

• Unleash the Artist Within

• Guerrilla Music Marketing, Encore Edition

• Branding Yourself Online

20
Final Thoughts
Once again, thanks so much for downloading and reading this e-book. Please invite
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