Week 6: Music Success in Nine Weeks - How Big Is Yours?

Hey Sexy People!

Before we jump in... I was having a hard time writing this post because I couldn't figure out how to explain this chapter.  Then it hit me - I hadn't done any of the tasks yet!  ...be right back...

It's week 6 of the Music Success In Nine Weeks blogging contest held by Ariel Publicity Cyber PR.

The size of your email list = the size of your income.

Damn. Um, um.

Another task you must do all of the time! I'm not saying that it's a bad thing nor that I'm not willing to do the task; it's just fucking boring. ;) Ariel gives her take on building our fan list so we can make some money.  I'm with that.

In addition to constantly thinking of who we can add to our list, I scheduled time once a week to sit down and build our email list.  I also had to create, what I'm calling, a "ready-letter" - an email ready to go to potential readers ("form letter" just sounds so impersonal).

Once we get up to a substantially-sized email list, we'll look to list trade with other bands and begin our text message list.  Yeah, texting is hot.

And, of course, we have the requisite "free MP3 when you sign up." 

However, I'm starting to question the effectiveness of this.  In theory, I totally believe it's a good idea.  But, in practice, I'm not finding it effective.  I say this because of the value perception.  What's the value of the MP3 if they don't know you?  I see these offers all over and not once have I signed up for a band's email list because of a free MP3.  I sign up because I like the band.  And if I really like the band, I'm happy to buy their music.

At this level, folks sign up after they see our show or when we get them while we're out networking or promoting.  I continually ask "what value are we providing to this person's life?"  If their perception is nothing, then it won't matter that it costs nothing.

It's like what happens when a band lets folks pay whatever they want for a CD at a show.  They usually end up making more money than if they asked for a set price.  It's about perceived value.  If one values something, they don't mind paying.

Thanks MSi9W!


Rock Hard! Rock Sexy!
- MDLS


Purchase "In Your Mouth"
CD Baby
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mamasdls

iTunes
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-your-mouth/id339466720


Mama's Dirty Li'l Secret
Twitter.com/MDLStweet

MySpace.com/MamasDirtyLilSecret

Facebook.com/MamasDirtyLilSecret

AfroPunk.com/profile/MamasDirtyLilSecret

YouTube.com/user/mdlstrio

©2010 Mama's Dirty Li'l Secret

"I Confess" Tease

I know you're kinky; wishing for more; you scratch my back; and I'll lick yours.

Week 5: Music Success in Nine Weeks - Your Newsletter

Hey Sexy People!

It's week 5 of the Music Success In Nine Weeks blogging contest held by Ariel Publicity Cyber PR. Ariel explains that artists need to think of themselves as a commodity or product.  Unlike actors, musicians have a hard time thinking of themselves this way.  Fortunately, we have no qualms selling ourselves.  We're not slutty, but we're definitely pretty Whorish. Most musicians I know are just like sluts.  Nothing wrong with that per se; they put a lot of work into doing what they love, they're just not getting much in return.


So, what to do when you're not gigging?  You still have to communicate with your fans.  Consistently.  I started reading MSi9W before we released "In Your Mouth," so it was clear that we had to start talking with folks before it came out.  What made that clear was Ariel's example of how bands only send out their newsletter when they want to sell me something - a show, a new album, whatever.  The more I thought about it, the more I realized "yeah, I'm not their fucking fuck buddy..."

While most bands/artists send out their newsletters sporadically, I decided to do ours weekly!  Yeah, that's right, damnit!  It's been going out every Tuesday for the past 7 months.  I keep it quick and sexy and the response has been great.  Actual fan quotes:

"This is the best newsletter ever!" 

"I actually look forward to getting your newsletter every Tuesday!"

"Oh, my!"

Greeting, Guts & Getting.  That's the format Ariel suggests and it's perfect for me, being a short-form writer (although, these posts take way longer that I expect...)  I do one short graph for each section and try to be entertaining and, of course, sexy.  We haven't quite reached a thousand names on our list, so we're here continually building and providing some value in folks lives.

In conjunction with other techniques implemented from MSi9W, the other effect of communicating consistently is that we had more people at our last show!  So, yes, this stuff works.  Now that we know how to get them to the show, we have to keep them there.  That's were Tom Jackson picks up.

Another direct result of following MSi9W!

Ok, now you can sign up...

Sign up for our weekly quickie
Mama's Dirty Li'l Newsletter
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Name: Email: We don't sell your email. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Rock Hard! Rock Sexy!
- MDLS


Purchase "In Your Mouth"
CD Baby
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mamasdls

iTunes
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-your-mouth/id339466720


Mama's Dirty Li'l Secret
Twitter.com/MDLStweet

MySpace.com/MamasDirtyLilSecret

Facebook.com/MamasDirtyLilSecret

AfroPunk.com/profile/MamasDirtyLilSecret

YouTube.com/user/mdlstrio

©2010 Mama's Dirty Li'l Secret

"My Skills Induce Happiness"

"Is it a crime to say I’m the best? My skills induce happiness" From our new single, "I Confess," coming this month!

Week 4: Music Success in Nine Weeks - Web 2.0

Hey Sexy People!

It's week 4 of the Music Success In Nine Weeks blogging contest held by Ariel Publicity Cyber PR. In this chapter, it's all Web 2.0, or social. You need to be where your fans are.  So, of course, we have to maintain our connections with our fans via several communities - and be active in each. Or, as Ariel says, it's like watering our garden of Rock Sexiness.

Ariel gives her essential list of the most popular social tools to be on, and also really finding the communities that work for your genre. There's no need for us hanging out in the GOP forums.  Although... that may garner some good material...

It took about 6 months of consistency to build up to where we are now.  Our MySpace page was the primary point of interaction, then we joined the other communities as we were able to manage each one.  We began with Twitter and Facebook, then added Afro-Punk and our Blog (you're here).  It's a lot of trial and error before we found the right mix.

The two things that really worked for us was joining the Podsafe Music Network and commenting on blogs.  The first got our song "Vampires In The Sun" on Dancing Mattress Productions's podcast.  The second was simply being a part of the Afro-Punk community, we landed an interview on Sierra's I Write. You Should Read. blog. This was a direct result of following MSi9W - thanks y'all!

The only place we're not on yet is Flickr.  However, we shooting new photos next week, so we'll start then...


Rock Hard! Rock Sexy!
- MDLS


Purchase "In Your Mouth"
CD Baby
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mamasdls

iTunes
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-your-mouth/id339466720


Mama's Dirty Li'l Secret
Twitter.com/MDLStweet

MySpace.com/MamasDirtyLilSecret

Facebook.com/MamasDirtyLilSecret

AfroPunk.com/profile/MamasDirtyLilSecret

YouTube.com/user/mdlstrio

©2010 Mama's Dirty Li'l Secret

i believe only a drag queen can show a diesel dyke how to be a girlie-girl.

Mama's Universe

Take a peek at rare shots of Mama's Universe http://ning.it/5hNXh8

Week 3: Music Success in Nine Weeks - Optimizing Your Website

Hey Sexy People!

It's week 3 of the Music Success In Nine Weeks blogging contest held by Ariel Publicity Cyber PR. In this chapter, you have make sure your site is optimized to better communicate with your fans.

MDLS web sie optimized: check.

Our pitch is present, our site loads quickly and we have no animated intro.  The music player on the home page is Flash, but it's small, so it comes in quickly.  There's a random image display on the home page, so every time you come back, you'll see a different image.  It gives the feeling of the site being active.  Fortunately, we have a relationship with a professional Web team, so our site was already in good shape (it's also SEO-friendly).

We have a consistent look throughout all of our spaces and we've customized where we can.  You can't do much with Facebook and just a little with AfroPunk, but you know it's MDLS!  Our colors are White & Black (a white base with black accents) which we carry through down to our instruments!

The one thing we needed to add was a free MP3 when fans sign up for Mama's Dirty Li'l Newsletter.  The goal with that is to change the song every month... maybe.


Rock Hard! Rock Sexy!
- MDLS


Purchase "In Your Mouth"
CD Baby
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/mamasdls

iTunes
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-your-mouth/id339466720


Mama's Dirty Li'l Secret
Twitter.com/MDLStweet

MySpace.com/MamasDirtyLilSecret

Facebook.com/people/Mamas_Dls/559468962

AfroPunk.com/profile/MamasDirtyLilSecret

YouTube.com/user/mdlstrio

©2010 Mama's Dirty Li'l Secret

Traveling Through the Dirty Li'l Secret Tunnels

During the cold, we travel via our Secret tunnels to keep in the Hotness!

"I Confess" Recording

We're in the studio tonight recording drums for this month's tune "I Confess!"

Naked Workout Partner

Find a workout partner you can workout naked with and we bet that you won't skip a session.

Rock-Sexy Bassist Needed

MDLS is looking for a bass player to complete the trinity! If you are, or know, a rock-sexy bassist, come join our soul-punk show. (Bklyn)

Week 2: Music Success in Nine Weeks - Our Pitch

Hey Sexy People!

This is week 2 of the MSi9W blogging contest!  The assignment is basically to create an answer to the question "what do you sound like?"  We gotta give folks some sort of context so they kind of understand our sound without having heard the Rock Sexy sound of Mama's Dirty Li'l Secret.  Yes, of course, their life will change forever once they've entered into the world of Mama's Dirty Li'l Secret.  (They're just not privy to that fact yet.)

We've actually been using our pitch for a while.  But it did take a while to come up with the right one.  The long version is "the bastard lovechild born of the torrid affair between Soul and Punk."  Descriptive?  It looks good in print, but when talk with folks we simply use "Soul punk" because folks seem to think they understand right away.  The usual response is "oh, yeah, I get it, that's cool!"  Well, that's exactly what the fuck we want.

As an example of the branding we've established, our current postcard (4x6) is to the left. <----  The front of the card simply has our name, a sexy photo, and our pitch.

...and the back of card has our name, urls and our tag line.  We place a sticker in the extra space for whatever we're promoting at the time: "In Your Mouth" download, show date, etc. (see second example below).

Let us know what you think.  Is it sexy enough for you?

Rock Hard! Rock Sexy!
- MDLS

Let's meet for a quickie

Let's meet for a quickie. Sign up for our rock sexy newsletter and we'll hook up every Tuesday here: http://bit.ly/6OysKh

Prince and Lenny Kravitz - "Fly Away"

You just have to love Prince in his sexy-ass, blue, full-body suit and matching guitar!

Lookin' for another great sonic 8ball. . .

my all time go to favorite concoction is that of Slayer & Sade. pulse rushes, fists clenched, (sport the war) to sweet, beauty, eternal love caress. totally addictive.

Happy Birthday to Damn

A rock sexy Happy Birthday to Damn on the first day of the year! Here's to the baddest of the bad-asses!