Promoting yourself 101

I never know what to do when people send in news about their own releases but with zero content besides a website address. What do you want me to do with this lack of information? I don’t know about you guys – but I work with a company called CD Baby to handle all of King Ly Chee’s digital releases and content on iTunes, Spotify, etc…and the website does such a nice job sending money in periodically with a list of what was purchased from which particular music portal. The other cool thing that CD Baby does is send emails out about how bands can market themselves better and use social media in a much more effective way. Though these emails are incredibly informative, I do always laugh at these emails because I think to myself “what band or artist doesn’t already know how to do this?”

Timely – I got this in my email inbox this morning from CD Baby:

But here is the reason why CD Baby is so active in sending out tips on how to promote yourself better:

That’s all I got in the mail today for this artist. Nothing else – no information about who this person is and what kind of music he/she/it plays or where they’re from. Of course with some simple detective work on my part I can find the answers to all of this (the very bottom line has the word “Manila” in it). But why should I have to do this to help promote this artist? I certainly don’t run this website for a living. I have a day time job as a first grade teacher and have a family to return home to and play in a band called King Ly Chee. But I do absolutely LOVE running this website simply for the love of wanting to give back to Asia and all the great bands/music there is here. The point I’m trying to make is, I really don’t have the time to ALSO help YOU write up a press release for YOUR release.

If you want to submit news to any media source around the world, my simple advice to you is always provide more info then is needed and then allow the media entity to write up something for you that represents you the best because of all the information you provided.

Simple.