Introduction:

I’ve seen it a million times. A website is in production, but stalled because of a photoshoot. A website goes live, but the content sounds like it was written by a fourth grader.You’d love to print post cards, but have no photos of your product.

Time and again, money is spent, marketing materials are starting to look beautiful, butyour photos, written content, or graphics aren’t ready so the materials sit unable to befinished.

Working for Jonas Music Services for 7 years as a Marketing Coordinator, this was thescenario I witnessed more times than not. Finished websites sat ready to go live while wewaited for content to be gathered after the client spent thousands of dollars. Designs hadto be changed after a photo shoot was done.

What if you could avoid wasted time, money, and mistakes because YOU were READYTO START MARKETING?

• Imagine a designer building your website in 30 days and it is ready to go live rightaway.

• Imagine each page on that site has knockout content.• Imagine potential customers being able to see your product/service in action right

away.• Imagine quote after quote of praise for how wonderful you are to do business

with.• Imagine social media and printed materials matching in all their branded glory!

You may be thinking, “I am ready!”

Read on…unless you have the following 5 elements in place, you are NOT READY!

The goal of this report is to take some of the mystery out of marketing, especially ifyou’ve never done it before. Getting started can be overwhelming, but it has become anecessary part of business today. EVERYONE needs to market. Yes, even YOU!

Private instructors, writers, personal trainers, make-up artists, interior decorators,musicians; the list goes on and on. No matter what field you work in, your work willbenefit and client base will increase from having a simple, yet effective, marketing plantogether.

Have no idea where to get started? That is totally understandable! With all the choicesout there, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. Some common questions are:

• What do I need to do first?• What materials do I need to have together before I start?• What do I need to build a website?• How do I present my business?

Guess what? There are only 5 ELEMENTS that you need in order to get a good, solid,and PRODUCTIVE start. That’s it! If you have these 5 things in place, you are ready tostart building a website, social media, and begin production on all of your othermarketing materials. AND actually look like you know what you’re doing!

You may be wondering where I came up with this fantastic 5…they are all contained in abasic musician’s press kit. Not a musician? It doesn’t matter. EVERY businesspersonneeds to start off with the same elements.

The contents of a basic musician’s press kit are:

• Professional Photos• Bio• Acclaim/Testimonials/Press• CD

Now, I know you’re thinking, “I’m not a musician, why should I care about a press kit?”I’ll say it again, the contents of a press kit, is everything EVERYONE needs to get startedwith your first marketing plan, simply replace the CD with your product or service.

But didn’t I say there were five? CORRECT! The 5th element is…

• How your brand looks!

You need to spend time deciding the colors/fonts/graphics that define your brand. Itshould have a good name that is easy to pronounce and sounds like it should belong toyour brand. And most important you need to own the domain name!

Everything should be uniform across the board. Once you decide on your look, you willuse it on your website, social media, business cards, etc…think long and hard about thisone. There is nothing wrong with a redesign upgrade in the future, but the overall themeof your brand needs to stay the same ALWAYS!

Why Listen to Me?

My first experience in the marketing world was as an intern in A&R for RCA Recordsabout 15 years ago. For those of you don’t know what A&R is, it stands for artist andrepertoire. The A&R department of a record label is the talent scouts. Their job is to find

great talent, sign them to their label, and oversee the artistic development of their career.They find artists mostly through two avenues: live shows and press kits.

I worked side by side with some of the most important record executives in the musicbusiness and heard their opinions on what made great press materials and what did not.Photos geared towards marketing, a well-written bio, and sheets with proper layouts wereall part of my education. This gave me an inside look into what the best of the best arelooking for. I’ve seen HUNDREDS of press kits!

I continued on to work at Sound on Sound Recording, which was one of the biggestrecording studios in NYC as an assistant engineer (the owner of Sound on Sound nowowns MSR Studios). Working alongside megastars like P. Diddy, Faith Evans, andAaliyah, among many more, was a huge education in greatness and taught me to set thebar just that much higher.

A writer a heart, music journalism was a natural transition after the craziness of studiolife. Interviews with giants like Adam Levine, Incubus, and Jason Mraz were fantastic fordeveloping interview skills (which are also great for blogging). And countless concertreviews for artists like Lenny Kravitz, Jay-Z, and No Doubt helped polish my writingchops.

Soon after, Jonas Music Services came knocking and asked if I would be a MarketingCoordinator. What an amazing experience that has been! I’ve spent the last 7 yearshelping artists and business people build better websites, streamline their marketingplans, and tweak every aspect of their public image to perfection. I’ve seen the good andthe bad, learned about what works and what doesn’t, and most importantly seenbusinesses soar because of smart marketing decisions.

I still freelance for Jonas Music Services, writing bios, their bi-monthly newsletter, andmanaging social media.

My blog, www.MarketLikeARockStar.com is the perfect combination of all theexperiences I’ve had. Learning about new people is a passion, and who better to learnmarketing skills from than people who are already finding success! I’ve been so happywith the response and can’t wait to really see it soar!

Enough about me…;)

Let’s get back to press kits and learn about why they have the basic componentsEVERYBODY needs.

To review, a press kit for musicians typically consists of a folder, which holds: aheadshot/group photo, a bio, press/testimonials, and a CD. While you may not be amusician, these elements are necessary to have ready and polished at all times and will beused across many platforms of your marketing plan.

Let’s delve in with more detail:

1. Professional Photos:

Great pictures can speak volumes about you and can only help your business, but they dorequire some thought beforehand. Consider the impression you want to convey.

• Serious?• Fun?• Bold?• Studious?

Everything from your makeup, to your outfit, to the location you are shooting in helps toput forth that message.

Why get photos taken before anything else? You will definitely want to include photos inthe design of your website, across your social media platforms, or even on something assimple as a business card. So, if you don’t have your photos done, marketing is at a standstill!

Take very careful consideration when deciding on your hair and makeup. There are aTON of tutorials on Youtube about hair and makeup. If you don’t have the cash to have itdone professionally, do a few searches and you’re sure to find some great how-to videosonline. Practice a few times beforehand, and voilà! You’ve mastered a new skill!(However, a professional haircut the week before wouldn’t hurt;)

Your clothes should also be carefully chosen. Look polished and put together, but don’twear anything too distracting. Remember, YOU are the focus, not your Spongebob t-shirt. Dress yourself for business, not a night out on the town (unless that is yourbusiness!).

Viewers should take one look at the photo and think, “Yes! He looks exactly like a [fill inthe blank].”

Definitely hire a professional photographer, or at the very least, ask a friend that has agreat camera. Can’t afford a professional? See if you can find one that would honor awork/trade agreement. Feel free to offer your fantastic services for the monetaryequivalent of the photo shoot or at least a discount.

Consider location and time of day. Early morning and late afternoon, ideally with a slightovercast, are the best conditions for shooting outside. As far as location goes, again, makesure it goes along with your business. A park, an urban backdrop, the fireside, and akitchen all portray very different ideas!

Get some photos of you in action! In addition to good headshots, photos of you “doingwhat you do” make you even more credible. Pics of you flipping pancakes, laying out

fabric, doing lunges, or applying mascara all give people who are trying to get to knowyou an inside look into how YOU provide your service.

Not the face of your company? While I’m a firm believer in attaching a human face to abrand, great photos of your product or location will also elevate the image of your brand.When people can see with their own eyes that “this” actually exists, it can make or breaktheir decision to work with you.

2. Well-Written Bio:

Here is one aspect that definitely requires some assistance (even if it’s just a second pairof eyes to give an opinion and spot major errors). And if you’re thinking about hiring aprofessional, believe it or not, it’s MUCH more affordable than you think!

If you do decide to give it a go on your own, it’s best to start with an outline. I like tostart the first paragraph with something super attention grabbing. Highlight your biggestaccomplishment or include a quote from the most popular publication that has given youa review.

Here is a strong first paragraph that I wrote about international soprano, Lu Ye:

Internationally acclaimed soprano/actress Lu Ye has performed on some of theworld’s most important stages with rave reviews. She has been heralded as, "Unavoce per Papa Francesco" by La Gazzetta dello Spettacolo. Ms. Ye was the first AsianCanadian to perform at the annual Christmas concert for Pope Francis in Rome,Italy.

The second paragraph is the perfect segue to begin speaking about her early career andeducation:

"Voice like an angel," claimed La Presse, which has been the shared opinion ofmany since her early career. Lu Ye obtained a BA Degree in China at the age of 21and continued studying vocal technique, interpretation, and performing art, alongwith music history, Italian art and Italian literature history.

Stick to the facts about your career and influences, but make it sound pretty! Two of thebiggest mistakes people make are opposite extremes.

-Paragraphs that look like lists. Boring! Check out this example:

Other notable commissions have come from cellist Caroline Stinson (Lark Quartet),pianist Pamela Mia Paul (University of North Texas), the Amherst SaxophoneQuartet (funded by the American Composers Jerome Composers CommissioningProgram), the University of Texas - Austin Wind Ensemble, the US Air Force Bandof Mid-America, the Japanese Wind Ensemble Conductors Conference, and theCalgary Stampede Band, as well as many others. Recordings include multiple

releases by Eugene Corporon and the University of North Texas Wind Symphony,the Ron Hufstader and the El Paso Wind Symphony, William Berz and the RutgersUniversity Wind Ensemble, and Thomas Leslie and the University of Nevada, LasVegas Wind Orchestra.

-The other extreme is a bio that is so off-beat that you can read a whole paragraph andlearn absolutely nothing! See this example:

ABC Band’s music takes you on a lyrical journey that you’ve never been on before.One minute they’re rockin’ hard, the next you get a slow jam. One listen and you’llfeel moved to tap your feet and get hooked on their sonic boom.

Huh?

Make it easy on yourself and stick to 3 or 4 paragraphs. For basics, you can follow thismodel:

Paragraph 1: Tell everyone your name/business name, where you’re from, and what youdo. Try and come up with some sort of “hook.” Perhaps it’s your most notedaccomplishment or a quote from a knockout source.

Paragraph 2: Do your best to smoothly segue into your beginnings. Who influenced you?What is your education? Walk us through how you became whatever you are.

Paragraph 3: Highlight your professional accomplishments. A lot of times, this thirdparagraph ends up being the longest. Feel free to braaaaaag.

Paragraph 4: Here is where you speak about projects that are “in the works” and whereyou hope to go. This is also the portion that will need the most updating as time passesand you start completing what’s “in the works.”

Here are a few more tips to really make it polished:

• Less is more. The only person who cares to read your four-page bio is you, andmaybe your mom. Edit text down to the essentials. Holding the reader’s attentionis key!

• Keep it well rounded. When writing a bio, don’t forget to include your past,present and future career.

• Ask for help. If you are very insecure with your writing chops, it doesn’t hurt toreach out and hire someone who does this for a living. There are tons of resourcesfor writing professionals that are affordable.

• Check yourself. This seems like an obvious point, but with spelling andgrammatical errors abound on the Internet it seems that some people have missedthe boat on this one. Every word processing program has grammar and spellcheck. Those red squiggly lines are there to help you!

In addition to a bio, you also need a well-written description of your business. Describethe product keeping all 5 senses in mind. Sell us on your stellar service. Answer anyquestions someone may have about your product/service, but keep it to approximately 3paragraphs. A list of bullet points is also a nice addition. Imagine this info being on thelanding page of your website, or a part of your Linkedin profile.

3. Acclaim/Testimonials:

Here is the single best tool to get people to do business with YOU!

Imagine wandering onto the website of a person who offers a service you are in themarket for. The website seems nice, the price is right and it seems like the right choice.But that little voice is in the back of your head saying, “I don’t know this person. I hopethey don’t disappear with my money!”

Now imagine that same website with a testimonials page. You scroll through it and thereare dozens of raving reviews, some from businesses you’ve actually heard of, singing thepraises of this company. Would that quell that little voice? I bet it would!

So many people underestimate the power of acclaim. It is a necessary tool to have in yourmarketing toolbox. Never ever miss an opportunity to get a quote from someone you’veworked with and ask their permission to put that quote on your website.

Did you perform last week? Ask the venue owner/manager for a quote. Just finishedmakeup for a bridal party? Get quotes from the girls. Do you have 20 clients? Ask themfor a few kind words. And it doesn’t stop there. Anyone you’ve done business with is acandidate for acclaim.

Feel funny about asking? Offer them a sparkling quote in return!

Traditionally, press quotes or acclaim are just another sheet of paper in your press kitfolder. However, these testimonials can be used in so many different instances, that’swhy acquiring as much as you can is important. They should have a dedicated page onyour website, use them in press releases, a bio, steal one for a poster, your websitehomepage…the opportunities are endless!

4. Your Product/Service:

In a musician’s press kit, obviously this is some sort of demo or full-length CD, but formarketing purposes, replace it with whatever your product or service is.

If you are marketing a tangible product, there has to be a way to let potential customerssee it. A well-written description along with full specs to answer any questions someonemay have. On that note, a list of FAQ’s may not hurt either.

• Professional photos with great lighting of your product are the way to go. Thebetter it looks in a photo, the more likely someone is to buy it.

• Video demonstrations will give you a huge advantage. Perhaps a model wearingyour clothing, an actor eating your cookies, or you presenting that convincinginfomercial of why we NEED this product.

Go online and scour the web for other sites that sell a similar product see how theypresent it. Note their photos, videos, galleries, etc…write a list of what you like and whatyou don’t.

5. Branding:

When you think of branding, you probably think of major companies like Coca Cola andVerizon. Their logos come easily to mind and you’d recognize the company colorsanywhere.

Only major businesses need to think about stuff like that. Right? Wrong!

Every single person who is running a business, whether you’re an individual running asmall online business or an actual brick and mortar storefront, can benefit from creating abrand for him or herself.

Where do you get started?

1. Name yourself! Whether it’s your actual name or a company name, think long andhard to come up with something that isn’t going to change in a year. When it comes tocompany names, be sure to make it easy to pronounce and not confusing. If a potentialcustomer reads it, they should have no doubt what kind of business it is.

2. Be king of your domain! Once a name is chosen, head right on over to a site likewww.GoDaddy.com and see if the corresponding domain is available. No businessshould be operating these days without a website, so this part is crucial. If the domainname of your business is already taken, you have a few options. Go to the address and seeif there is an operating business with that name. If not, many domain sites will contact theowner of that domain name and allow you the opportunity to purchase it. You can alsosee if the domain will soon be up for auction. It is imperative to own the domain that

matches www.yourbusinessname.com, not .info or any other variation. If none of this isworking out, you need to go back to the drawing board and choose a new business name.

3. What do you look like? Color scheme, font, and graphics are essential to creating abrand. This is another aspect that needs to be considered very carefully. Don’t get mewrong, if you want to revamp your website in a year, or streamline a logo, that’swonderful. However, you still shouldn’t stray from the general look of the original brand.After all, this brand will be used on a website, business cards, posters, t-shirts, etc…thelist is endless!

There are so many details that go into choosing a brand, but if you have these 3, you’re inpretty good shape.

NOW YOU’RE READY!!

With these 5 elements complete, you are ready to launch virtually ANY aspect of yourmarketing plan.

For your review they are:1. Professional Photos2. Well-Written Bio3. Press/Testimonials4. Product/Service5. Your Branded Look

Your website will branded to match your business with professional photos of you, well-written content, and photos/videos of your product/service for a knockout gallery. Andthere will be a “Testimonials” page that will convince ANYONE why YOU are the oneto work with. (Not that anyone would doubt you;)

Your social media pages will also be branded to match your website so visitors will see itand know immediately that this is a professional page and who it belongs to. Even better,when you post or comment on other people’s pages what shows up immediately? Yup.Your brand!

Any print materials, whether it’s business cards, flyers, brochures, etc…will all matchyour business and be that much more effective.

The sky is the limit!

Did you have any idea it would be so easy to be a marketing rock star??You’re welcome.