Category: English

English · This & That

Mario Christiani (CEO Music2Deal) at the European Forum in Athens

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“I was pleased to be at the European Forum in Athen, as Music2Deal was the international supporter and moreover I also presented Music2Deal on a panel.

The European Forum was held with the European Music Day Association (http://www.europeanmusicday.gr) during the Music Day events of Athens (19,20 & 21st of June 2013). Moreover it was also a great opportunity to meet the representatives of Music2Deal Greece and Music2Deal Hungary/Czech Republic.

The Greek network of the European Music Day is (though the crisis) one of the most active of Europe. Some facts will probably convince you!

This year’s edition hosted an European Cultural Forum, 3 open discussions, 50 lifelong learning workshops and music events in 28 cities, in 210 locations with more than 400 events, presenting 495 bands, DJs, choirs or orchestras… all in all more than 2.500 musicians.

To be honest: for someone from Hamburg it was also nice to stay in Athens as it was warm and sunny. The 1st meeting with the other participants was at the roof of the hotel at the bar and the swimming pool. A really great view on Athens and a wonderful relaxed situation to get in contact to the other participants. There were a lot of very high recommended and nice people from other European countries and it was interesting and fun to talk with them.

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The next day we went to the European Cultural Forum with the topic:  The role of Clusters for the development of the Music Sector. The forum was held at the Hellenic Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, Culture and Sports. There were more than 80 representatives of various European organizations, institutions and enterprises of the music sector.  The aim was to point out the important contributions that the state, social actors, universities, NGOs and the private sector can make in relation to cluster creation.

One great solution was presented at the end of the forum with the EURICCA Initiative. The European Music Cluster is a Project of the EUROPEAN RESEARCH & INNOVATION AGENCY FOR CULTURAL CLUSTERS (EURICCA) aiming to create a Contact Point for all professions of the European Music Sector (in the wider sense).

– EURICCA Initiative   http://www.euricca.eu/

Of course Music2Deal is a part of this great initiative!

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After a long day in the ministry we were invited for a visit and a party at the roof of the town hall.

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It was a nice party (with a lot of good talks!) which I left later for going out for dinner with some very nice participants. And it was not just a dinner … it was amazing as we had dinner at the roof of the restaurant with a view to the Acropolis. 

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On Thursday I was on the panel of the open discussion of “Internet and New Media for the support of Vocational and Educational Training of Musicians”. This was a discussion on how internet, new technologies, digital opportunities, social media and blogs can help music and vocational education. The open discussion showed how the common needs of export and promotion of musicians are associated with a lifelong learning process and self-management.

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After many nice talks with my current representative, new partners and a new representative, I left Athens on Friday for a nice weekend on a Greek Island. Here are some impressions :-)”

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 Mario Christiani

–CEO Music2Deal 

 

 

English · Tips

6 Guerilla Marketing Tips For Your Band

Music2Deal2 Comments

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Especially when you have a small budget, Guerilla Marketing can be the right way for you to promote your band. It is a marketing tactic which is famous for surprises and unconventional interactions. The following tips will show you that you don’t always need wide-spread media campaigns in order to promote your music.

1.   Stamping Dollar Bills
Go and get a personalized stamp with the link to your band’s homepage. You can also add a cheeky slogan like “This is all you have to pay for a night full of fun” (for example if your concert tickets cost 20$) and put the stamp on every 20$ bill that falls into your hands. A personalized stamp will cost you about 15$.

2.   Temporary Tattoos

There are temporary tattoos that only last up to 1 or 2 days. So why not do something crazy and get a ‘tattoo’ of your band’s name and the link to your website on your arm, your leg …or even your forehead? With your new look, you can go to a concert for example or almost anywhere where you can meet people who are interested in music.

3.   Surprise Concert

Why don’t you give a surprise concert in the city-center or at any other place that’s crowded? Distributing flyers and CD’s will help people remembering who you are. Don’t forget to mention where your next gig takes place so people can come and see you again.

4.   Business Cards and Flyers

Go to your local library or bookstore and search for books about music or band biographies. Put one of your flyers or business cards in each and every book. This is a very cheap and effective way to reach your potential fans.

5.   Disco Time
Do you still have the stamp you used for stamping the 20$ bills? Good, because you will need it again! Many clubs use stamps to mark the people who already paid admission. So why shouldn’t it be your stamp that is used? Go and ask the organizer of the event if he would agree to use your stamp for one night. People will remember the link to your website even on the next day! ( The ink seems pretty permanent even after having a shower, doesn’t it? ;-) )

6.   CD-Store

Here is a special offer for your local CD store the owner just can’t dislike: Ask him if you can give a little concert in (or in front of) the store. He could also give away your CD’s for free or for a special price. This is a mutual benefit: Promotion for your band AND for the CD store.

What are your tips for effective Guerilla Marketing?

by Sara Shirazi

English · Tips

5 Things You Should Avoid When Making Music

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1.      Working on songs you don’t like

If you want your songs to be really good, you should have FUN working on them. You can work on a song for hours but if you don’t put your heart into it, it will never have that certain “Je ne sais quoi” – and people will hear that.

2.      Not coming to an end

A typical phenomenon in the music industry is the constant urge to edit a song over and over again. Many people find it hard to come to an end and to finish a project, so they keep rearranging the audio track and rewriting the lyrics. Congratulations, you will be getting nowhere if you are caught up in this loop of indecision! Remember: You can only make progress and improve yourself if you finish something and start with a new project, a new idea!

3.      Working together with annoying people

If you are not working on a commercial song, you can pick the people you want to work with by yourself. Nothing will stress you more out than a studio partner who is always late, who has nerve-racking habits or useless ideas. So make a wise decision concerning your co-workers!

4.      Wearing blinders

Maybe you are used to a certain way of producing your songs. This way might not be bad but you should prevent yourself from wearing blinders all the time. If you try out new things, like a new technique or a different musical genre, your music will take a big step forward. Not only you, but also your listeners will benefit from this development for sure.

5.      Being distracted

If you let yourself distract from other people, the phone, the TV, the radio … you can sure as hell not work on your song in a concentrated way. Being focused is the key to success. That doesn’t mean that you can’t have a break while producing. Going for a short walk or for dinner with friends can be fun and refreshing – and you will have the energy to carry on with your work afterwards. Focused and productive!

by Sara Shirazi