How to set up a (DIY) Record Label Part-2.
A (DIY) label set up for indie bands, artists, and musicians to help push your creative journey forward!
Following on from PART 1 of — ‘How to set up a (DIY) record label’, we now take a look at some points to cover in PART 2.
Some record labels have been started by someone saying, “OK right, I’ve got a record label!” Really is it that easy to set one up?
Many of the best record labels have made it up as they’ve gone along that’s for sure!
Figuring Out Promotion!
The promotion will be critical to selling your releases.
There are a few different areas of promotion you’ll need to cover or at least think about covering, budget allowing:
- Radio: terrestrial radio, satellite radio, internet radio
- Print media
- Online media
- Clubs
- Advertising: posters, print ads, internet ads, and if you’re super flashy, TV ads
Your first decision is whether or not you will handle the promotion yourself or if you will hire someone else to do the job.
Most PR companies specialize in an area of promotion. They may cover commercial and college radio, they may cover only print media, as well.
In other words, if you hire out the work, you will likely be looking at paying several separate companies!
Although you will want to reserve the bulk of your budget for any release for promotional costs, upstart indie labels may not have enough money to hire outside PR for all parts of a promotional campaign.
To cope with your budget constraints, there are a few options:
- Do all of your promotions in-house. If you have never done promotion work before, you will need to do some groundwork, like building up a press database.
- Hire PR for certain parts of a campaign. If you think you can handle print and web promo yourself, but you aren’t sure how to navigate the radio, for instance, this is the way to go.
If you are going to be doing your own press, and the whole experience is new to you, be sure to build in some extra time before your first release to make your promo plan.
To find out more about ‘How to set up a (DIY) record label’ — Part 2 check out the podcast link below with some useful tips;
The Entertainment Engine podcast provides interesting tips and useful information to help you navigate the set-up of a (DIY) record label.
We hope you enjoy this podcast, so please share the show with one of your friends plus you can also subscribe to the show on all your favourite platforms including; Spotify, Apple, Castbox and many more.
We look forward to sharing more podcasts and blogs with you all over the coming weeks and months!
By Pete Moore
