Pre-Release Story
I spent four years of my life studying music industry at a university.
I took classes in music theory and history, legal aspects of the industry, how to start and manage a business, and much more.
But perhaps the most important thing I learned about marketing came from a general communication class. Sure, defining your audience and learning to run ads are incredibly important, but if you can't answer the following question, all of that is meaningless.
Because your audience will be asking themselves the same thing...
Why should I care?
Why should they care about you and your music? Why should people listen and give you their most limited resource, time?
This is a tough question for many reasons. Hopefully, you know your own why. You know why you write and why you share. But chances are, your why will not be their why.
A fair example of how this applies is in this very email. The beginning was a short story that served no purpose other than to frame a question. It was neither interesting or compelling.
I care because it's my life, but why do you care?
This is exactly what you'll face when you go to promote your next song.
But don't lose hope!
If you read any of this, read this:
Fans get invested in a good story. I took a risk and showed you an example of a not so great one at the beginning of this email, but you can avoid uninteresting stories with a bit of introspection and confidence.
So, what makes a story good?
Well, a great story is usually...
Relevant to the Audience
What do they care about? What do they want to know?
Easily Digestible
How do they talk? How can you simplify your message without losing its impact?
Unique/Unexpected
What about your story is unlike anything you've seen before? What makes it stand out?
Authentic
How can you put yourself in the story? Where is the truth, and how can you say it?
Entertaining
What is the experience of the story like? What can you do to make a strong impression?
Organizing a pre-release strategy is an excellent way to tell this story. Framing it around a call to action (such as "Pre-save my song today!") can help people get even more engaged!
One example is talking about the meaning behind the song, how you made it, and any fun experiences you had along the way. Your connection to your music is a beautiful thing, and loyal fans will love to see it.
To help with this, I recommend checking out Forever Current's Songwriting with Purpose Journal! It has everything you need to build an album and keep track of its creation. My favorite part is the "Behind the Song" section where you can take notes about the process. It's great inspiration for a pre-release story!
You can find it here: https://www.songwritingjournal.com/
Another excellent resource is Forever Current's Label Release Checklist Workbook. The LRC contains so much more about assets you can create to support your story and helpful advice on how to optimize your release. It even has a section that dives deeper into the topic of this email. Combining the two is sure to put you on the right track to a successful release!
Let us know you want that one too! https://www.labelreleasechecklist.com/
The most important thing to keep in mind is that this is your story. You need to be transparent and present and yourself. Your audience wants to support you!
And don't forget, Forever Current is here with you.
Have a great week!