An Artist's Guide to Getting Press

This is a blog from the job but I figure all artists artists trying to get press could benefit from it.

We get a lot of strange, psycho, ignorant, cantankerous and [insert adjective here] phone calls and emails here at “Tha Office,” from people who want to get press–everyone from Up Your Ass Entertainment to Ya Momma N’em Productions (I’m joking but not really). The problem is, most of the time, people don’t even know who they should speak to or don’t really have anything worthwhile to push. So, here are some tips for artists, managers and publicists looking for coverage.

1. Don’t be abrasive, pushy and in a lot of cases, psycho.
For magazines: Don’t call the main number incessantly insisting on talking to an editor but not knowing whom. It would help if you’ve done your research and knew a specific magazine section, and the editor presiding over it–by the way, the Editor-in-Chief is never the right person to go for because he or she is almost always too busy to talk to you (go for assistants instead). Read the masthead (the page in the front of the book that tells you who’s who on staff), that’s what it’s there for. Timing is also important. Unlike the web, magazines are on a schedule so before you bombard anyone with music, find out what issue they’re working on first and plan accordingly. When it comes to the web, don’t e-stalk writers/editors via Facebook, MySpace (especially if their page is private), Twitter, and email. It’s a surefire way to get blocked and therefore, nothing accomplished.

2. Try, try again.
Your pitch may not work the first time but as you progress as an artist and get a bigger resume, you acrue a bigger interest-factor. Don’t be discouraged.

3. Be productive.
No one cares that your boys and Mom Dukes think you’re hot. You have to have some solid accomplishments in order to be taken seriously. You don’t necessarily have to be signed but at least work toward opening a show for a known artist, set up your own college tour, or sell an astronomical amount of music on your own (500,000 in the hood or along those lines). Just show that you’re serious about your craft and have a good following.

4. Be patient. Journalists are busy. Understand that when you contact us, you’re probably one in a long line of hundreds. You may not get a response for days, and sometimes weeks (and months in extreme cases), but just chill out. We need time to review your product. And in the case that you never get a response, there could be a number of reasons why. Maybe we never got it, maybe we intend to get back to you but got sidetracked, maybe we don’t like what you have to offer, or maybe it’s not appropriate for our audience (which goes back to doing your research). But no matter what…

5. Get a thick skin.
Don’t take everything personal. Yes, certain people are assholes and certain situations suck, but it’s not always an intentional snub. And even if it is, keep in mind that you may CLICK HERE FOR MORE