Customer Reviews

Music Success In Nine Weeks

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is an expensive, little manual that may be worth its weight in gold many times over for the right person. But that last provision is a critical one. I have had years in sales, marketing and public relations and can tell you that everything you need to launch a successful venture (whether that's in music or something else) is not only here but in a clear, concise, viable form that would be easy to implement--from the elevator pitch to optimizing your web site to grad-school in the use of social media. There is great networking advice and how-to's on formatting a press release and/or choosing a publicist.

This book's list of resources sent me to its Internet, and I am grateful for the straight dope on how to use the technical tools now out there. Too often our myopic friends at Face Book, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube assume we already know what we need to know. If time is money Music Success can save you a bundle. And the wisdom is solid: (from the section on networking) "The biggest goal of networking is: be Memorable. How do you do that? Simple: The more that they talk, the more memorable you are."

But here's the catch. Most people I've dealt with believe their product or service will, given the right opportunity, sell itself. Nothing sells itself. But having that correct orientation doesn't come easily. That's what I mean by the "right person." We are ego driven and blind to what works for others, so caught up in personality we don't realize (or appreciate) what it takes to cut through the clutter. Ariel Hyatt is right in starting with a chapter on "Getting Mentally Prepared," but I just bet many impatient readers will skip over what it says. My advice, read that chapter in the bookstore and if you do what it says, go back and buy the book--you've passed the test. If you don't, well as they say in show-biz, "Don't give up your day job."

What I would have added are concrete examples of how a musician or group actually do their pitch, have an ideal web site and/or use social media to build a fan base. I understand what the author is asking us to do but it would be much more compelling if I could experience it through what someone else has already done successfully. But I love the fill in the blanks tasks: "Ideas for getting your funnel filled, "What is the most interesting thing about you/your band as a story?" or "Start with blogs that you like and then list and check out 50 other blogs they link to."

Now if only I could sing or play an instrument.

[...]

This book is packed with everything you need to know as a working musician in the digital age!!! Step by step instructions of how to build your fan base and how to create an internet presence!!! This is a must have book! I've worked as a touring musician for years, had a website since 1997 and this book opened my eyes to so many things I had missed and quite frankly, did not know existed on the net!!! You will not be sorry, you'll be busy instead!!!

Ariel's "Music success in 9 weeks" is one of the best products I have ever purchased. The reason I say that is because she tells you step by step how to get your music career on point in this time of change. There is so much going on with the internet and marketing has changed so much that it is necessary for us to get informed. She teaches you about branding yourself, following through with newsletters and email list building.

There is so much information, I could not begin to share it here. Then she followed up with building a Mastermind group for people who have the book. This is one of the necessary things that Napoleon Hill talks about in his hugely successful book 'Think and Grow Rich'. Ariel really knows what she is doing and I am proud to support her. I have never seen such a perserverant, knowledgeable, fire-starting music promoter.

I've read so many books that tell you exactly how to negotiate with your superstar manager and major record label as you're signing on the dotted line, assured of millions. I think if I ever find myself in that position, I don't think I would be consulting a book. But with all the social networking sites out there, how do I know which ones really matter? What can I do on my own to pump up my upcoming show? How can I fully take advantage of the new wave of internet technology hitting the scene BEFORE everyone else figures it out? Ariel's book will answer all of these questions and MANY more. It's a real world book full or real world advice for an independent musician living and working in the real world.

We've all spent time asking "What can I do to promote my band?". This book not only gave me a plethora of resources and instruction, it lit a fire under my a** and got me out there promoting like a mad man. If you're looking for a healthy heaping of advice, instruction, and motivation, this is the book for you. BUY IT. It's a little pricy for a paperback, but it's much cheaper than hiring someone to explain this all to you. I would equally recommend "The Indie Band Survival Guide" that Ariel's expertise is quoted in.

Ariel Hyatt is a music publicist who's reinvented her practice to utilize social media and other on-line channels. Her book provides nine weekly lesson plans for developing your own on-line profile, including suggestions for optimizing your website, blogging, building a mailing list, creating a newsletter, involving your fans with surveys, and building a "continuum program" that incentivizes on-going purchases. The book is task-driven rather than theoretical, with the first written exercise happening only four pages into chapter one. This necessarily leaves out some detail that might be helpful; for example, the suggestion of offering a free MP3 doesn't indicate you must clear all the rights (including a mechanical license for cover songs), and the section on optimizing your website doesn't mention SEO. One could argue these topics are outside the book's scope, but a pointer to follow-up resources would be helpful.

Hyatt stresses the point that many musicians are reluctant to market themselves, and she wisely reframes the musician's career as a business. She points out that a musician who thinks their only job is to make good music is an idealist who's not really interested in having anyone hear their work. The steps she outlines will be difficult for some artists to carry out, but taken one at a time, and broken down into smaller tasks, they become part of your larger job as an artist. Her experience as a publicist, and particularly her understanding of what will get people's attention, is the key to her pitch. She provides compelling advice on how to connect with those who can help advance your career, garnering you more fans, gigs, rehearsal space, private shows, interns, and, eventually, money. She provides valuable guidance on how to make your press kit work on a web site, noting who will be visiting your website and for what purpose.

The downside to this book its brevity. The 184 page count includes 25 pages of fill-in-the-blanks worksheets (which can more cheaply be completed in the blank notebook Hyatt advises you to get), 11 lined end-chapter notes pages, and 43 "bonus" pages on traditional PR. The bonus sections are helpful, but don't speak to the book's stated on-line theme. Finally, though one might expect a publicist to publicize herself, the promotion of Hyatt's PR services on page 82 and the four pages of her company's offerings (including the ethically ambiguous ReviewYou dot com) at the back of the book seem opportunistic, especially given the book's high list price. Hyatt knows her stuff, and these exercises will methodically help you develop your business as a musician; just don't be disappointed by the page count. 3-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2010 hyperbolium dot com]

Ok, so I rated this book and the 9 week experience very highly. Big whoop right! After all who am I to you and why should you pay attention. Well here's the answer if you are a musician - I'm you. I'm the guy in his fourth band, recording and producing music, selling it on the internet and in local stores, getting nominations for award shows, playing shows etc. What was amazing to me about this experience is that never in a million years would I ever have considered myself techie illiterate. Everything I do revolves around technology, computers, the internet, etc. even my day job but as I started to read the book a whole new world that I had never been introduced opened up. As a daily internet user I was stunned how many corners and avenues to explore I had completely missed and as a result of this book am now working to take advantage of. I would say that so far this has been the most influential book about viral marketing on the internet for us musician types that I have read. It comes complete with models, how tos, and even site lists of places and people you can check out and use. I recently was able to recommend this book to a member of COMBO (Colorado Music Business Organization) at one of our monthly meetings with complete confidence that the experience will change that artists life and view point of sucess. Additionally along with the book you get the opportunity to particpate in one of the sucess 9 week blog challenges. The challenge is great, meet new people with similar goals, discuss ideas, and I think you can expect an overall improvement to your technique and product. Bottom line is if you are a indie musician you need this book! Thanks Ariel and team for all that I've learned!

bryannamosh

Core Zero Music LLC

www.corezeroband.com

contact@corezeroband.com

What a great aid to the independent musician. There are some quite substantial business ideas presented in a simplistic, digestible and practical way. How many people have mental objectives but never quite get round to putting them on paper. Creating your Pitch is marketing communications without the jargon. Optimising you website, pushing you into engaging on the internet, creating newsletters, building an email list and networking tips are the building blocks required for any business. The book is quite deliberate in its objective as it guides you step-by-step on how to go about building a fan base.

Will you be successful at the end of nine weeks. Well, that depends on how you define success. But you will be much better positioned than when you started and you will have given yourself a real chance at making a living from your art.

This book is a great step by step process for todays music market. I loved it because if you tell yourself that you will read a chapter each week and follow the assignments(which are creating marketing plans, creating blogs about your music, etc.)--it is not so overwhelming(compared to many music marketing books). Ariel is a top notch promoter giving lectures all over the world--so you are in good hands but she writes in a way that musicians can understand. I felt very connected as I was reading this to my best marketing mind & she put vigor in my marketing plan for our new CD!!

This book is a must-read for people who want to achieve music success as an indie artist. Its 9 week plan allows you to easily digest information and focus on a specific course of action. So many times as a musician I'll think, oh i need to do this and this AND THIS and THIS too, and I get overwhelmed with the magnitude of it all. This book allows you to simplify objectives, evaluate where you be most effective, and plan your attack accordingly. It helps you understand the importance of consistently remaining connected with your audience, and how you can never exhaust all possibilities of growing a fan base and creating a deeper fan support.

Two words of advice, well three. #1 get the book :)

#2 Apply its steps intentionally . A diet plan only works if you stay away from the oreos. To benefit from the wealth of knowledge found inside the book, do the exercises, even if they seem too simple, or you can't relate the benefit directly. When someone buys your CD, they're not going to say, it's because of the 5th blog you wrote last April. But in some way, you connected with them and it translated into $$$ or you! Plus, I'd rather have a list of simple tasks than overly complex ones, and the easy format makes the steps very tangible for me to accomplish.

#3--Be a part of the book's community. Get the most bang for your buck and join the community that DEVELOPED because so many musicians have found this book helpful. Network!! learn from each other, ask questions. The book's community has been priceless to me... WELL WORTH the $30-something dollars you pay for the book.

This book isn't just a hammer, it's a whole toolbox. USE the tools and YOU will have success. :) Happy reading!

This is a book specifically written to show musicians how to promote their bands. I'm not a musician, so you might wonder why I would be interested in reviewing it. Some years back I was involved in band publicity in a very small way. My son studied piano and guitar. He played in a number of local bands and they cut a few CDs. At one point he envisioned a career in the music world. Aside from being an appreciative audience, I helped with publicity and started a web site for him. Although he is now involved in other pursuits, such as raising a family, music is and always will be a part of his life. And now my two grandsons are on the brink of starting piano and guitar lessons. Who knows, I may be promoting them one of these days so I read Music Success in Nine Weeks by Ariel Hyatt with an eye to the future. Wow, have I been out of touch. There is so much more to promoting these days.

Ariel Hyatt has solid credentials. She founded Ariel Publicity & Cyber PR, a music publicity firm in 1996 and she holds workshops and boot camps to teach musicians how to achieve success.

I was very impressed with her step by step guide. She doesn't miss a thing. The book is packed with great ideas. So much has changed and so many new avenues for publicity have been opened up by the digital age it's easy to miss what might be an important step to success.

With week one the author begins by creating an atmosphere for setting realistic goals then week two teaches you how to write a good pitch to describe your music. Next she tells you how to optimize your website and get visitors to join your fan base. Week four is all about Cyber PR, using social networking sites to connect with fans. In week five you will be creating your blog and in week six a band newsletter. In week seven you will learn how to grow a healthy fan email list. The internet is important but you still need an offline presence. Week eight shows you how to connect with people in person. Week nine helps you create a product line, CDs, tee-shirts, etc. the book may seem high priced but it's well worth it and you also get a free lifetime membership to Hyatt's closed online Mastermind Forum where you get support and can meet other musicians.

Ariel's book is not a lot of hype and self promotion. She teaches musicians how to promote themselves. A lot of the advice is applicable to other professions, especially artists and photographers. The book is easy to read and fun to follow. I recommend it to anyone who is serious about getting more publicity and is willing to devote nine weeks to doing it.