Promotional best use of $?

Facebook, Soundcloud (Free for now), Mixcloud and Twitter accounts, which are all free. Build a following there then invest in Promo CD’s and post the mix to your mixcloud and soundcloud(if the mix is under 120 minutes for the free soundcloud)

If your fund is limited, limit yourself to a few promo materials just now, the free soundcloud account ( no need for the Pro one not just yet), you can just stick your mini-mix 30 mins or so in there for now, and a pack of business cards, and promo cd’s to handed out, and put the rest of your energy to making a connection/networking

Business Cards/Promo Cards and cheap data devices (CDs, old USB sticks…)

You can get 200 business cards for 20 bucks from Vistaprint I think… so no biggie.
I bought like 200 USB sticks that looked like Lego but only had 512 MB for next to nothing. Still more than enough space to put a mix on and more rememberable than CDs…

My feelings:

Souncloud Pro account: Waste of money in my book…especially if you want to upload DJ mixes. It’s pointless if they delete them due to copyright concerns. Use other services and use several so you “spread around”.

Own website: Definitely. This would be my top choice.

Business cards: Maybe. Depends on your focus. When I was doing the club/rave thing they seemed pointless. Promo CDs work as business cards when you’re doing this. However, if you’re focusing on mobile work (weddings and such) then get them. Regardless, don’t spend a lot.

Promo CDs: I like…but I’d suggest you go the DIY route. Burn them at home, later invest in a means to print on CDs, and you’re set. Duplication services cost a lot, and too often you’ll press a load of CDs but find the music has gotten “old” and thus you’ll need to do a new CD. I’ll also add you should custom-make demos to fit the promotion you’re shooting to get a spot in.

As far as promo CD’s go, I think they should be relatively short (not 60-80 minutes) and show of your mixing skills and your music choices. So, you’d only be playing short bits and pieces of tracks. And if that leads to someone saying “hey, I like that snippet, I am gonna go out and buy that track” than you will have actually done the artist a favor by bringing it to a new customers attention.

In the old days, DJs got haunted (no kidding) by pluggers giving away records for free to DJs with the express request to play it out in public as often as possible (be it club or radio). Why, because people don’t buy what they don’t know exists, right?

Obviously the scenary has changed. You can find anything that is released (and not released even) online. Still I believe that DJs are still a promoter of music, not abusers. So if you pay your dues (by paying all the appropriate rights and such for using material) then I think we as DJs deserve a little leeway.

Be sure to mention all the tracks you used and their artists on the promo-CD though!

Even though you are right about people listening to stuff on material other than CDs, I still believe that giving a physical CD as opposed to a link to a website printed on a little piece of cardboard makes a better impression. Like showing you put effort into burning the CD, making a cover and (hopefully) printing a label on it. And, many cars still have CD players, so if you have a new CD in your pocket when you drive home, you’d better believe it gets tossed in the CD slot and played in the car on the way home.

Greetinx.

I got a website setup through vistaprint when I ordered some fairly basic business cards. It didn’t cost much and since I don’t have my own registered domain name it’s not expensive to keep going, like $5 a month… I got like 500 cards and the site set up and online in one evening, it cost about $35 initially if I remember right, and then $5 a month for the website. I think it will turn out to be worth it in the long run. I’m just getting started with this and don’t know anything about websites and such, so it’s nothing special, but will provide a means for people to see my photos, and check out what it is that I can offer up… just one thing to set me apart from what is going on in this area.
I also set up a Facebook Page specifically for my business and I think I am going to stop at this for a while. I am working on having a logo made and some other stuff, which will likely cost more than the business cards and website by far… estimating at least $100-200 for what I’m wanting. This and some printed materials to use for when I meet clients, may do some other printed advertisement in local media or other things to help get my name out there, but for now, the FB page, business cards, and website are it. The logo is in the works and the big part of my marketing budget at startup.
I have never used Twitter and don’t have any smartphone or anything like that, but may look into that in the future, as well as soundcloud and a YouTube channel(this is in the works right now). I love the idea of bulk USB drives, and will look into that one! Thanks for that tip…..
The only other things I can see myself spending $$ on is possibly printed flyers for an event, at least in the near future. I think that before you spend a lot on things other than what the folks talked about above, I would consider spending some time and/or money on a logo. You can peep what I’ve got going at facebook.com/BenewahBeats or at benewahbeats.vpweb.com if any of you check it out, send me an email and let me know what you think of it so far…. any input is appreciated and can help me make it better…. Keep shining folks, Moonshadow

is twitter something you can only do on phones…. I don’t have a cell phone at all, they don’t work where I live.