Advice for Advertising techniques for a New Recording Studio

[coper2671]

I am one of three partner's who run a recording studio/practice room we have set up since the start of may this year. We have been doing ok in terms of business so far, on the practice room hire etc, but we have not yet got a comprehensive facility for recording larger scale sessions. We want to expand and get the recording facility boxed off and completed but we need more money to do so before we can approach the bank to get a business loan, as so far we have done everything out of our own pocket etc (a challenge within itself ill tell you now). My question is wether anybody has any advertising techniques (apart from the usual social-networking, word of mouth, poster etc) that they found helped them for setting up and any advice on how to bump up the public awareness etc.

Cheers all!

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[Toro]

top of my head myspace is dead !! you'll be surprise how cheap local advertising is on "art" news papers, small radio and tv, give something away for free, some kind of drum/guitar competition nothing crazy like a three week series the winner gets 500 bucks and cymbal or some shit or better still a free album or " record deal " a deal to make a record get it? pick niche " like we make the best sounding punk records dude "
10/4 good luck

[Remoteness]

I feel that word of mouth is your best advertising technique.

The fact that you are doing okay on the practice rooms is a good start.
All I can say is start small and build from there.
Find a few bands you believe in; record them and let them do the promoting for you.

You are only as good as the bands you keep.
Surround yourselves with quality bands and you will grow from there.

Keep building the rehearsal/practice space (maybe even expand there some more) before you build your recording room.

Do what you know best and everything else will fall into place.

I'm one that always done things out of pocket.
It may take a bit longer to do, but you never have to worry about your creditors coming after you if you come up short.

You got to ask yourselves, are we working for the bank or are we working for ourselves.

Little by little, with the right attitude and mindset you will grow into the business you always wanted.

I know this was not very helpful in suggesting the right marketing strategy, but I believe it is good food for thought.

Remember, you work should speak for itself.
Again, let the bands do the promotion for you and you will win big.

[joelpatterson]

Originally Posted by Remoteness

... and let them do the promoting for you....

Sounds simpler than it is to do, but this IS the key to building a customer base: send a select few bands (starting with the first one) out into the world with dazzling product.

It's kind of like farming, you plant the seeds, and even though it looks like immediately nothing is happening, behind the scenes fans are being roped in and listeners are being impressed and slowly, surely, your reputation is blooming.

The first stages, in my humble opinion, are all about personally connecting with talented musicians and getting them to trust you with their project. "Advertising" in papers or on posters is kind of vain and wasteful-- or "impersonal," I guess that's the real problem.

[coper2671]

Thanks everyone, it is very insightful for us to know what you all think. Our main advertising has been through word of mouth, but i think we just need to expand our customer base and try reaching out further in terms of the areas we are advertising in. I really like the idea of a competition. We will have a think exactly what we could give away!

Thanks Again All!

Project 9 Studio on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Videos