Best MARKETING approach?

[mario.junicic]

Hello!

What is in your opinion best marketing approach for classic studio? Or in my case residential one...
I want to hear your opinion and : what marketing method brig you some new clients (except your old satisfied clients recommendation).

I already own studio in mid-size town for more than 10 years now and I have my regular clients. I will not get any more local clients than I have know.
My only marketing is my recordings and satisfied customers - I don't have web site or any kind of adds.
BUT I will build new residential studio(bigger and more expensive than my current ) and I will lose some regular clients. I need new one outside my local 50-100km radius.
So, I must figure it out - how to market my new studio?

Target Clients :
- pop-rock bands
- solo musician
- vocal groups
- jazz bands
- smaller classical groups
- speech
- commercial

Things to consider:
- cost-effective method
- easy to do - I will do it myself (no extra staff to do it)

Q:
I know that the answer is combination of few or many methods - but in which order?
Most important / not important method?

Some methods for eg :
- great web site with lots of information/pictures
- E-mail marketing - make huge music-related contact list and send them - news letters
- free links to other smaller music web sites
- free-adds magazines (web and paper)
- advertising in music/production magazines
- advertising on big-visited web sites
- internet marketing
- google adds
- baners on music sites
- facebook
- myspace
- posters in music related places (music schools, music shops, clubs)
- connection with studio booking agencies - pay a fee and let them do all work and hope to get few clients
- other????

I'm studio owner, engineer and I have only basic knowledge and idea what to do.... :-(

Thanks for you opinion and help GS.
Sorry for my poor english.

Mario.

[Tarekith]

Originally Posted by mario.junicic

Some methods for eg :
- great web site with concise information, a few well taken pictures
- YouTube promo
- facebook
- Previous Client referrals (#1)

In my experience, those are the only ones even worth spending the time or money on.

[mario.junicic]

Originally Posted by Tarekith

In my experience, those are the only ones even worth spending the time or money on.

Youtube promo - I forgot to mention that one - but I have that in mind

So, you think that any kind of adds (free one or paid one) in adds-magazines or music ones is waste of money? That is not expensive thing to do do and it's pretty easy.

---------

Everybody - Has anyone here on GS get any job though studio link at your profile at this forum or other similar ones? I always check people web sites here on GS. But I'm just another studio owner so that will not bring any job...
Are maybe musician also check your posts and check your web-site ?

[oldeanalogueguy]

Originally Posted by mario.junicic

Hello!

What is in your opinion best marketing approach for classic studio? Or in my case residential one...
I want to hear your opinion and : what marketing method brig you some new clients (except your old satisfied clients recommendation).

I already own studio in mid-size town for more than 10 years now and I have my regular clients. I will not get any more local clients than I have know.
My only marketing is my recordings and satisfied customers - I don't have web site or any kind of adds.
BUT I will build new residential studio(bigger and more expensive than my current ) and I will lose some regular clients. I need new one outside my local 50-100km radius.
So, I must figure it out - how to market my new studio?

Target Clients :
- pop-rock bands
- solo musician
- vocal groups
- jazz bands
- smaller classical groups
- speech
- commercial

Things to consider:
- cost-effective method
- easy to do - I will do it myself (no extra staff to do it)

Q:
I know that the answer is combination of few or many methods - but in which order?
Most important / not important method?

Some methods for eg :
- great web site with lots of information/pictures
- E-mail marketing - make huge music-related contact list and send them - news letters
- free links to other smaller music web sites
- free-adds magazines (web and paper)
- advertising in music/production magazines
- advertising on big-visited web sites
- internet marketing
- google adds
- baners on music sites
- facebook
- myspace
- posters in music related places (music schools, music shops, clubs)
- connection with studio booking agencies - pay a fee and let them do all work and hope to get few clients
- other????

I'm studio owner, engineer and I have only basic knowledge and idea what to do.... :-(

Thanks for you opinion and help GS.
Sorry for my poor english.

Mario.

if the new studio is BETTER why would you lose customers?

very few people want to travel to record.
you would have to have one really redhot top quality studio to start filling it with people from other cities over 67miles away.

your best way to market is to find out who would use your studio especially with that travel!

then use the media they use to make them aware of you .

you absolutely need your own web site.
facebook maybe, but i never use it. they might (or not).
myspace is dead.

professional groups? perhaps. if they would be members.
eg clasical types.

rag indie papers for rock groups.

a good blog. build an email list. send *useful* info on a regular basis.

web ads - no
google ads - no
not cost effective

bookign agencies - yes! if you can afford them, and they work.

posters seem local. how to get them in good locations at such a distance???

[The Byre]

Well, look who it isn't!

OK, here's the deal -

1. Read 'Ogilvy on Advertising' by David Ogilvy. This is the ONLY book that the small advertiser and seeker of publicity needs to read, but it is also the book every person seeking publicity MUST read. You can get a copy on Amazon for just a few Pounds, so no big problems there.

2. Before you do anything, build a website. Never mind the YouSpace and MyTwitt things (though you can do this as well, indeed you should!) but having your own website and your own URL is vital. Buy the URL separately from the server space, so that you maintain 100% control over things. A website and own URL is what EVERY real business does. Right now, all you will have on it is the plans and all the projected room views etc. As the studio gets built, you can add these as well. (As you plan to combine the studio with another business, you will have to have two websites and possibly two URLs.)

3. Before you build your new studio, as soon as you get the planning permission and building permit, formulate a press release in a sober tone, outlining what you are going to do, together with pictures, plans etc. Have a good selection of pictures and infomation on-line where the press can access it. Send this to the local press, radio, etc. Hopefully, some of these will call and come to do an interview. In fact, I can guarantee it - the local press is always looking for stories!

4. When the studio is built, get a local dignitary (politician or better still, recording artist) to open the studio (cut ribbon etc.) and have a local music act (never some indi rock band, but something that will appeal to everybody) to entertain your guests whilst you have a nice party with lots of free drinks and good food. Again, a press release is vital!

5. Unlike most of Ogilvy's customers, you are going to use direct advertising only. Magazine ads and similar media are a waste of time and money. Direct advertising in the form of flyers, booklets, emails and (most important!) ordinary mail-shots to prospective customers is what you are going to do. This really works!

6. Once a year (or there abouts) you are going to do something that is of such importance, that you can send out another press release. Something like 'Local studio records film music' or 'Famous Steinway piano comes to Krk' or 'Krk studio first to use new recorder' or whatever it might be. This keeps you in the public awareness.

And, as always, good luck!

[jrakarl]

Originally Posted by The Byre

Well, look who it isn't!

Mate - you're dripping in great business advice. Thank you for posting this snd for youre post on the OP's other thread.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Gearslutz.com App

[Leonardo_007]

what do you understand by the term "marketing"? how is it defined?

assuming, you mean by marketing the relationship between what a customer wants and what you as a studio (owner) are able to provide the question will be:

to what extent will you be able to satisfy the needs of a customer? what do they want? and how do you survive competition within the industry of already existing top-notch studios? what are your distinctive capabilities? your specific added value?

[mario.junicic]

Thanks for plenty of information The Byre!

Originally Posted by The Byre

Well, look who it isn't!

OK, here's the deal -

1. Read 'Ogilvy on Advertising' by David Ogilvy. This is the ONLY book that the small advertiser and seeker of publicity needs to read, but it is also the book every person seeking publicity MUST read. You can get a copy on Amazon for just a few Pounds, so no big problems there.

I will order this book.. Are there any user-friendly web site (for amateurs like me) on this subject?

2. Before you do anything, build a website. Never mind the YouSpace and MyTwitt things (though you can do this as well, indeed you should!) but having your own website and your own URL is vital. Buy the URL separately from the server space, so that you maintain 100% control over things. A website and own URL is what EVERY real business does. Right now, all you will have on it is the plans and all the projected room views etc. As the studio gets built, you can add these as well. (As you plan to combine the studio with another business, you will have to have two websites and possibly two URLs.)

Do you think that I should separate clients(and marketing) completely and make 2. web site and everything else...Lots of tourist clients will visit web site - lots more then musician. So, maybe that is also good thing for studio. Everybody knows some musician so maybe it could bring some clients (form time to time). I understand that it may be little bit unprofessional that potential studio clients see that studio could be rented for vacation....


3. Before you build your new studio, as soon as you get the planning permission and building permit, formulate a press release in a sober tone, outlining what you are going to do, together with pictures, plans etc. Have a good selection of pictures and infomation on-line where the press can access it. Send this to the local press, radio, etc. Hopefully, some of these will call and come to do an interview. In fact, I can guarantee it - the local press is always looking for stories!

I'm counting on that... Good thing is that I already know press guys and been interviewed many times during years...


4. When the studio is built, get a local dignitary (politician or better still, recording artist) to open the studio (cut ribbon etc.) and have a local music act (never some indi rock band, but something that will appeal to everybody) to entertain your guests whilst you have a nice party with lots of free drinks and good food. Again, a press release is vital!

I agree.

5. Unlike most of Ogilvy's customers, you are going to use direct advertising only. Magazine ads and similar media are a waste of time and money. Direct advertising in the form of flyers, booklets, emails and (most important!) ordinary mail-shots to prospective customers is what you are going to do. This really works!

How do you expand your mailing/contact list? Do you send your promo mails to as many as addresses as you can? Is there any good source for UK music contacts on web?

6. Once a year (or there abouts) you are going to do something that is of such importance, that you can send out another press release. Something like 'Local studio records film music' or 'Famous Steinway piano comes to Krk' or 'Krk studio first to use new recorder' or whatever it might be. This keeps you in the public awareness.

Good idea!

And, as always, good luck!

Thanks for you help The Byre!