I don't care how good or how marketable you think your music is, your introduction to the press will most likely determine any further progress you have after your first contact with them. Think about it for a sec, the people you're approaching don't know you from Adam Ant and you don't know them ... or who they know. This certainly isn't the time to drop the ball (as if there ever is one).

Assumption is the root of self-destruction when it comes to promoting your act. Never assume your music will sell itself when you wander outside of your comfort zone. It's better to rely on research and a smart campaign.

That First Email

I'm going to use a couple of emails I've received to illustrate both good and bad first approaches. I've replaced names so as not to improperly represent the acts.

Email #1:

Dear Programmer,

When was the last time you heard a hip-hop artist that made you sit up and give your full, undivided attention? Hi. My name is [MY NAME], manager for [THIS BAND], a rap artist in the vein of Jay-Z and DMX. [THIS BAND] will be releasing his debut album on May 2 and we would love to be added to your play list.

You can hear a preview of [THIS BAND] debut album by visiting [THIS SITE].

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

[MY NAME]

Email #2:

FAO: A&R Department

Dear Sir/Madam,

Please excuse this uninvited email, but I will explain.

I am contacting you on behalf of [THIS BAND]. A fast and exciting 3-piece band from London, England.

[THIS BAND] have just recorded their latest masterpiece [THIS ALBUM], an assault on the ears in rock 'n' roll.

They have a massive following worldwide and yet, are still unsigned!

Please, have a quick look at [THIS SITE] where you can see and hear them in action.

We are looking for a record label/promoter to take [THIS BAND] onto the next level.

For your copy of [THIS ALBUM] on CD or MP3, please just reply to this email with your details.

Kind regards,

[MY NAME]

on behalf of [THIS BAND]

PS: We found your email address under 'record label' on various search engines. My apologies if you are offended by this email. If you want to be removed, please reply stating so. Don't worry, we're not going to bombard you with emails. In fact, we will probably never email you again, and the next you will hear of us, will be on MTV with a chart topping number one, so get on the wagon quick and sign [THIS BAND] to YOUR record label!

Now that you see both sides of the spectrum, let me try to explain the whys and why nots. If you haven't figured out which one is which, then you need this article more than I need to write it.

Let's start by breaking down Email #1. This was sent to my 'zine, which is a multi-genre genre site that features a radio stream and also offers specific submission instructions.

First of all, I was addressed as "Dear Programmer." The sender doesn't have a clue as to who I am or my position on the site, so he cordially directed his message to the most likely title ... good form.

Next was the introductory paragraph. My interest was immediately captured when I was asked about the last time I'd heard a hip-hop artist that made me sit up and give my full, undivided attention. I can't say that I've heard too many, but I'm also not a Rap fan.

The writer also introduced himself briefly and compared his artist to a couple of top names in the industry, after which he told me that this artist was preparing to release a CD and provided me a link where I could hear a preview. Lastly, I got a very personable "thank you" and a simple signature.

If it were my band I may have tried to hype it up a bit more, but overall this introduction was very good. I'd also like to mention that the subject of the email was "Airplay," which was very to the point and in line with my site's purpose. I've since replied to this email asking for a copy of the CD when it's off the press.

Now we have Email #2. Where, oh where do I start? The message subject was the band name and the album title ... separated with a hyphen. Considering the band name, I almost thought it was an ad for male enhancement drugs.

The next no-no was the author's apology for having sent me this message. Did this person also compose all those messages I get requesting help with South African funds? Don't EVER apologize for sending your first contact ... EVER! This makes you sound needy and sad.

I'll put the rotten grammar aside, even considering this band's origin ... where they speak the Queen's English, but what the hell does "a massive following worldwide and yet, are still unsigned" mean? Honestly ... who did they think they were contacting? Actually, they made that clear all over the letter.

You may also notice that I'm addressed as A&R. I am not a label, promoter or sir/madam ... nor am I listed as such on any search engine or directory. It all goes back to research people ... don't arbitrarily add addresses to your email lists and make sure that the lists you do build are targeted. Labels should have their own list. Publications should have their own list. Radio stations should have their own list. ETCETERA!!! I hope I don't have to reiterate this point ... EVER ... because this will be a defining factor concerning your first contact, but I digress.

Getting back to our letter, the "P.S." paragraph is the one that really got me. It's filled with a lie, another apology and another lie ... topped off with a healthy helping of bullshit.

The Lie: This person apparently found my name under 'record label' on several search engines. I did some searches just to back up my next sentence. I don't come up under that search phrase on any search engine that I checked ... not even the obscure ones.

The Second Apology: It's painfully obvious, but if I have to spell it out; "My apologies if you are offended by this email." Even worse than the first apology.

Another Lie: Not that I was worried that I'd be bombarded by these emails, but I was bombarded all the same. I subsequently got five of this exact message to each of three inboxes, therein not being the last email I'd receive.

A Healthy Helping: I smell a telemarketer here. Jump on signing us before we end up on MTV with a chart topping number one? This statement both insulted my intelligence and gave me a mental image of a pretty ignorant marketing dept. I was under the impression that number one was the top of the chart (double negative?). And, if you have the cash to produce an MTV worthy video, then why are you begging for a record contract? If I were this band and saw this email, I'd have fired this f-ing asshole!

Do I sound angry? If I do, it's because the person that sent me this email may very well have destroyed the band's chances of getting any kind of a break. I researched them and found that they have no history, no street smarts and even worse ... no press.

I received this email from a third party representative and was able to listen to these guys via their site. They're good, but there's a good chance no one will ever know that. After getting with a few of my contacts, I found that they'd also gotten several emails from this act and deleted them.

Use Your Tools Wisely

To put it to you bluntly, I work hard and my colleagues work hard too. Most of us hold down full-time jobs and fill our free time with our love for music by working from home and on our breaks. Yes ... even Rolling Stone writers are mostly freelance, so they essentially have two lives. We don't have the time nor the inclination to entertain the fanciful whims of every band that thinks they deserve to be in the top 10.

Source guides and directories are great resources for contacts. There are a lot of valuable networking opportunities to be had, but in the wrong hands these resources can be detrimental ... and not just to the abusers.

The Indie Bible is probably the ultimate source for networking and exposure in the music business. The potential for marketing outlets is consistently updated and Dave Wimble, the author, takes special care to make sure that no stone goes unturned. He's got a special problem, though. Contacts are asking to be removed from the book due to careless emails they get from people that fire off form messages to every address they find there.

This behavior doesn't just affect the artists that try to make contact, but those who use his book responsibly. Valuable contacts are now unavailable to those who take the time to research their proper markets.

"Because of this sort of repeated laziness, I've had many companies request that they be removed from the Indie Bible," says Wimble, "I can't blame them for being frustrated. I would be too."

This seems to be the consensus across the board with many of these services. The bottom line is that your actions can directly affect the efforts of others ... so think hard about it and RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH!

Last But Not Least

Your first contact is a statement about you and your act. While you're learning to network, your targets have already networked and they do interact with each other. Don't kill yourself publicly by creating weirdness between you and the people you depend on for exposure. Remember, you never get a second chance to make that first impression.