Promoting your new music should start way before the release date. 

Waiting until your music is released to start promoting is way too late. Effective music promotion starts months before it’s out. 

A solid pre-release campaign can build excitement for your release, grow your audience, and turn casual listeners into real fans.  

Here’s five tips to help you get the most out of your promotion efforts during the time leading up to your release. 

But first… 

Set Your Release Date! 
Whether your music is finished or not, you need to set your release date. 

1. Find the story behind your new music and tell it 
Every album, every song, every chord has a story inside it. Your promotion efforts should tell it. 

Figure out what’s interesting and unique about your new music and tell your story in the lead up to your release. 
Promoting your own music can feel pushy or overwhelming.  
Telling your story makes it more personal and engaging. 

To figure out your story, ask yourself: 

- What inspired me to write my music? 
- Was writing it in response to something significant that happened in my life? 
- Where was I when I wrote and recorded it? 
- What are the ideas behind my music? 
- What’s the connection between me, my instruments, bandmates, and collaborators? 

These are all good questions to get you thinking about the story behind your new music. Let everything you discover guide your music promotion leading up to your release. 

2. Have a new bio and press release written and ready to go 
You’ll need to have an up-to-date music bio and press release written and ready to send to venues, blogs, press outlets or playlist curators. 

It’s important to finish your bio before your music comes out and not after. 

Why? Because whether you’re pitching to digital streaming stores, radio or your local newspaper, all music media outlets plan features and promotions months in advance. 

3. Compile a list of radio, blog, peer and press contacts 
Okay, now you’ve got a narrative around your new music along with a great bio and press release to go along with it. Who are you going to reach out to? 

Answering this question takes either a lot of time or money. PR campaigns can be a lot of work. That’s why they’re so expensive when you get someone else to do it… 
To get the most out of your promotion efforts, put a list together of everyone you want to pitch your new music to long before your release date. 

4.  Update your website, mailing list and social media accounts 
This one is obvious, but it really is important when promoting new music. 

There are so many ways to listen these days. Fans are able to reach your music from many different directions and sources. 

So make sure these sources are all up to date ahead of your release. Draft new announcements for your social media bios before your release date.

Article written by Akinwumi