E urope - Parent Directory

Why do you need one?
One reason why you may need a barcode at all is that most stores and
online retailers require an UPC code on every product they sell. So sparing
the $750 expense, you can acquire one through Oasis or Discmakers for
“free” when you replicate your discs, or through CD Baby for a modest
$20 fee.
In the case of CD Baby the agreement does not bind you to the
company in any way, other than having them listed as your “Parent Label”
in Sound Scan’s database. They provide you with the code as an electronic
image, and you can include it in any cover art as appropriate.
How do you get credit for sales?
To ensure you are properly credited for all record sales as in the case of
Discmakers you fax the necessary forms to Soundscan (914-328-0234),
you will need a separate form for each release. Any independent artist or
band can have their retail sales tracked through Sound scan, though only a
label with two or more acts can take part in their Venue Sales Reporting
Procedure. You must also have been in business two years or more, with a
$500 fee.
I t ’s never too late
You can always purchase one afterwards and have them printed on stickers.
If you do it yourself make sure your printer is at least 720 dpi so they will
read correctly. You can easily download a shareware barcode. A s i m p l e
search for “UPC Barcode” @ http://shareware.cnet.com, or
w w w.download.com will yield many results.
A l t e r n a t i v e s
You can also go through a company (usually with a minimum order of
1,000 stickers) they will print them out for you, saving you the hassle of
doing it yourself. If you are only going to sell your product at gigs or
through alternative means, you really do not need a barcode at all. But for a
mere $20, CD baby will save you all the worry and give you many more
possibilities to sell your product.
S o u r c e s :
The Uniform Code Council: 1-800-543-8137 www. u c - c o u n c i l . o rg
S o u n d s c a n : (914) 684-5525 www. s o u n d s c a n . c o m ,
c l i e n t s e r v i c e s @ s o u n d s c a n . c o m
Note: If you do decide to bite the bullet and purchase a barcode thro u g h
the Uniform Code Council the process can take a number of weeks so
allow for that extra time.
Independent Records: 1000 stickers Single Format Registration, Price:
$55.00 - www. i n d i e r e c . c o m / s - b a r c o d e s - r e g i s t e r. h t m l
B a r Codes Talk, Inc: 888-728-4009 Florida $30.00 shipping included.
Lygia Ferra is a Singer/Songwriter, Producer and Entre p reneur based in
Los Angeles, Ca. In addition to helping with the IMB, she is actively
involved with developing the La Music Guide site (where this art i c l e
originally appeared) (www.lamusicguide.com). Please visit
w w w. l y g i a f e rra.com, for more info.
BAND AND PRESS KIT ESSENTIALS
by Richard V. Tuttell, Daily News
© 2009 All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission
♦
D e s t i n y ’s Mother-in-Law may not be the best local band in town — or
even the loudest, but they know how to attract attention. The heavy metal
g r o u p ’s marketing plan included an obvious first contact for any promotion
— their hometown newspaper. Many bands overlook this option when
promoting their CDs and gigs. What may seem stuffy and low-tech,
h o w e v e r, is a golden opportunity for getting publicity and building a local
f o l l o w i n g .
In the case of Destiny, a power trio based in eastern North Carolina,
the first step was a phone call to the editor to introduce the band, gauge
interest and find out the preferred method of submitting information. A
press kit containing, a press release, photo and CD followed this.
Press release
This is the most important piece of the promotion program. It should
answer six questions: who (the name of the band and its members), what
(the style of music, gigs, or recording being promoted), where (the location
of the performance or where the recordings are available, when (the time
and date of the show), why and how (is the show a benefit, then for whom,
why should people want to hear the band and how can people get advance
tickets or find the club or other venue?) Leave the detailed back-story, how
the lead singer while working at the Citgo station met the guitarist when he
drove in with a flat, for a later full-blown feature.
Format is just as important as content. A sloppy presentation reflects a
lack of professionalism and reduces the chances the release will run as
written, or at all. Type the release on standard letter-size sheets or submit it
as a digital text file on diskette or by email. Use plain text, which is
compatible with most computer programs and operating systems used by
newspapers. Not everybody has a copy of Microsoft Word around. If you
email your release, paste the text of the release into the body of the
message because editors are wary of opening attachments from strangers.
Write in narrative form with complete sentences (use both lowercase and
uppercase letters) rather than sending a flyer, (because it gives the band a
better shot at controlling how the information will be printed.) Be sure to
include contact information (names, phone numbers and email addresses),
just in case.
P h o t o s
D e s t i n y ’s Mother-In-Law sent a standard 8x10 black and white print,
which was fine for our paper, but I would suggest sending color prints. It
leaves open the opportunity of it being used on a feature front. If the image
is to go on an inside page a color photo can still be scanned as grayscale.
Many papers are using digital cameras and will accept digital images with
a resolution of at least 2 MPs. Submit a jpeg or tiff file on a diskette or by
email. It’s helpful to provide a paper printout to show what the digital
image looks like. You can also refer to a Web site from which the photo
can be downloaded.
D o n ’t print a digital image on your inkjet, submit it on a sheet of copy
paper and expect it to be published. The quality just won’t be acceptable.
Also avoid Polaroids that usually have poor production quality. Spend a
few bucks for a professional portrait or get a friend with a decent camera
and an eye for composition to help you out. Keep the shot tight with
members grouped closely together to avoid dead space. Filling the
viewfinder to the max allows you to decide how the photo should be
cropped rather than a photo editor.
Always attach caption information to the photo on a piece of paper
taped the back or bottom of the print. Name everyone in the photo,
identifying each person. Even if that information is already on the
accompanying press release put in the caption. Photos and releases are
often separated.
R e c o r d i n g s
Including a CD showcasing your talent is a nice touch with a press release,
but is more important when requesting a music review or feature story.
Some newspapers prefer to experience the band live and others may accept
MP3 files. Do not send your only master copy of your sure-fire hit,
because there’s often no guarantee that it will be returned.
D o n ’t be discouraged if the big metro paper rejects your submission.
For every daily paper there are about nine weeklies or other non- daily
publications, and they depend on local content
Daily newspaper editor Richard Tuttell is the author of Good Press: A n
I n s i d e r’s Guide to Publicizing Business and Community News, available
f rom Barnesandnoble.com, Amazon.com and other on-line booksellers.
This article originally appeared in Disc Makers Fast Forw a rd newsletter.
For a free one-year subscription, call 1-800-468-9353, or visit
w w w. d i s c m a k e r s . c o m .
The Indie Bible – 10 th Edition www.indiebible.com