The process of arranging a release is a very tasking aspect of music. While planning a release, you’ll need to set in place music promotion, marketing, campaigns, media commercials, PR work, emailing, structure creation, and connecting with people. The operation might take anything from a few weeks to many months to finish. It may be strenuous and exhausting, but the end effect will be well worth it if done right. Whatever you want to release – an LP, an EP, a single, an album, etc. – you must do the necessary by prioritizing a few key aspects. This post will provide you with a checklist that you may use to prepare for your newest release.
Understand Time and Seasons
Timing necessitates a thorough examination of each aspect of the production to find the appropriate time for it. Releasing Christmas songs in April would be unrealistic and difficult because the song would do better if released in December. If a song or album is about spring, releasing the song in summer may not be the ideal decision. Thus, you must choose a reasonable timeline for your production based on its subject.
Financial plans
You will never be able to finish well if you do not have a budget for your production and intended release. A budget is a precise financial plan that specifies what you’ll need money for and how much you’ll need to do everything you desire. Once you’ve put out your release plan, perform some research to determine the cost of each task. You’ll save a lot of time, money, and frustration by doing so. When it comes to budgeting, you must be cautious and disciplined. Don’t try to do it alone; instead, collaborate with pros from other disciplines and sectors to plan and budget for your music production.
A perfect release date
Knowing when to release your music and in what season isn’t enough. You must schedule the release of your music. The release date is crucial in your production since it will help you speed things up and avoid wasting time. It will also provide hope to your supporters in the run-up to your release. It will aid in raising public awareness and media impact. You must keep the release date in mind while deciding on a release date so that you have adequate time to accomplish the necessary pre-release chores. For single releases, a release date of 6 to 8 weeks from the time you’re developing your release plan is a solid alternative. EPs, LPs, and albums, for example, may take a minimum of 10 – 30 weeks of planning ahead of time.
Financial support
Money is said to be the vehicle for change in any project. No matter how small your project might be, money is an important factor you must never underrate. There are several funding options you can leverage for outstanding production. You can take advantage of the Show4me crowdfunding service to get fans and supporters from around the world to support your new release. All you need to do is to create an artistic page and enjoy the options available. You can also leverage other monetizing options like the preorder and presale options, sponsorship by individuals, groups, or a record label, etc.
Promotion and media strategy
You need to make noise about your upcoming release if you sincerely want fans to thirst for it and you want to make an instant hit upon release. For an effective release, you need a massive media and promotion strategy that will sell the song for you. You can start with creating short and compelling videos and/or writing a few newsletters and blogs about the song describing the story and goal behind the song. Let them know why you are working on this current release, who are those that should care about it or listen to it, let those people know why they are your target audience and why they should care about your upcoming song. Effective use of your social media pages, your website, your artistic pages, etc to get your fans motivated and gyrated for the release is of key importance. You can also partner with media influencers, media houses (paper, radio, or TV), PR and advertising agencies in helping you with a massive media campaign ahead of your release.
Artworks and promotional pictures
Assemble a captivating visual and artwork for your release. Each release must have its artwork to make your work respectable and design it properly. Because artwork commonly accompanies audio recordings, it is necessary to develop it ahead of time. Depending on the style of artwork your music demands, additional duties may be required to accompany the artwork. Make careful to incorporate these events while preparing your release calendar. Give yourself a maximum of 21 days to complete the artwork, especially if it involves additional hobbies. Make sure your advertising visuals suit the song’s genre as well as your brand’s overall message. Your promotional image should be professional and eye-catching. It’s also a good idea to work on your advertising image’s editing.
Marketing and Handling
For every artist attempting to reach a global audience, distribution has become an essential tool. When it comes to building your artist brand on a global scale, getting your song on music platforms like Show4me, iTunes, Spotify, and Tidal, among others, is a good place to start. Distributors are professionals in making sure your music reaches as many people as possible. Several factors should be examined while choosing a distribution provider, including cost and functionality. Artists may make use of low-cost services, superb system functionality, and excellent professional assistance with the Show4me music platform. In this circumstance, the ability to choose a release date and allow for a presale campaign are two critical factors to consider. If you want to put your music on Show4me, it may have a significant impact on your marketing approach. You may have your fans pre-purchase a song/album on Show4me, or they can pre-save the song/album before it is released.
Conclusion
A strategic, detailed, and well-planned series of activities will lead to a successful output. Planning for a release is not something that should be done with levity or in a rush, you must carefully take your time and plan for your music if you don’t want to get angry about the result. You can leverage on a music platform or network like show4me as you plan your new release. With Show4me, you will get to create an artistic page that you can use to get closer to your fans, you can crowdfund for money to support you, you get to leverage the available professional support in making a hit, and you get to use all these services without stress or heavy cost.
