Self-Taught Fastball — Pitching for Indie Artists

Kicking off the series discussed here.

Let’s get it out of the way: asking for stuff is a pain, and it feels crummy to do. Amanda Palmer wrote a bestseller on the topic, and it can be summed up as “asking for stuff is usually difficult for artists; it’s better if you’re real with people, though.” Or, as she puts it herself, “I think people have been obsessed with the wrong question, which is ‘How do we make people pay for music. What if we started asking, ‘How do we let people pay for music?’”

Even if you’re not a fan of Palmer’s work — many aren’t¹ — there’s a takeaway there. Think about it; are there any bands you like? YouTube creators, RPG writers, etc.? If you like their stuff, don't you try to find a way to support them, even if it's just spreading the word about this cool think you've found?

Why would your fans be any different?

This doesn't have to be like pulling teeth; if you’ve got fans, and you've shown you can make more, concert venues want you to perform, tour agents want to put you on the road, and labels want to sell your music. Basically, you’ve already got the main thing you need to embark on a career in music.

The key is to stop making it so hard for them².

Email Pitches

There are a lot of resources online about writing pitch emails; and while many of them have a greasy, “sales” feel to them, there’s still a lot of good advice there. More than we can cover here, in fact, so it’s worth reading up on if you’re not confident in your ability to make a pitch.

Keep it Real

We can’t stress this enough; in your music, in your promotion, and in your pitches — authenticity matters. Former industry professional Jonathan Killstring³ doesn't mince any words on the topic⁴: “It didn’t matter what side of the equation I was on; playing, promoting, whatever... it felt like there was always somebody trying to trick me.”

“It was so refreshing when somebody would be straight-up and honest with me,” he adds. Promoter and artist manager Terry Coughlin agrees. “So many people are trying to pull a fast one on you in his business,” says Coughlin. “You’ve gotta be on your toes.” When speaking to industry professionals, avoid the try-hard hyperbole, and overused sales tactics, and just be yourself. It’ll be a refreshing change for the people on the other end of your pitch⁵, which means they'll be more likely to work with you in the future.

Win First, Then go to War

It’s like Sun Tzu said. Do your research ahead of time; if you’re going to send out 50 emails, get everybody’s contact information organized ahead of time. Know who you’re writing, and why. Nothing gets ignored more quickly than a form letter, but if you actually show that you know who your target is, they’re more likely to pay attention.

Clarity

Know what you want, and ask for it. If you’re clear, they’ll be clear in response. Promoters need to book bands, managers need clients; everyone you're talking to needs some amount of what you have to offer. So show them how you can make their job easier, and you'd be surprised the opportunities you can find. People don’t like saying no, but first you have to ask. 

Seriously, You Have to Ask

Don’t make a pitch with no call to action – if you want them to book your band, say so! If you want a sponsorship, tell them! Emails that consist of “aren’t I great?” go nowhere. Make it easier for the recipient; if they don't know what you want, how are they ever going to give it to you?

Remember: You’re Here to Help

When you’re pitching to someone, they have a job to do. Your goal in the email is to answer their question, “why do I care?” Know their job, and find a way to make it easier. Explain how you're offering something that they need, and why they should believe you. Tailor your pitch to the person who's receiving it.

Do that, and your pitches will go much, much better.

* * *
1 - I am.

2 - So, as a former concert promoter, band manager, tour manager, and somebody who worked with a couple different labels, let me assure you; the above isn't hyperbole. I had my own preferences, sure, but at the end of the day, I had a job to do. Bands that could help me do that job got called back.

3 - Expect a lot of this; I was ghostwriting, which meant that I could always rely on me as a source. I've decided to keep this artifact of the style, as I find it illustrative. And far more legit than a lot of attributed quotes in press releases, though that's another can of worms entirely.

4 - I am absolutely mincing words here. It was fucking vile.

5 - This whole series was basically a list of things that would have made me happy in my old job. My co-workers too. I got out of the game, there's no gimmick here; just some stuff that I hoped - and still hope - might be useful, based on my perspective.