Motivating people to act – especially people that have never heard of you or your project – is by far the greatest challenge I’ve faced since the release of the CD, “Build the House.” Promotion is a full-time job! It’s easier after the release: your family, friends, church members, etc. all jump in to help and in our case, it was a huge jump. We sold about 1000 CD’s in the first few weeks of the release and after that, the hard work began. I turned my efforts to the web, creating online stores, blogging, joining user groups, and getting mp3’s of some of the songs to people who might help distribute and spread the word. Below is a list of a few of those that have helped and continue to support the mission.
Please take a minute and visit these sites. Some are radio shows or podcasts and others are listener sites that utilize hits/page to push your song up the charts. I’ve started to see some purchases from iTunes and CD Baby by people not in my immediate network, including several from the U.K., which is very exciting and encouraging. One church community in Florida contacted me to ask permission to use the title cut as their theme song for an upcoming capital campaign. Comments and reviews have been positive and almost everyone mentions the good work we are doing for the mission.
Grapevine Catholic Music Magazine- a great online music mag, complete with podcasts – check out the podcast page and go to Episode #74, January 20, 2008. Contact Susan Bailey, editor, for more information. Susan will review the CD in the February issue, so check it out!
Catholic Music Express- wonderful, up-to-date online radio program, featuring many Christian artists and their latest releases. Link to other sites, etc. Visit the podcast page to listen to or download the January 6th, 2008 program, featuring “Blessing Cup.” Contact Jim O’Meara, owner, for more information.
Soundclick.com – music artist resource. Great site to listen, network, comment. This site receives thousands of hits/day, so any input you can provide will encourage others to check out the music too.
The only way this approach to part-time promotion can work is to forward what you’ve learned to those individuals in your network. Thanks for your continued help to get the word out! Lastly, please pray for our mission team as they travel to Honduras next week – may God keep them safe in their travels!
