Promo CDs: Still Relevant in a Digital World

Randall Roberts considers the fate of the promo cd in a digital world.  But, though mailing promo cds may seem wasteful and/or outdated, there are reasons that practice will continue.

Here's a particularly relevant comment about marketing from Forcefield PR's Daniel Gill:

"You have to shove it in somebody's face in order to get anyone to pay attention...That means sending the actual CDs to them in the mail. I could send you digital links until I'm blue in the face for some of my younger bands, but you're not going to listen to it. And I can be realistic about that."

"So I feel like if I at least send you the physical CD, somebody at some point has to open that envelope and look at the CD and decide what pile it goes into. If the artwork catches your eye, maybe you'll listen to it, or something about the band name is cool — or just that it came from me — maybe you'll actually listen to it."

And related comments from Motormouth Media owner Judy Miller Silverman who sees stronger responses from physical as opposed to digital outreach:

"When I send a note out to 1,000 people, saying I have a digital copy of a certain album available, I might get 20 responses. But when I send out a 300-piece mailing, I might be able to get 30 or 40 things secured. People are responding to the more tactile, physical sense of having it on their desk, seeing it, keeping it in their minds."

Though Roberts focuses on cds mailed to reviewers, if you've been to a music industry event and returned with a shopping bag filled with the little critters, you know the promo cd game isn't dead yet but is way too competitive for anybody's good.

That means passing out those CDR's labeled in purple marker may not be the best use of your time.

Note:
Because we live in an all-or-nothing binary consciousness world, some folks will tell you that promo cds are dead because their role has changed and is not as powerful as it once was.

But death is only one form of change.

Find out who responds to promo cds and why and, if that's what you want, get your promo cd to them.  If not, don't.

Comments

[Chris]

While there are always going to be people that prefer to get promo CDs or vinyl - and you should give them what they want - digital promos don't have to be boring links that suggest you haven't put the effort in.

There are services like ours (FATdrop) where you can customise digital promos so they include artwork and have them same look and feel as the rest of your label.

Done well, digital promos can be just as effective as physical. In fact with FATdrop promos you get to find out a whole load of other useful stuff besides, like if your promo was opened, listened to, and downloaded - information you've lost when you stick a CD in the post. You can also increase the level of reactions you're getting, with our system by making feedback compulsory. Coupled with distinct benefit of cost effective worldwide reach for pre-release campaigns which is important in todays market.

Check us out: http://www.fatdrop.co.uk