When the odds of the music industry feel stacked against you and it seems harder each day to stand out from the crowd, how in the world do you sell over 20,000 records independently?
To find out, we talked to James Dennis, GB artist and front man for Houston's premiere "independent rock hip-hop" act, Beat Assassins. In November of 2007, Dennis sold the 20,000th copy of his self-released EP, Far Away From Home.
How did he do it? Turns out, the equation is easy to understand: great music plus hard work. Every successful independent music career starts with the same thing: fans.
"There is a saying in guerilla marketing: go hard or go home," Dennis said. "Most artists are concerned with doing shows first, but I say, 'What's the point of doing a show when no one knows your name? The best way to start a fan base from scratch is to take it directly to the public. I build the fan base first, and then do the shows. That way people are able to join in and participate, already being familiar with my sound."
"Working directly with nightclubs, coffee shops, bar and pub owners granted me access in a way that many just never think of," he said, noting that he sold Beat Assassins CDs on the street, out of his van, in stores and clubs, online... everywhere he could. Whenever he could get the CD it in front of a potential customer, he personally tried to talk them into being a fan. Sales soon multiplied virally due to his up-close, face-to-face marketing approach.
Dennis also reflected on the role of GarageBand.com in his music career, saying the site "was perfect for me because I know that musicians are the hardest critics. If I get musicians who don't know me to approve my sound, then I know I have something worth going for."
He concluded with another piece of advice for the other GB members who are in the process of having their music evaluated. "Take the criticism -- it is worth it. Don't just put out a record because your closest friends say it is good. It will save a lot of money and headaches to do market research for your music."
