TRYING TO GET YOUR FAVORITE SONG ADDED TO A RADIO STATION? HERE ARE A FEW HELPFUL HINTS

If you're trying to get your favorite artists or songs heard on the radio, here are a few helpful tips. We interact with many radio stations and hear a lot of helpful feedback on just what is involved in getting a song played. We also hear the down side of taking requests. I thought I'd share with you what we've heard around the industry from radio personnel. Just things to be mindful of and a way to do it the right way and help your favorite artist and their fans maintain a positive relationship and image with radio. One person doing things the wrong way or being overzealous can and does reflect badly on the entire fan base unfortunately and also on the artist. You don't want to associate terms like "rude", "pushy" or "demanding" with your artist or their fans and trust me, it does get associated if one or two fans are rude or "overly helpful" (and I use that term lightly). It's great that you want to help and that you believe in these artists and their music but it's important to know what the line is and how not to cross it in your efforts. In reality, one overzealous fan with the best intentions can hurt the effort more than help.

1.) START WITH SMALL MARKET OR INDEPENDENT, LOCALLY OWNED STATIONS - 

The best way to approach radio is to start with stations who are appropriate for your career level - college stations, locally owned small market stations, internet stations, etc. If you start with large market or even medium market corporate owned stations, chances are very high that you're gonna get a "no" from the get go. Most big name stations are corporate owned and are told who and what they can play, how often they can play and when to play a song They cannot and will not play independent, unsigned artists. It's just the name of the game unfortunately. Start small right out of the gate. The more smaller stations that catch on will kickstart a buzz. The rest will catch on as the buzz builds. Once an artist is signed to a bigger label with more financial backing, the bigger stations will start to take note and that's when your chances increase for being added to their playlists. The smaller stations are your best chance at getting a foot in the door. I know, it's a frustrating, often maddening thing, but as for now, it's what it is and as much as listeners and actual radio employees hate the policies, it is going to be your biggest obstacle.

2.) BE PATIENT - Not all stations have the same music at the same time and not all will necessarily have it at all. They also may have it but haven't added it to the library yet.  Stations also do what's called a "test market". They have surveys and target specific local areas and groups to listen to the new music they receive. If a song doesn't do well in a test market, it may unfortunately never even be played. Just be patient and keep checking periodically but know when to move on. Even getting your song heard by the right people at radio is incredibly competitive and difficult in itself. Put yourself in the music director's and station manager's shoes, think about how many songs they have thrown at them every day. 

2.) BE KIND - When requesting, if you're told no or "we don't have it", please don't take out frustrations on the DJ. They are told what they can and can't play and if a new song is being requested, they haven't been given the thumbs up yet from management or they don't have the song yet. Thank them and move on. The years of local dj's playing whatever they want to play is pretty much over with the takeover of corporation radio. If you live in an area where your station is locally owned or independent, you are lucky!

3.) Please DO NOT contact program directors directly unless you know them personally or have been given permission from the artist or their management. Program directors and general managers should ONLY be contacted by the artist or an official representative of that artist. They only set aside a few hours a day to discuss new music with official representatives (A&R people, promotions, management, etc). If they are on the phone with an overzealous fan, this ties up their time that they could be using to speak with the people they should be talking to. Once you get on a PD or GM's bad side, that can definitely negatively affect the outcome of what you are trying to do.

4.) Only use designated listener and request avenues such as posted request phone lines, email addresses, Twitter or Facebook pages, etc. These are there for YOU, the listener, to make your voice heard. Use them, but don't OVERUSE them or OVERSATURATE the station with requests for the same song/artist all day long. You don't want to make the station tired of the song before they even get it. Request the song regularly, but don't over saturate the station with requests, especially by the same people over and over. They do catch on and trust me, they will let you know if you're overdoing it. That has the opposite effect of what you are trying to achieve. (Hint, they also have technology to see how many times a day the same phone number calls, how many emails come from the same IP address, etc. It doesn't matter if you have 40 email accounts and use them all to request, if they're tied to the same IP address, they can tell it's you. - just something to be wary of.) One more thing, put your focus into your particular area and local stations. Most stations are only interested in their local listening base, not those listening online or those that used to be listeners who no longer actually listen to their station but still request airplay just to help their artist. Most of the time, those requests are gonna be looked right over so focus on your area and recruit others in your area to help. Do NOT go over the top while trying to be helpful. Do it the right way and consider how it makes your artist look. I deal with several radio stations and their PD's and DJ's and this is personal feedback directly from them. You don't want to piss them off before they even have a chance to get to know you or the artist you're requesting.

5.) If a station does play it, either from your request, or you happen to hear it being played, SAY THANK YOU and TAKE NOTE OF THE STATION and let the artist or their management know where you heard it so they can thank them and fans can also let them know they appreciate it by promoting that station on social media. Always be sure to give back if a station plays your request or adds your song to it's rotation. Thank you goes a long way. Pay it forward.

6.) And most of all, TALK ABOUT IT. Promote it on your social media pages, tweet about it, Facebook about it, YouTube about it, Linked In about it,  Instagram about it it. If you have a blog, blog about it. Don't be afraid to tell people why you love the song and why you think someone is a great artist who deserves the attention. Don't go on and on ad-nauseam about it though, that can be a huge turn off for potential fans. Come across as a dedicated fan, not a borderline obsessive crazy fan. Remember, not everyone is going to love the song and that's fine. We're all entitled to our opinions. Always show respect to other fans, even when you disagree. Remember, in a way, you are representing your artist in an "unofficial" manner and the way you deal with other fans reflects on the artist. Most well known fan bases are known for their dedication, kindness, respect and strength in numbers. So speak up, stand up and make a difference!

Show what the power of people who stand behind and believe in an artist can do. Your voice can and does make a difference if used the right way.

Below is a helpful tool to help you with your promotion campaign:

Radio Locator : Radio Locator is where you can find the most up to date contact information for country stations in your area.

Thank you for all you do to support new music and get this music heard! Now let's get to requesting! Have fun and build relationships while doing it!

- Jenn

Follow Jenn on Twitter at @Lovinlyrics

#ARTISTTIPS - GOT FANS? WANT MORE OF THEM?

Many unsigned artists are creating some of the best music, but without the help of a label, have no idea of how to reach and increase their audience. It can be done, just look at Florida Georgia Line. They started as independents and put their focus into building their fan base before even trying to go to radio. If you don't have a solid following of supporters behind you, all the radio play in the world isn't going to matter. Start with the foundation and build it from there. Radio is gonna be there so don't stress about having to get radio play first, build the fan base and do it right, it will come on it's own.

It's really common sense, if you want to be heard, you have to put yourself out there and these days, that means social media and personal connection. Yes, it's a time sucker, yes, it can be annoying, but yes, it makes a valuable difference.

1. Music + Quality = Promotions Worthy Product

You have to put out music that people want to hear and want to tell others about. Put out a product you're proud of, that you care about. Make sure it's up to par as far as production and quality. Make sure it's "promotion worthy". This is YOUR career and YOUR reputation, those are two things always worth the most money you can afford to spend and always worth the effort.

2. Establish An Online Presence

Many artists seem to grasp the reality that in today's market, you have to have an online presence via a website and social media. It's great that they understand but are they making the most of it? The saying used to be, when referring to children, "they should be seen but not heard". When it comes to artists trying to get their music out there, the saying changes a little to "you have to be seen to be heard."

Social media is a tool that artists today are blessed to have access to. Artists as little as ten years ago didn't have the luxury of getting to know their fans and actually having a way to personally reach out to them, to build a relationship beyond just sales, radio and magazine interviews and TV appearances. Now you can reach out to millions of potential fans at once and that's huge for potential growth! You have these amazing FREE tools (Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Snapchat, Instagram, Tumblr and so many other websites), use them to your advantage. Consider social media the bridge that connects you to the world because that's exactly what it is. Without it, you're stuck and aren't gonna move much.

3. Enough with the SPAM and Over Indulgent Self-Promotion

We know you're hurting for promotion and have to do it yourself, but no one wants to be bombarded with 25 emails a week saying "come to my show, see my new tshirts, hear my new song." Sending out never ending self-promoting SPAM is a surefire way to lose new fans. Likewise, when you're online using Twitter or Facebook, there is no need to promote the same news over and over again, to promote the same show more than a couple of times a week, or to keep telling fans that "I'm #110 on Reverbnation." We know. Don't overkill.

Along the same lines, when you're sending your music to bloggers, industry reps, etc, be thoughtful in how you present yourself. If you send an email or online message, tweet, whatever and it starts off with "Here's my new song" or "I'm the next big thing", guess where it's more than likely gonna wind up? The garbage or recycle bin. Introduce yourself, ease into it without smacking the reader in the face with link, video or file. Let them know who you are, what you've done and why they should listen to you. Consider yourself a product. You have to pitch your product, make it attractive and make people want to buy your product. Would you buy a product you knew nothing about?

4. Feature a Regular Webisode, Artist Blog or Just Post Random Fun Videos

Keep fans in the know, keep them in the middle of your loop. Artists like Lady Antebellum, Florida Georgia Line and Chase Rice do regular webisodes on the road that feature highlights from that week's show and special events. Fans LOVE this. It gives them an insight behind the scenes and let's admit it, we all like to be a little nosey. Craig Campbell does a regular "Craig Cam" that even features his family from time to time, this is going over great with his fan base. Steve Azar does a "What's in the Pot" feature from his kitchen. Brett Eldredge posts some of the funniest videos out of the blue and he is hysterical and keeps it fun. If you can't do video, just write a blog and let fans know what's going on, interesting things that they might have missed or that happened at a show or just to thank them now and then.

Here is an example of Brett Eldredge's "Sing It Wednesday" Webisodes


5. Be the Fan

View yourself from the fan's perspective. Would you honestly be interested in what you're doing? Would you find your website appealing, your tweets engaging, your Facebook posts worth commenting on? Do you take the time to get to know your fans? Do you read THEIR timelines and keep up with THEIR special announcements like birthdays, weddings, engagements, deaths in the family? Do you acknowledge these? One or two days a week, put yourself in their shoes and read the things they're putting out there whether it applies to you or not. If you see an engagement announcement, wish them the best of luck. Send random fans a simple "hi, just wanted to thank you for all you do" tweet or post on Facebook. If you can take the time to tweet about the latest news, your new show, etc, you can take the time to engage with them one on one. It's not hard to do and it's worth your time. If someone tweets about you, acknowledge it with a thank you. Every tweet eventually leads to a record sale or a new fan somewhere down the line. It's basically virtual sales for you. Your fan is your biggest promoter.

6. Don't Rely on a Social Media Manager 24/7

If you're going to take the time to have an online social media account, take the time to participate and engage personally. There is no bigger turnoff than a page that is obviously run only by a social media manager. It's so impersonal, obvious to fans and too "starched white shirt" stiff. We all know you're busy, fans are just as busy as you but still find time to tell people about you. You can take a few minutes a week to tweet, it's only 140 characters and takes less time than drinking a single beer.

7. Enjoy Your Fans!

They're mostly great people, just wanting to help you, that see something special in you. They see something so special in you that they're willing to drive hours just to see you in person, they spend money that should be spent elsewhere on your shows, your merchandise. Hold fan participation events like online chats, video hangouts, interactive contests, pick out random fans at each show and upgrade their tickets to front row or grab a few and invite them backstage and take them to catering to sit down and grab a bite to eat and talk for a few minutes. Do something other artists aren't doing, make yourself a fan favorite just by showing them that you enjoy them.

If you want to be know, you have to let people get to know you and get to know them. It's a reciprocal world out there now. Take part in it, have fun, be the artist that fans want to tweet and connect with. Don't be the artist who never responds, who never posts, who never makes an effort to connect with the very people who keep you going. They're your biggest promoters, so you need to give them a reason to talk about you.

- Jennifer Smith 
Follow Me on Twitter at @LovinLyrics

FINDING RADIO STATIONS IN YOUR AREA FOR FEEDBACK, COMPLIMENTS, COMPLAINTS

Want to know which radio stations are in your area and how to contact them to give them feedback, turn them on to an artist, or just let them know in general if they're meeting your needs as a listener or not? If you don't tell them what they're doing right or wrong, they won't know. You have the right as a listener to let them know. Keep it constructive, factual and not just a bitch session. If you have a valid complaint, tell them. If you have a complement, tell them. If you want to just put a bug in their ear about new music, tell them. They won't know if you don't speak up. Remember to keep it kind, that tends to make more of the impression you want to make, especially if you're calling to recommend new music because you are an "unofficial" representative of that artist.

Check out the radio locator for stations in your area and how to contact them!