• Take your work directly to the public

• Develop an online fan base, using an email newsletter

• You can find new fans

• It puts you in charge of distribution and promotion

• It gives you credibility. Sure, you might want to open a MySpace site, but DON'T rely just on a 3rd party site where you're just one of millions! Create your own online identity....yourband.com, and then people can find you much easier if they do a Google.

• It's easy for fans to Google or YAHOO! to find you, but we recommend you DON'T get a Tripod or Geocities site just because they're free! You get what you pay for. They're only free because they tend to flood your site visitor with those annoying pop-up ads. Plus, if someone Google's for you, those free sites don't work near as good. you. Basic website rule - don't annoy your site visitors, make their visit an enjoyable visit.

1: Venues - All venues you regularly play, include addresses & contact info

2: Pull Quotes - Best lines from reviews citing publication and author

3: Include components of an EPK - Electronic Press Kits can include the following: Band bio | Press Photo | Discography | Audio (you need to decide if you are going to have the full song or samples) | Contact Info | Calendar (Tour dates & venues) | Contact & Booking (e-mail, Phone, Booking Agent, Manager) Audio - make sure the site user has pause/stop/start music controls

4: Mailing list/Subscribe - Put this link right on your home page. Then you can let them know where you're playing, new releases, etc.

5: Make your CD's available for sale - Using a PayPal account is an easy way to integrate ecommerce into your website, and costs you NOTHING out-of-pocket to set one up!

6: Add a links page to your site! Use it wisely to trade links with other sites that complement what you do. In your case that would be EVERY venue that you perform at, every studio you record at, local fan sites, etc. By seeing all these sites pointing at yours, Google and YAHOO! will think your site really rocks, and rank you higher in a search!

Hype your band. Tell your fans about all the band news. Who's reviewed your latest CD? Post rave testimonies by your fans. Be the king (or queen) of self-promotion!

Adding a blog is the current craze, which allows fans to post their comments, and rave about your band. Fans love being able to interact with their favorite bands, so give them a way to do that!

You need 1 person in your band that is computer/internet savvy, and can reply to emails, manage the newsletter, monitor your blog, promote your band by sending out your website to potential venues, create your MYSpace site, etc.

EACH SHOW - work the crowd with a clipboard, and gather email addresses of fans! This list should always be growing, and then so will your fan base!

  Okay, sure you can announce it onstage in a noisy club atmosphere, with alcohol bing served, no doubt. But do you think they'll really hear you, or remember?

Want a really easy, simple solution? Create your own rubber stamp at a Kinko’s or Office Depot. Then at your next show, ask the club or door person to use your stamp to stamp everyone’s hands as they come into the club. They'll spend 15 minutes scrubbing it off the next morning, so they won't likely forget your band!

At STLBlues, music promotion is what we do 24/7. Join our calendar to get the most out of your STLBlues presence.

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We'll be glad to help you develop your own site that helps you promote your band, and give you the web exposure that only STLBlues can give! We've helped artists develop their own websites along the way. Names you may know, such as JR Reed, Phat noiZ, the Soulard Blues band, Billy Peek, the Bottoms Up Blues Gang, Harry Simon, Brian Curran, and more!


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