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It is no longer enough to ask "How does my song sound?" or "Will radio play it?" In today's visual world, you need to also be asking, "How does this song look?" Indeed, the platform for music has changed dramatically in just the past few years. Today, a Susan Boyle can become a worldwide phenomenon overnight because of YouTube. And now, music videos will begin officially affecting the Hot 100: "Billboard and Nielsen announced this week the addition of U.S. YouTube video streaming data to its platforms, which includes an update to the methodology for the Billboard Hot 100, the preeminent singles chart. The YouTube streaming data is now factored into the chart’s ranking, enhancing a formula that includes Nielsen’s digital download track sales and physical singles sales; as well as terrestrial radio airplay, on-demand audio streaming, and online radio streaming, also tracked by Nielsen." (See full story here.) Groups such as OK GO saw the paradigm shift early on and focused more on how their music looked, creating captivating and creative music videos that caught the attention of both consumers and ad buyers. (See Wall Street Journal article here. Worth the read.) As the lead singer and guitarist for the band stated, "We're just moving out of the brief period—a flash in history's pan—when an artist could expect to make a living selling records alone." It is past time for artists to think beyond the chords and guitar licks when they go into the recording studio. Artists should spend just as much time thinking about what props and locations they will need to create a memorable visual -- and possibly career-altering-- impression.
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After nearly 25 years of representing well-known Christian authors, singers, speakers and other public figures, I am breaking my own unwritten rule today. After watching yet another prominent pastor/author being torn to pieces on a mainstream network, I must intervene. With very few exceptions, when a popular Christian personality sits for a “conversation” with a mainstream TV reporter, it never ends well. So I want to point directly to the elephant in the room. I want to talk directly to the most famous among us. I understand that your book publisher wants to schedule you on all the mainstream talk shows they can, theoretically, to sell more books. But let me clarify something your mother should have told you at a young age. “No” is a complete sentence. Just say no. Stop it. It doesn't matter how many people go to your church. It doesn’t matter how many watch you on TV on a weekly basis. The mainstream media is unimpressed. They will never, ever, ever, ever (emphasis) EVER like you. In fact, their goal too often is to make you look like a blithering idiot. And here's a newsflash: you will not sell more books by looking like a numbskull on TV. If anything, you will make the people who do love you and do buy your books question your thoughtfulness, intelligence and convictions. They may even question why they are going to your church or watching you on television. That's when your all-important appearance on the mighty mainstream media becomes what we call in the biz -- a bad PR move. Is all mainstream media biased against Christians? Of course not. Probably only 99.988% of them. There are some that will play fair (and balanced), but for the most part, you should steer clear. Or at the very least, do some homework. Your publicist should tell you before any interview is booked what the topics will be, who the hosts will be as well as their biases and backgrounds. That information alone can give you some clue as to the tone of the potential interview. If anything smells fishy, then guess what, it is probably a fish. Probably a whole lake full of them. Just say no. I will never understand how you get talked into these things. And shame on the publicist that leads you to the slaughter. They should be looking out for you better than that. If you don’t have a public relations person who cares how you appear in public, then for heaven’s sake, fire them. Not all press is good press. Look away from the mirror and stare at reality for just a sec. You may convince yourself that you are going to “sup with the sinners” as Jesus would do, but Jesus was also very clear to his disciples about what to do when their message fell on deaf ears. Read Luke 9:5 where Jesus says, "And wherever they do not receive and accept and welcome you, when you leave that town shake off [even] the dust from your feet, as a testimony against them." But I know what you're thinking. You want to represent Christ to the lost and dying world. That's a noble thought, and it can actually be done well sometimes with the proper preparation. Unfortunately, what you typically end up doing is making yourself, and therefore Jesus, look foolish. It not only doesn’t sell your book, it doesn’t sell His message either. Shake off the dust. Please. Stop. The Christian Booksellers Association has issued the following statement:
Warning to Christian authors. CBA has been informed that Christian authors are being contacted by an organization called PublishAmerica that’s soliciting for authors to submit their books to a sales/marketing catalog that they claim will be going to CBA. Please be aware that CBA has no knowledge of PublishAmerica; that PublishAmerica is not connected to Christian Store Week; and that CBA has no agreement of any kind with PublishAmerica, nor is CBA affiliated in any way, shape, or form with that organization. View it on their official website here. Everyone knows how to measure their I.Q.. But have you considered your E.Q.? With social media becoming the communication tool of choice for people of all ages, your E.Q. (Empathy Quotient) needs to become a chief consideration. You may have a Facebook page with lots of fans, but are you communicating with them in a meaningful way or do you just constantly bombard them with links to your website store? If you are a Christian communicator, your E.Q. needs to be especially high. You should never take your fans or Twitter followers for granted. You need to learn to engage effectively with them on a meaningful level. Your "Page" is not the only one they have "Liked." But it could be one they truly love and trust. Learn to build your E.Q. and you will form relationships that will last for years.  Publicity stunts are nothing new. In fact, they are getting more and more prevalent in today's YouTube society. Many Christian artists feel hiring a publicist is actually at odds with the standards of someone in the ministry. But the truth is, even a shameless publicity stunt can lead to a ministry moment. Take the Opera Company of Philadelphia and their "Random Acts of Culture" campaign. They took 650 singers disguised as shoppers to Macy's in Philadelphia. With the Wanamaker Organ to accompany them, they "spontaneously" burst into the Hallelujah Chorus. But this blatant PR stunt can't possibly lead to ministry, can it? Watch the video below and you decide. Can you tell the "official" singers from the shoppers by the end? I'm assuming the Opera Company's motive was not to create a spiritual moment, but it happened anyway. Ministry + PR = Great Commission. I love this. Tinucci's, a restaurant that catered a meal last week for the Minnesota Vikings, was made famous because of Randy Moss' "I wouldn't feed this to my dog" rant (expletives have been edited). Instead of absorbing the "negative" press, they have used it to draw customers. Tinucci's is offering free lunches today to the first 50 people who come to turn in their Moss jerseys. For everyone else, the lunch buffet will be marked down to $8.40, a takeoff on the receiver's No. 84 jersey, co-owner Gus Tinucci said Thursday (AP). The jerseys will then be donated to Boys and Girls Clubs. By taking the creative initiative of turning a potentially negative situation into a positive one, Tinucci's will no doubt reap the benefits of serving new customers and increasing the loyalty of old ones. With a little willingness to poke fun at themselves and have a sense of humor about the situation, Tinucci's received national press attention in addition to local coverage. And Randy Moss was released by the Vikings. I think it is obvious who won the PR battle.  As a publicist, bad interviews can make me cringe. This one made me head for the corner in a fetal position. I am reluctant to even comment on this video because, well, even a non-PR pro can list the things wrong with this one. But let's play along anyway and use the opportunity to draw out some good pointers. Here are some standard, common-sense television interview tips: NO-NO: Don't read while the host is speaking to you. YES-YES: Be prepared. NO-NO: Don't pitch a talent you clearly don't have if you've been invited to the show to talk about running for the office of mayor. YES-YES: Stay on subject. NO-NO: Don't insult the host after she has given you ample time to showcase your non-talent. YES-YES: Be courteous. NO-NO: Don't be pushy about a return invite ON camera. If you want to be a jerk, do it off camera. YES-YES: Be grateful for the opportunity on and off camera. NO-NO: Don't EVER use a hand held tape recorder to play background music tracks. YES-YES: Be professional. Any questions? I have worked with high-profile clientele for most of my 20+ year career. The biggest mistake I see clients make when trying to promote themselves is they get too wrapped up in their current "project" (book, cd, etc.) to keep the whole picture in focus. I don't know about you, but by the time my child was 3 years old, he could pick out a McDonald's along the street. And not because I ever took him there. I rarely did. But he had seen those Golden Arches many times before Barney, after The Magic School Bus, during TaleSpin -- those Golden Arches surrounded everything he saw on TV. He really had no idea WHY he wanted to go to McDonald's, he just knew he should. McDonald's sees the big picture. But you say, "I'm an artist not a fast food restaurant." Right. But you ARE the Golden Arches. Your new CD, your new song, your new book -- they are your chicken nuggets, Big Mac, large fries. If you only think about your career in terms of your latest work, then your career will be short. Artists, authors and speakers need to think about making a "brand" name for themselves. Yes, you want to have a menu of tasty items (cds, books, songs). But ultimately, your name -- your reputation -- your artistry should mean something. Listeners will hear your music once or twice, but fans will sign up for your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Readers might like your latest book, but fans will stand in line for your book signing. A really, really hungry person might stumble into a McDonald's one day because its convenient, but 3-year-old whines and cries until he steps inside those Golden Arches. Now, that's a fan for life. Develop that kind of a following, and you'll enjoy a long and prosperous career.  |
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