SocialMediaSaturdays – How to Launch Your Porject/Release Using Facebook

#1: Before Pre-launch: Start Planning Early

You’ll want to map out your launch strategy at least two months ahead, and most likely even earlier than that. Plan what types of launch material you’ll have available to share on social media to get the buzz going. You may also need tostart designing some of these materials.

If you have an online product, you can use some great freebies to help get people onto your list. Some examples of great freebies or launch materials include:

• Images and infographics: Think about designing several versions of your images so they’re size-optimized for each social site. Also, if you’ll be using them in a Facebook ad, make sure the images are 1200 x 628 pixels and comply with the20% text rule.
• Free ebooks, reports or white papers: These freebies could be part of your final product or something valuable that will promote the final product.
• Free webinar or other educational content: If you’re launching an online product, you may want to host a webinar, telesummit or some other type of live event. Plan when that event will occur and when you’ll start promoting it.
• Sale or discount period: If you’re offering an introductory price, figure out how long that will last and how many posts you might have around that promotion.
• Facebook contests: If you’re having a contest to promote the launch or new product, plan the timing and determine what type of contest will work best for you.

Develop images to use for Facebook ads and share them with affiliates and partners.

Write a variety of social media posts for you and your affiliates to use.

#2: Pre-launch: Build Buzz

To start building buzz and generating excitement around your product or service,post teasers about it. If appropriate, use both your Facebook page and profile to let your Facebook fans and personal friends know that something is coming.

Add intrigue and consider using your personal profile to post about it.

Using video on Facebook to promote your launch will go further in the news feed. Make sure you’re creating a variety of content. You can see that this video post reached nearly 39,000 people and had over 8,000 views.

Use video to build buzz.

You can also give people a sneak peek into your process. Bathers Beach House in Australia started posting about their restaurant months before it opened. They shared the building process, gained the interest of potential diners and grew to over 4,000 fans before they even opened their doors. This led to a successful opening of their restaurant, and they continue to have high engagement and interaction.

Show the process behind your product or service launch.

If you have affiliates or promotional partners, consider co-creating material to launch the product, such as a webinar or live Q&A session. Gena Shingle Jaffe launched a legal course for entrepreneurs, and Natalie MacNeil had a perfect audience for the course. They co-created a webinar to give the audience some good tips and promote the online course.

Consider co-creating promotional material with your affiliates.

#3: Launch: Keep the Excitement Going

Your launch phase may vary in length and never be truly over in terms of promotion, but you likely will have an end date for the biggest promotional push. Figure out what types of things you can do to keep the excitement going.

A Facebook contest is a perfect fit for continued promotion. Goorin Brothers, a boutique hat designer, launched a new hat and decided to involve their audience by naming the hat after one lucky winner. In addition they gave away five custom hats to the runner-ups. They spent $70 on Facebook ads and $30 on the Heyo app. The contest got 8,404 email entries and built up a lot of awareness around their hats and their brand.

Find creative ways to involve your audience in your promotion.

You also need to have a Facebook ad planas part of your launch strategy.Consider focusing much of your ad budget on the pre-launch phase where you give away valuable content. But if you have a coupon or something special to offer, you can promote that with an ad campaign as well.

Use Facebook ads to get your message out to a wider audience.

#4: Post-launch: Thank Your Audience and Assess Results

After the launch is over, make sure you thank your audience and your affiliate and promotional partners, and tell people what’s next. Let your audience know that they’re appreciated even if they didn’t buy from you.

Thank your audience after your launch.

You also want look at your analytics and do a little research on which techniques worked the best for you. Did the webinar you held convert the most sales, or was it something else? Where did your new subscribers come from and which social site drove the most sales? Learn from this launch so you can improve the next one.

Conclusion

Facebook can be a great place to get the word out about your new product or service. And affiliates can help you make it look like everyone is talking about your product. To do your launch right on Facebook and help your affiliates sell, keep the key points in this article in mind.

Source:SocialMediaExaminer

Iindependent-labels-reach-digital-tipping-point-driven-by-streaming

Merlin, the global digital rights agency representing 20,000 independent labels including the likes of Beggars Group, Cooking Vinyl, Domino, Epitaph, Kobalt Label Services, Merge, Ninja Tune, [PIAS], Secretly Group and Warp Records, has released its annual report.

The document, a selection of slides from which you can see below, highlights four clear trends from Merlin members – who make up around 10% of the global market:

• Independent labels have crossed a digital tipping point. For the first time, more than half of respondents report that income from digital services accounts for over 50% of their overall business revenues. For one in three, digital income accounts for over 75% of their overall revenues.
  
• Streaming/subscription income is driving digital growth. One in three respondents report that income from audio streaming & subscription services now accounts for over 50% of their digital revenue – up from one in five in 2014.
• Total digital revenues increased in 2014 for almost 75% of respondents.17% reported their overall digital revenues increased by over 50%.
• The majority of Merlin members report overall business growth. Despite a fall in download sales, 65% of respondents reported an increase in overall business revenues in 2014 (compared to 62% in 2013). Only 16% of respondents reported a decrease in overall 2014 business revenues, compared to 18% the previous year.

Merlin also reveals that it saw a 43% increase in year-on-year revenues (April 2014-March 2015) to $137.8m.

In March 2015 alone, audio tracks by Merlinmembers were streamed more than 2.5bn times – an increase of over 1bn from the same period last year. 

Significantly, analysing over 9 billion audio streams (January-April 2015) usage ofMerlinmembers’ repertoire on audio streaming and subscription services was 35% higher on paid tiers compared to free ad-funded tiers.

86.6% of respondents stated that Merlinmembership was important to their business.

SOUNDCLOUD BRACING FOR MASSIVE COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT LAWSUITS

by: Paul Resnikoff -Digital Music News

Grooveshark said it wouldn’t happen to them, either.  But according to multiple executives close to the situation, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) will soon be filing lawsuits against SoundCloud for ‘massive copyright infringement’.

The move comes ahead of an anticipated premium subscription launch… or not.  “They don’t like SoundCloud’s attitude, they don’t like the pace of the talks,” one source flatly told DMN, with particular reference to SoundCloud’s CEO, Alexander Ljung.

“I’m not saying this is another ‘legal jihad,’ but lawsuits will be filed.”

And what is SoundCloud’s ‘tude, exactly?  One issue is Ljung’s insistence on maintaining a free tier, similar to the ‘freemium funnel’ created by Spotify.  “There are 3 billion people online, you’re never going to all get those into subscription, it’s just not going happen,” Ljung flatly stated recently at Midem.  “Some people will come through ads, some through subscription.”

“That’s why I’m choosing to have both.”

But from the standpoint of mega-labels like UMG, that’s not necessarily his choice to make.   And neither are the terms of their contracts.

Meanwhile, uploading DJs are finding their content blocked based on stepped-up copyright claims from companies like Sony, a situation that spells more than inconvenience.  “The DJs are getting strikes for infringement, and that’s affecting their accounts,” one source noted.  “They’re trying to avoid that and thinking about other places to upload.”

The news comes just as indie label consortium Merlin has inked a significant deal with SoundCloud, a pact the ushers in potentially 20,000 label participants.  “I’m excited to announce our largest independent label partnership to date with Merlin, the global rights agency for the independent label sector,” Ljung said.

Sounds positive, though it’s not clear that Merlin signed a solid deal.  After all, this is the same consortium that signed a deal with Grooveshark, essentially validating the company right to the bitter end.

But wait: isn’t SoundCloud already signing major label deals?  Well, they have signed one deal with Warner Music Group, but that deal is already being written off as a “special case one-off” scenario driven by SoundCloud SVP of Business Development and Strategy Stephen Bryan, who recently worked at Warner Music Group.  That deal handed WMG a 5 percent share, which apparently just isn’t good enough.

Who is lethal ? Where did he come from ?

Lethal Corleone is a Southern born rapper hailing from the streets of Savannah, Georgia. Although Lethal was born in Charleston, South Carolina he has spent the vast majority of his life in Georgia. These southern roots mixed with a universal sound, has given this artist a deadly combination. This combination gave partiality to his name, and Lethal was created.

Lethal wrote his first rap at the age of 12, and began recording in studios at the age of 16. This early beginning has molded him into a seasoned artist. Lethal started with a group made up of family members and close friends known as C.E.P. His first underground release came at the age of 18, and gained him significant notoriety from his peers on the local scene. After a long awaited interval between his follow up, Lethal seems to be more focused than ever. His sophomore mix tape entitled Time Served enjoyed only relative success, but after being gone for so long he seems to be regaining his form. Lethal recently teamed up to begin a label called Mob Life Entertainment with his fellow C.E.P. group mate Nino Black. 

You may have seen him on YouTube videos of various local artists in Savannah called the C-Port ciphers. On these videos Lethal clearly demonstrates versatility and a ferocious flow. He also shot his first video for his highly anticipated single “Take Off”. Now trying to capitalize off of the momentum gained, he is working to release a project that will ensure him a top slot as one of the best. The future seems to be much more promising for the Savannah native.

Click here to hear the single 

http://bit.ly/1GxmaPc

National HIV Testing Day

National HIV Testing Day
	From the Desk of Tishawn Marie

On June 27, 2015, in honor of National HIV Testing Day, Celestial Caring Enterprises and our client, Essence Bestselling Author, Tia Hines encourages you to get tested for HIV.  HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) that causes AIDS. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested.  Many people with HIV don’t have any symptoms.  In the United States, 1 in 7 people living with HIV don’t know they have it. Even if you don’t feel sick, getting early treatment for HIV is important.  Early treatment can help you live a longer, healthier life.  Treatment can also make it less likely that you will pass HIV on to other people.  Am I at risk for HIV?  HIV is spread through some of the body fluids, semen (cum), vaginal fluids, and breast milk.  HIV is passed from one person to another by:   Having sex (vaginal, anal, or oral) without a condom or dental dam with a person who has HIV. Sharing needles with someone who has HIV. Breastfeeding, pregnancy, or childbirth, if the mother has HIV. Getting a transfusion of blood that’s infected with HIV (very rare in the United States.) Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010, insurance plans must cover HIV testing.  Talk to your insurance company to learn more. Free HIV testing is also available at some testing centers and health clinics.  "HIV does not discriminate!" ~ Tia Hines. For more information, please review our        June 2015 Newsletter featuring Tia Hines. Photo Credit: Daniel Irvin		Upcoming Events QBR Wheatley Book Awards, New York July 17, 2015 6:00 PM Harlem Book Fair New York July 18, 2015 11:00 AM   Tia Hines Book Signing " That Girl is Poison" About Tia Hines Tia Hines is an author from Boston, MA who is making her mark in the literary world. She is a full time training specialist by day and a writer by night. When not writing, she dedicates her time to mentoring and teaching hip-hop dance to youth.  To learn more about Tia Hines & her books, please review her Press Kit.    Follow us on Twitter   Friend us on Facebook
You are receiving this email because you're in Celestial Caring Enterprises' Network via Tishawn Marie Proctor Seaton, Marketing Savvy Publicist and have been receiving eNewsletters from us for the past few years. To date you haven't unsubscribed from our database. We would love to continue sharing the good news, updates, announcements, events, resources, etc with you on our new Newsletter platform. Thank you!

Only 3 Days Until NMS - There's Still a Chance to Register | ASCAP Artist Spotlight Series | Tuesday Programming

Did you get to register by midnight? If you missed it, you still have a chance...  Make sure to register by 3pm EDT HERE  ! After 3pm, only walk-up at NMS will be available at $499! ASCAP ARTIST SPOTLIGHT SERIES This week's Artist Spotlight Series features Big Data, Chief Scout, Heyrocco, and Phoebe Ryan - submitted by our partner, ASCAP. These ASCAP members are bound to have a big 2015 and beyond.  Take a listen here... CHECK OUT THE COMPLETE MONDAY PROGRAMMING @ NMS Click HERE to download the full NMS schedule! Monday June 22, 2015  __________________________   8:00 am  Registration Opens at the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel  __________________________    9:30 am:  Opening Remarks: Tom Silverman (Executive Director, New Music Seminar & Founder/CEO, Tommy Boy Entertainment)  __________________________    10:15 am - 11:30 am Grand Ballroom: Presented by Border City Media Music Insights 20/20: The Future Revealed: These mystics of the music business, masters of analytics and soothsayers of sound share their projections and new visions for where the business is really going.   Each will share images that illustrate a new revelation that they have individually unearthed from their respective data and analysis. Then they will challenge each other to go further in predicting alternative futures for the music business.  Conductor: Jay Frank (Owner/CEO, DigSin) Players: Alex White (CEO, Next Big Sound), Russ Crupnick (Managing Partner, MusicWatch), Jim Lidestri (CEO, Border City Media), Will Page (Director of Economics, Spotify)   Sutton Place:  Music In Advertising; A Case Study: What makes music supervisors select a particular song? This Interactive 2-step Movement begins with a creative brief sent to all NMS delegates. Delegates will suggest songs to be placed into a TV commercial and the Conductor will choose a few submissions to discuss live during the Movement. Get inside their heads on the psychology behind emotional needs and effective brand-connection, the six types of songs for sync, and what makes these music supervisors tick. Perhaps your selection will make the discussion.  Conductor: Keith D'Arcy (Creative Licensing, Songs Music Publishing) Players: Paul Greco (Director of Music and Radio, JWT), Lyle Shemer (Creative Director, JWT), Alex Mailman (Business Director, JWT) __________________________    10:15 am - 12:15 pm Crystal Ballroom: Music Xray's Live A&R Listening and Critique Sound Sessions: A&R Executives from the most important labels will critique music submitted by NMS delegates at this very popular session. See NMS website to find out how to have your music critiqued.  Conductor: Mike McCready (Co-Founder and CEO, Music Xray) Players: Jeff Lanier (Label Manager, Chesky Records), Fred Hanba (A&R, Tommy Boy Entertainment), Derrick Aroh (A&R Scout, RCA Records), Keith Tucker (A&R Scout, Def Jam), Jenna Hally Rubenstein (Creative Director, Insieme Music Publishing), Taylor Flynn (Digital Marketing/ A&R Scout, Photo Finish Records) __________________________    11:45 am - 12:00 pm: Live Performance on The Patch Soundstage Grand Ballroom __________________________     12:30 pm - 1:45 pm Grand Ballroom: Songwriter's Movement: Whether it's pop, EDM, hip hop, rock, R&B or country music...great songs always precede great records. What defines a "hit"in each genre and how can you maximize your chances of writing "the big one?" These successful songwriters share their secrets.  Conductor: Peter Asher (President, Peter Asher Management) Players: Denis Leary (Actor/Songwriter, FX's Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll), Jenna Andrews (Artist & Songwriter, Jenna Andrews), Alex Bilowitz (Producer & Songwriter), James Adam Shelley (Songwriter/Musician, American Authors), Jonnie Davis (SVP of A&R/Songwriter, Round Hill Music), Adam Pallin (Songwriter, ASTR), Holly Knight (Songwriter/Music Producer, Holly Knight/Good Knight Songs)   Sutton Place Vinyl Resurrection: Vinyl is the only format that has died and come back to life. Vinyl peaked in 1978, cassettes in 1989, CDs in 2000; but only vinyl has experienced 50% growth in each of the last four years. What can we learn from this phenomenon?  Conductor: Michael Kurtz (Co-Founder, RSD) Players: Mark Piro (Musical Curator/Head of Analog Spark, Analog Spark/Razor & Tie), Steve Sheldon (President, Rainbo Records), Nina Palmer (National Sales Director, Ross Ellis Printing), Bryan Burkert (Owner, The Sound Garden), Matthew Johnson (President, Fat Possum Records), Billy Fields (VP of Sales, Account Management, WEA)   Gramercy Park Suite: International Open Forum: Mix, mingle, and meet your next business associate from another land. This discussion will touch up key challenges when crossing borders and how to work in new territories. This will be an open-forum discussion with leaders from different territories leading the discussion. Be prepared to speak up and be heard. Precursor to the Developing World Movement.  Players: Eric De Fontenay (Founder, MusicDish China), Jesper Thorsson (CEO, Export Music Sweden), Tapio Korjus (Owner, Rockadillo Records), Paul Cheetham (International Project Manager, Reeperbahn Festival) __________________________    2:00 pm - 2:20 pm  Gramercy Park Suite:  Meet SESAC and Rumblefish  __________________________   2:00 pm - 2:15 pm: Live Performance on The Patch Soundstage Grand Ballroom __________________________    2:30 pm - 2:45 pm  Grand Ballroom:  NMS Intensive: Freddy DeMann (Co-Founder, Maverick Records) -Q&A with Larry LeBlanc (Journalist) __________________________   2:45 pm - 4:00 pm  Grand Ballroom: The Managers Movement: Should artists have a voice in the overall music business? Managers share their optimism and concerns about the direction of the new music business.  Conductor: Jason Flom (President, Lava Records)  Players: Rob Hitt (Manager, Crush Music), Paul Rosenberg (President of Shady Records/CEO, Goliath Artists), Jaddan Comerford (Owner, UNIFIED), Kevin Liles (Founder/CEO, KWL Management/Partner, 300 Entertainment), Jonathan Azu (Manager, Red Light Management), Adam Mersel (Artist Manager, KEMOSABE), Brian Hetherman (Chair, IMMF)   Crystal Ballroom: Ad-Supported Music Streaming: How does ad-supported music streaming fit into the complex new music ecosystem? What is its place relative to un-licensed and "pirate"sites on one side, and subscription sites on the other? American AM/FM radio generates $16 billion a year. Can on-line ad-supported music services ultimately generate even greater ad-revenue?   Conductor: Theda Sandiford (VP of Commerce, Republic Records) Players: Doug McVehil (SVP of Content and Programming, VEVO), Jonathan Dworkin (SVP Strategy & Business Development, MixRadio), Steve Savoca (Head Of Content, Spotify), Owen Grover (SVP / GM, iHeartRadio)   Sutton Place Artist Technology and Opportunities: The State of the Industry: This Movement explores some of the latest technologies and opportunities that are designed to help artists in a variety of ways: create more effectively, promote their music and brand, generate income, and even save money.   Conductor: Jon Vanhala (CEO, Crossfade Partners) Players: Craig Swann (Founder, Looplabs), Bryan Calhoun (CoFounder, Freeform Development), Shamal Ranasinghe (Co-Founder, Fluence), Robert Rivera (EVP Business Development & Strategy, Showpitch) __________________________    4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Gramercy Park Suite: Women in Music Open Forum: Presented by Women in Music: Women are still far from achieving gender parity in the music industry. Increasing amounts of women are working and taking on leadership roles in the music industry, yet so few hold upper management positions and the final decision making power to guide the industry's future. Numerous studies have shown that businesses experience greater success when women are involved in the strategy development and decision-making at the top levels of an industry. At this crucial time, amidst so much transition, it is not only imperative that a woman's voice be heard but that she be in the position of power to make positive improvements. But how do we get there?  How do increasing amounts of women in music gain confidence in their own power to be leaders and take on the challenge?  What skills do women need to advance this cause? And, what can the industry do as a whole to accelerate gender parity? This meeting will be presented in a "town hall"fashion, which will allow the audience to provide their thoughts, opinions, suggestions, and solutions for a brighter future for women in the music industry. Players: Diana Akin (Senior Coordinator, Writer-Publisher, SESAC), Neeta Ragoowansi (President, Women In Music) __________________________    4:15 pm - 4:30 pm: Live Performance on The Patch Soundstage Grand Ballroom __________________________    4:45 pm - 5:00 pm  Grand Ballroom: NMS Intensive: "Welcome to the Music Business - You're Still Fucked": Advice, humor, and tools to help you raise your game (not for the squeamish). Martin Atkins (Chair, Music Business Department, SAE Chicago)   Crystal Ballroom: NMS Intensive: Charles Caldas (CEO, Merlin) __________________________    5:00 pm - 6:15 pm  Grand Ballroom: Touring & Artist Development: As live performance increases in importance relative to record sales, concert promoters have become a bigger part of artist development than ever before. They invest in artists on tour; buying radio, print and online advertising that works to increase awareness of the artists. They have crucial data on ticket buyers that can help grow fans for developing artists. They create events that concentrate fans and build careers. Promoters, managers, agents and label representatives look at the live business and new opportunities for artist development.  Conductor: Chris Nilsson (President, 10th Street Ent.), Players: Natalia Nastaskin (CEO/General Counsel, U.S.A, The Agency Group), Dean Raise (Artist Manager, C3 Presents), Clay Busch (General Manager, Danny Wimmer Presents), Harlan Frey (Senior Vice President of Touring, Atlantic Records), Heath Miller (Vice President, Webster Hall), Sam Alpert (VP, Marketing, AM Only), Christian McKnight (SVP Music, NY/NJ/PA, Live Nation)   Crystal Ballroom: Independent Labels: The independent labels became organized 10 years ago with the founding of A2iM. A few years later, Merlin was founded. Independent labels control 35% of sales market share, and of streaming market share, probably more than that. As we enter Indie Week, we ask why independent labels continue to grow market share each year? Why are independent labels responsible for the birth of every new genre and a disproportionate share of the most important artists in history? Why might independent labels be a better choice for artists than majors?  Conductor: Portia Sabin (President, Kill Rock Stars Records) Players: Tony Brummel (Founder, Victory Records), Ed Vetri (CEO, Wind-Up Records), Andreas Katsambas (CEO, The End Records), Jeremy Summers (Entertainment Marketing and Management Professional, Prospect Park Records), Nick Catchdubs (Co-Founder, Fool's Gold Records), Patricia Chin (Founder, VP Records)   Sutton Place: "The Situation"A live reality show about the music business: A label, distributor, manager, marketing company are releasing a project. Creating a marketing plan, reacting to changes in the artist and management situations while maximizing exposure and monetization for the project are the challenges. The scenario will suddenly change several times during the session and participants will have to react and work with the change to bring the project home.  Conductor: Dan Cohen (VP of Marketing, Caroline) Players: Jim Roppo (EVP of Marketing & Commerce, Republic Records), David Macias (President, Thirty Tigers), Rosie Lopez (President, Tommy Boy Records), Chris Atlas (SVP of Marketing, Def Jam Recordings), Vickie Starr (Co-Owner, Girlie Action Media & Management), Mathieu Drouin (Co-Founder, Crystal Math Music) __________________________    7:00 pm - 9:00 pm  How to Train Your Computer to be a Songwriting Producer: Gibson Showroom, Come join a private in-studio session at the Gibson Showroom Studio 5 NYC: In a world of zeros and ones, where does the computer fit into traditional songwriting? Songwriter/producer, Mark Hudson, ("Living on the Edge,"Aerosmith - amongst other hits) and digital 421 West 54th St. pioneer, Craig Anderton, along with Jimmy R. Landry will interactively cover new approaches to songwriting for the modern-day musician. Players: Craig Anderton (Songwriter, Chief Magic Officer, Gib- son Brands, Jimmy R. Landry (Artist Relations - Gibson Brands/ Cakewalk Divisions, Producer, Mixer, Songwriter), Mark Hudson (Producer/Songwriter - Aerosmith, Ringo Starr, Ozzy Osbourne, Hanson) __________________________    8:00 pm - 12:00 am: Downtown NYC New Music Nights Festival @ Cake Shop, The Delancey, Drom, and Pianos See full NMS Programming here. See who's Speaking here. Online Pre-Registration Closes 3:00 PM TODAY! Only Walk-up at a higher price will be available after midnight.So...REGISTER NOW!

Online Registration Closes TODAY AT 3PM EDT

Check Out the NMS Partners Border City Media is a New York-based music technology company that is in development of a unique set of services that will revolutionize the way businesses analyze entertainment consumption and related trends. BuzzAngle Music, the first in a series of Border City Media services that will also include BuzzAngle Movies and BuzzAngle Books, provides a state-of-the-art music consumption service that analyzes the daily sales, streaming and airplay activity of albums, songs and artists. BuzzAngle Music is currently in a limited beta test and has a planned public release in the fall of 2015. cür music will be a music experience like you've never seen! a social, mobile, and web streaming music application that is being designed to enable users to go beyond the limitations of traditional music streaming services.  Upon its release, cür music will unlock the true expressive nature of an individual's connection with their music by fostering personalization, sharing and creativity.  With cür music it's not just about streaming, it's about what the music means to you and how you want to express that to the world. FEATURED PARTNER: SOUNDEXCHANGE Tuesday: June 23, 2015: The SoundExchange Summit at NMS SX 101 / "Money in Your Pocket" Does Living in the Past Provide a Vision for the Future? Legal Eagles Advocacy and becoming Your Own Advocate See Full Programming Schedule for Descriptions and Speakers Visit: www.soundexchange.com