ReportWire

Tag: Promotion

  • Want to Keep Your Workers Happy? Don’t “Fake Promote” Them With New Job Titles

    Shakespeare really nailed the “what’s in a name?” question — roses do smell as sweet no matter what you call ‘em. But when it comes to writing business text and job titles, rather than poetry and names, things get a little more complex as workers’ egos and motivational benefits like pay rises join in. Now a new report shines an interesting light on a strange job title-related phenomenon that’s afflicting the average worker: “title inflation.” Even Shakespeare would have a hard time shaping this story into a beautiful verse.

    As you may have expected, the workers don’t emerge on the positive side of this trick. In fact, 92 percent of the 1,000 U.S. workers questioned by online resume building service MyPerfectResume said they’d seen companies use overblown job titles to make it seem like their career was progressing. And this played out even as their managers weren’t accompanying the “fake” promotion with meaningful benefits like higher pay or extra recognition alongside an inflated job name.

    As someone who’s held an innumerable number of job titles over the years, from junior business analyst to technician I’ve seen some of this go on. And if you think about it, you certainly have too: I bet you know a junior section manager of XYZ or two who’s been “promoted,” and lost the “junior,” but that’s as far as things went in terms of pay or other compensation.

    MyPerfectResmue’s data also show that two in three workers think this habit of job title inflation is actually happening more than in the past. And, as industry news site HRDive notes, there’s a sad, mind games-related reaction happening to this sort of managerial trick: workers admitted that they were afraid to negotiate with management when this occurs, and 9 percent have been given a new more senior title without a raise, and shockingly 15 percent had even accepted a more “senior” job title that came with a functional salary cut. Worse, perhaps, some 37 percent of the survey respondents said they had felt pressured to accept a new job title without negotiating more pay.

    We can assume that the gloomy job market, endless headlines reporting layoffs and the ever-growing threat that AI may take people’s jobs is playing a role here. After all, reports say that people are so afraid of being fired that they’re feeling guilty about taking vacations, and they’re “task masking” too — pretending to work hard even when their workload is light so that managers see them and think they’re busy, and not worth replacing with an AI. 

    Combine a nervous job-hugging workforce with a management system that’s under constant pressure to deliver more productivity, without necessarily being given budget or authority to “reward” workers properly, and you’ve got a perfect recipe for managers pulling off dirty tricks like offering someone a new, grander-seeming job title that comes with extra duties, but no managerial authority or, indeed, extra pay. This is backed up by MyPerfectResume data which showed 20 percent of workers think employers inflate job titles to justify assigning more responsibilities, 19 percent think it’s merely about flattery, and 16 percent think it’s a ploy to retain workers long term.

    Now, you can argue that job titles don’t matter, and you may feel that in your small enterprise everyone’s got a simple, meaningful one that doesn’t overstate or overpromise their role.

    But the thing is job titles do matter in subtle ways. For example, 41 percent of survey respondents in this new study said a title had made them seem either over or under qualified when they were applying for a new role, and 11 percent said that an unusual job title had made it harder to explain and justify their work experience. 

    And, just like being given the corner office, a new, more senior-seeming job title without an accompanying raise or other benefit really represents no advancement at all for a worker. Keep pulling this trick off and you could build up resentment in your workforce, which could then drive down engagement and, with that, your profits.

    Simply: it might be time to audit your promotions and rewards program, and to check that everyone feels they’ve got the right job title and that their pay reflects that title properly.  

    Kit Eaton

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  • BHA Strategy Expands Leadership Team With Three New Partners

    Firm Welcomes Nicole Watson and Promotes Brent Easley and Laine Arnold to Partner


    NASHVILLE, Tenn., September 29, 2025 (Newswire.com)
    –
    BHA Strategy, Tennessee’s leading public affairs firm, announced the expansion of its leadership team with the addition of Nicole Watson as Partner and the promotions of Brent Easley and Laine Arnold to Partner. Watson, based in Nashville and Chattanooga, brings over 20 years of government relations and public affairs experience. Easley, former legislative director for Gov. Bill Lee, and Arnold, former communications director and senior advisor to Gov. Lee, have been key to BHA’s growth across Tennessee.

    Watson most recently served as Public Policy & Regulatory Partner at Holland & Knight LLP, advising clients on state and local public affairs and navigating complex legislative and regulatory issues. A graduate of Regent University School of Law and recognized as one of Chattanooga’s “20 Under 40,” Watson has built her career on strategic counsel and results-driven leadership. At BHA, she will lead the firm’s multi-state government affairs efforts, expanding its reach and delivering results for clients nationwide.

    “Nicole, Brent, and Laine are among the most respected professionals in Tennessee public affairs,” said Blake Harris, CEO of BHA Strategy. “Their leadership will strengthen our services across the state and support the growth of our multi-state practice. We are thrilled to welcome Nicole and recognize Brent and Laine through their promotions.”

    “I am excited to join BHA Strategy and lead our multi-state government affairs practice,” said Watson. “BHA has an outstanding reputation for results, and I look forward to working with this talented team to serve clients and expand our reach.”

    Watson’s addition, along with Easley and Arnold’s promotion, continues BHA Strategy’s momentum following regional expansions and its growing partnership with BGR Group in Washington, D.C. “BGR’s partnership with BHA grows stronger every day as we work together to deliver results across Tennessee and in D.C.,” said Loren Monroe, Principal at BGR Group. “Nicole, Brent, and Laine bring expertise that strengthens our multi-state capabilities and ability to guide clients where public policy, politics, and risk converge.”

    ###

    About BHA Strategy (BHA Strategy):

    Based in Nashville, BHA Strategy is a full-service, strategic consulting firm providing expertise in government affairs, public relations, and corporate intelligence. With deep roots in political campaigns and public service, BHA’s team applies winning campaign strategies and senior advisor expertise to the biggest challenges facing startups, corporations, and causes. BHA retains a political skill set that includes public opinion research, digital marketing, and media production/placement. The firm’s core focus is multi-state government affairs, strategic communication, and reputation management.

    About BGR Group (www.bgrdc.com):

    Founded in 1991, BGR Group is a premier government affairs and PR firm with offices in D.C., London, Austin, Phoenix, and Atlanta. BGR specializes in three key areas: bipartisan government affairs, strategic communications, and business advisory services. BGR brings together accomplished policy experts, public opinion influencers, and issue advocates from across the political spectrum.

    Source: BHA Strategy

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  • If the iPhone 17 doesn’t get ProMotion, I won’t be upgrading my iPhone 12

    In 2020, I bought an to replace my aging , and nearly five years later, I’m still using that same device because it works fine and Apple has yet to bring the feature I want most on a regular iPhone: a ProMotion display. If you’re not familiar with the company’s marketing lingo, ProMotion is its way of describing a high-refresh rate display.

    Apple introduced ProMotion with the . Since then, every Pro model has offered a 120Hz refresh rate display with the ability to scale down to 1Hz for always-on functionality. That’s great for gaming and day-to-day use; higher refresh rates make every interaction on the iPhone’s touchscreen look and feel smoother. In fact, high refresh rate displays are such a well-liked feature that most Android manufacturers have begun offering them on their entry-level devices, but it’s still something you need to spend $1,000 to get on an iPhone..

    If you ask me, that’s a problem for Apple. The closest I got to upgrading was in 2023 when it released the , which was the first regular model to include the company’s Dynamic Island display cutout after it debuted on the . In the end, even the iPhone 15, with its better display, camera and USB-C charging, wasn’t enough to convince me to part with the iPhone 12, because the new model didn’t include a ProMotion screen. I imagine I’m not the only person who kept their old iPhone for the same reason.

    At this point, Apple’s trickle-down strategy is painfully behind its competitors. In 2022, when display analyst Ross Young the entire iPhone 15 would offer Dynamic Island displays, he said the company likely wouldn’t bring ProMotion to its regular iPhones until 2024 at the earliest. He blamed the timing on a supply chain that “[couldn’t] support” the feature on Apple’s more affordable handsets. Whether or not that was true, I don’t know. In 2020, the same year Apple released the $799 iPhone 12, Google came out with the , which came with a 90Hz OLED.

    Either way, it appears my long wait is about to come to an end, with all four 2025 iPhone models — the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max and new iPhone 17 Air — set to offer 120Hz displays. For me, this is the year I upgrade, but I do wonder what it means for the future of the iPhone line.

    If I had to guess, Apple’s decision to hold off on bringing ProMotion to the regular iPhone had more to do with the company wanting to give people a reason to spend extra on a Pro model than the limits of one of the largest and most efficient supply chains on the planet. If the pre-release rumors turn out to be true, the iPhone 17 will leave the iPhone Pro in an awkward place. With ProMotion gone as a differentiating feature and the Pro and Pro Max rumored to be made from aluminum again, there aren’t many reasons to go for the more expensive models other than if you want a telephoto camera or a bigger display in the case of the Pro Max.

    I suspect this may be the last year we see an iPhone Pro, at least in the format we know it as now. When Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar and I got a chance to talk to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman during a recent episode of the , he mentioned that Apple plans to go all in on the iPhone Air. At first, it may offer only a single camera and worse battery life than its siblings, but Gurman said Apple was confident it could further shrink those components over time and make the Air the equal of its current devices.

    In other words, the iPhone Air might be a side project now, but it’s easy to envision a future where it becomes the company’s flagship. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I’m hopeful Apple plans for a future where the Air and regular iPhone offer similar features, but the company charges a premium for getting those in a sleeker package.

    Igor Bonifacic

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  • Your chance to work directly with Taylor Swift’s former manager – ReverbNation Blog

    Your chance to work directly with Taylor Swift’s former manager – ReverbNation Blog

    Learn how to turn listeners into lifelong fans in this series of interactive workshops hosted by ReverbNation

    Want to build an enduring fanbase that supports your music for years to come? It takes more than the songs themselves!

    This October, you can work directly with Taylor Swift’s former manager Rick Barker, as he shows us the roadmap for reaching and wowing the right listeners. Join us for this four-part livestream series called Turning Listeners into Lifelong Fans:

    By the end of four FREE weekly workshops, we’ll know exactly how to transform strangers into fans, and fans into long-term advocates for your music. 

    I say us because this series is part of ReverNation’s weekly Music Career Study Group livestream. So Kevin Breuner and I will be joining live to help guide the conversation and highlight the best questions and examples from the chat.

    A no-nonsense strategy for music success

    By combining the same marketing principles he used to establish the career of one of the biggest stars in the world, with his passion and curiosity for the very latest in music trends, communication tools, and promo tactics — Rick will empower you to move your music forward over the next year. And not by inches, but miles.

    Turning Listeners into Lifelong Fans:

    Week 1: The Art of Building a Fanbase (Thursday, October 3rd at 2pm EST)

    Week 2: Engaging and Growing Your Audience (Thursday, October 10th at 2pm EST)

    Week 3: The Superfan Blueprint (Thursday, October 17th at 2pm EST)

    Week 4: Long-Term Fan Engagement Strategy (Thursday, October 24th at 2pm EST)

    Join us LIVE on YouTube or Facebook each week!

    And be sure to click the notification bell or RSVP so you don’t miss the workshop.

    Rick will be there every Thursday to answer your questions and provide step-by-step guidance through his actionable strategies, which you can repeat in your own career. 

    Tired of taking random stabs at fanbuilding? 

    By the end of October, you’ll know exactly how to inspire your growing audience to invest more of their time, passion, and money in your music!

    Chris Robley

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  • Marketing vs Advertising: What’s the difference? – ReverbNation Blog

    Marketing vs Advertising: What’s the difference? – ReverbNation Blog

    “Marketing” is a term that gets thrown around a lot in the music industry.

    But it’s important to understand exactly what marketing is (and isn’t) if you want to drive results for your music. And one of the more important things to clarify is the difference between music marketing and music advertising.

    Here’s a quick explainer for musicians.

    What is music marketing?

    Marketing is any series of deliberate actions you take to create awareness for your music, build a fanbase, and generate revenue.

    It’s also the ongoing effort of sharing your music, or a part of your music’s story, in a compelling way, to the right audience, through the right channels, at the right time, so that someone will notice, care, and take action.

    Because “marketing” covers so many possible channels, goals, and tactics, it’s really an umbrella term that can encompass many specific endeavors, including:

    Many artists make the mistake of seeing these individual marketing endeavors as separate or even interchangeable. But marketing is the whole strategy, the game-plan that ties each of these efforts together into a larger journey.

    It’s a more complete vision for how you’ll get your music noticed and move listeners from strangers, to fans, to customers, to lifelong advocates of your art.

    What is music advertising?

    Let’s face it. Your following on social probably doesn’t see everything you post.

    So if you lean on organic social posts to do all your communication work, you’re leaving a lot of opportunities on the table:

    Enter advertising, sometimes called “paid media.”

    (Because you’re paying… for media… to get attention.)

    The focus of advertising is to give you a fast and targeted way to reach the right audience at the right time:

    Different forms of music advertising

    Advertising — even within a single industry, such as recorded music — can take many shapes.

    Want to run ads for your music? That could mean a full-page ad in a glossy magazine. A billboard in Times Square. Or a radio commercial.

    But more often for musicians today we’re talking about digital ads.

    The kind of sponsored content you see when scrolling Instagram or TikTok. The pre-roll ads that play before YouTube videos. The audio ads that free users of Spotify periodically hear.

    Or the playable banner ads that appear when you’re reading an article on Pitchfork or NME:

    Advertising cuts through the noise

    When a message or objective is important enough that you’ll pay for people to see it, advertising helps your audience take notice.

    Not only because it boosts the likelihood that your content will be served up in the first place, but because ads can be delivered multiple times to the same person.

    And in a world of distraction where (by many marketers’ calculations) people need to see something between 7-13 times before they act on the information, advertising does a better job than most other forms of marketing at simply reaching people.

    So advertising is a great option for reaching new listeners and growing your audience. But it’s also a good solution when you need to get important messages in front of your existing audience.

    And when you factor in “retargeting,” which is the ability to send ads to people you know have already interacted with previous ads, tracks, or videos, then advertising becomes a powerful tool to move listeners from point A to Z.

    The easiest way to advertise on major music websites

    As you can tell from this article, advertising is just ONE component of the music marketing toolkit. So just like with organic social, you can’t expect it to do ALL the work.

    But when used in conjunction with other marketing efforts (such as creating great social content, building and using your email list, etc.), advertising can help your music go much further.

    Are you looking for the easiest and most budget-friendly way to get your music onto popular sites like Pitchfork, Billboard, RollingStone, MTV, and NME? Check out ReverbNation’s Promote It! You can launch your first campaign in minutes.

    Special offer: From now through August 31st, you can even save $10 on a Promote It campaign when you set a campaign budget of at least $21. Use the code PROMOTEIT10 at checkout. 

    And be sure to read these tips on how to create an effective ad that performs well.

    Chris Robley

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  • Running effective ads for your music – ReverbNation Blog

    Running effective ads for your music – ReverbNation Blog

    Music marketing. It’s something you need to do, right?

    Especially if you want to find new fans, grow your streaming activity, drive merch and ticket sales, and build a sustainable music career.

    In this article I’m going to show you how I got 1800+ new plays in just a few days.

    Here’s a giveaway: It involves advertising. And I set a budget of less than $50.

    Yep. Spending money. But as the saying goes, “you have to spend money to make money.” Or put in music terms, you often have to spend money to reach new audiences and build a lasting fanbase.

    Here’s the good news: If you don’t know much about advertising or marketing, getting 1800+ people to interact with my music out of a total of 10k “impressions” (people who were served the ad) in less than a week is an impressive result. And now that I know my first week’s results, I can confidently let the ad run longer as budget allows.

    I’ll outline my approach below.

    But first, if you’re one of the people who groaned when you thought about spending money on ads, let’s look at some of the shortcomings of other promo options.

    The limitations of other music promo 

    College radio promotion can be worth the effort, especially if you’re doing it the DIY route and establishing your own direct relationships with DJs. But you’re mostly reaching small localized audiences who can’t easily connect the dots between airplay and online engagement. 

    Posting video content on social is one of the best ways to nurture your relationship with an audience, but it won’t guarantee that anyone new discovers you beyond existing fans. 

    Enter advertising, a key component of an overall marketing strategy. 

    Music advertising can be a powerful way to:

    • Target the right audiences
    • Generate awareness and brand recognition
    • Drive specific results
    • Follow-up with new fans

    But when you start advertising your music, platforms like Meta Ads Manager can be extremely complicated to use, and very intimidating for new marketers. It’s a labyrinth in there and they keep moving the walls!

    No joke, I’ve heard from many musicians who needed to spend a dozen hours or more just to get properly set up to run ads on Facebook and Instagram.

    So where does that leave you?

    The simplest way to build your music fanbase with ads

    Well, we’ve created a tool to help you find fans in places where music listeners are already discovering new artists — on sites and platforms like Spotify, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Billboard, The FADER, NME, and Facebook.

    And in this article I’ll show you how easy and effective it is.

    The tool is called Promote It, and we made it user-friendly and budget-friendly for independent musicians. You can launch your first campaign in minutes.

    Special offer: From now through August 31st, you can save $10 on a Promote It campaign when you set a campaign budget of at least $21. Use the code PROMOTEIT10 at checkout. 

    With a Promote It campaign, you can:

    • Feature your song on major music websites
    • Promote an upcoming show or festival
    • Drive new listeners to Spotify
    • Launch ads on Facebook
    • Get feedback about your track
    • Test different songs to see which performs best
    • Get back in front of fans who’ve shown interest in your music

    What artists are saying about Promote It:

    “I’ve enjoyed using ReverbNation’s Promote It feature because, as an emerging artist that is still building a following, the tool is a way of showcasing my music to listeners of different backgrounds beyond my family and friends.”

    – Sarah Dell

    “Promoting a new song is crucial to its success. Reverbnation’s Promote It campaign has been a reliable way for me to promote my songs to a real audience and boost my chart position.”

    – Mike Williams

    How to launch an ad campaign in minutes:

    1. Log into ReverbNation (or quickly create a free artist account).

    2. Go to the “Promote” tab.

    3. Decide on your objective: Do you want to get video views, Spotify plays, feedback on your latest song, traffic to a specific landing page? 

    Knowing your objective helps us format and place the ad correctly. It also helps us automatically imports the most relevant content, such as a song player or video player, which — depending on your ad objective — can be played right there within the banner ad, without the visitor having to leave the website they’re on.  

    What’s a good objective to start with?

    If you want listeners to check out your track right there and then, without having to leave the website they’re already on, choose the “Promote a Song” option.

    Campaign results, of course, will vary depending on your music, the visuals, the text, and the audience. But in general, “Promote a Song” ads get the highest level of engagement because there is the least amount of “friction” (extra clicks, extra pages, extra steps, etc.) for the viewer.

    All they have to do is hit the play button right there within the playable banner ad!

    4. Choose or add the song you want to promote.

    5. Select the “Advertise on Music Websites” option.

    6. Choose a layout for the ad.

    7. Select (or upload) a background image and customize how it appears in your ad.

    You can Drag or crop the image to adjust its appearance behind the text. Also, select if the image should be full-color or B&W.

    The style of the image should work with your musical brand, and it’s difficult to give too specific advice here, since that “vibe” will differ for every artist. However, be mindful to create enough contrast between the image and the overlaid text that your messaging is clear and bold. In the example below, I chose a simple and dark photo so the text would pop. 

    8. Add two rows of text; a headline and supporting tagline.

    Space is limited, so be bold! Use some of the proven tricks of marketing copywriting; make a promise, share an impressive quote or testimonial, or create a sense of daring. For instance, one of the ads I’m running shared a press quote from LA on Lock that said my music was “Songwriting at its best.”

    That’s a brag, for sure. But also… I’m challenging the person on the other end of the ad to confirm or deny that claim. “Oh, songwriting at its best, huh? I’ll be the judge of that. Lemme listen and see.”

    The tagline, in most cases, should use your artist name and clearly tell people what to do.

    For my ad, it says “Listen to Chris Robley now.”

    9. View the ad previews.

    You’ll have a chance to see your ad in various display dimensions before you finalize the campaign. If it looks good, proceed. If not, you can still make edits!

    10. Select a budget for your campaign.

    Choose your daily or lifetime budget. How long you run the campaign will depend on your objective. But keep in mind that many successful music ad campaigns leave ads running for at least a week or longer, as opposed to burning through the budget in just one or two days. 

    Run your music ads and monitor results

    And that’s it! 

    ReverbNation will handle all the audience-targeting based on your genre and location, and we’ll take care of all the placements, ensuring your ads appear on relevant platforms and websites.

    And if you run more ads in the future, we’ll automatically target people who previously interacted with your music, videos, and ads. 

    Once your ads are running, you’ll see real-time stats for engagement and where people are discovering your music!

    To help you get started, we’re giving you $10 off your next Promote It campaign* 

    * From now through August 31st, you can save $10 on a Promote It campaign when you set a campaign budget of at least $21. Use the code PROMOTEIT10 at checkout. 

    FAQ:

    What kinds of things can I achieve with Promote It ads?

    There are a number of ad goals to choose from, including:

    • Driving Spotify streams
    • Discovery, brand awareness, and building buzz
    • Getting feedback on a track to test a track’s “market-viability”
    • Boosting web traffic for a ticket page, smartlink, merch item, etc. 
    • And more

    Do I need a ReverbNation account to run Promote It ads?

    Yes, but… it’s free and easy to create a ReverbNation account. 

    What types of ads get the best results?

    The answer will vary depending on the artist, genre, audience, and content. But as a general rule, you’ll often see better results with ads that require fewer clicks to get to the end goal. 

    Because of that, you’ll probably see the best results with a “Share a Song” or “Share a Video” ad type where the content plays right there within the banner ad itself. Visitors don’t have to leave the website they’re on or take any other action besides simply hitting play. 

    Will advertising be enough?

    Advertising is one component of an overall marketing strategy. You still need to create great music and social content, grow your customer list, make merch offers, play live, try to get press, etc. 

    Major label superstars use advertising in conjunction with a host of other marketing efforts. Their social content generally engages existing fans. Radio and playlist promo helps drive passive listening. And so forth. So don’t expect advertising to do all the work. Ads can be helpful in making introductions and creating a “halo effect.”

    If you’ve dialed in an engaging social presence and live concert experience, it’s time to turn the ad budget on in order to bring NEW fans to those aspects of your career you’re already doing well. 

    Can I do “retargeting” with Promote It?

    In a way, yes. Retargeting is built into the functionality of our tool. So your new ads will automatically be served to anyone who previously engaged with your music, video, and ads. 

    Can I run multiple ads at once? 

    Yes. And in fact, that’s often a good thing to do. Simultaneous campaigns can give you a better sense for which ad-types, copy variations, images, and objectives perform best for your music.

    Chris Robley

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  • Slapfish Coastal Seafood Kitchen Celebrates Educators: Educators Eat Free in May

    Slapfish Coastal Seafood Kitchen Celebrates Educators: Educators Eat Free in May


    SALT LAKE CITY, May 1, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    As a token of appreciation for their tireless dedication to shaping young minds, Slapfish Coastal Seafood Kitchen is delighted to announce its special promotion: “Teachers Eat Free in May.”

    Throughout the month of May, educators can enjoy a complimentary meal at any Slapfish Coastal Seafood Kitchen location across the nation. This offer extends to teachers from all educational institutions, including schools, colleges, and universities.

    Slapfish Coastal Seafood Kitchen recognizes the invaluable contributions of teachers in nurturing and educating future generations. This initiative aims to express gratitude for their unwavering commitment, especially during challenging times.

    “We believe in the power of education and the profound impact teachers have on our communities,” said Lacey Martin, Vice President of Marketing at Slapfish Coastal Seafood Kitchen. “By offering free meals to teachers throughout May, we hope to show our appreciation and support for their hard work and dedication.”

    To redeem their complimentary meal, teachers simply need to present a valid educator ID or proof of employment at any Slapfish Coastal Seafood Kitchen location during operating hours. Whether they crave a mouthwatering crispy cod sandwich, a flavorful fish taco, or a fresh seafood salad, teachers can indulge in a delicious meal on the house. Slapfish Coastal Seafood Kitchen invites teachers to relax, unwind, and savor the flavors of the sea as a small token of gratitude for their invaluable contributions to education.

    For more information about the “Teachers Eat Free in May” promotion and to find the nearest Slapfish Coastal Seafood Kitchen location, visit slapfishrestaurant.com 

    About Slapfish
    Slapfish is a food truck turned brick-and-mortar, fast-casual seafood restaurant that consists of 15 locations across the U.S. Slapfish has received many awards for culinary innovation and sustainability efforts across the concept, including MenuMaster’s Trendsetter Award (2016), Sustainable Operator of the Year from The Buyer’s Edge (2022) and Future 50: Emerging Brands by Restaurant Business (2022). Slapfish is headquartered at Mac Haik Enterprises (MHE) in Houston, Texas. To learn more about Slapfish, please visit www.slapfishrestaurant.com. 

    About Mac Haik Enterprises LTD (MHE)
    Mac Haik Restaurant Group (MHRG) is a division of Mac Haik Enterprises LTD (MHE), a diversified holding company based in Houston, TX. MHE is a major investor in three rapidly growing fast-casual restaurant brands, Original ChopShop, Slapfish and Due Cucina, and one of the largest franchisees of First Watch Restaurants. MHE also owns Mac Haik Outdoor Media, Mac Haik Hospitality, and Mac Haik Automotive Group which encompasses 23 car dealerships. The 11 affiliated companies of MHE have engaged in the development, ownership and management of commercial real estate and healthcare facilities, asset acquisition and disposition, facilities management, property management, leasing, project management, construction plus janitorial services, as well as hotel ownership. Overall, MHE companies employ over 3,000 employees. To learn more about MHRG, please visit www.machaik-enterprises.com.

    Source: Slapfish Coastal Seafood Kitchen

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  • 10 ways to market your back catalog – ReverbNation Blog

    10 ways to market your back catalog – ReverbNation Blog

    Most musicians move on too soon.

    They put all their creative focus on the next release. Or they only promote their latest work, neglecting all the songs that came before.

    But taking your attention off your older tracks is a mistake. Because there are three big reasons why you should continue to market ALL the music in your back catalog.

    Why your old music deserves new attention:

    • The first and simplest reason? Good music is good music. While YOU might be focused on your recent stuff, your older releases will still be brand new to most of the world.
    • Next, your back catalog is a source of revenue. Your existing fans already like your older music. So find reasons to keep ’em coming back to stream tracks and buy related merch.

      For those reasons and more, you can’t neglect your back catalog.

      In this article, I’ll give you a list of ways to encourage existing fans to replay music they already love, and to attract new fans who’ll dive into your entire catalog.

      How to bring fresh interest to older music

      1. Celebrate album anniversaries

      Anytime one of your albums turns 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25…

      … it’s an obvious chance to celebrate that music all over again. You don’t always need remastering or bonus editions to commemorate an album’s birthday.

      You can retell the story of the album. Send an email. Make social posts.

      It doesn’t have to be a year-long celebration, but at least give the anniversary a month of content and memories. And — this is important — remember to tell your followers exactly where to go to listen again!

      2. Drop unreleased tracks

      Not everything you share has to be a polished diamond. In fact, not everything you share even needs to be finished.

      If you abandoned a track during a particular session, share it and tell us why it never made it onto an album. You can release demos. Alternate takes. Anything that helps build a bigger story around a previous period of work.

      And if it doesn’t feel worthy of strangers’ attention, you don’t have to distribute the music to platforms like Spotify. Just share it directly with your fans and email subscribers.

      3. Do a collaborator shoutout!

      Sometimes self-promotion feels like tooting your own horn. If you struggle with that, forget about yourself for a minute and brag about your collaborators.

      Did a player, bandmate, featured guest, producer, or co-writer contribute something amazing? Something you could’ve never done on your own? Sing their praises. It’s a great way to show gratitude while also bringing attention to your own music.

      If you have a regular collaborator, you’ll have even more options because you can highlight multiple moments you appreciate from them throughout your catalog.

      4. Playlists, playlists, playlists

      Playlists give you almost endless ways to contextualize your music.

      You can group your tracks by:

      • collaborator
      • mood or genre
      • topic or theme
      • period of your career
      • a particular town you lived in while creating the music
      • influences
      • instrumentation
      • other musical elements like key, tempo, etc.
      • success metrics (“Greatest Hits” or “Biggest Misses”)

      5. An artist’s-choice content series

      Create a few different, short, themed, content series that you can run on social and email, such as:

      • The songs I’m proudest of
      • My 3 best lyrical lines
      • 5 things you didn’t know about me
      • My top 10 videos
      • 3 people who shaped my music
      • My favorite guitar solo

      I think you get the point. You come up with a concept that requires multiple emails or posts, and use the theme to generate deeper and sustained interest in your older music.

      If you set these up as automated email sequences, you can even schedule them to be delivered throughout the year to anyone who has recently subscribed to your list. And of course, send these to EVERYONE on your list when the series is first created.

      6. “Free (plus shipping & handing!)”

      Have you ever heard or a Free + Shipping & Handling music offer?

      It’s an interesting marketing campaign-type where you offer to send someone something for free, as long as they pay for shipping.

      Once they’ve entered their payment info, you then present a second (or even third) offer for additional merch items — usually with a limited-time discount.

      Not everyone will elect to purchase additional items, of course, but if enough people do, you can profit AND build your email list simultaneously, all while giving away your music.

      7. Live listening parties!

      Host an event where you tell people interesting facts about the songs before or while the music plays.

      This can be done digitally on Discord, X, or Twitch. Or it can take place IRL at someone’s home, venue, or art space.

      8. One-off performance videos

      No one said you need a special reason to perform your own tunes!

      Shoot a live performance video for Reels and TikTok. Who cares if the song is two or twenty years old? Then find the best 15-second clip. Post it.

      If one of these live videos gets traction, you can follow up with more supporting content.

      9. Perform a specific album

      We’ve all seen artists stage a themed tour around a particular album.

      Roger Waters has done this for Dark Side of the Moon. U2 did it for The Joshua Tree. You can do it too…

      … for ANY of your previous albums.

      In fact, I once did a 7-day residency at a venue where I played a different album of mine each night, so you can work your entire catalog into certain events.

      And you have options beyond venue shows and festivals. You can do something similar whenever you want via livestreaming!

      10. Advertise!

      One of the best things about digital marketing is that it gives you relatively cheap access to massive global audiences. You can also test lots of different content to find what works best.

      And since your oldest music will be brand new to most people online, you can use your highest performing social content to reach strangers at a lower cost.

      As long as that ad content remains a cost-effective way to drive engagement, sell merch, and build your audience, leave the ads running.

      Again, who cares if it’s an older song that performs best in your ads? It’s working!

      Conclusion

      I don’t expect artists to prioritize older music ABOVE their latest release.

      Nor should they.

      That wouldn’t seem realistic. Both in terms of effective promotion and your own excitement as a creator.

      But I hope you at least see the importance of promoting your back catalog. At least enough to schedule in a few of these promo campaigns throughout the year.

      This type of effort is going to be increasingly important if you want your music to remain algorithmically relevant and discoverable on streaming platforms.

      And given that a deeper catalog is an incredible collection of music, moods, and connection points, you can leverage ALL of your work throughout the years to grow your engagement, boost your revenue, and build your audience.

      You want to know the best kept secret in music distribution?

      It’s ReverbNation.

      With pro-level reach.

      Access to industry opportunities.

      Fast responses from our support team.

      And you keep 100% of your royalties.

    Chris Robley

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  • The biggest myth about TikTok for musicians – ReverbNation Blog

    The biggest myth about TikTok for musicians – ReverbNation Blog

    Many major-label artists understand the power of TikTok as a music-marketing tool. In fact, some major acts even sought creative workarounds to get tracks back onto TikTok after their music was removed.

    In contrast, countless independent musicians seem to have the opposite problem. Their music IS easily available on TikTok, but there’s something else holding them back.

    What’s preventing those artists from reaching new fans on TikTok? Is it skill issues? Lack of gear? Ideas that don’t translate into viral videos? Probably not, actually! Most of us know how to frame a shot, hold a smartphone, and capture something that belongs on social.

    No, what holds so many musicians back is something (thankfully) that’s easy to solve. We just need to STOP believing the most damaging myth about TikTok.

    What’s that big, bad myth?

    It’s that TikTok prohibitively skews towards a particular age or demographic. That it isn’t for YOUR age-group, your interest-group, your country or region, etc.

    Have you ever heard yourself say some version of:

    “It’s only for kids.”

    “It’s only for dance trends.”

    “It’s only for comedy.”

    “It’s only for pop music.”

    If so, you’ve helped fuel this myth.

    In short: You believe that TikTok isn’t for you.

    The truth about TikTok for musicians

    It’s not a myth, of course, that TikTok skews young. That part is true.

    But here’s the thing: When you have a billion or more users on a platform that is designed to get the right content in front of the right audience, what does it matter if 60% of them are age 24 or younger? That still means you can reach 400million people who are OLDER than 24.

    And you can run similar math for almost any demographic consideration. You CAN find your people on TikTok. Which is why you might hear the phrase “corner of TikTok.” As in, there are millions of users in a certain “corner” of the platform, interacting with niche content that still gains massive reach due to the overall size of TikTok’s userbase.

    In other words,…

    No music is too niche

    No song is too strange. No artist is too old. No creator is too ANYTHING!

    As long as the content is good.

    Accordion hip-hop? Of course.

    Sad indie-folk covers of dance songs? Indeed.

    Electronic pop that only uses Casio keyboards? Yep.

    Ancient Corsican acappella? Why not.

    Humor and critique? Plenty of it.

    Encouragement and wisdom? Absolutely.

    Geography lessons via heavy metal? Hell yes.

    Sea Shanties? Timeless.

    Whether you’re 18 or 98, your music can reach, move, and change people. Not if you don’t get it in front of them though. And today, TikTok is arguably the most effective tool for music discovery. Which is why Taylor Swift’s music is back on the platform after UMG removed its catalog from TikTok.

    So if you want to reach people, you probably SHOULD be active on a vertical video platform. If it isn’t TikTok, you should have a strategy for Reels or Shorts instead.

    Why do we believe the myth that TikTok isn’t for us?

    It’s convenient. Because if we believe that myth, we don’t have to try.

    We don’t have to risk failing or being ignored. And I get it: It can be scary to put ourselves out there. Especially in a newer format (close-up, social, video) that differs dramatically from other settings where we might naturally thrive (on stage, in the studio, etc.)

    But if we attach ourselves too closely to some critique of modern music consumption trends — “oh, TikTok is only for kids and stupid dance videos” — what we’re really doing is blocking our own ability to use those same exact tools to reach people who will fall in love with our music.

    And isn’t that the point of everything we’re doing?

    Distribute your music to TikTok today!

    Chris Robley

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  • The #1 thing a blogger needs to see in your music – ReverbNation Blog

    The #1 thing a blogger needs to see in your music – ReverbNation Blog

    Do you want your new music featured on a cool blog? 

    A blog write-up can be a great stepping stone in your music career, even in an age dominated by playlists and social video.

    A prominent blog feature not only gets you in front of that site’s existing readership, it also gives you something to share on social, brag about on your website, and — as you’ll see in this article — cross-promote to the blog’s entire social audience too. 

    What it takes to impress a music blog

    What will a music blogger want to see in your pitch before they even consider listening to the music itself? 

    I asked Stefani M.C. Janelli, founder of The Music Insight Column (The MIC), a space dedicated to discussing the music of emerging artists. Through reviews, interviews, musician-of-the month picks, playlist features, and a live-performance series on YouTube, The MIC champions the independent music they love most. 

    In this interview, Stefani talks about what kinds of artists get her attention, what artists get wrong about blog promotion, and some of the opportunities artists seem to be leaving on the table when they get a blog feature.

    Advice from blogger Stefani M.C. Janelli

    What is the most important thing you need to see in an artist before you’ll consider working with them?

    When we look at the artists, we need to know they’re serious. 

    This is something I can notice even from the photo they submit. If their headshot image is non-existent or pixelated, to us, that shows they didn’t take enough time to properly pitch. And that same mentality might show up in their music. 

    You can also see this by looking at their socials, which is so incredibly important. Do they have a following? What is their personality like? Are they dedicated to creating and nurturing their following? 

    When we offer an opportunity to an artist, of course, their music is paramount, and many musicians are good at music, but not the PR or pitching aspect. That is something we take into consideration.

    What sets your blog apart? 

    The MIC started as simply a music blog and grew from there. We feel that interviews, articles, and music features are our biggest strengths. 

    We also highlight artists in a YouTube series that has been performing well, especially when we cross-promote and do collab posts with the featured artists. 

    Just this year we’ve expanded our offerings to continue to help artists with label services, which is a new addition we’re very excited about!

    Once you’ve decided to feature an act, what does “success” look like, for you and the artist?

    Many artists come in expecting a lot from a blog, in our opinion. Success looks like working together. 

    When an artist comes in willing to work and collaborate with you, that says a lot. Many times we’ve worked with, or attempted to work with artists, and we would get as far as agreeing to feature an interview on our site, and they’re excited and willing. But once we’ve put the effort in to create the questions and send them over, they ghosted. And this has happened a few times. 

    Another thing is collab Instagram posts. These types of posts are so symbiotically beneficial. Once we engage in a collab post, the reach is exponential. Their audiences see it, ours does as well, and it works well with the algorithm. But sometimes artists either agree to it and never accept the request, or ignore the request and never repost the article. 

    If we’re offering an opportunity to amplify your career, you engaging with the content and reposting the article or interview, is so essential! It’s about you and your band, after all. 

    What is the biggest misconception about music bloggers? What don’t people get about your work?

    Our time and dedication! We are an independently funded blog. We have no financial backing. 

    When artists come to us expecting reviews, features, and interviews, they do not understand the time and effort these take. Even if we’re just featuring a song with an article on our blog, we have to listen to the track, multiple times, and create a blog post. 

    After that, we create all of the digital media for said article and cross-promote it on all of our channels. 

    And that is something that’s expected but often undervalued by artists.

    What big music opportunity has captured your imagination?

    The idea of independent and emerging artists having so much power in the industry, and over their own careers is extremely exciting. While that comes with its own challenges — like managing their own career, brand, and budget — I think independence is still worth pursuing.

    Want to pitch your music directly to Stefani? 

    The MIC is currently looking to feature up to 10 ReverbNation artists on either their blog or YouTube series.

    Submit your music for that Opportunity!

    Chris Robley

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  • Wait, don’t release your next track until you’ve claimed these 12 music accounts! – ReverbNation Blog

    Wait, don’t release your next track until you’ve claimed these 12 music accounts! – ReverbNation Blog

    Any time you officially release new music, it should feel like a big occasion. 

    Even if you’re a prolific producer dropping new singles every 6 weeks, you still want all your tracks get the most attention possible, and see each new song go further than the last. 

    That means doing it right. Both through proper music distribution AND early music promotion efforts. 

    Music promo begins BEFORE the release

    In the age of streaming, a lot of the promotional steps you need to take actually happen on-platform and prior to release. 

    You prep your new music for launch by claiming or updating your artist profiles at various DSPs, then you use their platform’s tools in advance of the release date to amplify your reach. 

    To help you make the most of your music release, I wrote this list of DSP dashboards, artist promo tools, and other music accounts you’ll want to have access to BEFORE your music is available. 

    Think of it as a quick guide for what to do when you’re in that strange period between signing up for distribution and your actual release date. 

    Let’s get you ready!

    Claim or update these accounts before you release new music

    1. Spotify for Artists 

    This artist dashboard gives you quite a few ways to brand yourself and promote new tracks on one of the world’s most influential music platforms. 

    Once you’ve customized your profile with photos, bio, playlists and picks, it’s time to explore promo tools such as Marquee, Canvas, and their direct pitching portal for editorial playlist consideration.

    Claim or update your Spotify for Artists account.

    1. Apple Music for Artists

    Similar to Spotify for Artists, this account is your gateway to artist branding and analytics on Apple Music.

    Customize your profile, get updates on exciting milestones for your music, and (fun feature) see if people are discovering your music by using Shazam!

    Claim or update your Apple Music for Artists account.

    1. Amazon Music for Artists

    Another important streaming platform — Amazon Music — gives you access to a robust artist dashboard. 

    You can view interesting data (including how many people are using voice/Alexa to discover your tracks), have some control over your brand appearance on the platform, and pitch songs to their editorial team.

    Claim or update your Amazon Music for Artists account.

    1.  YouTube Official Artist Channel 

    When you distribute tracks to YouTubeMusic, they appear in what’s called a “Topic channel.” This is a YouTube property, separate from your OWN channel.

    However, you can merge that content so it appears under your own channel, and view the associated analytics. You do this by requesting an “Official Artist Channel.” It’s not a new channel, per se, but a new format for your own channel that now includes the Topic-channel content. 

    Apply for a YouTube Official Artist Channel.

    1. Deezer for Creators

    Deezer, one of Europe’s most important music services, gives you the ability to shape your music’s destiny on their platform.  

    This includes brand amplification, bio translation, and analytics tools. 

    Sign up or login to Deezer for Creators.

    1. Pandora AMP

    Pandora is still a powerhouse of music discovery in America, and in many public businesses such as restaurants, health clinics, and more. 

    With Pandora AMP, you can talk to your fans directly, position certain tracks for extra attention, and much more. 

    Claim or use your Pandora AMP account.

    1. TIDAL Artist Home

    Like other DSPs, Tidal Artist Home offers you a dashboard where you can customize your visual vibe. 

    TIDAL also occasionally beta-tests new features (like pitching) among artists who’ve claimed their TIDAL Artist Home account. 

    Claim or update your Tidal Artist Home profile.

    1. At least one social video app

    You don’t have to be everywhere. But you should have an active presence on at least ONE of these platforms:

    Vertical video is one of the primary ways people discover music in 2024. 

    1. MusixMatch

    Want to get your synchronized lyrics moving in time to the music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Instagram?

    Verify your artist on MusixMatch Pro.

    1. LyricFind

    How about your lyrics officially appearing on TikTok Music, Google, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, and more? 

    Become a verified artist on LyricFind.

    1. ReverbNation

    Presumably you’re here because you’re about to release new music!

    Well, you should know that not only does a ReverbNation membership INCLUDE worldwide distribution to Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and many others. 

    It also comes with industry access and music promo tools you can use to boost your newest track. Our growing roster of Opportunities enables you to submit your music (no extra fee) for radio shows, playlists, gigs and festivals, labels and managers, mixing and mastering consultations, free vinyl pressing, and much more. 

    Get pro distribution, powerful promo tools, and unprecedented music industry access.

    1. Meta Ads Manager

    Like the social apps above, this dashboard is NOT specific to music. But it can be one of the BEST places to spend your time (and money) promoting music. 

    Yes, ads on Facebook and Instagram are still one of the most effective ways to grow an audience and earn revenue. If done well, of course.

    Noone begins as an ad wizard though. But in order to get better you have to get started. 

    Claim or log back into your Meta ads dashboard.

    —

    Conclusion

    That’s quite a list of accounts to claim, and we haven’t even gotten into royalty collection services like SoundExchange, The MLC, Performing Rights Organizations, and more. 

    But you have some work ahead of you, so we’ll leave it there for now.

    Happy clicking, claiming, and customizing!

    Chris Robley

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  • How to fill the venue every time – ReverbNation Blog

    How to fill the venue every time – ReverbNation Blog


    Do you want your next concert to be a sell-out event?

    In “The key to booking better gigs” I discussed three of the best strategies to turn every show into a success:

    1. Don’t play too often in any given town
    2. Choose smaller venues that you can easily fill
    3. Make each gig special (album release show, tour kickoff, etc.)

    But those are all high-level decisions. There’s got to be more to the formula, right? Indeed.

    In this article I’ll discuss specific steps for effective concert promotion. 

    You won’t have to do ‘em all for every single show, of course. But the more items you can check off this list, the better your chances of selling out the venue. 

    Start early! 

    The earlier you can book a show, the more time you have to create interest in the event and work on your stage production. 

    Some gigs arise last-minute. But those should be the exception to the rule. 

    Try to book your shows anywhere from 3 to 12 months in advance. 

    Prestige venues, music festivals, and high-demand house concert series may be booking even further out than that.

    Curate a great lineup

    If you can’t sell-out the show on your own, team up! 

    Find one or two other acts with a reliable draw in that town. Work together. If you’re booking a tour through THEIR hometown, return the favor with a gig-swap when they travel through yours. 

    Make sure you coordinate your plans for promotion with the other acts on the bill. No need for three bands to work separately when you can pool your efforts and budget. 

    Choose the right ticket price

    You want to profit from the show, but not charge so much that you don’t fill the venue. It’s a balancing act, and there’s some trial and error, for sure.

    But lean on the venue or promoter’s expertise if you’re unsure of the right price.

    Also ask for their recommendation or options regarding ticketed events versus door-charge, and specific seats versus general admission.

    Get business buy-in

    The business that you want to see most invested in your show is the venue, of course. 

    So discuss with the promoter, the talent-buyer, or the venue management what they plan to do to make the night a success. What exactly are they running for promo (ads, posters, etc)? Who pays for what?  

    By getting detailed info, you’ll know how your efforts can complement one another, or plug holes. 

    Then ask yourself: Are there other businesses or charities that might invest in this show? An outside sponsor who can cover some of the costs and promote the event to their customers, in exchange for some branding, education, or product placement during the show?

    Prioritize amazing design

    Your event has to LOOK cool. In advance. 

    You want people — when they attend the show — to feel cool by association. 

    So make sure your concert posters, associated social posts, Facebook Event Page banner, and other web assets all have a striking visual appeal. 

    You can do a lot these days with Canva and AI design tools, but if you need a pro designer, allocate some promo budget. It’ll be worth the expense. 

    Update everything!

    Make a list of all the places that need quick edits or announcements, including:

    • Your concert calendar
    • Bandsintown
    • SongKick
    • ReverbNation profile
    • A Facebook event
    • YouTube Cards (if you’re in the YouTube Partner Program)
    • News-bars or popups on your website
    • And more

    Now go and add the relevant info about your show!

    Don’t neglect your email list either. Segment the list based on geography, and send an email to people in that town.

    Put up posters

    IRL posters are still important. 

    If you’re playing a different town, mail them directly to the venue, local record stores, and any other relevant place for public display, such as libraries, instrument stores, bookstores, coffee shops, etc. (call or email beforehand). 

    Or if a local band is opening, coordinate with them to hang posters. If you’re playing your own hometown, hang ‘em up yourself!

    Tease the mystery

    Will you have a special surprise guest? Get people guessing, but don’t reveal the answer.

    Will you debut a special song? Share a snippet from practice that sounds familiar, but not a dead giveaway. 

    Are you working on an interesting stage design, props, or costumes? Show some behind-the-scenes moments where those elements are just starting to come together, but aren’t quite ready for showtime. 

    Plant the seeds of curiosity.

    Create dedicated merch

    Tell your fans there will be a special merch item that can ONLY be acquired if they attend the show. 

    You could sell it at the merch table. You could give it away at the door. Or you can include it as part of a special ticket package. 

    The point is to create a sense of urgency and commemoration. 

    Make ticketing EASY! 

    You often won’t have a choice about how ticketing works, which platforms are used, etc. A lot of that is left to the venue’s existing processes. 

    But wherever you can, you want as few clicks as possible between your promo efforts and the final purchase.

    Don’t send someone from an Instagram photo to your website’s concert calendar to a venue site to a ticketing page to checkout, when you can probably remove a few of those steps. 

    Run digital ads

    If you have a great piece of social content (performance videos work well), run it as an ad to people who live within driving distance to the venue. 

    Use the caption to address the specific town and get them excited for your show. 

    Get retargeting info

    Is it possible to acquire retargeting data or customer contact info from the ticketing platform or venue? 

    This is another item that will often be out of your control, but if you have sufficient leverage, it might be possible to work with the venue or ticketing service to coordinate your online marketing efforts to enable things like:

    • Cart abandonment messages to follow-up with anyone who almost purchased a ticket
    • Bonus offers to existing ticketholders (discount code to bring a friend, etc.)

    Consider non-musical collabs

    The bill you put together doesn’t always have to include other musicians. 

    If for whatever reason you think it’d work better to partner with a comedian, a short-film premiere, a storyteller, a dance troupe… get creative with the lineup!

    Host a contest

    If fans think they might be recognized in some way during the event, there’s extra incentive to attend. 

    This could be a contest running AT the event: Best costume? Shoot a fan testimonial video at the door and we’ll pick our favorite for a prize? 

    Or something you run in advance of the show: Submit alternate lyrics to one of our songs and we’ll sing our favorite entry? Write your dream setlist and we’ll play our favorite? 

    Alert the local press

    Cover your PR bases! 

    Tell the local music critics and bloggers about your show, why it’s gonna be amazing, and that you’re happy to provide anything else they need. 

    Including interviews, comped tickets, etc. 

    Also, don’t forget chamber of commerce, local newspapers, neighborhood zines, and more.

    Post organic social content

    It can be a balancing act for touring musicians to create content that feels relevant to local audiences without ostracising the larger fanbase. 

    But given that TikTok and Instagram are now so algorithmically driven, you may consider creating geo-tagged content, as that type of stuff generally gets surfaced to relevant viewers, especially on TikTok. 

    You can also rely on more temporary formats like Stories to emphasize city-specific events. 

    Theme it up!

    Not every concert needs a gimmick. Not every kind of artist should have fans showing up in costumes. But if it’s appropriate, get your fans involved in creating the vibe for the night.

    If you have a theme, you don’t want it to be prohibitive. Costumes should be optional. And the theme should be open-ended enough that an average fan can easily put together a costume (80s night, favorite movie character, etc.)

    Offer different ticket packages

    Sometimes a little exclusivity goes a long way, so make sure to have a ticket tier for several types of fan: 

    • Casual fan / general admission / door charge / balcony seating
    • True fan / better seating / advanced admission / watch the soundcheck
    • Diehard fan / special treatment / VIP merch / backstage hangout

    Use all of the guest list

    I don’t know why, but many musicians feel embarrassed to actually fill up the guest list. 

    It’s there for a reason. We might as well put names on it!

    Just be sure you’re using those coveted free spots for people in the local industry like music journalists, or at the very least, fans and friends you can absolutely count on to show up if their name is on the list. 

    Do a ticket or prize giveaway

    I mentioned contests above, and ticket giveaways or merch prizes can be a good way to reward contest winners, but also include the local music industry or music media in your promotion.

    Offer tickets to be given away by local radio DJs, local businesses, or the venue itself. 

    Play an in-studio

    If you can perform at a community or college radio station on the morning of the show, it can sometimes be a good opportunity to sell those last remaining seats. 

    Either because people were impressed while listening, or because you capture cool social content that helps more people in town learn about the show last-minute. 

    Play an in-store (mayyyyyyybe)

    Playing in a local record store CAN be a good way to generate excitement for a show later that night or later that week. 

    But… these can sometimes turn into an event all their own, so you don’t want to risk people choosing the record store performance OVER the venue performance. 

    That’s why I wrote mayyyyybe above. 

    Special themed drinks

    This is a small thing, but can make the night a bit more fun, bring a few more people through the door, and boost bar revenue. 

    Work with the venue ahead of time to create a drink named after your act, or one of your songs. 

    Participation is key

    I’ve mentioned something similar a few times already, but you want your audience to feel like they can be a PART of the event, not just a witness.

    Find ways to include fans.

    Let them influence the setlist beforehand by editing a collaborative playlist or responding to a poll. Set aside a minute or two each show to bring someone from the audience onstage. Ask them questions, or let them sing a few lines. 

    You want to create a sense of both chance and agency for the crowd. 

    Tag accordingly!

    Before, during, and after the show — tag the other acts, the venue, the musicians in the photos, the designer, and any fans pictured. Set the location of the post. Find a relevant hashtag for that town’s music scene. 

    The same way you want to pack people into the club, you want (some of) your posts to feel like a party too.

    Conclusion

    As you can see, there’s a lot you COULD do to make your next show a success. 

    Major artists of course have teams to handle much of the work. For self-booking artists, most of the above will fall on your shoulders. If you want to get to the stage where others handle the booking and concert promotion for you, you’ve got to sell out your own concerts today. 

    No one promised it would be easy. But it is possible. And I hope the list of options above provides you with a good framework for success. 

    Here’s to many sell-out shows ahead! 



    Chris Robley

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  • As the city searches for a new LAPD chief, lack of women leaders becomes more apparent

    As the city searches for a new LAPD chief, lack of women leaders becomes more apparent


    A ceremony for promotions last July at Los Angeles Police Department headquarters included a rare sight: a female commander. Three of them, in fact.

    The LAPD didn’t elevate a woman to commander until 1997; it took 13 more years for a woman of color to reach the rank.

    Now, Chief Michel Moore’s surprise Jan. 12 announcement that he will step down in late February has raised the question of whether the LAPD’s next leader will, for the first time, be a woman.

    Women make up nearly 20% of the department and are similarly reflected in middle management, working as sergeants and lieutenants. A woman runs the elite Major Crimes Division, and two hold positions of influence in the counterterrorism and transit services bureaus. The Office of Constitutional Policing and Policy is overseen by a civilian who is a woman.

    But the unfolding search for Moore’s replacement has exposed a stark reality: There are few women on the force with the rank and experience to compete for the top job.

    Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore announces his retirement at a news conference at L.A. City Hall on Jan. 12.

    (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

    Of Moore’s 12 deputy chiefs, two are women. All three of his assistant chiefs are men.

    The imbalance has fueled criticism of Moore over what some have seen as slow progress on gender equity under his leadership and an unwillingness to challenge a culture of sexism and harassment that has resulted in numerous lawsuits by LAPD officers in recent years.

    The Police Commission, which will pick an interim chief, held an emergency closed-door meeting Jan. 19 to narrow down a list of contenders. According to LAPD sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly about the confidential search, the list includes two women, former assistant chiefs Sandy Jo MacArthur and Beatrice Girmala, and a number of high-ranking men who are currently serving.

    After Chief Charlie Beck retired in 2018, there was speculation around City Hall and police headquarters that the moment could be ripe for the first female chief. But Girmala, an early favorite, did not apply, and MacArthur — who retired in 2015 — did not make the final list of three candidates.

    The job eventually went to Moore. Girmala and two high-ranking women of color, Regina Scott and Beverly Lewis, left the LAPD in the intervening years. Their ranks were filled by men.

    Before announcing his decision to retire, Moore defended his record in an interview with The Times, saying he has promoted each of the few women eligible to become commander; roughly 1 in 4 LAPD officers holding that rank now are women. Moore also pointed to the number of women working on antigang teams and other specialized units that were once considered off-limits to them.

    “Twenty years ago, these units would have none or one,” Moore said. “These positions and experience build proficiency and confidence for officers to go to the next level of leadership.”

    The LAPD is facing the same problems recruiting and retaining women as other U.S. police forces, and that has severely shrunk the pool of promotional candidates, Moore said.

    MacArthur, who had a 41-year LAPD career, said past chiefs such as William Bratton “really paid a lot of attention in developing the leadership inside the department,” including for several women.

    LAPD career development, MacArthur said, typically started at the captain level and continued with mentorship and exposure to a variety of roles. The process paved the way for the next generation of leaders to learn the nuts and bolts of running a multibillion-dollar organization and to prove their readiness for more responsibility.

    “You do things to develop a ‘bench,’ so that the next time a chief leaves, you hopefully have multiple somebodies inside an organization who could potentially take over the job,” MacArthur said in an interview last year.

    Other women who seemed poised for promotion within the LAPD have languished for years before making captain or commander.

    Capt. Lillian Carranza during a press conference at LAPD headquarters in Los Angeles, Calif., on Oct. 2, 2018.

    Cmdr. Lillian Carranza, a 33-year LAPD veteran.

    (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

    Among them was Lillian Carranza, a longtime captain who was one of the three women promoted to commander at the summer ceremony at LAPD headquarters. Her name had been near the top of a list of commander candidates since May 2018. Yet she was passed over for promotion again and again.

    Carranza has sued the department several times for sexual harassment. One suit resulted in her being awarded $4 million in damages over leadership’s handing of a situation in which officers circulated a photo of a nude woman that some falsely claimed was her. Since 2018, at least eight men who were ranked below her on the eligibility list have been promoted to deputy chief or assistant chief.

    Even with the promotions, women are disproportionately underrepresented among Moore’s innermost circle of decision-makers, his critics say. Some department insiders say a perceived lack of opportunity has led to the departure of several high-ranking female officials in recent years.

    The reasons for this are many, the insiders say. One theory is the widespread perception of tokenism — the belief that women have a real shot only at leadership roles that were vacated by other women. Others say the department is not doing enough to provide mentoring and networking opportunities for female employees. Additionally, officers who are mothers sometimes delay seeking advancement until their kids are older or gravitate toward investigative roles with more family-friendly schedules that may not put them on the fast-track for promotion.

    The two highest-ranking women in the department are both deputy chiefs. One is Ruby Flores, who had been one of the longest-serving commanders before her promotion in November to replace a retiring male deputy chief, Kris Pitcher.

    The other is Emada Tingirides. She was promoted by Moore in 2020 and is considered a rising star who helped shape the LAPD’s community policing approach. In a jump that was nearly unprecedented, Tingirides skipped several ranks when she was elevated from junior captain.

    Tingirides led the Community Safety Partnership bureau, which has been credited with reducing violent crime and improving relationships in some of the city’s most troubled housing developments. In 2023, she was placed in charge of the South Bureau, the department’s busiest, a move seen as offering the operational experience she missed because of her rapid ascension.

    For months, her name has been bandied around police headquarters and City Hall as a possible chief candidate, along with current Assistant Chief Blake Chow and Art Acevedo, a career lawman who once served as chief of the California Highway Patrol and went on to be the top cop in Houston and Miami, according to sources who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the hiring search publicly.

    Graduating class of police officers and new recruits at LAPD Police Academy on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023 in Los Angeles.

    The graduating class of police officers and new recruits at the LAPD Police Academy on Dec. 7.

    (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

    Female officers at the LAPD and elsewhere are said to face a “brass ceiling” that blocks advancement, similar to the invisible blockade that has led to male-dominated executive leadership in the fields of politics, business and tech.

    Critics argue that Moore hasn’t done enough to break down the barrier, repeatedly passing up qualified female candidates and promoting men instead. An internal LAPD analysis obtained by The Times shows that Moore elevated 35 men to the rank of commander and above during his first five years as chief, compared with just five women.

    Until the 1970s, the few female officers who served were required to wear long skirts and nylons and were barred from riding in patrol cars. Most were entrusted to work only on juvenile cases. They were not allowed to be promoted above the rank of sergeant.

    Consent decrees and court orders would force the department to diversify its ranks in the decades that followed.

    The mostly white and male LAPD branded in the country’s imagination by TV shows like “Dragnet” is no more. Some of Moore’s backers credit him with recent contributions to the diversity efforts. Moore promoted two Asian American men to assistant chief, and officials of color run three of the four geographical bureaus.

    The department is now more than half Latino, much like the racially diverse city it patrols. And the sight of a female supervisor running a crime briefing barely rates a glance anymore from officers filing into a roll call room. Women now make up about 19% of the LAPD, compared with an average of 12% at other departments nationwide.

    LAPD Chief Michel Moore inspects Los Angeles Police Academy Class at a graduation ceremony at LAPD Academy.

    Moore, second from left, inspects graduates of the LAPD Academy on Oct. 20.

    (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

    While hurdles remain, women wearing LAPD blue today are encouraged to pursue career opportunities, said Cmdr. Shannon Paulson, a 33-year department veteran who is second-in-command at the Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau. “In many respects, it’s better than society at large,” she said.

    But the LAPD’s ratio of women to men is roughly the same as it was in 1997, the year Betty Kelepecz became the first female commander.

    Female police executives are still a rarity, although recent years have seen New York City, Atlanta, Sacramento, San Francisco and Seattle hiring women to run their police departments. Washington has a female police chief, and women hold 10 of the 18 top command positions. Houston and Dallas also have a significantly higher number of female senior staffers than the LAPD.

    While there’s no consensus on whether female officers have a different philosophy on policing than their male colleagues, studies have shown them to be less prone to violence and more likely to use problem-solving skills to de-escalate volatile situations.

    Women in leadership tend to be more collaborative and are more likely to challenge long-standing ideas about policing, at a time when departments across the country are under pressure to change police behavior, according to Connie Rice, a civil rights attorney who has worked closely with the LAPD on reforms in recent years.

    Department officials may have rooted out the outright sexism that prevailed in law enforcement for decades, evidenced by male officers who didn’t want to work with women or refused to back up female colleagues on calls, according to Rice. But the LAPD is still dogged by allegations that a crude, misogynistic culture exists within the ranks, she said, and women in uniform face obstacles to advancement.

    “The men get to run the 100-meter dash, and the women get to run the 200-meter hurdles,” said Rice. “When it comes to promotions, the comments are, ‘She’s not tough enough.’ They’ll find every reason in the world not to promote a woman. But they’ll promote their drinking buddies.”

    Others disagree, saying that despite the challenges they face, women wearing the LAPD uniform have more opportunities than those in other agencies.

    Moore has met regularly with representatives of the Los Angeles Women Police Officers and Associates, which seeks to boost recruitment of female officers. Moore has also internally touted his efforts to improve gender equity, boasting at a meeting of command staff several weeks ago that he has promoted more women than any of his predecessors to ranks of captain or higher.

    Some insiders fear that in the LAPD’s relationship-based culture, such efforts are undermined by a perception that officers are more likely to move up the ranks based on who they know, rather than on merit.

    Los Angeles Police Protective League director Debbie Thomas wrote last August in her column in the police union’s monthly magazine that hiring and promotional decisions are driven in large part by “identity-based goals,” rather than “merit.”

    “As a female officer, I stand to benefit from these quotas if they existed,” Thomas wrote, adding that she is “1,000%” against such a system. “I don’t need the help an identity boost can provide, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to come to work having those I lead snipe at my heels because they are convinced I didn’t earn my way to the position.”

    In his interview with The Times, Moore denied that the department promotes people who aren’t qualified, saying he had taken steps to bring greater fairness to a promotional process that for years “people believed was biased and unfair.”

    At the same time, he acknowledged the headwinds in trying to attain greater diversity.

    “Having a substantial number of women in law enforcement is a new concept that is only now beginning to be seen and not just talked about,” he said. “As with any cultural evolution, it challenges the convictions of some, manifesting into allegations of not being qualified.”

    Mayor Karen Bass meets police officers graduating class and new recruits at LAPD Police Academy.

    Mayor Karen Bass meets a graduating class of officers.

    (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

    Mayor Karen Bass has promised a nationwide search for a replacement for Moore. At the end of the process, which will likely take months, the commission will present Bass with its top three candidates, then her pick will be voted on by the City Council. Moore has said he will stay on until that time in a consulting role.

    Pundits say picking a chief is one of the most consequential decisions a mayor makes.



    Libor Jany

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  • Brazil Seeks to Stop Illegal Gambling Promotion by Influencers

    Brazil Seeks to Stop Illegal Gambling Promotion by Influencers

    Brazil continues to move forward with its sports betting legislation despite still experiencing setbacks. As the coming of wagering to the Latin American country seems around the corner, Brazil continues to revise its rules on advertising.

    Two days ago, the Chamber of Deputies’ Communication Committee greenlit bill 3915/2023, which seeks to restrict the promotion of unlicensed gambling by influencers and digital celebrities. This proposal would mitigate the negative impact of the black market on younger players, lawmakers believe.

    Since unlicensed gambling operators rarely offer a sufficient level of player protection to their players, Brazilian legislators believe that its promotion may lead to significant losses. This, paired with the influence digital celebrities have on younger audiences, may lead to higher problem gambling rates among the Brazilian youth.

    The New Rules Envision Strict Sanctions for Violators

    As a result, the new bill prohibits digital influencers from promoting unregulated gambling products and companies. The same rules apply to overseas entities that target the local market. It covers content on social media, video-sharing platforms, livestreaming services and other digital platforms.

    Under Bill 3915/2023, Brazil will require many of the big digital media platforms, such as Facebook and TikTok to join forces with the local authorities and ensure that inappropriate content is reported and taken down.

    The bill envisions fines for entities that violate its rules. Companies that breach these promotion restrictions risk fines of up to 2% of their revenue to a maximum of $10.2 million (converted to USD). Under the bill, online influencers also risk a permanent ban.

    As mentioned, the bill was already given a go-ahead by the Chamber of Deputies’ Communication Committee. Now, it is up to the Finance and Taxation Commission to decide whether the bill would go to the Constitution and Justice Commission. If approved by the two entities, bill 3915/2023 will be eligible for further evaluation and plenary vote.

    In the meantime, sports betting in Brazil continues to be delayed amid disagreements and calls for ambitious amendments. While the country is in the later stages of discussing betting legislation, its future remains uncertain.

    This means bad news for Entain, which was just forced to shut down its dotcom operations in unregulated markets. While the DPA says that the company may request its exit date to be postponed if there are reasonable grounds to consider that the process of regulation will be completed within a reasonable time of the exit, Brazil’s slower pace when it comes to legislation may be a setback to the company.

    Fiona Simmons

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  • How Rohan Brown Became a Top Tech Entrepreneur | Entrepreneur

    How Rohan Brown Became a Top Tech Entrepreneur | Entrepreneur

    “One Friday afternoon in middle school, I got called into my principal’s office. When I walked in, there were a few cops waiting for me and no one looked too happy to see me. Earlier that day, a friend and I thought it would be a good idea to rob our classmates with a BB gun. We were just playing around, but our classmates didn’t think it was too funny.”

    This is the beginning of Rohan Brown’s story, an entrepreneur whose journey started when he was arrested when he was just 12 years old. He says that this event forever changed the course of his life, which he details in compelling and inspiring episodes of his show My Stories, which you can find streaming free on EntrepreneurTV right now.

    Related: 4 Remarkable Habits of the Most Successful Tech Entrepreneurs

    Originally from Hartford, CT, Rohan Brown played D1 basketball La Salle and went on to work two years in corporate finance. He left and started Barley Inc., with an eye on revolutionizing beverage technology. He has competed in several startup competitions including, but not limited to, the MIT Sports Analytics Conference, Silicon Dragon @ the Nasdaq Center, and Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch twice, and has also been accepted into several business development programs including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Access Network and the Startup Leadership Program.

    Watch EntrepreneurTV this week to catch all of the episodes of Brown’s inspiring story, and learn how to apply his life and business lessons to your pursuits.

    About EntrepreneurTV

    EntrepreneurTV’s original programming is built to inspire, inform and fire up the minds of people like you who are on a mission to launch and grow their dream businesses. Watch new docu-series and insightful interviews streaming now on Entrepreneur, Galaxy TV, FreeCast, and Plex.

    Entrepreneur Staff

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  • Discovery Senior Living Promotes Gottfried Ernst to Senior Vice President of Operations

    Discovery Senior Living Promotes Gottfried Ernst to Senior Vice President of Operations

    Ernst has revamped Discovery operations resulting in a significant increase in performance and same-store revenue growth.

    Press Release
    –

    Mar 13, 2023


    BONITA SPRINGS, Fla., March 13, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Discovery Senior Living (“Discovery”) COO Bill Sciortino announced the promotion of Gottfried Ernst to Senior Vice President of Operations. Ernst has served as Vice President of Operations for the Discovery enterprise since 2021, and has been integral in leading the company’s regional field operations and support services.

    Under Ernst’s leadership, Discovery has built expense spend down and labor management tools used to support communities as they navigate through crushing inflation and labor pressures, and evolved the community management and predictable reporting for investor partners. All this amidst rapid growth which has seen Discovery and its capital partners acquire and onboard several new communities across the provider’s national and regional, multi-branded portfolios.

    As Senior Vice President of Operations, Ernst will continue to oversee Discovery’s day-to-day national operations, which consists of 3 National Brands, 7 regions, and support services including resident care, facilities, and F&B. Additionally he will expand his duties and focus on new operational management resources to enhance investor relations and support the continued expansions of Discovery’s National and Regional Brands.

    “I’m excited to be part of an industry leading company focused on innovative, performance and excellence,” said Ernst. “It’s an honor to work for a rapidly growing company and given the opportunity to support our communities every day, while also having the ability to use my experience to enhance resident experiences.”

    With headquarters in Southwest Florida, Discovery Senior Living currently owns and operates a national, multi-branded portfolio of more than 110 communities in 19 states.

    Source: Discovery Senior Living

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  • What’s on Entrepreneur TV This Week | Entrepreneur

    What’s on Entrepreneur TV This Week | Entrepreneur

    Entrepreneur TV’s original programming is built to inspire, inform and fire up the minds of people like you who want to launch and grow their dream businesses. Watch new docu-series and insightful interviews streaming now on Entrepreneur, Galaxy TV, FreeCast, and Plex.

    This week be sure to watch episodes of:

    Chicago CEOs (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)

    This Week’s Featured Show!

    CHICAGO CEOs, have you sat down with Chicago’s top CEOs as they discuss what brought them success?

    Episode 101: Sit down with the CEOs of the Chicago Bulls, White Sox, Cubs, personalized video app Cameo, healthy food producer Simple Mills, and the Wintrust Financial Corporation.

    My Stories (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)

    MY STORIES The life stories of Roshan Brown, former D1 Basketball player.

    Episode 101: This moment of my life was an eye-opener and put me on my current path. Your current situation is different from your destination. Always keep striving for more!

    Celebrity Business Tips (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)

    CELEBRITY BUSINESS TIPS showcases actors, athletes, and entrepreneurs as they share their best business tips to help you get started and find success with some humor and heart.

    Episode 101: Actors, athletes, and entrepreneurs alike all share their best business tips to help you get started and find success with some humor and heart.

    Habits and Hustle (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)

    HABITS AND HUSTLE host Jennifer Cohen brings thought leaders and notable game-changers into thought-provoking conversations identifying effective techniques and ideas to help listeners level up their physical and mental capabilities.

    Episode 151: Amanda Knox is an exoneree, writer, and NYT bestselling author. We discussed topics like stoic meditation, negative visualizations, and the creative mental exercises she used to get through this hellish period. It’s imposing hearing Amanda’s ability to try to empathize with the people who had wronged her and the professional way she carries herself, especially after having every reason to be resentful.

    That Will Never Work (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)

    THAT WILL NEVER WORK’s lively conversations showcase Marc’s unique combination of analytical skills and tough love, with a healthy dose of humor to provide actionable advice that will benefit founders – and would-be founders – at every stage of their business journey.

    Episode 304: Have you ever wondered what people do with the advice that Marc gives them on the show? David Silberman, the co-founder of PingPod, is here to tell you just that.

    Burt’s Buzz (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

    Our featured film BURT’S BUZZ looks at the world of Burt Shavitz, the face, and co-founder of Burt’s Bees.

    Movie: Journey into the remarkable double life of Burt Shavitz, a reclusive beekeeper who reluctantly becomes one of the world’s most recognizable brand identities.

    Action and Ambition (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

    ACTION AND AMBITION Andrew Medal goes behind the scenes to learn the world’s most ambitious people’s backstories, mindsets, and actions.

    Episode 102: Brothers John Resig and Leo Resig founded Chive Media Group and its flagship site, theCHIVE.com, in November 2008 with no capital and much hustle. With backgrounds in digital publishing and financial backing from partner Doug Schaaf, John and Leo were able to turn a three-person project into the nationwide, 170-employee entertainment digital media company that Chive Media Group is today.

    Elevator Pitch (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

    On ENTREPRENEUR ELEVATOR PITCH, entrepreneurs have 60 seconds to pitch a business idea to a boardroom of investors.

    Episode 803: They say to dress for the job you want. So why did one contestant show up without a shirt? Watch to see if going a little risque was worth the risk, and take in the lessons of other pitches on an episode that scored the most deals in show history.

    Entrepreneur Staff

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  • Entrepreneur | Live Q&A: Ask the Producers of ‘TechTalk’ Your Startup Questions

    Entrepreneur | Live Q&A: Ask the Producers of ‘TechTalk’ Your Startup Questions

    If you are obsessed with technology and love finding out what is coming around the corner to change our world, be sure to check out EntrepreneurTV‘s live Q&A with the creators of the award-winning docu-seriesTechTalk. Each episode of TechTalk takes viewers on an informative and inspiring journey of discovery, highlighting emerging startups and the innovators leading them — from flying cars to surgery-performing robots. TechTalk host Jonny Caplan and his producing partner Ronald Hans will be taking your questions live about what it takes for a tech startup to succeed, what innovations they see coming down the road, how to create your own future-forward content, and much more!

    Where can I watch?

    Watch and stream: YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter

    You can watch on your phone, tablet or computer.

    What time does it start?

    Time: Wednesday, 2/15 at 1:30p ET

    Why should I watch?

    The award-winning producers and host of EntrepreneurTV’s show TechTalk have interviewed hundreds of tech founders, and have co-founded multiple businesses themselves. They’ve seen success (and struggle) firsthand and can offer incredible insights into what tech entrepreneurs can expect on their journeys.

    Related: Watch What’s Streaming for Free on EntrepreneurTV Now

    Entrepreneur Staff

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  • 3 Marketing Fails That Demonstrate The Importance of Fundamentals

    3 Marketing Fails That Demonstrate The Importance of Fundamentals

    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The temptation to find a simple solution to the ever-more-complex initiative of marketing growth is strong. Explore an effective website for just about any technology software you can apply to marketing, and soon enough, you’ll be convinced that this is the solution for your growth challenges.

    Consider the explosion of interest in AI (artificial intelligence) with the recent release of Chat GPT. (Click this Google Trends search, and you’ll see the buzz quantified.)

    ChatGPT is an impressive example of the power of AI (try a few queries and see what it generates). But AI’s influence can be misapplied or under-applied, and the precision of its algorithms can be debated ad nauseam. The same is true for most marketing technology (Martech) solutions I’ve encountered.

    Now, this article is not taking aim at the Martech industry in general or ChatGPT specifically. Martech has helped the industry take massive strides forward, even with the headwinds of the macroeconomy and privacy regulations curtailing data access. But technology, for all of its power, has huge adoption challenges. It is simply not a magic bullet for growth.

    While I’m at it, neither is any single initiative, no matter how often you hear buzzphrases like “customer-centric marketing” and “content is king.”

    Yes, it’s incumbent on good marketers to look for solutions to their challenges, whether they’re measurement, creative or audience-based. And yes, the industry changes so rapidly that it’s a big part of a marketer’s job to stay up to date with trends and releases that can improve performance, efficiency, or both.

    That said, none of this is a substitute for marketing fundamentals.

    Whether your fundamentals version traces back to David Ogilvy or the 5 Ps (people, product, price, placement, and promotion, an evolution of McCarthy’s 4 Ps), they must serve as your bedrock.

    Let’s look at three examples of fundamental marketing fails:

    1. Uber’s Jump Bikes and Scooters

    Another fundamental that’s been drilled into me in my marketing career is that things have to start with a market need for a product. How many products are created to fit a fad or a founder’s vision without an at-scale, long-term need to match?

    The echo chamber of Silicon Valley provided a great example of this in Uber’s “Jump” line of bikes and scooters — a market created out of the shaky idea that people “needed” these vehicles all over the streets of San Francisco to get where they needed to go. In a famously compact, walkable city, and without a mobility component that would have accommodated differently-abled people from whom walking wasn’t an option, the scooter project fell on its face and choked scrap yards in the process.

    Related: 5 Crypto Marketing Fails and How to Avoid Them

    2. Made.com

    This one’s a failure of placement — where the customer finds a product.

    With notable exceptions (Wayfair, Overstock), the furniture industry presents many challenges. Beyond the expensive logistics of shipping large items, buying furniture online requires the user to take a big leap of faith and trust that customer reviews (many of which are proving fake) will provide reasonable assurance that, yes, the product will look and feel good in your home even if you’ve never seen it or touched it in person.

    Beyond that, furniture etailers importing overseas goods often incur huge warehousing costs. Made.com was building a healthy business by turning that model on its head and purchasing goods only after taking orders for them, thereby reducing warehousing risks, until they overreacted to the online purchasing shift wrought by COVID.

    Just as the first vaccines were hitting the public in the spring of 2021, Made.com doubled down on its warehouse space, jacking up operating costs without considering that furniture customers who could return to shopping in person would be more likely to do so than customers in other, less sensory-dependent verticals. This failure to predict customer behavior was also a failure of people, and largely because of it, Made.com collapsed last November.

    Related: Ask These 5 Questions Before You Blame Your Company’s Failures on the Marketing

    3. A shoe company

    Since this company was a former client of my agency, I’m not going to name-shame them. But we had some tussles over promotions, another of the 5 Ps.

    This company had a CPA (cost per acquisition) target of $60 for new customers, but they were only willing to pay $20 per customer referral of new customers. Instead of optimizing referrals and lowering overall CPA, they pumped money into paid marketing campaigns with their $60 CPA target. My agency runs paid campaigns on all channels, but I could see the failure in this logic.

    Related: More Is Not Better: How to Effectively Target Retail Promotions

    While this is only an example, it’s part of a more significant marketing issue. In my experience, people tend to think about promotions as sales or discounts, but they can and should expand their options to include BOGOs, giveaways and rebates. Back in a college marketing class, I learned that rebates are a phantom cost — 80% of them go unclaimed, and as soon as they expire, all those “costs” go back to your bottom line.

    Whether it’s customer referrals, BOGOs, or giveaways of slow-moving clearance products, use promotions to lower your overall acquisition costs — but only if you have a solid plan to maximize customer lifetime value after the first purchase. Otherwise, you risk acquiring customers at a loss with no hope of profit.

    There’s a common thread here: neither Martech, content, mobile, nor any other shiny object would have prevented these. And there’s a lesson as well: marketing and growth leaders charged with keeping their eyes on the big picture must ensure their fundamentals are in order before leaping to take advantage of the next big thing.

    Bryan Karas

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  • Live Q&A: The Producers of ‘Start Up’ Explain How to Get Your Business on TV

    Live Q&A: The Producers of ‘Start Up’ Explain How to Get Your Business on TV

    EntrepreneurTV docuseries Start Up tells the inspiring stories of entrepreneurs who dared to go their own way, overcame obstacles, and launched their dream businesses.

    In this live Q&A, the Emmy-nominated host and writer of the show, Gary Bredow, and award-winning producer Jenny Feterovich will discuss what they look for when searching for people and businesses to feature on the series, as well as give tips to anyone hoping to make their own documentary series or feature. Whether you are hoping to be in front of the camera or behind it, this is not to be missed!

    Where can I watch?

    Watch and stream: YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter

    You can watch on your phone, tablet or computer.

    What time does it start?

    Time: Friday, 2/10 at 1:30p ET

    Why should I watch?

    The Emmy-nominated creators will be sharing incredible insights for anyone who dreams of having their business featured on TV, or anyone who dreams about making powerful films and videos. None of this is easy, and these battle-tested creators will share the ups and downs they’ve personally experienced to help you on your journey.

    Related: Watch Co-Founder of Netflix Marc Randolph’s Latest Success Webinar

    Entrepreneur Staff

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