Behind The Scenes
Interview with Entrepreneur and Founder of Independent Music Promotions James Moore
Tell us how and when you decided to become an entrepreneur?
I decided to become an entrepreneur after being introduced to Tim Ferriss’s work, specifically his book “The 4-Hour Workweek” (https://fourhourworkweek.com/). It had a strong effect on me and just made sense. It essentially amounts to “work smarter, not harder”. From this inspirational seed came my own book on music marketing, “Your Band Is A Virus” (https://www.amazon.com/Your-Band-Virus-James-Moore-ebook/dp/B00ADPGIXK).
I released the first edition of YBIAV in 2010. It started to become well-received in musicians and music industry circles and was intended as a practical, musician’s focused guide to self-promotion. In 2011 I was diagnosed with cancer and spent much of the year in and out of surgeries. By late 2011, I had been through the wringer and was ready to work. Independent Music Promotions was launched on a wider scale and I immersed myself in working with independent artists worldwide.
Tell us about your company?
Independent Music Promotions is a music PR company with a focus on working with ‘music with depth’ specifically. We work with all genres and our approach is very practical. Much of what we do is secure relevant write-ups for our musician clients, introducing them to the public in proper context alongside other more prominent artists and music news. Because of our no-nonsense approach we’ve become very sought after and word has spread thankfully to some surprising places.
How did you come up with the idea of your company?
I.M.P is pretty much an expansion of my own musical consciousness, my personal tastes. What moves me, I have to incorporate into the business in some way. There are endless resources that strictly focus on the business side of music and how-to, let’s say, appeal to that side, but very few genuine entities who focus on music and art first. In that spirit, I run the company very much as a music lover first and as a business second.
Tell us how exactly does Independent Music Promotions work?
We run practical, SEO-based marketing campaigns for independent musicians by creating concise EPK’s that outline their artistic intent and unique story, reaching out to not only the curators of the day but also appealing to our ever-growing group of partners who dedicate themselves to supporting independents.
We use everything from native advertising and PPC advertising to social bookmarking and creating new content for our clients to document and celebrate their achievements. Since we have a strong focus on experimental music of all kinds, we work with many writers and partners who appreciate this niche and help us guarantee press response for our clients.
What is your role? What do you enjoy most about your role?
I manage and oversee all our marketing campaigns to ensure we’re seeing the desired response. I also advise clients and act as a confidante, a friend, who will give an honest answer and lend support where I can. What I enjoy most is being able to be part of so many unique musicians’ paths. Many of the releases I work with, I’m extremely excited about as a music fan, so I can say that we promote with an intense spirit of enthusiasm.
What do you feel distinguishes you from other similar companies?
Enthusiasm. We care about the art. We still operate on a very DIY, artist-first level and are one of the only companies to guarantee relevant press response for all our clients. We’ve been imitated but never duplicated.
What are the biggest challenges in your business right now?
The biggest challenges are often misconceptions of short-term thinking versus long-term. Some artists and labels are mainly interested in a sudden growth spurt of streams and don’t really care where they come from. This is where short-term thinking has its pitfalls. We’re very much for measured, step-by-step growth so more often say no to artists and management teams because of inflated expectations or short-term thinking than the music being great or not.
What suggestions do you have for other entrepreneurs like yourself?
Make sure that whatever niche you choose, you’re able to inject your deepest passion into it. People will notice that and feed off the energy.
Check out:
www.independentmusicpromotions.com
https://www.facebook.com/independentmusicpromo/
http://www.twitter.com/urbandisavirus
https://www.instagram.com/independentmusicpromotion/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6rzqQuAXwtsLtp4PJyKt-g
https://open.spotify.com/user/indiemusicpromo/playlist/0NfS50m0EArqiuaKRz30u3
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