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March 1, 2022How to Produce Your Music Like a Pro in Kenya
March 1, 2022How Can Kenyan Musicians Obtain Sponsorships?
In the music industry, having a strong brand and identity will help you in almost every situation, but this is especially true when it comes to sponsorships. Isn’t it a little like a dream? You’re on stadium tours, meeting thousands of new fans every night, and rocking free merchandise while getting paid to play their instruments or wear their clothing. What if I told you that you don’t need to be a mega-star to get a sponsorship deal? That as an independent artist with a small fan base, you could develop sponsorship opportunities, begin to build contacts, and even make some money as your career progressed?
What Businesses Support Music?
Well, companies of all kinds support musicians and artists. The difficulty is that not many companies will advertise that fact and will either contact you directly or require you to contact them directly. Organizations that you actually appreciate and have a connection to, as well as companies with a substantial budget, are the greatest types of companies to sponsor your music.
Some businesses genuinely promote and take joy in sponsoring artists. You can be the lucky artist to get sponsorship and start making money as a musician in Kenya. Before you get too excited and contact the company, make sure you have the necessary tools as a musician or music brand to avoid being turned down.
How Do I Get My Music Sponsored?
Many musicians aspire to have a sponsorship contract with their favorite apparel manufacturer or major brand one day. Here are some broad guidelines for obtaining sponsorship.
- First and foremost, you want to be exceptional at what you do. If you are fresh to your field, your odds are slim. When it comes to your talent levels, I’m sure most sponsors feel the same way.
- The next step is to ensure that you have an audience. Sponsorships, like partnerships, necessitate a trade-off. Consider what this sponsor stands to gain by collaborating with you. You’re probably looking for a sponsor because you need money and/or exposure, but sponsors like to work with people who are further along in their journey to developing a strong brand with a large following.
- Sponsors, for example, would want to collaborate with someone who has a significant social media following. They also want to see performers that have done some traveling and have had some commercial success. If you’re not currently at this level, start by bookmarking several businesses you like for future prospects and focusing on the fundamentals of marketing and promotion.
When looking for music sponsorship, there are a few things to keep in mind.
- Conduct research into firms that you are passionate about and that will complement your brand. While doing your research, you can bookmark or jot down a company’s “Contact Us” or “Advertising” page.
- Consider how you’ll approach them from a position that will capture their curiosity. Figure out who their target market is and what they’re looking for.
- Write and send a personalized email to the company that interests you, outlining your qualifications. You should emphasize essential metrics such as your social media following, the number of individuals in your audience when you perform live concerts, your email list, and your sales statistics. Depending on the brand’s service and niche, other figures may be used. If you’re an instrumentalist who also teaches, Yamaha might be interested in learning more about your teaching experience and publication history/sales.
- Assemble your single sheet: If you’re serious about your music career, you should create a fresh one sheet for each new release you make. This is an excellent resource for obtaining radio airplay, gigs, media publicity, and sponsorship. To get the best outcomes, you’ll want to customize your one sheet to the situation. Your one-sheet should have the following information: your act’s name, a high-quality photo of your act, information about your act, your albums, and a tracklisting.
However, when asking for sponsorship, there are three things you should avoid:
- Asking for too much, too soon: It’s easier to ask for too much when you’re initially writing someone. Begin by asking for tiny favors in exchange for which you can present them with something of value (marketing ideas, free promotion, etc.). To put it another way, give them a particular, compelling reason to return your call so that you may both feel comfortable discussing larger proposals in the future.
- Being excessively general or vague: How to pitch your band is one of the most crucial things you should learn. It’s simpler to get what you want if you’re more explicit about what you desire. Don’t utilize conventional selling points like “unique,” “hardworking,” or “potential” when talking about your music. Instead, present facts that demonstrate your uniqueness, hard effort, or promise. “We’re an acoustic duet who have done four national tours utilizing just mountain bikes and backpacks for transportation,” for example. Also, present music demos that have high-quality music productions.
- Excessive self-promotion: Most of your communications should focus on their company, brand, or organization, and what you can add to the partnership. Get them to talk about their goals, their audience, and what they want to achieve before you start presenting ideas. You’ll be considerably more effective than if you merely made a generic proposal asking for money in exchange for logo placement if your ideas are based on their aims.
Remember that not knowing who you are is one of the most common reasons for your sponsorship request being turned down. As a result, take the time to cultivate such connections and get the best music artist manager. You wouldn’t propose to someone without at least asking for a first date, and you wouldn’t ask someone to spend time and money in your profession without first speaking with them. Learn how to captivate them with your band’s proposal. Give them a cause to want to learn more about you and your story. Then you can start talking about forming a partnership.