Marketing, branding, and PR have been words, terms, and services that are thrown around quite often in the music scene. But when is the right time to have a marketing team? Is there a sure moment to invest in PR campaigns? Sure, it may make sense for bigger artists and festivals with budgets to go down this route, but what about us smaller rising artists that still haven’t grown a strong track record or have the funds to invest into our next album release? Recently, Jaime Sloane came to speak on Neon Owl’s Open Door Sessions Mastermind to demystify some of these questions that many of us artists have in the back of our minds.

Jaime Sloane, the global communications manager for Ultra Music Festival, is no stranger to being deeply involved in the electronic music industry as she talked about her upbringing and career growth on Open Door Sessions Mastermind. Her parents both worked in entertainment on either TV or radio, which led to her growing up being very familiar with the backstage and back-end side of the industry. By merely 11 years old, Jaime was already assisting with artist check-in for artists like Taylor Swift and working behind-the-scenes for many events. As she continued to grow in this environment, she started having her interest piqued in the marketing, public relations, and promotion aspect of the music industry.

By 20 years old, Jaime had decided to complete her college degree at University of Florida and was immediately accepted for a public relations and marketing coordinator position at Dim Mak Records. This eventually led to her incredibly quick growth through the music scene, working with South by Southwest to Miami Music Week, Mod Music Group, DJ Mag, and finally, she was offered to work as the marketing director for Ultra Music Festival where she now resides.

There was so much invaluable knowledge that Jaime had learned during her involvement in the marketing aspect of the industry for so many years and she was more than excited to share her take on the world of marketing. Even throughout the decline of live events and significant incline of work due to the pandemic, Jaime continues to find joy in taking on new projects, working with people that she truly believes in, sharing their stories, and having an impact in promoting developing acts as well as underrepresented groups.

For artists that are interested in weighing the options of either seeking public relations services or other marketing options, it’s important to first consider the pros and cons of PR. To start, there are so many advantages when it comes to hiring PR because you are essentially investing into having a professional who is experienced in the field strategically push your brand out, keep your social media accounts engaged, and help you establish legitimacy. If I’ve had one big takeaway from these Mastermind sessions, it’s about how important it is to have legitimacy, especially if you eventually plan to sign music into record labels or to hire a music manager in the future! Although there are many advantages to investing in these services, PR may not necessarily be the best choice for everyone.

In some cases it would be better to wait before hiring PR, especially if your artist following and branding is still small and developing. In cases like this, it might actually be better to invest the money into other sources that can help you first build a stronger foundation for your brand. For a smaller artist who is looking into taking the initial steps to build a brand, it would be helpful to first scout around and see what other artists have done. Also consider reading into other music outlets to see how smaller artists have gotten their placement. Afterwards, find a way to legitimize your brand into the media world. You would be surprised to find that in many cases, digital marketing can be more beneficial in growing an audience and establishing a footprint than going straight into seeking a PR service.

If you are an artist who is ready to take the steps into finding a publicist, it is best to look at similar artists that have a brand that is slightly or significantly larger than yours and to see if they have a representation that can potentially fit yours. In general, the smaller the media outlet, the greater chance for them to pay attention to you.

Finally, when pitching to a publicist, it is vital to pitch intentionally and professionally. Be sure to seek someone who genuinely enjoys the music that you’re pitching. When submitting, most publicists demand at least 2-4 weeks of lead time. It is also important to pitch your music as a private audio that is not shared until the release. Once submitted, make sure to follow up appropriately.

Open Door Sessions is a branch of Neon Owl that focuses on bringing the music community together to CONNECT, CREATE, and ELEVATE. We host in person and virtual music industry networking events, education talks, demo listening parties and showcases. If you are curious about attending one of our future Open Door Sessions events, you can sign up for our e-mail list or check here for the next upcoming event. If you would like to learn more about the Open Door Sessions Mastermind program where we help artists level up to get seen, heard, and signed faster, e-mail [email protected] for more information or to get on the waitlist.