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32

Articles · Marketing

7 Tips to Selling Beats for Music Producers

  • by Mark V
  • December 19, 2008

Here are some tips for promoting your  music to sell more beats.

1. Make Beat Making Videos

Some people may not want to get in front of the camera, but this can really help with exposure. There are many people online that want to learn. These people become fans and follow you and can possibly become buyers of your music.

I want to use Boon Doc as an example. He currently have 6,558 Youtube subscribers. I did a interview with Boon Doc, I asked him how has about how Youtube has helped him and he said “It had helped tremendously with exposure.  People are posting and discussing my videos all over the place at websites and forums that I’ve never even seen or heard of before.” He pointed out how it has helped with beats sales, finding new artist to collaborate with, and big name people like Ryan Leslie getting in contact with him.

One of my other favorite Youtube music makers is Ronald Jenkees who has a whopping 77,429 subscribers, and his video views range from 95k to 3 million views. This can defiantly help you build a name for yourself.

So online videos can help a lot.

Cameras like this look cool for online video, Kodak Zi6 Pocket HD Camcorder, and its under $200.

2. Participate in Forums

I have been in many music forums where certain producers have built great names for themselves. They do this in a couple ways like having great answers to people questions, sharing music making tips, giving good feedback, and producing good music. Participating in forums also allows you to keep update with what is going on with music, learn new techniques, and get feedback on your music.

In the past I did a post on 9 music forums you should participate in.

Side note, please don’t become a forum jerk, someone that has nothing to share, and just replies to a thread because they are bored, and gives just stupid answers. Just work on building a good name for yourself.

3. Promote! Promote! Promote!

Put a web address in you email signature, forum signature, and on blogs when you leave a comment in the URL section. This helps me a lot, I leave a comment on other music blogs randomly, and I can see traffic coming from all kind of sites because of it.

Also use Myspace to get people to listen to your music. Post a Myspace bulletin once a week when you have new music. But don’t be one of the people that do 10 bulletins a day, that’s spammy, and isn’t a good look for you.

4. Give Away Free Beats

This can be good depending on the situation. Maybe you give away 2 to 3 decent beats in a forum, and this can help bring people to your site to possibly buy some higher quality beats.

Also exchange for exposure by having a DJ or rapper saying your name & Myspace address.

For example I did a interview with Eyetel , and he spoke about how he gave out a free beat CD and the rapper Crooked I ended up rapping over one of his beats. So free isn’t always bad.

As a web designer I have done free projects in the past, and it has opened the door to me to other projects.


5.  Put Beats Online for the World

Make your beats available everywhere you can. You don’t now where people may come across your music. Utilize sites like Myspace, Soundclick, and Roc Battles. Make sure when people say they want to hear beats you have them available to hear, or you may miss out on that sell.

Web sites like Roc Battles allows you to upload beats, set if you want to sell or lease a beat, and set your own prices. It also offers an affiliate program where others can promote your beats for you and get a small percentage off a sell.

So overall make your music available to hear and buy to everyone.

6. Join Online Beat Battles

Web sites like Roc Battles have sections for beat battles that allow people to show off their talents. Every win you gain more points, and the more points you get the higher you will show on the producer charts and get more exposure. (Example of a Beat Battle)

7. Go Out and Network

I’m sure you have heard this before. It’s not what you know, it’s about who you know. You have to get your foot in the door, and meeting those right people can expose your music to the right person. So give your music to everyone, rappers, singers, managers, engineers, song writers, musicians, etc. It’s a small world and you have no idea of who some people off the street may know.

When you’re out networking, please make sure you have the essentials like a business card handy with a name, current phone number, email address and a personalized web address to stand out. (Read Myspace Producers!!! Step Your Domain Game Up!)

Side Tip:
Your web presence is very important because it makes you accessible to the entire world 24 hours a day. For all you producers that are currently promoting yourself on Myspace and Roc Battles, and other sites like that. Think about this, when you give out that web address to that social site, you are exposing your potential buyer to many of your competitors also. Cause on Myspace, I can easily click one of your top friends, and listen and buy one of their beats. So my suggestion is use all those site to help in marketing yourself. But also have your own web site to have you and your music alone as the focus. Once again you can get a web site host and a domain name just lower that $60 a year (that’s the price of some shoes), and then you get a web site template or a free WordPress theme to get you up and going.

Conclusion

I know way too many producers that are very protective their beats. I personally feel if you plan on being a success in the music industry, those one or two beats shouldn’t be held on to like these are the beats that will determine you music making future. Your skills of being able to continuously create hot tracks is what will determine your success. Like Rsonist from the Heatmakerzs said in this video , your beats wont be heard in your house. Get them into everyone’s hands that you can put them in because you don’t know where it will get you.

Keep in mind

  • - Be patient, sells may not come right away
  • - Try to do some remixes with other artist vocals; some people may not see the potential of the beat until they hear vocals on it.
  • - Continue to push yourself creatively so your skills can continue to grow, read 10 Tips to help you stay creative with beat making

Last tip: Track the progress of all your promoting. I use a site called Getclicky, and they have a website tracking tool that is view easy to use, You can put it on a web site, or myspace page, and you can see where all your traffic is coming from, and this is important, because you should want to learn and know what works and what doesn’t work.

Clicky Web Analytics

Let me know what you think about this post.

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Tags: BeatsBeats 4 SaleHip Hop BeatsMaking MusicSelling Beats

— Mark V

I'm Mark Valenzuela, a self taught web designer with a passion for music production. I started Hip Hop Makers over 4 years ago with the hopes to help and share knowledge with others. Please subscribe to the website, and follow HHM on Twitter, and Facebook.

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32 Comments

  1. David Abbot says:
    March 4, 2013 at 7:53 pm

    Although this article is old, the method still works today. Thanks for the tips! I’m showing this to my friend now hopefully he’ll get his music across

    Reply
  2. Sammy says:
    November 12, 2012 at 8:31 pm

    Some great tips! I think you should also include social media in the list. YouTube and Facebook work wonders!

    Reply
  3. beats says:
    June 8, 2012 at 11:51 pm

    Good post mark, I like how you incorporated older articles and still made it current. Very helpful info in here

    Reply
  4. jay kami says:
    June 6, 2012 at 5:05 pm

    this is a very hepful tip thankyou mark god bless!!! :)

    Reply
  5. Sticky says:
    June 5, 2012 at 6:26 am

    I think it’s cool…

    Reply
  6. TerryVibes says:
    May 4, 2012 at 10:13 pm

    These are really some great tips big ups! Any artists looking for reggae riddims check my site out (click on my name)!

    Reply
  7. Hip Hop and Rap Instrumental Beats says:
    November 27, 2011 at 2:32 pm

    In my opinion this is like the producer’s bible. Lol. Great tip. Keep more stuff like this coming!

    Reply
  8. Eqbeats says:
    May 16, 2011 at 10:52 am

    Thanks for the post real helpful

    Reply
  9. Grizzly says:
    March 28, 2011 at 9:14 am

    great post. very good tips. Artist hit me up for beats.

    Reply
  10. CJ@make beats online says:
    February 22, 2011 at 11:28 am

    Really diggin your post and want to thank you for getting me interested in this. Keep your site running so I can keep myself motivated in this industry. Come see me if you need anything. Keep your site hot and I’ll be back!

    Reply
  11. dynamicwayne says:
    January 24, 2011 at 2:02 pm

    Another well written article

    Reply
  12. Mike says:
    December 20, 2010 at 3:03 pm

    Very useful info here. I really needed those forum links. Thanks

    Reply
  13. Orange Tracksuit Ninja Allstar says:
    October 25, 2010 at 5:57 am

    This article was a godsend! I’m going to sign up to those forums and will make a beat making video right away. Thank you for this article and for this site for it’s awesome resources (the 100 free drum sounds are my workhorse hip hop sounds) and articles like these. Grtz, OTNA.

    Reply
  14. teresa says:
    June 17, 2010 at 6:18 pm

    I love this website, the information is great and I have bookmarked it in my favorites. This is a well organized and informative website. Great Job!

    Reply
  15. chin checca says:
    May 26, 2010 at 2:43 pm

    your article was very knowledglable keep up the good work

    Reply
  16. TMAC says:
    April 20, 2010 at 2:32 pm

    thumbs up man.Your site always brings some useful Info.keep it up
    thanx for the biz. card design too

    Reply
  17. DatPaki says:
    April 8, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    Dope post.. Thanks a lot

    Reply
  18. JGuccI says:
    January 11, 2010 at 3:28 pm

    Nice man!!! very helpful

    Reply
  19. sequence2 says:
    December 15, 2009 at 7:30 am

    This was great advice. Building a great positive name for yourself is very important1

    Reply
  20. Mustafa says:
    August 19, 2009 at 7:46 am

    First time hearing about this site, I’m love it, keep up the hard work King, Respect, be Blessed!

    Reply
  21. Lega says:
    June 17, 2009 at 2:38 pm

    2, 3, 4 and 7 I feel, but im not puttin my beats or my style on the market ta be stolen by postin vids so ill pass on that advice. Finished product vocals and all can go up on the internet all day but an open beat is jus open season for beat biters

    Reply
  22. Cash Clay says:
    April 26, 2009 at 11:47 pm

    Thanks fo tha info…Im apart of Rocbattle Producer Cash Clay check me out some time. I will use the info given as well…Thanx agian Cash Clay

    Reply
  23. fasteddie818ag says:
    April 19, 2009 at 9:14 am

    im always learning something new at …HIPHOPMAKERS.COM

    Reply
  24. discount shower curtains says:
    March 15, 2009 at 5:25 am

    hey thanks for commenting on my blog, every little bit helps. take care.

    Reply
  25. DJ DOCTOR A (704) says:
    March 5, 2009 at 9:18 am

    hot tips,everybody please visit my myspace,its worth it trust me!!!!!!

    Reply
  26. Twilight Saga says:
    January 18, 2009 at 10:45 pm

    Hi! Thank you for this post. Actually, I’m not very familiar with this topic but after reading your post, it’s clear now! Keep up the good posts like this. Take care!

    Reply
  27. BeatFhaNtuM says:
    January 15, 2009 at 10:16 pm

    Tight post right here! Keep up the good work.

    Reply
  28. michael says:
    January 3, 2009 at 6:39 pm

    We spread publicity locally by making say 10 beatz, packaging each, wrapping in our studio’s promo paper, and having an intern give them out. But the beatz have a flaw, like a cough or cheesy ‘hi’ in them, and a little message inviting them to come by the studio for the clean version, which is waiting for free. Then they get coffee, a tour, and literature, along with their free beat. In the process, our Denver recording studio gets a great local reputation.

    Reply
  29. michael says:
    January 3, 2009 at 6:29 pm

    Another killer way to gain exposure is to give away custom beatz at local hip hop events, or simply package them as a gift, custom made for “name your favorite local artist here”. Dump it to cd, wrap it and give it to them with a bottle of champaign, or whatever. Building up street cred by caring and doing for others. This is how we do it at our Denver Recording Studio.

    Reply
  30. Wallholder says:
    December 29, 2008 at 5:26 am

    Mark,
    Great post! Very informative. I’m actually working on a project for selling beats on the internet and I’ll be sure to trackback to this post.

    I’ve been all over the place with stuff. Still gotta get that article to you.

    The site is looking good man.

    Hope you’re having a Happy Holidays and I’ll hit you up on email.

    Reply
  31. Suriel Music says:
    December 25, 2008 at 5:47 pm

    Men I think this is a rally helpful post…. I love this website…

    Reply
  32. Sai says:
    December 20, 2008 at 12:36 am

    Good post mark, I like how you incorporated older articles and still made it current. Very helpful info in here

    Reply

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