Sleezy recording studios, musicians, marketing and who knows?

Who can you trust? Me? Probably not.

Ok, so it doesn’t just happen in the music or recording studio industry ,it happens everywhere, the outrageous claims, the smoke and mirrors, the half truths… but it seems to be everywhere I turn in this industry these days, and frankly I am both sick of it and think it’s an old-school way of operating or marketing yourself or your business.

Self promotion and marketing IS very important do not get me wrong, but I think there is definitely a right, tasteful way of approaching it. We all know a band or musician that way over hypes themselves, even goes so far to talking ‘shit’ about themselves and their achievments all in the name of getting ahead. Or we all know the recording studio or manager that makes outrageous claims often bordering on complete lies about who they’ve recorded or managed, how long they’ve been operating for or whom they claim to know.  It’s sad.

Anyone that is a half decent human being or knows anything about marketing would agree that having a point of difference is extremely important. Even the avid followers of marketing gurus like Godin appreciate the stand out from the crowd ‘Purple Cow’ theory and these are good things to base your marketing upon.  Just please, whether you are a musician, recording studio, manager,  business owner or whoever please please try and make your marketable aspects and angles truthful. There is a current trend and popularity in marketing at the moment with transparency, being open, being honest, letting your customers see who you really are, how you operate….so no more porkie pies or half truths, please.

All this even flows down to what services people claim to offer and whether they promise the world to you. Do they claim to be a one stop shop at a price that just seems too good to be true? If so, then guess what?.. It probably is.

The Sitting Room recording studios tries its absolute best to be open, transparent and honest about everything from woe to go. I make no secret that I haven’t got any formal qualifications in recording, that I like to treat every project as a fresh blank canvas and that I try my best to learn something new every time I am involved with a new recording. That I never ever say yes to every job that works through the door, there’s no point in me recording bad HIP HOP just because I might need the money, who wins in that equation? Not me, and not the artist. That I know my strengths and my weaknesses and opssenly suggest people get their recordings mastered elsewhere as it’s not a strength of mine. That I have made and will continue to make, mistakes, but it’s the attitude of wanting to learn from those mistakes and get better each time that people seem to be attracted to….but even then we’re not perfect, and we wont be perfect for everyone, and certainly will never claim to be.

So, next time you are making a flyer, sending a bulk email or writing a press release for your band or business make sure you think long and hard about what you’re saying. If you are using any form of smoke or mirrors I only think that long term the mirrors will shatter in your face and your lungs will fill up with that hazy deceitful smoke, rendering you completely useless…cough cough

Proudly and lovingly brought to you by Tim Chesney and Ben Edwards of The Sitting Room Recording Studios Christchurch, New Zealand. The south island home of audio production, sound design, mixing and location sound recording.

Tagged as: marketing, Recording Studio