It’s Not Them… It’s YOU [Updated 2019]

Have you been spending countless hours refreshing your inbox, waiting for a response that just never arrived. Are you tired of sending endless emails to every blog you could think of and feeling no further along on the journey than when you first started?

Newsflash. YOU are probably problem.

Triggering headline aside, the likelihood is that you are probably the person standing in your own way, by failing to do the adequate preparation required before reaching out.

So what is the purpose of this post?

This article will detail the most common submission errors, showing you exactly how to avoid them. 

So without further ado let’s begin with error number 1…

1. Poorly Written Submissions

Spelling mistakes, typos, grammatical errors. In a world where there are endless FREE applications to correct your grammar, not to mention autocorrect, this is simply unacceptable. In most cases a music submission is the first form of contact you will have with the platform you are reaching out to.

First impressions stick.

This easily avoidable error gives off the impression that you simply do not care. Your emails will simply be deleted without a second thought.

If you didn’t care enough to spellcheck, why will they care enough to read your submission?

2. Long Emails

While having background info on an artist is a necessity, hearing one’s life story is not.

Blogs are sent dozens of emails a day and the bottom line is, there just isn’t enough time to read everything – at least not right away.

An email with any more than 2-3 short paragraphs is bound to get put on the read later pile.

(Hint: that pile never actually gets read)

Avoid finding yourself in this pile by following this simple structure.

Begin with a short intro including artist’s name location and genre.

This should then be followed by a paragraph stating how you came across the blogger (this often comes as a nice ego boost for smaller platforms and is also helpful in regards to their own content marketing).

The closing paragraph should be about the purpose of the email and state any relevant info about the enclosed files.

A rule of thumb: if the reader has to scroll more than 3 times the email is probably too long.

3.Unnecessary Follow Up Emails

This follows on from the previous point about being considerate of a blogger’s time. In most cases, if an email doesn’t require an immediate response it is unlikely that it will get one. The usual response rate for a lot of platforms is 2 days if the matter is urgent and a week if it isn’t. However at busier points during the music calendar, such as the summer or Christmas, this doesn’t always happen.

Following up within 24 hours or anything less than a week is the fastest way to have your first email ignored. It is not only annoying, but shows no regard for the writer in question’s schedule which in the long run will not bag you any brownie points.

4. Don’t Be Arrogant

Remember it is you who is asking for a favour and not the other way around.

Manners and being polite go a long way in this industry. Don’t forget to say thank you at the end of your email.

A humble attitude often comes as a pleasant surprise and is likely to leave a lasting impression.

5. The Dreaded CC

A CC is an immediate red flag. If you feel that there are other platforms who are equally capable of covering the release of the single, why should we?

A little harsh? Perhaps. But it all boils down to respect. You have to show these platforms  that you appreciate their unique perspective and what their influence can do for you. This certainly does not.

Where Do You Go From Here?

If you have previously made some of these mistakes all hope is not lost. Although, it may be an idea to wait until the next single release before approaching some of these platforms again.

Stop the CC’ing all platforms (we aren’t that busy that we don’t notice), stop the unnecessary follow ups, always say thank you, no more long emails and for the love of all things good SPELLCHECK!

Now that you all have the knowledge to avoid some of the most common submission pitfalls, we wish you all the best on your journey to being discovered.