In recent years, Johnson has released five CDs, and has turned a profit on every one. The critically lauded Across the White Plains, released in 1995, was a nod to the first all-women's expedition to cross Antarctica to the South Pole on foot, in January 1993. Her 1998 effort, Softly and Tenderly, was a departure for Johnson - an album of specially selected, sparsely produced old hymns dedicated to her parents. It was her fastest-selling release to date.
- John D'Agostino, Editor, Wood&Steel
 

Preparing CDs for mailing to radio stations

I sat on my living room floor on a cold, clear winter day. Surrounding me were stacks of my CD, The Cowboys of Baja Have Stolen My Heart; piles of cellophane shrink-wrap I had wrestled off the CDs; padded bubble mailers; stacks of self-addressed postcards; and a special cover letter. I finally was fulfilling a promise to myself to mail copies of the CD to a passel of public-radio stations I had hand-picked from a special directory. Everything was going according to plan, except for one thing: my CD had been released two years earlier.

Now, it might seem futile to do a mass-mailing two years after a release, but I figured if the music was good then, it was still good. Besides, I couldn't record a new CD until I had come full circle with the previous release, and that meant doing a mailing.

Stuffing my precious CD inside a mailer and applying the appropriate label and postage was only the physical part of the battle for airplay. The real challenge was figuring out how to get the program directors and/or deejays to listen to it. Every day, radio stations are inundated with new (and, in some cases, old) releases. Unless you have loads of cash to buy advertising, and can include a few copies of your CD wrapped neatly in the multiple-insertion contract, you will need a nifty plan to get that deejay to listen to your CD.

I thought long and hard about what to send in my little package, and I decided that more was less. Instead of bombarding the deejay with a full press kit, photo, and nine yards of reviews and bios, I would simply send a CD with a short bio (a tray card or mini-sheet cut to fit inside the CD jacket), a self-addressed stamped postcard, and a cover letter.

The cover letter was my "secret weapon", the most crucial part of the package. Critical quotes (blurbs) can create a big, immediate impact, and their brevity makes them inviting and easy to read. I decided they would be my big hooks for reeling in the deejays. I would focus attention on the only cover tune on the CD, "Georgia on My Mind", which had received many favorable reviews. "Georgia..." also had prompted several letters from new fans. Although immortalized by Ray Charles, the Hoagy Carmichael classic had been widely recorded, so I knew it would be familiar to listeners, and probably would generate the most interest. The five quotes I chose were so wonderfully written that I knew a deejay would have to listen, or else die of curiosity. And, I knew if they listened to "Georgia..." they might explore the rest of the CD.

My cover letter also featured a condensed career description highlighting some awards and listing notable artists with whom I had shared the stage, including Spyro Gyra, Suzanne Vega, Arlo Guthrie, Janis Ian, Ian Tyson, Rita Coolidge, and Nils Lofgren. The letter ended with contact information - my name, address, phone, fax, e-mail, concert booking, and CD ordering. To track the response to the CD mailing, I included a self-addressed, stamped postcard featuring a simple questionnaire designed to gauge the deejays' impressions of me, my music, and my presentation.

In the world of marketing and advertising, a three-percent return (response) is considered decent. I decided to shoot high and anticipate a 10-percent return. My expectations were far surpassed. The postcards piled up in my post-office box, and when all are were read and counted, I had a 45-percent return. A few of the deejays wrote wonderful little notes, and some wondered why it had taken me so long to mail the CD in the first place!

Working on her mailing list

I believe the unusually heavy response was reflective of two things: 1) they liked the music on The Cowboys of Baja Have Stolen My Heart; and 2) I made it easy for them to check the little questionnaire boxes and mail the postcard. The likelihood that they actually listened to the CD gave me a valuable advantage over the competition.

Although it is difficult to quantify such things, I later knew that Cowboys... was getting decent airplay, because I began receiving CD orders from all over the country, even from Alaska, through the Public Radio MusicSource** (PRMS). At the time, I didn't have a publicly posted phone number, so potential buyers had to write to me, or call the PRMS. Although I have released two CDs since then, the airplay I received at the time continues to generate orders for Cowboys... Now that my name is a little better known in radio-land, and people have been introduced to my music, my subsequent releases have fared much better, with less promotion.

Obviously, no one can guarantee that a well-prepared package will be looked at, that a CD will receive thoughtful consideration, or that it will be played on the radio. But you certainly improve your odds by following a few fundamental steps.

Of primary concern, of course, is the product itself, and I'm not necessarily talking about musical talent and originality (which criteria are, to some extent, subjective). You don't have to be rich to get airplay, but you do need a well-crafted, well-produced CD. Before you do a big mailing, which can get rather costly, get some feedback on your recording from music professionals (especially those in the business who are aware of your specific competition), and from others whose taste and opinions you respect. If you gather that your album isn't ready, work on it until it is. It makes no sense whatsoever to rush out a recording that isn't quite "right". But if you get the admittedly unscientific but important "green light" on both the recording and the CD artwork/packaging, go ahead and prepare your mailing.

Speaking of artwork, when you design the back of your CD tray card, include the song titles (with play times) as well as ordering/contact information, in clear, bold print. This is especially significant because most independent releases have no distribution tie-in, so including ordering/contact information enables the deejay to pass it along to listeners, either over the air or when they call the station (presumably, because they can't find your CD in the local retail store). All of this information must be easy to find and easy to read - don't expect the deejay to search for something buried on page four of your booklet. Always put it on the back cover of the CD case!

I've emphasized that critical quotes/blurbs are an important component of your cover letter. If you want to do a mailing of your CD and you haven't received any newsworthy reviews, don't fret. Ask a friend or a relative who truly likes your new CD to write a few snappy paragraphs describing it. The quotes don't have to be from a newspaper or magazine review - they just have to be an honest assessment of your work. If a friend writes something that isn't true, it will reflect poorly on you and your music. Remember, you're in this for the long haul, so build relationships and contacts through honesty and integrity. It is the best way to build your career. Then if you do get airplay, your next project will have a better chance of being heard.

As for the return postcard, you might want to use the radio station's mailing label to identify it, or at least leave space for them to fill in the station name, deejay or program director, address, and zip (this is the less preferable method, if only because you're making them work, and the results of a hasty scribble might not be legible). I kept my questions simple, and all that was required of the deejay was to check one or more boxes on the postcard and toss it in the outgoing mail. Be creative and think about what information you'd like to get from the station.

Here are some examples:

[      ] We love this artist - please keep us on your mailing list.
[      ] Please send us the artist's tour schedule.
[      ] This music doesn't fit our format. Please remove us from your mailing list.

Just for the record, public-radio and college stations are a great way to get airplay, because you're not confronting the rigid-playlist and marketing mindset, nor competing in the big-money wars, of commercial radio. (Even if you intend to send your CD to commercial radio stations, public radio is a great place to start.) It's helpful to order an appropriate directory*, and then create a mailing list (preferably saved on your computer) according to the stations' musical formats. For example, because my music is mainly categorized as folk/acoustic, I choose those stations with folk, acoustic, eclectic, and easy-listening formats. Occasionally, I try pushing my luck with a station I think might consider playing my music - even if it's a bit of a stretch. If your mailing list is tailored to your music, you'll have a better chance of getting airplay than if you mass-mail it to every station between New York and L.A.

It doesn't hurt to follow-up a few weeks after you send your CD. Contact the deejays by phone or e-mail, identify yourself and the title of your CD, and ask if they've had a chance to listen. Inquire about getting a copy of the station's current playlist, and about signing up on their mailing list. If you are getting airplay, send a thank-you note every now and then to show your appreciation (and to keep your name in front of them). If you haven't received airplay, send a gentle reminder every couple of months. This is one of those cases where the squeaky wheel really does get the grease!

The conscientious, self-produced artist will find that there are many avenues into the world of radio. As long as you're willing to work hard, and you have an excellent product, there's a good chance your music eventually will be played. Remember: be creative, be wild, be professional, be positive, have lots of fun, and never give up.

*To order a public-radio directory, send a check or money order in the amount of $20 ($15 was the 1997 price), *payable to* Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and address it to:

Corporation for Public Broadcasting
901 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004-2037
Attention: Publications Coordinator

The CPB spokesperson also informed us that the directory can be accessed for free on the CPB website, at www.cpb.org/directory/home.html. We regret any inconvenience this might have caused our readers.

**The Public Radio MusicSource is a non-profit organization that offers listeners access to virtually any CD or cassette recording currently in print. The PRMS keeps an inventory of about 200,000 titles, and has knowledgeable staff on hand to help buyers find exactly what they're looking for. A portion of each purchase made through the PRMS comes back to the participating stations by way of monthly royalties.

The Public Radio MusicSource is open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., and accepts major credit cards. You can reach PRMS at 1-800-75-MUSIC.