Q&A - "Self Promotion Via Social Media"

Hi Roger, love what I've heard so far of your new project and I will be purchasing it as it is released! I was wondering how you felt about this new way of promoting yourself and your own music through social media. Do you like being able to do your own promoting on FB and Twitter...etc? Is it more exciting and inspiring for you to be hands-on with your fans? I am so glad I caught up with you on FB! you are so awesome!) 
-Jill M.

RF: Hi Jill, thanks for your excellent question.

Musicians already don’t have enough time to wear all the hats necessary in today’s music industry, let alone self-market through social media. That said, I do enjoy finding new followers on Twitter and establishing more ties on Facebook and Linked In. It amazes me to see so many EXTREMELY ENTHUSED people who are thrilled to be talking to me, however distant and infrequently, and seeing every single person’s image portrayal as I add them to the family.

A typical musician these days does the following:

  1. Photographer/videographer
  2. Image editor
  3. Graphic designer
  4. Audio/video engineer
  5. Audio/video producer
  6. Promoter
  7. Publicist
  8. Teacher
  9. Instrumentalist
  10. Songwriter
  11. Singer

These are the things that keep me busy, and I see my musicianship suffer for it. That doesn’t worry me because I’m mainly a songwriter. Creating something unlike anything else out there, on a level of excellence that is the highest we can achieve, is truly satisfying work. The other day I thought, “I don’t have any ambition or desire greater than simply working daily with my brother. No amount of success could equal the simple daily success of doing what you love with someone you love."