Item Kindly Supplied by Dave Arcari MU Scotland
www.musiciansunion.org.uk &
Music News Scotland
www.mnscotland.co.uk
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Of the many phone calls and enquiries we get at the MU office, many are what
could be termed as FAQs (frequently asked questions). One of these FAQs is
the topic of distribution so this month we'll look at the pros and cons of
the distribution 'deal' and some alternatives.
Whether distribution is one of the 'holy grail' must-haves depends on the
size of the label and the profile and flexibility of the artists involved.
Some new labels think a distributor will magically sell their product into
stores, but the reality is that there needs to be demand from the public and
stores, otherwise the distributor is going to have as much of a problem
selling as anyone else would. That demand is driven by good media coverage -
radio airplay, local and national press reviews and features complemented by
a strategic marketing/advertising campaign - not just relating to the
release itself, but also live shows in the stores' localities.
If the demand's not there, the CDs (or vinyl) will sit in the distributor's
warehouse and at best gather dust. At worst the label could get a bill for
storage and subsequent shipping of all the stock back to the label. That's
the drawback, so even if a distributor is interested, it's advisable to take
a reality check and be sure the release is backed up by strong promotion and
that it WILL actually sell in sufficient numbers to make all the
distribution hassle worthwhile. Remember also that the label (and therefore
artist) cut of the dealer price will be significantly less once the
distributor has deducted costs and commission, not to mention the
two-for-one deals and giveaways they may need to employ.
Although some distributors will work with one-off releases from new and
small labels, most will want also to see some kind of future release
schedule. That can be difficult for an artist/band starting their own label
and concentrating on that important first release.
If the distributor (or their rep) is not a pro-active seller and
enthusiastic about your release then forget it - the fledgling label's
release could be lost in a sea of 'oh, we've also got this' conversations.
The distributor may also restrict what online or gig sales activity you can
carry out.
So, what if traditional distribution proves evasive or isn't for you?
All is not lost, thankfully. New technology like the internet makes it easy
to reach fans and target audiences and sell hard product direct from a
website while download technology makes it possible to sell your own
downloads or work with a third party provider (like Simbiotic - see
www.simbiotic.co.uk) without incurring huge costs or commitment.
There's loads of third party download deals to be done with an ever-growing
range of companies like iTunes, Wippit, TuneTribe, Sony Connect, Napster and
Yahoo Launchcast. Some of these companies will deal direct with small labels
but a good option is to consider joining AIM (Association of Independent
Music -
www.musicindie.org) which negotiates deals with all these and more
on behalf of members and makes it easy for the wee man/woman to enter the
global download market.
And for high street retailers? Easy. Whenever a band/artist visits a new
town consider turning up early and popping into the local record shops who
will often be only too happy to take a few copies of a release sale or
return. Get some advance press previews for the show and there's a good
chance they'll know who you are before you arrive.
In reality, of course, it's horses for courses. There's much more than this
to distribution and the debate could rage for a lengthy period. The
appropriate route(s) to market will depend on informed decisions and some
honest self-assessment.
Careers advice and signposting is one of the many benefits on offer to
Musicians' Union members. To find out more feel free to call me on 0141 248
3723.
Dave Arcari, Musicians Union
July 2005
