6 Jewish Music Stars Reveal Their Marketing Secrets
The Jewish music industry is on fire. Talented vocal artists, composers, arrangers, musicians and producers are churning out an unprecedented volume of top-quality music at a pace never seen before. Every season sees brand new albums come out hot on the heels of other albums. The thirst for quality Jewish music is enormous. Mostly Music’s online site receives an estimated 50,000 unique monthly visitors, more traffic than the websites of the Jewish Press, Hamodia, Yated Ne’eman, Mishpach, and Ami combined (according to SEM Rush).
[bctt tweet=”‘Mostly Music’s website receives more traffic than Hamodia, Yated Ne’eman, The Jewish Press, Mishpacha and Ami combined.'” username=”Precision_blog”]
With the industry so crowded with this amount of talent, it can be hard for individual artists and musicians to stand out. So we reached out to 6 of the greatest Jewish music stars and asked them to share their best Jewish music marketing tips.
As it turns out, their advice can be applied to every area of business. Read on and you’ll see.
Jewish Music Marketing Tips
1. Shmueli Ungar – Popular Singer
Shmueli Ungar took the Jewish music world by storm last year with his debut album Shmueli 2. His unique personality won the hearts of his fans like few other artists have. Listen to Shmueli’s personality as it shines through his advice:
“What I can tell you is, in order to stand out you gotta be not just good — anyone could achieve ‘good’ — you gotta be GREAT! The best marketing team won’t help you a bit if your talent is mediocre.
“Remember: There’s no faking art or neshuma. People like real people they can relate to. Don’t copy anyone, be yourself and give it ALL YOU GOT!”
[bctt tweet=”‘Remember: There’s no faking art or neshuma. People like real people they can relate to.’ – @ShmueliUngar” username=”Precision_blog”]
2. Yitzy Waldner – Composer and Producer
For the last few years, hardly a Jewish album has been released without at least one song composed by Yitzy Waldner. His songs often go on to become international hits, “Itcha Ani” by Avraham Fried, “I Can Be” by Yaakov Shwekey, and hundreds more:
“This isn’t an easy question, as the Jewish music industry changes quickly. In order for a singer to stand out, he needs a great voice and a great song that can get picked up. The Jewish wedding market rotation is where you want to look. Know the songs that currently work in the market – and innovate a chiddush within the market.
“But to really stand out, you need to find a song you really connect to and that people can connect to. The trick is to keep your song so commercial that even a 2 year old can sing it, but that is still original and creative.”
[bctt tweet=”‘The trick is to keep your song so commercial that even a 2 year old can sing it, but that is still original and creative.’ – Yitzy Waldner” username=”Precision_blog”]
3. Mordechai Shapiro – Popular Singer
Mordechai Shapiro is a wildly popular singer who has recently released his second album. He is best known for his mega-hit “Schar Mitzvah,” whose music video has racked up almost two million views on YouTube. His advice reflects his style; young, fresh, personal:
“I would say that for me the most important thing is staying true to who I am and being myself. Today people want the real deal; sincerity and honesty. Don’t try to be anyone else, you can always learn from the best, but be yourself. I try to be as personable and sincere as I can through my music production and performance.
“I also work very hard to connect with my fans and audience. I don’t just post things about me singing or me and my concerts, I post the things I like to do and the food I like to eat – sports, restaurants, my children, etc. I want the world to know that I’m a regular guy with a family and hobbies. This is how I connect with my audience.”
4. Sruly Meyer – Producer
Sruly Meyer has launched the careers of many a Jewish music star. He has been Benny Friedman’s executive producer for many years. Aside from his musical acumen, his marketing skills are revered in the industry:
“My best advice is to promote yourself very often, and make sure that you are being yourself.
“Don’t copy what you see others do. People connect to singers on a personal level, so if you try to emulate another artist or style or trend people won’t connect with you and then no matter how good your production is or how good your voice is, people will just be connecting to that style or trend and not you, as the singer.
“There are so many out there already, you will only succeed if you are offering them something unique.”
[bctt tweet=”‘There are so many artists out there already, you will only succeed if you are offering them something unique.’ – @DesignsBySruly” username=”Precision_blog”]
5. Baruch Sholom – Singer and Composer
Baruch Sholom Blesofsky, affectionately known by his first name, burst onto the Jewish music scene with his huge hit “Lo Yemalet.” For months, nary a Jewish wedding passed without this song being played. His advice is short and sweet:
“I have 3 basic tips for artists, but you gotta stick to them:
1. Be yourself. (Don’t imitate others)
2. Be real. (Don’t force your performance)
3. Be courageous. (Don’t be afraid to try something new – your audience is waiting for it).”
[bctt tweet=”‘Be yourself. Be courageous. Be real.’ – @boruch_sholom” username=”Precision_blog”]
6. Chaim Bokchin – Guitarist
Chaim Bokchin, guitarist extraordinaire, is a sought after musician for major events. His keen advice is insightful:
“If you want to succeed in the Jewish music industry, you need to know your clientele. And the Jewish music lovers are very knowledgeable about the field, and they know what they want.
“There are people who want one-man-bands, others who want add-ons, and those who want full orchestras. Whatever it is you’re good at, make sure people understand what that is; communicate it clearly and consistently.
“The real pros are also flexible and able to satisfy a broad range of customer expectations.
“The true secret to remaining relevant and popular is to keep on innovating. Please, don’t be stale. Always have something fresh and always be improving your art. Notice that the good guys always have a new twist to their performance.”
To Sum it all Up
As you may have noticed, most of the advice offered isn’t confined to the music industry. In fact, some of the points that were made are invaluable in any industry, as we’ll point out below. We can sum up the expert advice as follows:
1. Be authentic (Shmueli Ungar, Mordechai Shapiro, Sruly Meyer, Baruch Sholom)
If you’re in a crowded field – in any industry – this is crucial. One of my favorite quotes are from Marty Neumeier, author of Zag: “If everybody zigs, zag.”
People can spot a copycat a mile away, and they don’t like it. Offer your clients and customers authenticity, the real you.
2. Know your audience and give them what they want (Yitzy Waldner, Chaim Bokchin)
This is basic in any business. Who’s your target audience? What do they want? How can you help them? Understanding these issues is vital if you want to achieve success.
3. Connect with your audience on a personal level (Mordechai Shapiro, Sruly Meyer)
Engaging your customers on a personal level should be a top priority for your business. According to Constant Contact, two of the top three reasons people unsubscribe from email lists are because the content was no longer relevant for them and that it was no longer what they expected.
4. Always innovate your performance (Chaim Bokchin)
This is the business equivalent of being one step ahead of your competition. Always offer something new and different. Keep on thinking of ways you can update your product or service.
5. Make sure your songs are catchy and creative at the same time (Yitzy Waldner)
Try to keep it simple. The human attention span has slipped below the level of a goldfish (about 8 seconds). Be direct and to the point in all of your communications.
6. Market yourself constantly, clearly and consistently (Chaim Bokchin, Sruly Meyer)
Well, of course. That’s what Precision Brands is all about.
And that sums up our Jewish music marketing tipsheet.
As always, feel free to leave any questions or comments. And if you enjoyed, please share with your friends and colleagues.
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