Industry news & advice blog

Musicians, managers, agents and labels in Wales are invited to join Welsh Music Foundation and digital marketing experts Good Lizard Media in Wrexham during this year’s Focus Wales for a special seminar.  Taking place on Friday 20 April 2012 between 2pm and 5pm at the Grove Park Theatre, the afternoon session is free to attend, led by Good Lizard, who have worked with the likes of The Prodigy, Underworld and Chicane.
 

With audiences increasingly using online outlets such as iTunes, Spotify, Facebook, YouTube and Soundcloud to find and purchase music, the skills needed to promote and ultimately sell music online successfully are paramount to those working in the music industry today. 
 

Focus Wales’ organiser Neal Thompson said, “'We're looking forward to our first conference at Focus Wales in Wrexham and I'm really happy that the subjects we have on the agenda for discussion and the activities programmed will allow those who attend to go away with some practical knowledge they can apply to their own businesses and projects.”

Good Lizard's David Riley and Sam McGregor will share their experience and offer advice, hints and tips, as well as answering questions on promoting music online, building fanbases and generating direct-to-fan sales.
 

Those wanting to attend can find out more and register for the 'Digital Marketing 101' session for free via the link below. Open to those with and without Focus Wales wristbands. Places are limited. 
 

See the Focus Wales website for details of other conferences taking place across the festival too.

 

2.00pm - 3.15pm: Session One: Digital Marketing 101

Good Lizard's David Riley and Sam McGregor will lead a session taking artists, managers, agents and labels through the basics of a good digital marketing strategy. Ranging from social networking, through advertising and pr, to conversion into sustained direct-to-fan sales. Based upon years of digital experience in music, this session will layout the necessary groundwork and offer some tricks and tips along the way.

 

3.45pm - 5.00pm: Session Two: Extended Q&A

During the break, participants will be encouraged to submit questions to be answered in the second session.  These questions will be answered to the group in direct relation to individuals' circumstance but also as wider points on digital marketing. Working both as a way to give some meaningful and actionable advice but also to demonstrate real world applications of the ideas and concepts from session one.

 

5.00pm – 6.00pm: Networking/drinks at theatre bar

 

Welsh Music Foundation (WMF) is core Funded by the Welsh Government as part of its Strategy for the Creative industries in Wales. Since its inception in 2000, WMF’s core aim is to develop the commercial music industry in Wales by offering information, advice and support to music enterprises and start-ups.

 

WMF achieves this through regular seminars, drop-in surgeries, mentoring sessions, career development training, ‘speed dating’ and networking meetings, utilising WMF’s industry contacts and expertise. WMF’s information service provides specialist advice to the sector, whilst the WMF directory pulls together over 2000 Welsh music businesses and services in 65 categories. 

 

WMF works in partnership with organisations including the Association of independent Music, Musicians Union, Welsh Language Board, Creative Business Wales and Government departments to ensure the needs and interests of music enterprises in Wales are represented.

 

Good Lizard Media run the digital training sessions for AIM (www.musicindie.com) and have trained some of the biggest independent labels and distributors in the world. As an agency, the company are responsible for digital strategy at Wichita Recordings (The Cribs, Simian Mobile Disco, First Aid Kit, The Bronx...), The Prodigy, Underworld, The Subways, Chicane and many more.

 

Focus Wales is a 3 day Music Festival & Conference held at multiple venues in Wrexham, North Wales, UK, and will take place over the weekend of the 19th, 20th & 21st of April, 2012. The festival will showcase live performances from a collection of the very best in music of Welsh origin throughout weekend, including special guest headliners, and selected International acts - alongside music industry panels and discussions, featuring experts from all sectors of the music industry.