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Re: Matthias Grob's New CD I was supposed to review Claude Voit's



Claude, et al,

On Tuesday, July 22, 2003, at 02:55 AM, Claude Voit wrote:

>> I sent 5 or 6 CDs to LD members all around the world for 
>> review and got NO fucking review.

Just a few thoughts . . . if you want to get reviews from people
on this (or any other) list:

1. Write to them and ask them first if it's okay to send a disk
in hope of receiving a review. Most people will agree. But, many 
folk's lives are busy these days and they may not have time. 
If anyone ever wrote to me and received a "yes" answer I'd
definitely follow-through with whatever was promised. I'd make
it a commitment. And, if the answer is "no" or "not right now,"
be patient. After an appropriate interval, ask again later. 
You never know. Doors that were closed sometimes open 
unexpectedly. These folks are probably not being mean. They
are being practical -- especially if they are not "professional"
reviewers.

2. If you want a review, it would be a good idea to expect at 
least a little criticism. It's a review, not a press release. So, 
if they don't like it don't complain too much. Most folks don't 
want to "dis" a colleague publicly. Occasionally, I'll get sent
unsolicited CD-Rs and simply don't happen to like them very 
much. Hey, there's no accounting for taste and it's a free 
country (or so I am told). I may then privately e-mail the sender
(off list) to that effect and spare them any perceived public 
embarrassment. But, more often than not, I am still rather 
reluctant to hurt anyone's feelings to  begin with. Unsolicited 
CD-Rs may not get a review at all -- especially if I'm really busy
and don't have the time. I know, excuses, excuses.

3. Make sure the recipient knows who and where the CD has come
from. I have gotten CD-Rs with no return address, no liner notes
or credits and all kinds of inkjet graphics with very creative band 
names on them . . . all totally without giving any clue as to who 
the people are who are in the band and who sent it to me in the 
first place. If you write or e-mail and ask first -- no problem -- you're 
golden. But, if you do happen to submit an unsolicited CD, make sure 
there is a note with it saying who you are and what you are hoping 
for from the person you sent it to. Don't EXPECT that they will be 
amused enough by the pretty pictures to do a web search for your 
band name in order to find out your identity. It's not likely to happen.

I do not believe Claude has ever sent me anything BTW. But, I have
received stuff that came either at a lousy time (or I was not feeling
well) or there was no identifying information or a name I did not 
recognize from LD (or anywhere else). They go in my file drawer 
full of CDs -- maybe I'll get to them eventually. However, no promises 
were made, so maybe not. This is the way the world works.

My own experience of sending out music proves it. My one-and-only 
CD (so far) "Flux Aeterna" has gotten dozens of great reviews from
all over the planet and radio airplay from Siberia to Adelaide on 30+
stations (not even counting the internet ones). But, when you realize 
that to get that response I had to package and send out 750 CDs 
(all at my own cost and postage expense) the result seems a rather 
pitiful percentage (probably less than 10%). 

At that rate, if you sent out only 5 CDs 10% is just 0.5 (that's halfway 
between one response and none at all). I'd say that for sending out
only 5 CDs your "response rate" was only a little below average and
(therefore) nothing too surprising. Actually, speaking as a person who 
has done his share of direct marketing professionally, 10% is pretty
darn good. If you think about the junk (snail) mail you receive in the post
daily. Those companies would KILL for a return of 3% or 4%. Getting 10%
would be a humongous, major miracle for them. Such an achievement
would rate a raise and a bonus for somebody, that's for sure.

Anywho, those are my thoughts. Don't be too hard on the folks you
send unsolicited CDs to (unless you DO solicit and they DO agree
beforehand). What you got was about "par" for the course. It's
disappointing, true. But, it's not unusual at all.

Best,

tEd ® kiLLiAn

http://www.mp3s.com/tedkillian
http://www.pfmentum.com/flux.html
http://www.CDbaby.com/cd/tedkillian
http://www.guitar9.com/fluxaeterna.html