Do I suck?

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:07 pm

Just wondering...why don't I get more business? Check out [url]realstudiodrums.com[/url] I thought this was a great idea/service but I'm only getting 3 or 4 customers a month.

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:26 pm

Phil,

It's obvious you are a competent drummer. I don't think it's the playing that turns potential customers away. I've only listened to the drum sounds on my cheap computer speakers, so not sure if the sounds are contemporary enough. The tracks don't seem as open as some I've been hearing lately coming out of the CCM Top 40 factories.

I've had great business ideas in the past and the ones I've implemented...well customers weren't beating a path to my door. sometimes what we think is a killer idea, because we'd sure make use of it if only it were available, is not overwhelmingly in demand. And then some ideas have to be sold to folks first - like the idea that you have to have a personal computer to survive. How'd we ever get by before Steve Jobs came along?

How long have you been in business? 3-4 customers a month for this segemented a market service might just be all there is out there. Or maybe you need to convince people they NEED your services.

Did you do a thorough business plan, including market and demographic research before you "opened your doors"?

Not trying to be critical, IMHO just some things to think about.

Good luck to you. I might use your service, but I'm a drummer myself.

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:26 pm

I guess you mean "why don't I get more business from my website?"

Let's just pretend I'm a prospective customer/surfer. A good way to get my attention is to be there when I ask for your kind of service. Couldn't find your site in Google.
It is important that you be there for me, as a prospective customer.

What about your site? It's outdated for one thing, copyrighted 2007. Looks abandoned, like a ghost town in an old western movie. You want to have current up-to-date interactive content.

Does sex sale? Yes it does...and I'm buying it, well, as a prospective customer. I do not have a problem with people putting pictures of themselves up on thier webpages. What I do have issue with is that most often they serve no purpose to sale the idea. I see a priest in one picture(first thought I had, sorry), some unknown dude leaning against an old door, what's that do for me, the prospective buyer? Nothing.

Lets face it, bashing drum machines and loops may have worked 10 or 5 years ago, but it isn't helping your case in todays hunt for paying customers. Don't piss on the machines, find a way to incorporate them into your work. If you cannot do that, then I would re-write the entire site concept to sale that SIZZLE!!!

Who cares about loops and machines. Get some pictures of you at work with the Dixie Chicks...see if that puts you up a little higher on the speed dialer of working production rooms.

Tell ya what else I like as a prospective client, testimonials! It's true! I want to know that someone has used your service, liked your service, payed for your service and will use your service AGAIN.

Think those direct marketers are using testimonials for no good reason? Those guys would hand deliver the brochure if they thought it would increase the sales percentage!

I have never seen a bio that took me away from a website.

Yours does.

You don't even have me yet as a client and your already sending me away?

I want you to tell me about those 30 years. What did you do, got any good anecdotes? Can you spin those into the testimonials? Are you involved in anything outside of drumming?

What about where you work at to do these tracks? I see 5 or 6 snares.
I have two or three snares myself, so I am not impressed. Show me your kit! Let me into your life boss!

Where is your brick and mortar?

Did you know that the right colors on the right idea can increase the potential for acceptance of that idea? Um hum, and I think blue is the wrong color.

Did we cover examples of your work, what you used to achieve the high quality in your recording, what setup drum wise?

You have a faq? That last line reads that you do NOT accept wav files due to, duh duh, size! Size matters! You want people interested in real work or school kids?

People that record and want a REAL drummer are recording uncompressed and will not even say MP3 in public.

At the end of the day, if your getting 3 or 4 customers a month from that website I would look into how many real website visitors I had (not page views or hits) and see if it converts to the 3 or 4 you already are getting. If it does, I wouldn't change a thing.

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:10 pm

The only thing I'd suggest would be to get some higher bitrate samples up there. The ones on there now took zero load time so jacking the quality up a little bit won't hurt at all. 128 maybe? They sound like they are at 96k or even Real Media. They don't sound bad, and your work is great, I just think if you're going to sell them great sounding drums... have the samples sound like great sounding drums. A lot of people can't make the connection between sounds they like, and quality of production. By this I mean, a lot of people who aren't educated in that kind of thing will like a well recorded song more than a poorly recorded song just because of the sound quality, and not even realize it. Your sound bits do not sound bad, but I hear data compression and a loss of high end (that swishy sound). Give your samples more room and let the cymbals sizzle and the snares sing. Again, if what you are selling is great sounding drums, show them that's what you're capable of. Many people wouldn't even realize that swishy sound is MP3 compression, much less be able to judge how good the original recording may have actually sounded. Just my 2 cents... I know nothing. Oh, and not accepting WAV files is suicide... absolute suicide.

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:49 pm

Thank you ALL for your comments....I learned alot with just these few people who took the time to help me. Looks like I've got some changes to make.

Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 3:22 am

I've seen the guy from fiddletrax.com in about 10 or 12 different CL postings, so he must be doing pretty well. That's an approach you could try though, posting in the "musician" sections of CL. Also, you could offer like 15 or 30s trials or something, because presumably you've got your kit and mics set up, all you need is to pop on the headphones and go, so that might be worth trying, to see if it gets you any business. Good luck man, and I may be calling you soon...

Nathan

Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 9:55 am

it's a great idea for a service! i know that around here (buffalo ny) there wouldnt be much demand, but you'd be that "studio drum internet guy". and people would go to you as needed. i'd be surprised if it were more than 3 or 4 customers per month though... because it's a question of demand.

i'd suggest that you should look into sprucing up the website a bit.. get a smaller font, something more stylistic maybe? and the awkward blue colors seem outdated.

nice audio samples and snare selection pages though!

just a bit of revamping and aggressive advertising

Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 10:24 am

basilbowman wrote:

... in about 10 or 12 different CL postings, so he must be doing pretty well. That's an approach you could try though, posting in the "musician" sections of CL.

Nathan

psst. what is a CL posting?

Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 10:35 am

Craigslist

Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:48 pm

By the way basilbowman, my wife is German, from Bremerhaven. I met her while touring Europe in '99. Married her in '02 and brought her to Texas. Best wife I've ever had!....

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